A starting point for UW-Madison students

Your curiosity.
A place to begin.

Find research that interests you, understand the work, and take your first step. No research experience required.

A little curiosity goes a long way.
“How can AI help people in everyday life?”
Research preview

COMPUTER SCIENCES

Making the world
more accessible.

Yuhang Zhao studies AI-powered systems that support people with diverse abilities.

WHY EXPLORE THIS?

A connection between your interest in AI and real needs in people’s lives.

A real research example. Openings may not be listed.

Curiosity before credentials Understand before you reach out Your choice, informed by sources

You do not need a plan.
Just a starting point.

Research begins with a question. We help you find where yours could lead.

  1. Start with what interests you.

    A topic, a question, or a professor’s name. Add a résumé if you want to; your interests lead the way.

  2. Make sense of the research.

    Read plain-language explanations, follow original sources, and compare the questions different researchers ask.

  3. Find your next step.

    Keep a shortlist and prepare individual email drafts. Check the public contact route before reaching out.

Built around your judgment

A promising connection.
An honest explanation.

A research interest is not an open position. You will see what the sources support, what is unknown, and where to learn more.

Explicitly supportedNot supportedNot stated

Search the cross-department faculty catalog, then expand to public web sources when needed. Each profile keeps its own evidence dates.

A few things you might be wondering.

Do I need a résumé or research experience?+

No. A research topic, a question, or a researcher’s name is enough to start. Your background is optional.

Can I explore outside my major?+

Yes. The catalog covers multiple departments and shows all collected matches. Coverage and research evidence can still be incomplete; you can search more public sources.

Does a match mean a lab is hiring?+

No. It means the research could be worth understanding. Missing recruitment information stays marked as unknown.

Can I review emails before sending?+

Yes. You can edit and preview each draft. Sending requires a configured mail service and a connected or verified account; the sending screen shows the actual sender.

Where is my work saved?+

Your workspace stays in this browser and is not synced across devices. Clearing browser data removes it. Uploaded résumé files are not retained or automatically attached; AI review of the extracted text is optional.

There is a question
with your name on it.

Get Started