Gateway Seminars
While students are often interested in pursuing research, they can be uncertain of where to begin. Before they can identify specific areas of research interest or faculty with whom they may work, many want to develop an understanding of the research process within an academic field. The CURO Gateway Seminars are offered with these students in mind.
These one-credit-hour, graded A-F seminars help undergraduates define what it means to conduct research in broadly-defined disciplines and help them identify and refine their research interests within those fields. Undergrads also develop basic skills applicable to research, including research models, research outside the sciences, identifying and approaching potential mentors, finding and using research literature, and research proposal development.
Who should strongly consider the Gateway Seminars?
- undergraduates in their first or second year;
- Undergraduates from all majors, but especially those in the humanities and social sciences, who may not be aware of the many research opportunities for non-sceince majors;
- Undergrads with broad research interests who have not identified specific research interests or faculty with whom they wish to work;
- Undergrads who want to develop an understanding of the research process before enrolling in a 3-4 credit hour CURO research course.
Gateway Seminars are offered each Spring semester. Access must be obtained through the CURO Office. Please call 706-542-5871 or email Ms. Eleana Whyte (ecwhyte@uga.edu) for access.
SPRING 2013 Gateway Seminars
HONS 3010H (40-049): Introduction to Research in the Arts
Professor Mark Callahan, Artistic Director, Ideas for Creative Exploration (ICE) (mark@mazamedia.com)
1 credit hour
Date/Time: Tuesdays/2:00-3:15pm
Location: S160 Lamar Dodd School of Art
The Introduction to Research in the Arts seminar provides an overview of arts research, presents methodological models for sustaining research-based creative practice, and acts as a workshop for project development. The seminar will examine conventional and emerging forms of arts research, ranging from historical and critical studies to project-based works that address newer media and interdisciplinary approaches. Students will visit various areas of campus to become familiar with performance and exhibition resources at UGA and meet leading faculty and professionals who are conducting research in the Departments of Art, Dance, Theatre & Film Studies, English, Music, and ICE (Ideas for Creative Exploration). Students will be exposed to a range of models for creative practice based on visits with faculty, outside reading, and discussion.
HONS 3010H (51-064): Introduction to Research in the Humanities & Social Sciences
Dr. William A. Kretzschmar, Department of English (kretzsch@uga.edu)
1 credit hour
Date/Time: Tuesdays/11:00am-12:15pm
Location: 205 Miller Learning Center
This seminar will provide an overview of humanities and social science research with a special focus on actual funded research projects directed by the instructor. This seminar will bring students into the middle of a famous 80-year-old research project, the American Linguistic Atlas Project, where they can learn about how large-scale research in the humanities and social sciences is conceived, executed, funded, and continued through the years. Participants will also hear about the instructor's Roswell (GA) Voices project, which is the first American member of the European Union's Living Laboratories network. Students will learn the actual techniques used on the projects, including current best practices in the field of humanities computing that students can transfer to other work. The seminar will also address the issue of collaborative research in the humanities and social sciences, in comparison with research carried out by individuals. Finally, and not less important, the seminar will review how the instructor created and published literary research. This seminar will ask students to prepare an abstract of the kind required for a CURO Research Course or Thesis, and students in the seminar will find many avenues to develop proposals for their own ideas about English language and literature and American culture more generally.
HONS 3040H (20-826): Introduction to Research in Law & Policy
Dr. John Dayton, J.D., Ed. D., Department of Lifelong Education, Administration and Policy (jdayton@uga.edu)
1 credit hour
Day/Time: Monday/1:25-2:15pm
Location: 430 Aderhold Hall (Building 1060-Room 430)
This seminar is an introduction to research in law and policy, including formulating legal research questions, research and analysis of scholarly legal writings, federal and state constitutions, legislation, regulations, and judicial decisions, and study related to the establishment, implementation, and assessment of governmental policies. It seeks enhance directed research participation through CURO Research Courses.
DESCRIPTION
1. Study and demonstrate understanding of law and policy research and understanding of relevant federal and state constitutional provisions.
2. Study and demonstrate understanding of the governance structures and institutions formed by constitutional provisions, and examine the roles of these structures and institutions in the establishment, implementation, and assessment of governmental policy.
4. Review significant federal and state legislation, regulations, and case law concerning current and emerging governmental policy issues.
5. Discuss current and significant issues in law and policy.
6. Students will also consider how to identify and approach a research mentor to fulfill their own goals of undergraduate research. Students will read and evaluate research articles and compose their own research proposal. By the end, students should be comfortable establishing contact with a faculty mentor and be able to provide some understanding and insight into the research process.
