A Research Experience for First-Year Undergraduates

A long-running program at Loyola University Chicago (LUC) provides one model for mentoring physics majors in undergraduate research, beginning with their first year in the department. Since 1996, the Physics Department at LUC has annually engaged students in a program known as the Freshman Project. This program aims to involve students in project-based learning and to model a semester-long research experience early in their undergraduate careers. The Freshman Project has many potential benefits for students, including helping to integrate them into the department, deepening their understanding of physics, and encouraging their interest in research. It has become an integral part of the LUC Physics Department curriculum. This program demonstrates an approach to mentoring and fostering student research that can establish a foundational experience for students during their first year in physics.