First-year Research Immersion

Binghamton UniversityBinghamton, United States

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Tuition Fee

Not Available

Start Date

2027-09-01

Medium of studying

On campus

Duration

3 semesters

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Program Details

Degree: Bachelors
Major: Biomedical Engineering | Biochemistry | Biotechnology
Area of study: Engineering | Natural Science
Timing: Full time
Course Language: English

Intakes

Program start date

2027-09-01

Program Overview

Introduction to the First-year Research Immersion Program

The First-year Research Immersion (FRI) program at Binghamton University is designed for new first-year students who have been invited to participate through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. This program is ideal for students interested in the STEM fields, as well as those who are undecided.

Program Basics

Who can participate in the program?

New first-year students can participate in FRI. Students are invited via email to the program through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. If a student missed this first-year experience, they can consider applying for the Fast-track Research Immersion (FtRI) or the Summer Research Immersion (SRI) programs.

Who is chosen for the program?

Admissions will invite a diverse population of incoming Harpur and Watson students who indicated interest in the STEM fields, and those students who are undecided. Students are chosen for having high academic merit and a possible interest in research.

Are all parts of the program mandatory?

If a student accepts their offer, they agree to commit to all parts of the program and to complete the three-semester sequence.

Waiting List

A waiting list will be kept according to the date of student registration. If a student drops the program, the first person on the list will be notified. However, it is advised not to count on this outcome.

Structure of FRI Courses

Grading System

The FRI program follows a regular grading system. Students who are taking courses for the FRI program will receive letter grades for those courses. However, the grades for the FRI courses are not on a curve. This means that there is not a pre-determined distribution of grades. The course grades are based on achieved competency and research progress.

Course Structure

In the research methods seminar, there will be two hours weekly of lecture and discussion. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in team meetings with their instructor and office hours will be available.

Research Streams

Teamwork

For the research conducted, students will work in teams. Developing teamwork and collaborative skills is important in research today. Each student team will work on a research question that is related to the overall objective of the research stream for that year.

Switching Research Streams

During the first semester, if slots become available in the stream a student is interested in, they may be able to switch streams. However, students should not count on this option as research streams are usually full. FRI is more about the research experience than the research topic. Once a student completes the program, they can pursue research opportunities outside of that field.

Research Stream Assignment

Students are assigned to a research stream after the Binghamton University deposit deadline of May 1st. Students should expect to receive a stream assignment email by June.

Research Outside the Program

Participating in Research without FRI

Yes, students can still participate in research as an undergrad at Binghamton University even if they were not invited to the FRI program. If a student has not received an invitation but is interested in the program, they can complete the FRI interest form.

Summer Research Immersion (SRI) Program

The SRI program is a ten-week intensive research experience, for 8 credits, in which students work in teams on the same kinds of research problems addressed in FRI. It is designed for students with at least one year of college courses.

Fast-track Research Immersion (FtRI) Program

The FtRI program is a five-week, 4 credit research experience. FtRI is a structured and mentored research experience meant to catch participants up to speed with the skills and discipline content knowledge built during the first two semesters of the FRI program.

Scholarships and Fees

Scholarship Money

No, there is no monetary award for the program.

Fees

Yes, students will be charged an additional $38.50 in course fees for the first semester research methods course. They will also be charged an additional $150 in lab fees for both their second semester of their first year and first semester of their second year, for a total cost of $300. Research-grade equipment and supplies are expensive. The laboratory fee subsidizes the cost of the research-grade supplies and the need for students to be able to repeat procedures as they learn protocols and design and run experiments.

Pre-Health Research Streams

For students interested in pre-health, there are several research streams that align well with this field, including:

Biomedical chemistry
Community & Global Public Health
Drug Discovery (pharmaceutical sciences, biochemistry)
Ecological Genetics
Microbial biofilms in human health (microbiology)
Molecular & biomedical anthropology
Neuroscience
Image & Acoustics Signals Analysis, which addresses health issues such as better ways of monitoring pain.

Registration and Open House

Registering for FRI Courses

Students will be automatically pre-registered for their first FRI course (Research Methods) before summer Orientation. During Orientation, they should confirm that they are enrolled in the appropriate section for the particular research stream to which they have been assigned.

Open House

FRI students and faculty will be available to answer any questions at Open House. The FRI program hosts an information session and provides tours of the research labs during Open House.

About University

Binghamton University

Overview:

Binghamton University is a public research university located in Binghamton, New York. It is known for its strong academic programs, vibrant research environment, and diverse student body. The university is recognized as a top public institution in the Northeast, offering a broad, interdisciplinary education with an international perspective.