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.

Spring 2025

Who: Dr. Erik Ness
Department: Various departments
Study Area: College access, foster care, homelessness
Date advertised: September 24, 2024

We are looking for several undergraduate students to join the Embark Georgia Research Consortium (EGRC) as we construct an inventory of campus support services for youth who have previously experienced foster care or homelessness.

The mission of Embark Georgia is to increase college access and retention for youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness. The Embark Georgia Research Consortium (EGRC) seeks to build the research efforts of the Embark Georgia program by bringing together multidisciplinary faculty across Georgia and beyond. Our team of eight faculty members and three graduate students represent six different disciplines and three universities (eight of us are at UGA).

Students will be primarily responsible for using a protocol to collect information on campus websites about the resources available for students to meet their basic and academic needs. Students will receive hands-on experience constructing a robust inventory and working on a collaborative team that aims to provide direct technical assistance to college campuses serving this important population of students and to publish and present findings in scholarly outlets. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply, especially those from education, social work, family and consumer sciences, public health, social sciences, and related fields.

Please email Dr. Erik Ness ([email protected]) if you are interested. Questions about this opportunity are welcomed.

Who: Dr. Emma Goodwin
Department: Microbiology
Study Area: Access to undergraduate research experiences for community college transfer students
Date advertised: September 24, 2024

Dr. Emma Goodwin’s lab conducts education research on how universities can improve undergraduate science education. We are currently recruiting 2-3 undergraduates to work on a project to understand the experiences of community college transfer students in undergraduate research experiences.

Students will play a role in designing the research project and collecting and analyzing data. Students can participate as a volunteer or for course credit. Time commitment and degree of involvement can be flexible depending on the student’s needs.

We are specifically interested in recruiting students who transferred to UGA from a community college and are interested in contributing to this research at least through Spring 2025. However, anyone with interest in this project is welcome to reach out.

If interested, please email Emma Goodwin ([email protected]) with the following information:

• A little about yourself, including 1-2 sentences about where you are in your undergraduate education (e.g., major, year in school, if you transferred to UGA)
• Why you are interested in conducting this research
• Some days and times in your upcoming schedule that you are available for a potential meeting

Applicants will be considered until positions are filled.

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).

Who: Dr. Brian Bauer
Department: Psychology (Clinical)
Study Area: Suicide Theory and Prevention
Date advertised: August 12, 2024

We are looking to hire a volunteer undergraduate research assistant. Students should expect to spend 4 hours per week throughout the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 semester(s) with the lab, and there will be opportunity to continue lab involvement in subsequent semesters. Schedules are flexible.

Dr. Bauer’s program of research uses a behavioral economic framework to help understand mental health-related decisions (e.g., help seeking) and to influence people towards choices that align with their own self-declared interests, with a particular emphasis in suicide prevention. Dr. Bauer has focused extensively on examining how cognitive heuristics and biases might contribute to suicide-related outcomes and inform prevention efforts and interventions. Current and future studies to be conducted in the lab investigate using passive sensing data (e.g., smartphone, wearables) to detect symptoms of a suicidal crisis, applying nudges to real-world settings to increase engagement with suicide prevention resources and help seeking, and to examine various decision-making processes and their relationship to suicide risk via behavioral (e.g., task-based) and psychophysiological measurements (e.g., EEG).

Students majoring in psychology who want experience in psychological research and plan to pursue doctorate studies in psychology are encouraged to apply. Students must have a 3.5 GPA to be eligible for this position. Students who assist in the lab may also have an opportunity to pursue their own research projects, and/or present their work as part of the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) symposium.

If you are interested, please email Dr. Brian Bauer’s Lab Manager Melanie Hetsko ([email protected]) your CV/resume, a brief description of why you are interested in the position, and your fall availability. For full consideration, applicants should reach out to Melanie Hetsko no later than September 15.

