News

• Undergraduate Research in Cell Biology

Posted on December 15, 2020 by McGuire, Caroline

Opportunity Description

Preclinical research in cancer therapeutics. Our lab in collaboration with with a small biotech company pioneered the use of high-Z nanoparticles to enhance radiation therapy of cancers–with a special emphasis on brain cancers–both primary gliomas and metastatic brain tumors. Our original work was done with gold nanoparticles. We are currently working with iodine nanoparticles. Full-time summer research and 9 hrs/week course research in fall and spring are available.

Please go to our Cell Biology web site to see a short description of our lab’s interests and most of our publications since 2000. The attached link is a virtual talk I gave at the most recent Society for NeuroOncology meeting. https://www.dropbox.com/s/hrxqzdsf3hqngno/Henery%2011.01.2020.mp4?dl=0

If you think you might have interest in our lab, e-mail smilowitz@uchc.edu and I can discuss specific projects. Many of the students who intern in our lab publish with us as co-authors.

Student Qualifications
Looking for responsible, very talented students with strong performance in STEM and strong work ethic.
Prefer students interested in a career in medicine (getting MD) or research (getting PhD)
Prefer rising seniors who wish to pursue a senior thesis, but open to rising juniors and sophomores.
Prefer previous lab experience, but open to students that have had course lab experience
Prefer students who are facile with instrumentation and have good computer skills.
Prefer students who are open to working with lab animals.

How to Apply
Please forward the following items to Dr. Smilowitz via email to smilowitz@uchc.edu.

1. Resume
2. Transcript
3. Personal letter with interests, motivations, long-term goals and availability for this research experience
4. At least one letter of recommendation from someone who knows you well

Mentor: Henry Smilowitz, Associate Professor
Department: Cell Biology
Email: smilowitz@uchc.edu
Timing: Ongoing – provisionally available for Spring 2021 (will depend on Covid situation)
Campus: UConn Health (Farmington)

• Deadlines Approaching for Summer 2021 Research Opportunities

Posted on December 8, 2020March 25, 2021 by Eskin, Jodi

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get valuable research experience this summer. Undergraduate students who are interested in participating in a summer research program should be preparing applications and requesting letters of recommendation now! Check out the following summer research programs with January and early February deadlines.

COVID-19 Note: All summer programs are closely following developments related to coronavirus in order to react quickly to changing situations. Many programs expect to resume in-person activities as planned in 2021, but please check the individual program websites for updates. Due to continued uncertainties about the occupancy of laboratories and regional travel restrictions, the Amgen Scholars Program will not accept applications for summer 2021.

Summer Internships in Science and Technology (SIST) – Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab)
Deadline: January 12, 2021
https://internships.fnal.gov/summer-internships-in-science-and-technology-sist/
Fermilab’s SIST program offers 12-week summer internships in science and technology. Internships available in physics, engineering (mechanical, electrical and computer), materials science, mathematics and computer science offer a chance for students to conduct research with Fermilab scientists and engineers. Hourly pay ranges from $15.83/hr-$20.56/hr depending on your year in school. The program may move to a virtual format with a decision to be made at a later date.

University of Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences – Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
Deadline: January 15, 2021
http://medicine.buffalo.edu/education/undergraduate/sure.html
The School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences offers a summer undergraduate research program for students in their sophomore year or later at the time of application. Some level of previous research experience is recommended. Offers extended to only 6-8 students; $3,500 stipend and housing provided.

NORC Summer Intern Program – University of Chicago
Deadline: January 22, 2021, 5pm CT
http://www.norc.org/WorkingAtNORC/Pages/internship-programs.aspx
This 9-week paid summer internship is designed for upper level undergraduate students with an interest in social science research. The program will be fully virtual in summer 2021. The program introduces interns to the design, implementation and analysis of large surveys. Students will have the opportunity to learn the principles of survey research from leading practitioners while exploring recent innovations in data collection techniques and the integration of survey data with other types of data.

NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) – Bay Area Environmental Research Institute
Deadline: January 27, 2021
https://baeri.org/sarp/
This 8-week summer internship program is targeted at rising seniors with a strong background in any of the physical, chemical, or biological sciences, mathematics or engineering and an interest in applying their background to the study of the Earth system. Research areas include atmospheric chemistry, air quality, forest ecology, and ocean biology. SARP participants will acquire hands-on research experience using one or more NASA Airborne Science Program flying science laboratories.

Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies – Summer REU Program in Translational Ecology
Deadline: January 29, 2021
http://www.caryinstitute.org/students/reu-program
Cary Institute’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program provides the opportunity for 8-12 students each summer to conduct ecology research at a world-class institute. For summer 2021, the program will be hybrid or 100% virtual (decision TBD). Students selected for this 10-week program receive a $5,500 stipend; a room and board allowance will vary based on where students will be living (remote field site versus home).

UCSD MSTP Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program
Deadline: January 31, 2021
https://reumanager.com/mstp-surf/
The Medical Scientist Training Program at UC San Diego is designed for students interested in learning about a career as a physician-scientist. The program features an 8-week research project, weekly seminars, and a physician-scientist clinical shadowing experience. Students from groups underrepresented in health-related sciences and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are encouraged to apply. $3,200 stipend and room provided.

NSF-REU Internships in Astronomy – Maria Mitchell Observatory
Deadline: February 1, 2021
http://www.mmo.org/get-involved/internships/reu
Six REU internship positions are available for qualified undergraduate astronomy and physics students. These positions provide students the opportunity to conduct independent research supervised by a senior staff member of MMO. $2,000 per month stipend and housing provided.

Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Deadline: February 1, 2021
http://www.stjude.org/poe
This program provides a short-term training experience in either laboratory research or clinical research. Students will be matched with a faculty mentor and will participate in the mentor’s ongoing research projects. It is likely that the 2021 program will be primarily virtual. Applicants should indicate particular skills and experience that would be helpful for remote projects (e.g. bioinformatics, MATLAB, R or python programming, biostatistics or epidemiology software, image processing, etc). Qualified students with an interest in cancer research are encouraged to apply. $400/week stipend provided to selected students.

SAO REU Summer Intern Program (pending funding approval)
Deadline: February 1, 2021
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/opportunities/reu//overview.html
The SAO Summer intern program is a research experience for undergraduates where students work on an astrophysics research project under the supervision of an SAO or Harvard scientist. Undergraduates interested in astronomy, astrophysics, physics, or related physical sciences are encouraged to apply. The 10-week program takes place at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics although the program may move to a fully virtual program depending on public health situation. Stipend of $600/week.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program – Gerstner Sloan Kettering
Deadline: February 1, 2021
http://www.sloankettering.edu/summer-undergraduate-research-program
The Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Memorial Sloan Kettering sponsors a 10-week summer research program for undergraduate students who are interested in the biomedical sciences. This is a competitive program that accepts 20 students. Applicants must have research experience. $6,000 stipend and housing provided.

REU Program in Solar and Space Physics – University of Colorado Boulder
Deadline: February 1, 2021
http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/education/reu/
This 10-week summer REU program targets students with an interest in solar and space physics. Students work under the direction of scientists from one of a number of participating institutions that are part of the Boulder Solar Alliance. The program may move to a virtual format depending on status of public health situation. $500/week stipend plus housing/food stipend provided.

State University of New York Upstate Medical University – Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program
Deadline: February 1, 2021
http://www.upstate.edu/grad/programs/summer.php<
Applicants to this 10-week program should be undergraduate students in good academic standing, who will be between their junior and senior years during the summer of 2021, and are majors in chemistry, biology, or a related field. Applicants should have a strong interest in pursuing a Ph.D. degree in biomedical research. $3,500 stipend and housing provided.

Hartford Hospital Summer Student Pre-Med & Research Program
Deadline: February 5, 2021
https://hartfordhospital.org/health-professionals/education/residencies-fellowships/summer-student-pre-med-research-program
This 10-week program offers pre-med students an introduction to research methodology, patient treatment, and ethical issues in medicine. Applicants must be pre-med students completing their junior year by May 2021. $4,000 stipend for selected students.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Summer Student Fellowship
Deadline: February 5, 2021
http://www.whoi.edu/main/summer-student-fellowship
The Summer Student Fellowship provides undergraduates with an interest in ocean sciences, oceanographic engineering, mathematics, or marine policy with a meaningful first-hand introduction to research in those areas. Students who have completed their junior year prior to the start of fellowship period in summer 2021 are eligible to apply. Stipend of approximately $650/week for 10-12 weeks and institutional housing provided.

