What’s included below is only a selection of research opportunities currently available to undergraduate students. You are encouraged to read through these postings and contact mentors whose projects you are interested in.

This is not a comprehensive list of all the undergraduate research opportunities available at UGA, and many faculty have opportunities that may not be listed here.

Mentors may post a research opportunity to the list at any time throughout the year. Mentors, contact [email protected] to advertise a research opportunity.

Fall 2025

Who: Dr. Kathryn Manis
Department: UGA Libraries
Study Area: LGBTQIA+ History and Archives
Date advertised: June 12, 2025

We are looking for an undergraduate researcher to partner with me and Meagan Duever (UGA GIS Librarian) to create a digital storytelling and mapping resource associated with UGA Special Collections assortment of Gay Travel Guides. Whether the final version uses StoryMaps, Omeka, or another tool of interest to the selected student, our goal is to make these unique and significant historical materials more accessible through storytelling and visualization strategies.

The breakdown of the work will involve an initial period in Special Collections becoming familiar with the materials themselves, check-ins with Meagan and Dr. Manis along the way, training with Meagan on the selected tool(s), and a final stage of compiling and constructing the visualization. This opportunity is also associated with UGA Libraries, Department of English, and School of Art co-hosting the 2026 iteration of the international Queer Bibliography conference and the student will be expected to present about this project at that conference in March.

This opportunity is a good fit for anyone interested in archival research or careers, digital libraries, data visualization tools and techniques, and those with subject matter interest and/or expertise in Queer history and culture. The student should be able to commit to an average of 5 hours per week in the Fall 2025 semester. There is the possibility of extending this project into additional related work in the Summer or Spring. Dr. Manis will support the selected student to present at the CURO symposium and pursue additional professional development opportunities, if desired.

To submit your interest or ask any questions, email Dr. Manis ([email protected]) with a brief cover letter (a few sentences is fine!) and CV/resume.

Who: Dr. Brian Bauer
Department: Department of Psychology, Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
Study Area:Clinical Psychology (Suicide)
Date advertised: June 3, 2025

We’re looking primarily for detail-oriented, fun-loving people who would like to apply to Psychology PhD programs in the future. Most of our ongoing research tasks include qualitative analysis (i.e., reading and coding qualitative responses) or data cleaning with R and Python (additional training included). Successful applicants will have already completed Research Methods (PSYC 3980) and Analysis (PSYC 3990). The position will be volunteer. Please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] if you have any questions about the position!

Please take a look at our website and our UGA pages if you’re interested in learning more about our lab: https://www.ugabauerlab.com/.

And please apply here if you are interested: https://redcap.ovpr.uga.edu/surveys/?s=8AFWH47LWRK9E3TX.

Department: School of Computing
Study Area: Computing and Its Applications
Date advertised: June 3, 2025

The newly constituted CURO / School of Computing Scholars Program provides stipends of $1,000 each to outstanding undergraduate students pursuing a degree associated with computing (computer science, data science, or cognitive science) to participate in faculty-mentored research. Awards are for one semester—either fall, spring, or summer.

The faculty mentor for this research can be a School of Computing faculty member, a faculty member in departments serving Data Science or Cognitive Science majors, or another faculty member whose research involved innovative applications of computing.

The application is available at https://uga.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1984047. For more information, contact Andrea Silletti at [email protected] or Dr. Gagan Agrawal at [email protected].

Department: Multiple Departments
Study Area: Vertically Integrated Projects-Research program
Date advertised: June 3, 2025

Applications are now open for VIPR – the Vertically Integrated Projects-Research – program at UGA. This program connects undergraduate students with faculty-led research teams to gain hands-on experience, mentorship, and professional development over multiple semesters.

To learn more about the VIPR program and the research teams, visit https://vipr.uga.edu/.

Interested in joining a team? Apply now to become part of a collaborative research community pushing innovation forward at https://uga.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1981196.