Who: Dr. Hongyue Sun
Department: Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering
Study Area: Manufacturing, Robotics, and AI Projects
Date advertised: August 12, 2024

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

Depending on interests and expertise, students are anticipated to work on topics such as:

• Smart Manufacturing: data collection, organization, and analysis for digital manufacturing to achieve ethical (trustworthy and secure) manufacturing.
• Robotics: robotics operation for material handling and 3D scanning process design, planning, and data collection.

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 (deadline: 08/23/24, review will be performed on a rolling basis) at https://forms.gle/4GfhkMyXnnFseooi6. For more information, please contact Dr. Hongyue Sun at [email protected].

Department: Various departments
Study Area: Vertically Integrated Projects – Research
Data advertised: June 27, 2024

The Vertically Integrated Projects – Research (VIPR) program follows a national model and aims to offer a research structure that supports collaborative, interdisciplinary research teams that include undergraduate researchers, their faculty mentors, and other scientists such as graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and faculty collaborators. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to join one of several research teams as outlined in the application.

Students selected for the VIP program will be expected to devote at least 3 hours per week to their research project, attend regularly scheduled team meetings, register for 1-3 credit hours of VIPR course credit, and participate in the Spring 2025 CURO Symposium. Students cannot receive funding from VIPR and receive CURO research funding simultaneously.

The application can be found at https://uga.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1932447 and additional information at https://instruction.uga.edu/initiatives/vipr-program/. Applications for Fall 2024 are due by September 16 but encouraged prior to the start of Fall 2024 classes.

For more information, please contact Dr. Thomas Mote ([email protected]).

Department: School of Computing
Study Area: Computing and Its Applications
Data advertised: April 30, 2024

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/1938223. For more information, contact Andrea Silletti at [email protected] or Dr. Gagan Agrawal at [email protected].

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].

Who: Mark Lupo
Study area: CyberArch Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Department: UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government
Date advertised: March 12, 2024

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 and rural hospitals. 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 Mark Lupo ([email protected]) 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 three main research areas is included below, and our goal is to follow a multidisciplinary approach by involving students from multiple backgrounds across campus. The list of topics is not exclusive, and you may reach out to Mark Lupo if there is a specific topic related to Cybersecurity that you would like to propose as the focus of your research experience.

Research areas:

1. 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
2. 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 V8.0
   • Recognize social engineering tactics and attacks
3. 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

Spring 2024

Who: Dr. Donald Leo
Study area: CURO / Georgia Power Electric Mobility Scholars Program
Department: UGA College of Engineering
Date advertised: November 15, 2023

The CURO / GA Power Electric Mobility Scholars Program provides stipends of $1,000 each to outstanding undergraduate students across campus to participate in faculty-mentored research. Awards are for one semester—either fall, spring, or summer.

The faculty mentor for this cohort will be Dr. Donald Leo ([email protected]). A representative list of topics is included below, and our goal is to have a broad range of disciplines in this cohort of CURO scholars. The list of topics is not meant to be exclusive and you may reach out to Dr. Leo if you want to obtain feedback on a topic that you would propose as the focus of your research experience.

Representative topics are:

• Assessment of community readiness and needs for e-mobility adoption,
• Grid optimization for increased utilization of electric vehicles,
• Technological enhances of electric vehicles and associated e-mobility infrastructure,
• The role of public policy in supporting adoption of e-mobility technologies and infrastructure,
• Economic analysis of e-mobility adoption,
• Creating sustainable circular economies for electric vehicles and associated components, e.g., battery reuse and recycling,
• Electric mobility adoption in rural communities with applications to precision agriculture.

Email Dr. Donald Leo ([email protected]) for more information.

Who: Dr. Assaf Oshri and Dr. Charles Geier
Study area: Building Resiliency and Nurturing Children’s Health (BRANCH) project
Department: Human Development and Family Science (Youth Development Institute)
Date advertised: November 3, 2023

What we are looking for: We are looking for 4-5 motivated undergraduate research assistants (URAs) from PSYCH 4980/BIOL 4960/HDFS 5950, interested in brain development and resilience to work on a longitudinal research project among low-income rural youth. URAs need to be highly motivated, hard-working, responsible, organized, science-loving and capable of working both independently as well as collaboratively with other research assistants. A weekly commitment of at least 9 hours, inclusive of various meetings, is expected. In addition, students may be asked to work during the weekends and after 5 p.m. Furthermore, a commitment spanning at least two semesters is mandatory. During this time students will be supervised by Drs. Oshri and Geier in collaboration with graduate research assistants.

