Oberlin Summer Research Institute Partners with Career Exploration and Development, Expands Capacity

For almost 20 years, Oberlin Summer Research Institute, or OSRI, has been fostering community and the development of Oberlin students. Now, beginning in summer 2025, the program will offer exciting new opportunities. The original idea for the program stemmed from Professor Emeritus of Biology Yolanda Cruz, who had the desire to bring together a community of researchers over the summer. Over the past years, OSRI has evolved into an immersive, intensive, faculty-mentored research experience—and that research spans across many disciplines.

The program lasts eight weeks, and can look different ways for each student, depending on the style of their project. They might be in a research lab, working on faculty research. Or, they could be working on their own research project, but still being guided by a faculty member. Each week, all students come together for workshops about research themes, professional development, and more. At the end of the program, OSRI hosts a research symposium where students can present their work and hear about others’ projects. 

“It's a super supportive community and very interdisciplinary. It's an exciting space to learn from one another, and to learn to communicate your research to folks across different disciplines,” says Abby Aresty, interim director of Inclusive Excellence in STEM Pedagogy and Undergraduate Research.

OSRI is not just limited to STEM subjects, which is what one often associates with the concept of research. Rather, it has long had a commitment to supporting a diversity of projects across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Projects can range anywhere from critically evaluating AI-produced survey content to investigating and problematizing the historically white racial frame of music theory and classical music. 

The integral aspect of the updated OSRI experience is a new collaboration with Career Exploration & Development (CED). This partnership will allow rising third- and fourth-year students to apply for an OSRI Fellowship for on-campus research; if their application is successful, Internship+ funds will be allocated to support their OSRI experience. What this means is that Oberlin is increasing the funding available for students to participate in summer research on campus. This, in turn, increases not only the general capacity of the program, but the ability to support students at a wider variety of stages in their research. 

“Some may be starting out as an assistant on a research project,” Aresty explains. “Other people may be working towards their honors project, or thinking about applying for Research Fulbright. We're making the programming more targeted and flexible. We will have opportunities for research foundations workshops for folks who are earlier in their journey, but we will also have programming and space for advanced students to come together to learn from one another. We are designing the program in a way that is conducive to everybody's individual research journey.”

Research at Oberlin is a unique and special experience, set apart from others for a few reasons. Undergraduate students often work on graduate-level research, tackling real-world issues with their faculty mentors. 

“Students are working on research questions that may shape the trajectory of their careers,” Aresty says. “Because of our outstanding faculty mentors, they have both a lot of support and agency in this process.” 

As a campus, Oberlin is creative, engaged, and community-focused. This overall character permeates into the research world, and leads to a vibrancy amongst students and their various projects. 

“I deeply cherish and value the opportunity to conduct research here, as it has provided me with invaluable connections, essential skills, and remarkable personal growth,” Andrea Romero ’27 reflects on her research experience. “This experience makes me feel truly alive and constantly grateful to be part of such a wonderful community and to explore another world through the lens of a microscope.” 

By collaborating with CED and expanding OSRI, Oberlin Undergraduate Research will be even better able to meet the demand of students wanting a summer research opportunity.

“We are excited about our expanded capacity since it will allow us to better support Oberlin students working across disciplines and at different phases in their research journey,” Aresty says of the new program developments. 

Want to pursue your own summer research? Apply to OSRI, and learn more about Internship+ funding opportunities.