A research group at the University of New Mexico (UNM) is offering first-year students early opportunities to participate in laboratory work. The Greenberg Research Group, led by Ph.D. chemist Jake Greenberg, currently has 17 undergraduate researchers and focuses on biology and chemistry.
Greenberg encourages students with interests beyond these fields as well. “I tell my students they have to treat my lab as a steppingstone. It’s supposed to be something where you are learning a whole bunch so that you can now become the best at whatever you’re doing next,” Greenberg said. “I strongly feel that research is a really big piece of that puzzle because it allows you to push the boundaries of academia and what we know. Being at an R1 institution, it makes sense to me at least that everybody should be exposed to research and seeing what types of things that we can do.”
The group’s phytochemistry laboratory investigates biochemical processes in Southwest plants, aiming to identify compounds with potential uses such as renewable carbon resources or new medicines. Another focus is on arbovirus transmission in the biology lab, studying how mosquitoes spread viruses among humans and animals like horses, cattle, and dogs.
Greenberg also explores liberal arts and student success through research. “It allows me to do anything because what I’m trying to do is expose them to research. I do have a program where I’m diving into the different courses that we have at the University of New Mexico,” he said.
He prioritizes recruiting freshmen and sophomores so they can begin developing their research skills early in their academic careers. “It’s about how much time you are thinking about a research project and what are you going to do or what questions that can you ask from your data that we can answer,” Greenberg said. “And so, it’s a cool place for first years to start thinking about, ‘How can I actually change the world?’ To change the world, you have to start really small in order to do something that’s really big.”
Students interested in joining the group have several options: earning 400-level research credits in liberal arts or chemistry; applying for scholarships through UNM’s Undergraduate Research and Design network (URAD); or participating via programs such as Mellon Mays, El Puente, ASSURE, or McNair.
Many members of Greenberg’s group present their findings each year at URAD’s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Conference.
“I just want students to know that even if there isn’t an opportunity to be a researcher in the lab, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t do research,” Greenberg said. “There are many courses where you’re able to investigate things that you care about. I highly recommend that everybody continue to ask questions, continue to talk to as many people as possible, because this is something where I think everybody who’s interested in research absolutely has the opportunity to.”