Why training in YDI: This project offers an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in analyzing behavioral interactions between parents and children and its association with brain development. Additionally, students will have the unique chance to assist with and observe various aspects of the research process, including f-MRI scanning protocols, data collection, and management. This experience would be ideal for students interested in pursuing graduate degrees in research with children and families, including medicine. Prior research experience is not necessary.

If you are interested, please fill out the online application through YDI website (ydiatuga.com) or if you have any questions, please email student coordinators at YDI: [email protected] and [email protected].

Who: Dr. Kathryn Manis
Study area: LGBTQIA+ History and Archives
Department: Special Collections Libraries
Date advertised: November 1, 2023

We are looking for an undergraduate student to create an online research guide for the Richard Hudson Library of Gay Literature and History. The collection includes over 2000 books, several hundred of which are considered rare volumes, and a manuscript collection that features assorted ephemera, correspondence, and artifacts related to LGBTQ+ history and culture. 18th and 19th century European literary figures are most strongly represented in the collection, but as a whole, it covers several centuries, locations, and subject areas.

Because the collection is so large, it can be a challenge for researchers interested in Queer history to locate items of interest to them. Therefore, we are looking for someone to become an expert in the collection and to create a libguide that assists users in navigating the collection and understanding what it includes. Libguides offer summaries, spotlight highlights in the collection, provide tips and tricks to help users locate materials of interest, and connect collections to broader, related resources. There may also be opportunities to work with Dr. Manis on designing and delivering archival instruction utilizing the Hudson Collection and other LGBTQ+ history materials housed at UGA.

This opportunity is a good fit for anyone interested in archival research or careers, as well as 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 special collections in the Spring 2024 semester. There is the possibility of extending this project into additional related work in the Fall. There is no course credit attached to this role, but CURO Honors Scholars may request to be placed with this project and equivalent funding is available for interested students who have not received the CURO Honors Scholarship. Dr. Manis will support the selected student to present at the CURO symposium and identify other professional development opportunities related to this project.

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. H. Travis Ichikawa and Dr. Branson W. Ritchie
Study area: Applied Microbiology Projects
Department: New Materials Institute
Date advertised: August 14, 2023

The Industrial and Applied Microbiology Laboratory in New Materials Institute on campus is seeking undergraduate students.

Bacterial Gene Regulation Assay Validation: Dual fluorescent reporter genes are used to assess relative gene regulation levels in an assay system, the aim of the project is to validate the sampling methods, reproducibility, and sensitivity of the system. The project is suitable for students with working knowledge of bacterial gene regulation and have finished General Chemistry and introductory level Microbiology. This project will require >10 hours a week. Course credit may be available.

Project Assembly Volunteer: The volunteer will design and build a benchtop scale carbon neutral bioremediation experimental system. The volunteer must be proficient in the use of general and electric tools. Students who can spend 4 to 6 hours in the laboratory per week during regular business hours are encouraged to apply. This volunteer work can not satisfy course credit requirements.

Applied Microbiology Volunteer: The volunteers will monitor microorganisms using microbiology, molecular biology, and other assorted analytical methods. Students who can spend 1 to 2 hours in the laboratory daily during the operation hours are encouraged to apply. This volunteer work can not satisfy course credit requirements.

Interested students who meet above criteria can send a cover letter and resume to Travis Ichikawa, [email protected]. Qualified applicants will be invited to an interview. US citizenship requirement applies. Laboratory operation hours are Monday to Friday 9 am to 6 pm. NMI is located at 220 Riverbend Rd, Athens GA 30602. https://newmaterials.uga.edu