Field and Community Work
Conduct fieldwork across the US and internationally, from environmental inquiry to policy and community-centered projects.
With over 200 Bowdoin students engaging in faculty-mentored research each year, Bowdoin is one of the most active research institutions among liberal arts colleges today.
So what are Bowdoin students curious about right now?
What does research look like?
If the first thing that comes to mind is a test tube, you're not alone. But Bowdoin students pursue big ideas across disciplines, methods, locations, and formats, with faculty mentorship at every stage.
Laboratory Science and Investigation
Test ideas, refine methods, build experience with lab technology, and learn through guidance and focused iteration.
Digital and Creative Practices
Use advanced tools for mapping, media creation, and data-rich projects that connect your classwork to real-world questions.
Archives and Source Work
Get access to primary source texts, records, and cultural materials to build original arguments with historical and social depth.
What makes research at Bowdoin different?
Many universities offer research. Bowdoin offers a distinctly undergraduate research culture: personal, rigorous, and built around mentorship from the beginning.
You are in direct conversation with faculty who are driving the research question.
You can move into substantive project work early in your Bowdoin experience.
Mentorship comes from professors—instead of graduate students or teaching assistants—so it's personal, sustained, and relevant to your goals.
Collaboration and intellectual rigor are part of the culture at Bowdoin, not part of a special program.
What does this mean for Bowdoin students?
Opportunities for Funding
Paid summer research fellowships and academic-year support help Bowdoin students pursue independent projects and gain research experience without unnecessary financial barriers.
Access to Faculty
Conversations about research begin in the classroom and continue through office hours, advising, and semester planning. Do collaborative work with professors who know you, and want you to succeed.
Outcomes that Outlast College
Build the skills, techniques, and confidence needed for graduate study, national fellowships, internships, and careers across all industries. Gain experience with equipment, software, and processes that will set you up for success after Bowdoin.
2026 Summer Funding Recipients
(456 students)
CXD Internship Grant
48.9%
This year, a record-breaking 223 students received a funded internship grant from CXD to work for the organization of their choice anywhere in the world.
Research Fellowship
39.5%
180 students received a research fellowship from Bowdoin, representing academic departments across campus. Many are undertaking their research on campus, advised by a faculty member.
McKeen Center Fellowship
8.1%
37 students have a fellowship through the McKeen Center: 10 are Bowdoin Public Service fellows, 6 are Global Citizens, 12 are Maine Community fellows, and 9 are Denning fellows.
Environmental Studies Fellowship
3.5%
16 students have a fellowship through the Environmental Studies program to do research or pursue an internship.