ResearchConnect

Click here to download the ResearchConnect PDF

Abstract

ResearchConnect is a platform for professors to advertise research opportunities for both undergrad and graduate students also providing incoming grad students with possible advisors.. Professors post research opportunities and filter applicants with questionnaires. Students can browse through currently available research opportunities to apply and find helpful information on how to approach professors.

Approach

We first wanted to familiarize ourselves with the new technologies and existing code.

Frontend:

• React.js
• Bulma

Backend:

• Node.js
• Express.js
• MongoDB/Mongoose

Overview

Right now, incoming grad students does not have a platform to use to find out which professors are interested in being advisors and how to contact these professors. And both grad and undergrad students do not know where to find research opportunities. We provide such platform that solves both issues at once. This is a continuation of a past senior project where previously the focus was to target undergrad students. For this current iteration, we wanted to focus on incoming graduate students and help them find suitable advisors. ResearchConnect also aims to be a platform with updated information on faculty members and a forum base for students to share their experiences. 

Architecture

Challenges

• Difficulties in gathering useful and up-to-date information on professors.
• Needed professors and students to use and test product. 
• Inconvenient to meet with teammates and faculty members
• Need to register under UCSC domain

Results

Admin Accounts: 

• Manage users (ex. assign roles, remove users)
• Manage research posts and departments (ex. edit/remove)

Students Account: 

• List of professors with bios and links to their research publications. 
• Helpful tips page

General:

• Clearer and more efficient UI

Conclusion

We were able to provide a platform to help graduate students find advisors based on active research opportunities or research interests. As of now, Research Connect has its basic functions available but could be improved on more.