• Applications Open for Summer 2021 Research Opportunities

Posted on December 2, 2020December 7, 2020 by Eskin, Jodi

Undergraduate students interested in participating in a summer research or internship program should plan ahead. December is the time to gather together all the required elements of the applications, including faculty letters of recommendation. Check out the exciting programs below and consider if any would fit with your research goals and interests. These opportunities have application deadlines in December or January!

DAAD RISE – Research Internships in Science and Engineering in Germany
Deadline: Applications are due by December 15, 2020; Letters of Reference are due by December 22, 2020; https://www.daad.de/rise/en/rise-germany/
DAAD RISE gives students in the fields of biology, chemistry, earth sciences, engineering, and physics the chance to spend a summer working on research projects with doctoral students at German universities and research institutions. Interested students must first register online before submitting application materials. Application materials must be submitted by December 15, 2020 (6pm EST), with letters of reference due December 22, 2020 (6pm EST).

Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship Program (MLEF)
Deadline: January 8, 2021; http://orise.orau.gov/mlef/
The Mickey Leland Energy Fellowship (MLEF) is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Fossil Energy. It is a 10-week summer internship program that provides opportunities to students who are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. The goal of the program is to improve opportunities for minority and female students in these fields, but all eligible candidates are encouraged to apply. Students must be a college sophomore at the time of application with a minimum 2.8 GPA.

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
Deadline: January 12, 2021 at 5:00 PM EST
https://science.osti.gov/wdts/suli
The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 17 participating DOE laboratories.

SENS Research Foundation (SRF) Summer Scholars Program
Deadline: January 15, 2021 at 12:00pm PST
http://www.sens.org/education/research-opportunities/srf-summer-scholars-program
This program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct biomedical research under the guidance of a scientific mentor. Paid positions are available at a number of research institutions including Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Harvard Medical School, Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, and SRF Research Center. Full descriptions of each research project can be found at the website link above.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory – Undergraduate Research Program 2020
Deadline: January 15, 2021; https://www.cshl.edu/education/undergraduate-research-program
The URP program is designed to give students an opportunity to conduct first-rate research under the supervision of senior laboratory staff in the areas of cancer biology, neuroscience, plant biology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics and bioinformatics, and genomics. Selected students receive room and board in addition to a $5,500 stipend.

ThinkSwiss Research Scholarships
Deadline: January 15, 2021; https://thinkswiss.org/
ThinkSwiss scholarships support highly motivated undergraduates who are interested in doing research at a public Swiss university or research institute. The scholarship is open to students in all fields. A monthly stipend of approximately $1,600 is provided for a period of 2-3 months.

Summer Research Experience Program in Cancer Science – Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Deadline: January 31, 2021; https://www.roswellpark.org/education/summer-programs/college-students
This 10-week summer research program is open to students who are college juniors or junior-equivalents (credit-wise) at the time of application and who are interested in pursuing an advanced degree towards a biomedical research career. Areas of research include, but are not limited to: cancer biophysics, tumor immunology, cancer genetics, molecular pharmacology. Selected students will be working in a Roswell Park department alongside professional researchers and graduate students.

Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) – Columbia University
Deadline: January 31, 2021; http://ps.columbia.edu/education/student-life/office-diversity/programs/college-and-post-baccalaureate-students/summer-publ
The Summer Public Health Scholars Program (SPHSP) is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in public health and biomedical science careers. Applicants must have completed at least two years of college (rising juniors and seniors). Students from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Selected students will receive a stipend, housing, and round trip travel.

Summer Undergraduate Program in Engineering Research at Berkeley (SUPERB)
Deadline: January 31, 2021 at 5:00pm, PST; https://eecs.berkeley.edu/resources/undergrads/research/superb
The SUPERB Computer and Information Science and Engineering program provides undergraduates with the opportunity to work on research projects focused on using Big Data. This challenging 9-week program is open to rising juniors or seniors who have completed some upper division course work in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences. Stipend of $4,500, housing, meals, and $600 travel allowance provided.

