Frequently Asked Questions
For technical assistance, please email us at lsudiscover@lsu.edu
If you would like assistance in choosing a faculty member, finding funding, or would like more general information about getting involved, you can request our assistance by one of the following methods:
- Email us at lsudiscover@lsu.edu
- Call our office Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM at 578-8914
- Stop by our open office hours:
- Tuesdays | 1:00 - 3:00 pm | Hatcher 333
- Wednesdays | 2:30 - 4:30 pm | Hatcher 331
- Thursdays | 2:30 - 4:30 pm | Hatcher 330
No, LSU Discover does not contact the faculty for you. You, the student, must reach out to the faculty member yourself, but we can help you with this process.
Any faculty member at LSU is a potential research mentor! There are many faculty who serves as mentors but have not added their names to the database yet.
Students are encouraged to go to their department’s faculty webpage and read through the faculty information there. Choose a faculty member who interests you and contact them.
Not all faculty have funding to pay research students. Many students volunteer their time or do research for credit hours (ex: independent study).
For those faculty who do have funding, the hourly rate will depend on your own experience and the faculty mentor’s budget.
Yes! When you contact a faculty mentor, let them know that you have this funding and they can use it to pay you for your time spent on the research project. Faculty should speak to their departmental secretary or business coordinator to help them set this up.
This will depend on the nature of the project, your experience, and your mentor. Each research experience is unique.
The maximum number of hours students are allowed to work on campus is 20 hours per week (all on-campus jobs combined). Most mentors, however, do not require a set amount of hours, and many will be willing to work with you to decide on an appropriate weekly schedule.
There is no minimum GPA needed to use the mentor database. Be aware, however, that some faculty mentors will want to see a transcript. Some are looking to see that you have taken certain courses within your major, and others may want to see your grades. GPA and course requirements will vary from mentor to mentor so it is best to discuss this directly with a faculty mentor.