Who: Dr. Jeremy Daniel ([email protected])
Department: Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Study Area: UGA CyberArch Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Date advertised: June 3, 2025

Facilitated by the UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government, UGA is addressing the challenges of cybersecurity for Georgia’s communities and businesses through the CyberArch program. This program helps build a broader awareness about cybersecurity threats and strengthens cyber preparation and response actions of city and county governments, K-12 school systems, public utility systems, rural hospitals, and small businesses. The CURO/CyberArch research opportunity is aimed at outstanding and self-motivated undergraduate students to participate in faculty-mentored research in the field of cybersecurity. Under the supervision of the CyberArch program coordinator Dr. Jeremy Daniel, and in collaboration with other research labs across campus, undergraduate students will conduct a one-semester research project focusing on the cybersecurity aspects of public outreach and service. A list of five main research areas is provided below, and our goal is to adopt a multidisciplinary approach by involving students from diverse backgrounds across campus.

Students interested in research in any of the following areas should contact Dr. Daniel at [email protected] for more information. The list of topics is not exclusive, and you may reach out to Dr. Daniel if there is a specific topic related to cybersecurity that you would like to propose as the focus of your research experience.

Research areas:

• Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLM) in the Cybersecurity and Engineering Education Domains. (Potential collaboration with the Engineering Education Transformation Institute, College of Engineering).
  • Leveraging NLP and LLM for cybersecurity job requirement analysis at the entry level
  • Data cleaning, analysis, and visualization using NLP in compliance assessments
• Gamified approach to enhance cyber education principles: design, implementation, and evaluation. (Potential collaboration with Mary Frances Early College of Education, the Engineering Education Transformation Institute, Terry College of Business).
  • Teach cyber hygiene principles using the CIS controls V8.1
  • Recognize social engineering tactics and attacks
• The role of public policy in medical device cybersecurity, FDA, and cybersecurity regulations. (Potential collaborations with College of Pharmacy, School of Public and International Affairs, Terry College of Business).
  • Medical Device Compliance Trends
  • Medical Device Risk Management
• Cyber Security Education for K-12 Students. This project involves designing and developing educational content for enhancing cyber education principles among K-12 students. The goal is to create an engaging and interactive learning experience (the format is open) to help students understand and apply cybersecurity concepts in real-world scenarios. (Potential collaborations with Mary Frances Early College of Education and the UGA Department of Psychology, within the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences)
• Improving Cybersecurity Awareness in Small Businesses. This research project involves designing effective content to raise awareness about cybersecurity in small businesses. The content will include brochures that help these organizations understand the importance of adopting cyber hygiene measures using the CIS controls v8.1. (Potential collaborations with the UGA Small Business Development Center, the School of Public and International Affairs, Terry College of Business, and the UGA Department of Psychology, within the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences)

Summer 2025

Who: Dr. Hongyue Sun
Department: College of Engineering
Study Area: Manufacturing, robotics, and AI projects—in summer and fall 2025
Date advertised: March 17, 2025

We have multiple undergraduate student positions available and are looking for self-motivated students.

Students can be involved in the project with the following options:

• Research volunteer (e.g., obtaining research experience)
• Course credit
• Paid position

Eligibility:

• GPA > 3.0
• Majored in engineering, CS, or related
• US citizen or permanent resident

Project Outcome: The specific outcomes of this project will be identified by the faculty mentor at the beginning of your collaboration (e.g., demos and publications).

Please fill out the application form (review will be performed on a rolling basis) at
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXL5xA7uJ3cc6vQaTzaYXkbtRD8N-lSSMn8fXuMaMUGaj5wQ/viewform?usp=sharing. For more information, please contact Dr. Hongyue Sun at [email protected].

Spring 2025

Who: Dr. Rachel Figard
Department: Engineering Education Transformations Institute, College of Engineering
Study Area: Research on broadening participation in engineering
Date advertised: November 8, 2024

The ACCESS Lab, led by Dr. Rachel Figard, conducts education research on how universities can improve and broaden participation in undergraduate engineering education. We are currently recruiting 2-3 undergraduate students to work on qualitative research projects related to the following topics: accessibility / accessible design in engineering education, the experiences of students with disabilities in engineering, and public policy in higher education. Students will contribute to data cleaning, collection, and analysis.