Maternal Child Health Careers/Research Initiatives for Student Enhancement – Undergraduate Program (MCHC/RISE-UP)
Deadline: January 31, 2021; https://www.kennedykrieger.org/training/programs/center-for-diversity-in-public-health-leadership-training/mchc-rise-up
MCHC/RISE-UP provides opportunities for enhanced public leadership in the area of maternal and child health. Three tracks are offered: clinical, research, and community engagement and advocacy. This program is open to juniors, seniors, and recent baccalaureate degree scholars interested in learning more about public health. A stipend ($3,000-$3,500) and housing are provided.

• Congratulations, Fall 2020 Change Grant Recipients!

Posted on November 6, 2020December 7, 2020 by Berkey, Melissa

The Office of Undergraduate Research is excited to announce the three students selected to receive UConn Co-op Legacy Fellowship – Change Grants!

Click here to view the full list of Fall 2020 Recipients.

Born out of the UConn Co-op’s commitment to public engagement, innovative entrepreneurship, social impact, and active mentorship, the UConn Co-op Legacy Fellowship – Change Grants provide undergraduates the opportunity to pursue student-designed or student-led projects, including service initiatives, creative endeavors, advocacy, engaged research, and social entrepreneurship. Projects pursued through this program represent the legacy of the UConn Co-op’s commitment to public engagement, innovation, and social impact.

Special thanks to the faculty who will be mentoring the award recipients as they complete their projects and to the faculty who participated in the review process.

Click here for more information on the UConn Co-op Legacy Fellowship – Change Grant Program.

• Research Opportunity – REINVENT-PT Lab

Posted on October 30, 2020October 30, 2020 by Eskin, Jodi

Opportunity Description

Join the REINVENT-PT lab (REhabilitation, INnoVations & Emerging Novel Technologies in Physical Therapy lab in Spring 2021! Our lab is interested in understanding developmental trajectories of individuals with developmental disabilities including Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, etc., across the lifespan.

Specifically, our lab studies how infants and children with developmental disabilities explore their physical and social environment compared to typically developing infants and the cascading effects of motor difficulties on a child’s social communication and cognitive development. Our lab develops novel, movement-based interventions for school-age children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and assesses the effects of these play and creative movement-based interventions on children’s motor, social communication, behavioral, and cognitive skills. We are also interested in assessing health-related outcomes in adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities including their physical activity and physical fitness levels. Based on our understanding of the developmental trajectories of individuals with disabilities, our goal is to develop multisystem, evidence-based, behavioural interventions and assistive technologies to empower the lives of people with disabilities.

At present, the lab has 2 ongoing research projects – (1) assessing the effects of 8-week, telehealth-based creative movement interventions on social communication, motor and cognitive skills of school-age children with ASD, and (2) assessing physical activity and physical fitness levels in adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities and development of novel, engaging group-based intervention programs to improve health-related outcomes in this population

Student Qualifications
We are looking for passionate, energetic, and empathetic undergraduate students interested in working on projects involving infants, children, and adults with disabilities. Students can pursue research at the lab for credit, for work study, and with the potential of converting a subset of the research into a thesis. Students are required to commit to pursuing research in the lab for at least 2 semesters in order for the experience to be meaningful for students. Students from diverse backgrounds including but not limited to psychology, physiology and neurobiology, biology, exercise science, communication sciences, allied health, and education are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply
To apply, please contact Dr. Sudha Srinivasan at sudha.srinivasan@uconn.edu. Please also feel free to email with questions!

Mentor: Sudha Srinivasan, Assistant Professor
Department: Kinesiology
Email: sudha.srinivasan@uconn.edu
Campus: Storrs

• Student Accomplishments – May 2020

Posted on June 11, 2020January 21, 2022 by Eskin, Jodi

accomplishments-heading

Please join us in congratulating the UConn undergraduates named below for their significant research and creative accomplishments in spring 2020. Students: if you have an accomplishment to share, please do so using this online form.

AWARDS

Congratulations to Christopher Choi ’20 (ENG, CLAS), Ariane Garrett ’20 (ENG), and Brittany Smith ’20 (ENG), the undergraduate recipients of 2020 NSF Graduate Research Fellowships! They are among the 12 UConn students and alumni who won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships this year.

Congratulations to Michael Hernández ’22 (CLAS), UConn’s newest Newman Civic Fellow. Michael is an Honors student at the Stamford campus majoring in Political Science and Economics. Michael has been active in pursuing social change through enacting innovative public policies such as the Afford to Dream Act which gives undocumented students access to financial aid at state colleges and universities.

