Although higher education requires a certain degree of research capabilities, students have an option of fulfilling the minimum requirements or venturing beyond the norm. This decision often depends on self-motivation and/or faculty encouragement. In many cases, the key to successful student research lies in discovering a personal passion for an issue as much as in
finding someone who is willing to offer guidance. These skills are generally developed over time; therefore, it is best to start the process early.

As an undergraduate in The Honors College and the School of Architecture, I began my first significant research initiative with the goal of examining the connection of art and architecture in Florida’s historic buildings. Entitled Exploring the Meaning Behind the Image, the project recorded and analyzed architectural and artistic ceiling design in a collection of installations scattered throughout the state. This work involved a variety of tasks such as investigating the records of each building, organizing site visits, arranging interviews, and interpreting the findings. Faculty mentoring from both The Honors College and the School of Architecture contributed much guidance and support in completing the research. The intellectual discussion and questioning of the collected raw data helped shape the final result that was later presented at the university level as well as the Florida Honors Collegiate Council conference. While the project led to travel opportunities, monetary sponsorship, and press exposure, perhaps the most important results were the skills I learned during the process.

Learning how to do research as an undergraduate is critical to the successful completion of graduate work as well. While thesis requirements may vary with different colleges and disciplines, the ability to conduct meaningful investigation, organize, understand, interpret and apply data is important in most fields. Furthermore, the ability to intelligently interact with faculty, to defend one’s findings with documented facts, and to truly believe in one’s work is the result of confidence gained from successful research.

In my experience, this ability has helped me to develop my graduate thesis in a timely manner, with a degree of understanding that is expected in higher education. Aside from meeting college requirements, meaningful study has great merit in the professional world as well. In fact, the ability to formulate a hypothesis or an idea, conduct a study, and arrive at a conclusion are critical life skills. In nearly any work environment, attaining and interpreting data are important, regardless of the subject or type of job. Architecture, for example, is a profession that requires constant investigation. As clients, locations and building programs can vary drastically, one is faced with a series of design questions that need to be answered quickly and effectively. Often described as problem solvers, architects (professional as well as students) must, therefore, engage in research in order to solve the given problem. This may include examining the history of a particular site, looking for an appropriate physical expression, investigating climactic parameters, or selecting suitable technology.

Aside from educational and professional applications, one of the most rewarding aspects of research is the possibility of public contribution. In many cases, new findings and serious scholarship can bring benefits to the larger community. While this is perhaps most often evident in the areas of science and medicine, all fields regardless of specialization have the ability to inform and educate. Intellectual exploration should not always be kept private; instead it should be shared and tested against the theories of others. Students, in particular, have the
opportunity to do so at any level.

Conversations with professors, participation in conventions, and contributions to the literature are some of the ways to share work with peers and the community. The result broadens an opportunity for self-evaluation and potential improvement.

Building upon an idea related to my undergraduate research, I started another investigation that focuses on the architectural history of Miami, particularly the land boom years. This project titled, Selling History, traces the development of a stylistic architectural construct that became a marketing tool responsible in part for the building fervor of the 1920s. My intention is that together with Exploring the Meaning Behind the Image, this work will be compiled into a book and published upon completion. Scholastic research, whether related to coursework or personal interest, is a skill that can be developed and nurtured or simply preformed as an assigned task. In the end, each student makes his or her choice to limit this form of intellectual exploration or embrace it as part of a rewarding learning process. The difference between the two can make a significant impact in one’s college experience as well as the individual’s career.