BRIEF OUTLINE:
1) Introduction to Research in Law and Policy
2) Historical Perspectives on Law and Policy
3) The Federal and State Constitutions
4) The Legislative Branch
5) The Administrative Branch
6) The Judicial Branch
7) An Interactive System of Law: Checks and Balances
8) Politics in Law and Policy
9) Policy Establishment: Law as a System of Problem Resolution
10) Alternatives to Litigation and Formal Legal Proceedings
11) Continuing your studies in Law and Policy
HONS 3070H (00-081): Introduction to Research in the Natural & Biological Sciences
Dr. John Maerz, Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources (jcmaerz@uga.edu)
1 credit hour
Day/Time: Monday/12:20-1:10pm
Location: 307 Forestry Resources 1 (Building #1040)
The objective of this course is for students to become familiar with the broad scope of natural and biological sciences, to understand some of the important societal issues being addressed by natural and biological scientists, and if interested, to identify a potential mentor with whom they will continue with honors research. This course will include general overviews of research questions and methods in the natural and biological sciences, discussions of relevant papers from the primary literature, profiles of UGA professors actively working in the natural and biological sciences, and tours of specific research programs.
HONS 3070H (20-048): Introduction to Research in the Biological Sciences
Dr. Marcus Fechheimer, Department of Cellular Biology (fechheim@uga.edu)
1 credit hour
Day/Time: Tuesdays/2:00-3:15 pm
Location: 723 Biological Sciences
The Introduction to Research in the Biological Sciences seminar is intended for students interested in engaging in undergraduate research at the University of Georgia in the biological sciences. The major goal is to share the excitement for current findings in biological research, while exploring avenues for continuing research through Honors undergraduate research courses leading to a thesis. The class will focus on research areas, techniques, responsible conduct of research, and methods to identify and gain access to undergraduate research opportunities. Students will learn about professors on campus who may serve as mentors for their undergraduate research experience. Students will also learn about effective scientific communication skills. Students will read primary research papers and attend research lectures in order to gain appreciation for the variety, excitement, and significance of modern research in the biological sciences.
HONS 3070H (90-046): Introduction to Research in Clinical Medicine
Dr. Erik Hofmeister, School of Veterinary Medicine
1 credit hour
Day/Time: Mondays/3:35-4:25 pm
Location: H349 Veterinary Medicine 1 (Building #1070)
This introductory course is designed to be a primer for students interested in biological research with an emphasis on clinical veterinary and human medical research. Clinical research requires curiosity and creativity as well as an analytical mind, and these elements will be explored throughout the course. Students will gain an understanding of the research process, including recruiting subjects, the importance of evidence-based clinical practice, and the ethical handling of research subjects and data. Students will be educated on how to identify and approach a research mentor to fulfill their own goals of undergraduate research. Students will also be given skills in how to read and evaluate journal articles and compose their own research proposal. By the end, it is expected that students will be comfortable establishing contact with a faculty mentor and be able to provide some understanding and insight into the research process.
Assignments:
- Journal Article Critique – The student will read a research publication on a topic of interest. They will produce a report detailing the significance of the work, a brief review of the methods and results and discussion, and a critique of their interpretation of the quality of the findings.
- Research Proposal – The student will prepare a 1-page research proposal including a background/introduction and proposed methods section.
- Book Summary – The student will read The Invisible Gorilla and produce a summary and analysis of the book as it relates to clinical research.
Course Objectives:
- Understand the scientific process and how research is integral to that process.
- Learn about evidence-based medicine and the relevance of research for clinical practice.
- Know how clinical research is undertaken.
- Know the ethical considerations of clinical research.
- Learn vocabulary of research and how it is used.
- Understand how to find research publications
- Understand how to read a journal article critically
- Learn how to make contact with faculty mentors for CURO research
- Know the elements of a research proposal and how to draft one.
HONS 3070H (33-167): Introduction to Research in the Biological & Physical Sciences
Dr. Paul Schroeder, Department of Geology (schroe@uga.edu)
1 credit hour
Day/Time: Tuesdays/2:00-3:15 pm
Location: 116 Moore College* (*class will meet in Moore College for the first 4 weeks, and then meet at various campus locations thereafter.)
The line between the biological and physical science is becoming blurrier each day. Biological science is reliant on technology that is an outgrowth of research in physical sciences, while researchers in physical science see the importance of biologically mediated processes. Researchers in both sciences now need to be trained in an interdisciplinary way.
In preparation for a research career, each student will draft their own personal vita or biographical sketch to help them get started on their CURO research and to help them apply for funding or internships. We start the class with a discussion about what science is (and what it is not...). We take a look at the components for making a successful research program. We brainstorm about student perceptions of scientific research. The following weeks involve visits to researchers in and around the UGA scientific community.
The seminar culminates with a summary of the semester's findings and a second look at student paradigms of scientific research. The site visits also provide opportunities for students to get involved in research.
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