PUBLICATIONS

Berk Alpay ’21 (ENG) is the lead author on publication based on his Holster Scholar research project:

Alpay, B.A., Wanik, D., Watson, P., Cerrai, D., Liang, G., & Anagnostou, E. (2020). Dynamic Modeling of Power Outages Caused by Thunderstorms. Forecasting, 2, 151-162, doi: 10.3390/forecast2020008

Ariane Garrett ’20 (ENG) is the lead author on a new publication from Dr. Kazunori Hoshino’s lab in Biomedical Engineering:

Garrett, A., Soler, G.J., Diluna, M.L, Grant, R.A., Zaveri, H.P., & Hoshino, K. (2020). A passive, biocompatible microfluidic flow sensor to assess flows in a cerebral spinal fluid shunt. Sensors and Actuators A: Physical doi: 10.1016/j.sna.2020.112110

SURF Award recipient Timothy Mason ’20 (CLAS) was a co-author on a recent publication from Dr. Barbara Mellone’s lab in Molecular and Cell Biology:

Palladino, J., Chavan, A., Sposato, A., Mason, T.D., & Mellone, B.G. (2020). Targeted de novo centromere formation in Drosophila reveals versatility and maintenance potential of CENP-A chromatin. Developmental Cell, 52, 379-394, doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.01.005

EXHIBITIONS AND SCREENINGS

Spring 2020 included a series of scheduled art exhibitions and screenings by the following undergraduate students, some of which were canceled or delayed due to COVID-19:

Yosemite Lights Screening Poster Maggie Chafouleas ’22 (CAHNR) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Charlotte Lao ’20 (ENG) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Eric Wang ’21 (ENG) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Eric Yang ’21 (CLAS) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Yosemite Lights – A Travel Documentary

Nina Drozdenko ’19 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
What Are You? Documenting Filipino American Diversity Through Film

Esme Roszel ’20 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
My Dear Little Mother

Brock Sanford ’21 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Working on a Dream

Hannah Smaglis ’20 (SFA) – UConn IDEA Grant recipient
Idiosyncratic

PRESENTATIONS

The COVID-19 public health situation in spring 2020 resulted in the shift to an online modality or cancellation of many scheduled professional conferences and meetings. Canceled events are denoted with an asterisk below; virtual conferences are denoted parenthetically.

Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology – January 3-7, 2020 – Austin, TX

Ariana Rojas ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The Evolution of Gut Pattering in Tardigrades

American Astronomical Society Annual Meeting – January 4-8, 2020 – Honolulu, HI

Joyce Caliendo ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Constraining the Gas Fraction of a Compact Quiescent Galaxy at z=1.9 with the Large Millimeter Telescope

Josh Machado ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Ammonia Measurements in W51

Tyler Metivier ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Simulating the Recovery of Merger Signatures with Illustris

International Saxophone Symposium – January 10-11, 2020 – Fairfax, VA

Ryan Adams ’22 (SFA), Noah Brisson ’20 (SFA), Sean McCormick ’20 (SFA), and Tessa Webb ’22 (SFA) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Paradigm Saxophone Quartet

Plant and Animal Genome XXVIII Conference – January 11-15, 2020 – San Diego, CA

Jeremy Bennett ’20 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
EASEL: An Integrated and Accessible Framework for the Annotation of Eukaryotic Reference Genomes

Akriti Bhattarai ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Assembly and Annotation of the American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) Genome

Ava Fritz ’20 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Investigating Genetic Signatures Associated with Reduced Mortality Against Emerald Ash Borer in Green Ash

Ryan Adams '22 (SFA), Sean McCormick '22 (SFA), Tessa Webb '22 (SFA), & Noah Brisson '20 (SFA)
Jeremy Bennett '20 (ENG) & Ava Fritz '20 (ENG)
Ariana Rojas '21 (CLAS)
Joyce Caliendo '21 (CLAS)
Tyler Metivier '20 (CLAS)
Victoria Reichelderfer '20 (ENG)
Owen Spangler '23 (ENG)

Joint Mathematics Meetings – January 15-18, 2020 – Denver, CO

Daniel Meskill ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Noise-Induced Stabilization of Hamiltonian Systems

Electronic Materials and Applications 2020 – January 22-24, 2020 – Orlando, FL

Lucas Enright ’20 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
W-Band Dielectric Property Characterization of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia at High Temperature

Victoria Reichelderfer ’20 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Piezoresponse Predictions in Novel Ferroelectric Nanostructures

Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (Region 1) – January 28-February 1, 2020 – Barnstable, MA

Edmond Vitcavage ’20 (SFA, CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.

Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy – February 5-7, 2020 – Blacksburg, VA

Felipe Sanches ’22 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient (unable to attend)
Profiles in Courage, “Ganas,” and Belonging at a Major University

International Conference on Writing Analytics – February 6-8, 2020 – St. Petersburg, FL

Eli Udler ’20 (ENG, CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Applications of Data Science to Writing Center Research: Actionable Insights from Natural Language Data

Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting – February 27-March 1, 2020 – Philadelphia, PA

Jenifer Gaitan ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Voces: First-Generation Latinx Students Discuss Their Support Networks

*American Physical Society March Meeting – March 2-6, 2020 – Denver, CO

Cong Hu ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Modeling Hyperfine Coupling in Molecular Qubits

Northeast Modern Language Association Annual Convention – March 5-8, 2020 – Boston, MA

Owen Spangler ’23 (ENG) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The Positive Role of Humor in Historically Oppressed Communities

*National Conference of Black Political Scientists – March 11-14, 2020 – Atlanta, GA

Michael Christie ’23 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Fighting for the “Black Cerebral”: Black Virginians’ Struggle for Public Education, 1865-1875

Eastern Psychological Association Meeting – March 12-14, 2020 – Boston, MA (moved to virtual format June 17-18)

Julia Devincenzi ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Approach Biases in People Demonstrating Problematic Gaming Habits

Marcella Dibona ’20 (CLAS) & Emily Hotz ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
EEG Mu Rhythm Desynchronization and Language in 18- and 24-Month-Old Infants

Steven Dorzens ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Behavioral Biases in Regular Caffeine Users

Yvonne Laporte ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Attention Bias Variability: Its Stability and Prediction of GAD in a Short-Term Longitudinal Design

*American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Annual Meeting – March 13-16, 2020 – San Antonio, TX

Margaret Ann Lewerk ’20 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Memory Complaints and Depression Treatment in Older Adults

Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting – March 14-17, 2020 – Boston, MA (moved to virtual format May 2-5, 2020)

Stephanie Chinwo ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Traveling Back in Time: How Do Temporal Terms Shape Our Expectations for The Unfolding Linguistic Input

Pavitra Rao Makarla ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Empathy Influences Behavioral Perceptions and Eye Movements in Non-Literal Language Processing

*Eastern Society for Pediatric Research Annual Meeting – March 13-15, 2020 – Philadelphia, PA

Monitha Patel ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Low Reported Cyberbullying in Patients Due to Misinterpretation of Cyberbullying

Seda Sahin ‘ 20 (CLAS) & Samantha Seibel ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
The Role of Gender in Adolescent Perceptions of Sexual Health Education

CUNY Human Sentence Processing Annual Conference – March 18-21, 2020 – Amherst, MA (moved to a virtual format March 19-21)

Lindsey Neri ’20 (CLAS) & Grace Roy ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Investigating the Interplay between Morpho-syntax and Memory for Events: The Case of Past Participles

*American Pharmacists Association Annual Meeting – March 20-23, 2020 – National Harbor, MD

Maria Latta ’20 (PHR) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Evaluating University Support in the Sustainability of Public Health Programs: The CT WISEWOMAN Medication Therapy Management (MTM) Program

*Society of Behavioral Medicine Annual Meeting – April 1-4, 2020 – San Francisco, CA

Annika Anderson ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Perceptions and Experiences of Women Testing Positive for BRCA1/2 Genetic Mutations: A Qualitative Analysis

Maya Benson ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Executive Functioning and Foods in the Home Before and During an Online Behavioral Weight-Loss Program

Jason Chan ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
NIH Cancer Survivorship and CTBHI Genetic Grants

*Northeast Writing Center Association Conference – April 3-4, 2020 – Durham, NH

Amir Agoora ’20 (CLAS) & Erica Popoca ’22 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Grammatical and Stylistic Workshops Within the Writing Center