Students can be involved in the project with the following options:

• Course credit
• Paid position

Students will devote a minimum of 3 hours per week to the research project, attend weekly research team meetings, and participate in the Spring 2025 CURO Symposium.

If interested, please email Dr. Rachel Figard ([email protected]) with the following information:

• Your resume
• Why you are interested in conducting this research (no more than three paragraphs)
• Your Spring 2025 availability

Applicants will be considered until positions are filled.

Who: Dr. Amanda Walls
Department: Religion
Study Area: Jewish Studies
Date advertised: October 29, 2024

Jewish Studies in the Department of Religion is looking for undergraduate students to transcribe, transliterate and translate postcards from the early-mid twentieth century Poland. The postcards, written in Yiddish and Hebrew, are recent donations to the Special Collections Library.

Students will learn epigraphic and translation skills through historical ephemera. Project outcomes: Student contributions will be synthesized in order to generate descriptions for the Special Collections Library.

Requires POD, HEBR 2003 completion or equivalent. Please contact Dr. Amanda Walls at [email protected] for additional information and registration.

Who: Dr. Gaurav Sinha
Department: School of Social Work
Study Area: Research on mental health and financial wellbeing
Date advertised: October 28, 2024

The AFiRM Lab, led by Dr. Gaurav Sinha, is seeking highly motivated undergraduate research assistants to contribute to cutting-edge research in mental health and financial wellbeing, leveraging innovative, data-driven solutions.

We utilize cutting-edge analytics—including large language models (LLMs), AI, machine learning, natural language processing, text mining, and advanced statistical and qualitative analysis tools—to explore the complex relationship between financial stability and mental health. We use extensive text datasets that helps us to identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities that can enhance resilience at both individual and community levels.

To join our team as an undergraduate researcher, you should (a) commit at least 4-5 hours per week (b) possess strong organizational and collaborative skills (c) be able to work independently and with diverse team and partners.

You will be supervised by Dr. Gaurav Sinha and/or his doctoral students, with the opportunity to pursue your own research projects and present your work at the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) symposium.

If you are interested, please contact Dr. Gaurav Sinha at [email protected]. We welcome talented undergraduates who are passionate about empowering individuals and communities to thrive.

Who: Dr. Clark Rushing
Department: Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources
Study Area: Developing RFID-based technology to track and monitor wildlife
Date advertised: October 28, 2024

Dr. Clark Rushing’s lab in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources is currently recruiting undergraduate students to work on developing RFID-based technology to track and monitor wildlife, especially birds. Students will assist with the development and testing of RFID-enabled “smart” feeders capable of monitoring PIT-tagged birds and recording relevant data using additional sensors. Prototypes of the feeder are currently being tested, so students will have the opportunity to focus on both refining the current design and adding additional functionality. We are particularly interested in the development of programmable mechanisms for controlling access to the feeder using the RFID functionality, allowing experimental manipulation of access to supplemental food.

Students can participate as volunteers or for course credit. Time commitment and degree of involvement are flexible depending on the student’s needs. If interested, students will also have the opportunity to participate in local field work, including bird banding, and will be encouraged to communicate their work through peer-reviewed publications, presentations at regional or national conferences, and the development of open-source documentation of the finished product.

We are particularly interested in recruiting engineering students with experience related to embedded systems and an interest in applying these skills to interdisciplinary research in conservation and wildlife ecology.

Interested students should contact Dr. Rushing ([email protected]) with the following information:

• A brief description of your background and interest in conducting this research;
• Where you are in your undergraduate education (e.g., major and year);
• Relevant experience related to the research methods/objectives described above.

Applicants will be considered until positions are filled.

Who: Dr. Orion Mowbray
Department: School of Social Work
Study Area: Social Work
Date advertised: October 11, 2024

Dr. Orion Mowbray is looking for undergraduate research assistants (RAs) to join his team and contribute to impactful research focused on mental health and substance use. Our team’s research works with populations including individuals in the criminal justice system, persons with serious and persistent mental illness, and those experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Our team has a proven history of making an impact, including informing policy changes such as expanding access to mental health services and implementing universal mental health screening practices to ensure faster care. Our research is focused on real-world outcomes, aimed at improving the lives of individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders.

