Experience in undergraduate research in communications

Abstract

This paper summarizes one professor's personal experience in overseeing undergraduate research in communication systems and theory at Loyola Marymount University. Even with careful planning the undergraduate research attempts were successful only in some exceptional cases. As a general matter, students generally were enthusiastic about the idea of performing research at the University. However, when students were asked to commit themselves to actually perform the research, most students declined to do so because of insufficient theoretical preparation, class overloading and financial disadvantages. This paper identifies these obstacles and disadvantages and suggests possible remedies as well.