The Story Behind ReScope

Inspiration

ReScope was inspired by the struggles that many undergraduate students face when trying to secure research opportunities. Take Roy, for example—a third-year Computer Science student at UC Davis who is passionate about AI but struggled to find a research lab. Despite months of searching department websites, sending cold emails, and applying to lab positions, he faced silence and rejections. His experience is not unique—73.8% of students at UC Davis struggle to find research opportunities, often navigating inefficient systems without guidance. We wanted to change that.

What We Learned

Through our research, we discovered key pain points in the process of finding and applying for research opportunities. There was one key shared observation: The absence of a centralized platform makes lab discovery inefficient.

These insights reinforced the need for a streamlined, all-in-one platform that connects students and professors seamlessly.

Building ReScope

To address these challenges, we built ReScope—a website designed to simplify the research application process. Our platform allows students to:

• Create a profile showcasing their skills, interests, and experience.
  
• Get AI-driven matches with labs actively seeking undergraduates.
  
• Search for opportunities by research field, paid vs. unpaid positions, and more.
  
• Receive guided support for crafting applications and contacting professors.
  

We also recognized that professors struggle to receive quality applications from students. ReScope provides them with a simple way to post opportunities, review applicants, and find the right fit more efficiently.

Challenges We Faced

Developing ReScope came with its challenges:

• Ideating – Coming up with an idea and figuring out the scope for the product took a lot of time.
• Understanding the Market – We had to validate our idea by surveying students and professors, ensuring the platform met their needs.
  
• User Experience Design – Creating an intuitive interface that streamlined research discovery and applications required extensive wireframing and iteration.
  

Despite these hurdles, we built a solution that bridges the gap between students and research opportunities.

The Future of ReScope

We envision ReScope growing beyond UC Davis to serve students at research universities nationwide. Our future goals include:

1. Expanding to other institutions to help more students access research opportunities.
   
2. Integrating with job search platforms like LinkedIn and Handshake to enhance career connections.
   
3. Incorporating research funding and grant opportunities to support students and professors further.
   

Conclusion

Roy’s story represents thousands of students searching for research opportunities. ReScope is here to change that. By providing a centralized, user-friendly platform, we’re making research more accessible, efficient, and tailored to each student’s needs.

Thank you for supporting our vision!

Built With

• canva
• figma