RAs working with our team are expected to be motivated, organized, ready to work both independently and collaboratively, and willing to work with state and local community partners. A commitment of at least 5 hours per week is expected. RAs are supervised by Dr. Mowbray, alongside current doctoral students.

Interested RAs can learn more about our current and past research projects, our team, and apply to join our group here: https://www.sumhj.com/. Please contact Dr. Mowbray ([email protected]) for questions or more information.

Who: Dr. Rachel Gabara and Dr. Jonathan Haddad
Department: Department of Romance Languages
Study Area: Global French
Date advertised: September 24, 2024

As part of the French in Higher Education grant, sponsored by the Embassy of France in the United States and Villa Albertine, the Department of Romance Languages is seeking to support innovative undergraduate research that deepens our understanding of French as a global language. The French language counts more than 320 million speakers; the fifth most widely spoken language in the world, it is increasingly spoken in plurilingual environments. Visual and graphic artists, media makers, performers, writers, diplomats, and entrepreneurs use it to communicate and to create, as their first or second or third language. Students interested in exploring the dynamic nature of French in the 21st century are encouraged to propose an original project to be completed in Spring 2025 while enrolled for 1-3 credit hours of faculty-supervised FREN 4960R. Two proposals will be selected as winners of $1,500 scholarship stipends; awardees will present their research at the 2025 CURO Symposium in April.

To apply, send a 500-word proposal that includes the name of the professor who has agreed to advise you, along with a one-page résumé and an unofficial copy of your UGA transcript, to Dr. Rachel Gabara ([email protected]) and Dr. Jonathan Haddad ([email protected]) by November 8, 2024. Proposals and final projects may be written in English or French but must rely on extensive and substantive French-language research; eligibility therefore requires the completion of FREN 3010 or the equivalent by the end of the Fall 2024 semester. Award determinations will be made based on the originality and feasibility of the proposed research as well as candidates’ academic records, with priority given to declared French majors. If you wish to count FREN 4960R toward your French major, please plan to enroll for 3 credit hours.

Fall 2024

Who: Dr. Ania Majewska
Department: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine
Study Area: Meta-analysis of course-based undergraduate research experiences
Date advertised: August 12, 2024

Dr. Ania Majewska’s lab (majewskalab.com) in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the College of Veterinary Medicine is seeking dedicated undergraduate research assistants for an educational research project. The ongoing project involves a meta-analysis of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) to evaluate the overall student gains from these courses. Students will collaborate with a team of researchers to read and extract data from primary literature using COVIDENCE. Students will also develop research questions based on personal interests.

Selected students will devote a minimum of 6 hours per week to the research project, attend regularly scheduled team meetings on Fridays, and participate in the Spring 2025 CURO Symposium.

Students will register for 2-3 credit hours of CURO course credit.

For 2 credit hours:

• Availability required on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
• Attendance at Friday meetings from 1:15 PM to 2:15 PM or 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM.

For 3 credit hours:

• Choose an additional 3 hours during the week between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, based on personal availability.

Interested students are encouraged to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to gain valuable research experience. Application https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0jgBjgFonItR8EK for Fall 2024 is due August 16 (5pm).

Summer/Fall 2024

Who: Dr. Maor Bar-Peled
Study area: Microbiology, cell biology, genetics research
Department: Complex Carbohydrate Research Center
Date advertised: March 12, 2024

Dr. Maor Bar-Peled has a few slots for microbiology/ cell biology/ genetics research for undergraduate this coming Summer-Fall towards research credit.

1. One of the project involves collaboration with NASA scientists, and involves analysis and characterization of a few bacterial strains isolated from a space shuttle.
2. The other involves localization of Bordetella, the cause of whooping cough, during host colonization.

He normally looks for students who can carry out research for a minimum of 3 semesters. For more information, email Dr. Bar-Peled at [email protected].