About the Office of Undergraduate Research
Mission
Established in the fall of 2014, the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) has a four part mission:
(i) to INFORM undergraduates about research at Princeton through centralized online resources, comprehensive 1:1 and small group advising, the student-authored Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research (PCUR) blog, and inform faculty and administrators through campus-wide policies;
(ii) to ENGAGE undergraduates with term time research workshops and networking events with ReMatch mentors; and with hands-on mentored research experiences during the summer through the ReMatch+ summer mentoring program and the OUR Student-Initiated Internship Program (OURSIP), and weekly Summer Research Colloquium (SRC) workshops;
(iii) to SUPPORT research across the four divisions through grants for internships, academic conferences, and junior/senior independent work and support a thriving and connected summer on-campus community through the Summer Registration Project (SRP) and future creation of a Summer Research and Learning College;
(iv) to PREPARE Princeton undergraduate researchers to serve as effective communicators and responsible citizens through their participation in the SRC, academic conferences, and Princeton Research Day (PRD).
What is Research?
OUR adopts the definition of research as "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humans, culture, and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications." It includes investigations across all four divisions.
Email Inquiries
To contact the Office of Undergraduate Research, please email our@princeton.edu.
Who We Are
Crystal Y. DixonOffice of Undergraduate Research
Crystal Dixon earned her bachelor's degree from Geneva College and as the Program Coordinator, Crystal supports the day-to-day operation of the Office of Undergraduate Research. Crystal is responsible for the financial accounting of OUR programs; she manages OUR programs' application and awarding processes. Crystal is the primary point of contact for thesis funding administrators in the Student Activities Funding Engine (SAFE). Crystal leads the planning and support of OUR-sponsored events and coordinates the hiring, onboarding, and training of OUR student workers and temporary employees. In addition, Crystal provides administrative support to the office and assists in developing, implementing, and managing programs, initiatives, and special projects.
Throughout the academic year, the Program Coordinator holds weekly office hours for Princeton undergraduate students with questions regarding the OUR senior thesis funding process and other undergraduate research funding opportunities. To schedule an appointment with Crystal Dixon, please use the Bookings platform.
Caitlin Larracey, Ph.D.
As Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research, Dr. Caitlin Larracey contributes to campus conversations focused on developing and strengthening experiential learning opportunities involving Princeton undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. She manages several OUR core initiatives, including the Undergraduate Fund for Academic Conferences (UFAC) program, the ReMatch mentoring program, and the Summer Research Colloquium. She is also the administrative lead of the Princeton Correspondents on Undergraduate Research (PCUR) blog. Dr. Larracey is especially committed to advancing Princeton’s equity and inclusivity initiatives as they relate to accessing undergraduate research experiences. Prior to joining Princeton, she developed her expertise in experiential learning through her postdoctoral appointment in program design and student mentoring at Johns Hopkins University and (much like our ReMatch mentors) by working with undergraduate researchers in her writing studies dissertation at the University of Delaware.
When classes are in session, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research holds weekly office hours for Princeton undergraduate students interested in research. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Larracey, please use the Bookings platform.
Pascale Maloof Poussart, Ph.D.Pascale Poussart is the founding director of the Office of Undergraduate Research at Princeton. In this role, Pascale oversees campus-wide programs and initiatives designed to broaden access to transformative mentored research opportunities that foster students' academic, career, and personal development. An academic adviser of Whitman College since 2008, Pascale also serves as a committee member of the university's Institutional Review Board.
A graduate of McGill University, Pascale earned a master's degree in earth and ocean sciences at the University of Victoria and a doctorate in earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University. She joined the Princeton Environmental Institute in 2008 as the assistant director of energy initiatives where she led the development and implementation of research and education initiatives around energy and climate.
When classes are in session, the Director of Undergraduate Research holds weekly office hours for Princeton undergraduate students interested in research. To schedule an appointment with Dr. P2, please use the Bookings platform.
