Behind the Bench: A Peek into Research at UVA
Program Overview for Faculty
What is Behind the Bench?
Behind the Bench is an open house program that allows students to visit the university’s research groups in a low stakes environment. The goal is for the program to serve as a means of understanding: What do we mean when say “research”? There is no pressure for students to participate in research, nor will this be a recruitment activity.
Students who sign up will have the opportunity to come to a session hosted by you where they learn about your research, see the physical space/equipment (if applicable), and meet you. You have the freedom to program the session in a way that best showcases your work. We know that the experience for students will vary depending on the type of research done in your group; the goal of Behind the Bench is to provide an exploratory and informative experience and give students them the opportunity to ask questions.
Students will be selected by lottery and, as the year goes on, priority will be given to those who have yet to attend a Behind the Bench session.
Behind the Bench Logistics:
Behind the Bench will take place approximately one Friday a month during the academic year from 11AM – 1PM. There will be three 30-minute sessions (11-11:30, 11:45-12:15, 12:30-1:00) with programming planned by the host research group. There will be 15-minute transitions between each session.
The dates for the 2024-25 academic year are as follows:
- October 4th, 2024
- November 1st, 2024
- December 6th, 2024
- February 7th, 2025
- March 7th, 2025
- April 4th, 2025
The Office of Citizen Scholar Development will handle the student lottery, assigning Behind the Bench dates to all interested research groups, and outreach. That said, please pass along information about the program to any colleagues or students who may be excited to participate.
Participating departments will be listed on our website for each Behind the Bench. We will endeavor to have a mix of departments represented so that students from all areas of interest may attend.
How do I participate?
Faculty can participate in the Behind the Bench program by completing this faculty interest form by September 6th, 2024 for the fall semester and January 10th, 2025 for the spring semester sessions.
You will be notified of your assigned date and session(s) within one week of the fall/spring deadline and given a list of attendees in the week prior to your Behind the Bench date.
You will only be asked to participate on one date per year out of respect for your time and to allow for ample representation of the research being done across Grounds. If you have the capacity and interest to participate more than once, please contact our office at citizenscholars@virginia.edu.
Programming for the Session:
Participating research groups will need to develop programming for the 30-minute sessions. The goal of this programming is to give students a feel for what it’s like to do research.
Some programming suggestions:
- Welcome & research overview
- A sampling of poster presentations
- Research group member panel/Q&A
- Research demonstrations
- Tour of interesting physical space (explanation of equipment, materials, etc.)
*Feel free to be creative with your programming but be sure to leave time for questions.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can I still participate if I don’t currently have the capacity to take on more undergraduate researchers?
Yes! Absolutely. Behind the Bench is not supposed to be a recruitment event. This is the reason why we only list participating departments and not the names of participating faculty. We want students to feel free to learn, be curious, and ask questions. If they’re excited to get involved with research after seeing your work, our office will provide them with resources to guide their next steps.
Do I have to be available for all the dates and times each semester?
No. We work with the availability you provide when you fill out the interest form.
My research is not done in a physical space. How do I participate?
We want Behind the Bench to be accessible to students and faculty from all disciplines. If your research is computational, done in a different location, or otherwise not physically accessible to students, we encourage you to reserve a classroom, a conference room, or another shared space where you can tell students about your research.
Do I have to plan something special for students to see when they visit?
Not necessarily! We want students to experience the reality of research, and the reality is that research isn’t always flashy. It’s okay if students see a normal day during Behind the Bench. We just ask that you take the time to explain what they’re seeing and allow them to ask questions.
Further Questions?
Please direct any questions to the Office of Citizen Scholar Development (citizenscholars@virginia.edu).