Because Nelson received a grant to fund the research, Lee and another student, Kari Jones, are paid for their contributions. Even unpaid, undergraduate research opportunities are hard to come by at most universities. The projects require extra work from the student, and they put additional loads on professors, who must bring each student along, teaching the basics so the student can do effective research. It's very labor- intensive, considering that the student then graduates and leaves. Nevertheless, Associate Professor of Biology Rick Ridgway, who is currently assisting eight students with research projects, says the results are worth it.
Undergraduate research shows students what it means to be a scientist.
In class, you know you'll end up with a grade, no matter what. Research puts a different pressure on students. It's tougher, and their work is very critically reviewed. With Rick Ridgway, she worked with snails, tracking a protein in the blood systems of mollusks, the presence of which had never been documented before. They can fill in the gaps.