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Center for Teaching, Learning, and Research

2026 Summer Research Program Updates - Welcome!

| by Colleen Norden

Undergraduate Research

Welcome Researchers!

Please join your fellow researchers and their mentors for our welcome luncheon next Wednesday, June 10. You’ll find this event and others below and online. 

We are excited that so many of you—130+!—are working with faculty from many different departments and programs this summer! We want to remind you that the Undergraduate Research team in the CTLR remains a resource for you if questions or issues arise. Email us at ur@middlebury.edu.

Welcome Luncheon

Wednesday, June 10 from Noon–1 pm
MBH Great Hall and Discovery Court

Join summer research assistants and their faculty mentors for a casual lunch of pizza and salads. Enjoy some conversation and relaxation with researchers on the patio.

Save the Date!

Library Events 

(details and links to register on the Library Events Calendar)

  • Intro to Version Control with Git and Github, June 11 (in-person)
  • How to Conduct a Literature Review, June 15 (in-person)
  • AI Tools for Research, June 16 (hybrid)
  • Introduction to Zotero, June 17 (in-person)
  • Research from Afar, June 18 (online)
  • Introduction to R and RStudio, June 25 (in-person)
  • Data Visualization: Strategies and Tips, July 2 (in-person)
  • Introduction to Zotero, July 8 (in-person)

SRAs are welcome to schedule appointments with librarians for individual research consultations. Schedule a consultation with a librarian.

Undergraduate Research Events

(details on the Summer Research calendar)

  • Game Night, June 17
  • Graduate School Panel, June 24, lunch provided, please register
  • Resume Workshop, July 1, lunch provided, please register
  • Game Night, July 14
  • STEM Fellowships, July 15, lunch provided, please register
  • Summer Research Symposium, July 30

Lab Safety Training

Students working in MBH need lab safety training. This is required for most Biology, Chemistry, Environment Studies/Earth Climate Science, and Neuroscience research students and student employees who have not already taken it. Requirements for other departments vary by lab. All summer research students are welcome to attend! If you aren’t sure if you need to take it, please reach out to Amanda Richardson.

Lab Safety Training sessions will take place in MBH 148. Below are the currently scheduled sessions. More lab training sessions will be scheduled later in the month. 

  • June 8, 1–2 pm 
  • June 15, 3–4 pm 

For students working in labs or in BiHall spaces that do not require the in-person training, the online MBH Hazards Awareness Training is required.

Getting Paid

Timesheets: Most summer researchers will be submitting timesheets this summer. Please make sure you read the Human Resources emails for any updates on submitting timesheets and getting paid. For payment dates see the pay calendar. Students are limited to a maximum of 40 hrs/week, although some researchers may be working fewer weekly hours. Note: if you are being paid through a stipend, do not complete timesheets!

Tracking Work Hours: We recommend you track work hours using a shared spreadsheet to help communication between researchers and mentors about activities and worked hours. The spreadsheet can be used as a reference when entering/approving Oracle timesheets and for faculty, to help stay within budget.

Online Research Training

While your faculty mentor is your best resource for training, Middlebury also has some great online resources.

CITI Program: It is highly recommended that all summer researchers complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) module. You will need to create an account and login to save your progress. All students can take any of the research training modules. You will receive a certificate at the end of each module.

LinkedIn Learning: Middlebury has an institutional subscription to LinkedIn Learning providing free access to thousands of courses on technology, software and web development, business, and design or tutorials on skills in software like Excel, R, and the Adobe suite, or writing a resume or cover letter. Get started with LinkedIn Learning.

The Undergraduate Research Team

Lisa Gates, Heidi Greenwald, and Jill Strube
Got questions? ur@middlebury.edu