Jennifer Koo ’20 (CAHNR, CLAS), Rosemary O’Mahony ’22 (CLAS) & Deevena Annavarjula ’21 (CAHNR) – OUR Travel Award recipients
Exploring the Social and Emotional Dimensions of Disability in the Writing Center: Perspectives from Students with Dyslexia

Emily O’Hara ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Writing Through Discomfort: Effective Tutoring of Complaints and Grievances

Yasmine Shwayhat ’20 (BUS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Writing Center Scheduler Research

*Experimental Biology – April 4-7, 2020 – San Diego, CA

Chang Sun ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Lack of Receptor of Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) Attenuates Long-Term Cigarette Smoke Exposure-Induced Vascular Dysfunction in C57BL6 Mice

*New England Science Symposium – April 5, 2020 – Boston, MA

Sarah Tsuro ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Marginalized Identities on the Clinical and Psychosocial Keloid Impact on Quality of Life

*Benthic Ecology Meeting – April 7-10, 2020 – Wilmington, NC

Annalee Mears ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Stoichiometry of Fear: Do Predators Affect the Balance of Carbon and Nitrogen in their Prey

*American Association of Physical Anthropologists Annual Meeting – April 15-18, 2020 – Los Angeles, CA

Srishti Sadhir ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Investigating the Relationship between Skin Color and Vitamin D Deficiency in Baboons (Papio)

*Northeast Natural History Conference – April 17-19, 2020 – Stamford, CT

Sarah Anderson ’21 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
The Effect of Group Size on the Aggressiveness of Nasutitermes Corniger Termites

Madison Molnar ’22 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Effect of Colony Ratio on Termite Combat Behavior

*American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting – April 25-29, 2020 – Philadelphia, PA

Spencer Low ’20 (CLAS) – OUR Travel Award recipient
Growth Charts for Functional Brain Networks in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

• Congratulations, 2020 SURF Award Recipients!

Posted on May 13, 2020 by McGuire, Caroline

SURF logo 2 The Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the selection of 50 undergraduate students to receive SURF Awards in support of their summer undergraduate research projects. All SURF projects will be pursued remotely this summer in accordance with restrictions on undergraduate research due to COVID-19.

Click here to view the full list of Summer 2020 SURF awardees. Please note that the project titles listed reflect the original projects proposed.

Congratulations, SURF awardees! Your curiosity, initiative, and motivation were evident in your applications. Your flexibility, creativity, and collaboration with your mentors have shone through in the contingency plans you developed to adapt your projects to our current constraints. In spite of significant challenges, you have an exciting summer of deep engagement with the process of academic inquiry ahead of you. We look forward to hearing about all you learn and discover!

We thank the faculty members who supported SURF applicants in a range of roles: mentors, letter writers, and faculty review committee members. SURF represents a collaborative effort between students and faculty. This program would not be possible without the support and participation of the UConn faculty!

OUR also extends thanks to SURF supporters in the UConn community. We are grateful to the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Vice President for Research, and to the Deans of the Schools and Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources; Education; Engineering; Fine Arts; Liberal Arts and Sciences; Nursing; and Pharmacy, who all pledged funding to the SURF competition this year. Alumni, parents, and friends of UConn also helped fund SURF awards. This collaborative funding effort ensures that SURF supports a diverse array of undergraduate research endeavors. We are grateful to all of our program partners for making intensive summer research opportunities available to students seeking to enrich their undergraduate experience in this way.

Once again, congratulations to the recipients of 2020 SURF awards, and good luck with your summer projects!

• 2020 Mentorship Excellence Awards

Posted on May 5, 2020 by McGuire, Caroline

In recognition of the pivotal role that mentors play in supporting undergraduate research and creative activity, the Office of Undergraduate Research is pleased to announce the recipents of the 2020 Mentorship Excellence Awards. These awards recognize two faculty members – one in a STEM field, and one in a non-STEM field – and one graduate student who exemplify the ways in which outstanding mentors challenge and support their students, enabling them to take intellectual risks and achieve milestones they might not have initially envisioned being able to reach.

Please join us in congratulating Laura Bunyan, J. Peter Gogarten, and Samantha Lawrence on their selection as this year’s Mentorship Excellence Award recipients. As we are only able to celebrate the 2020 Mentorship Excellence Awards virtually this spring, we look forward to presenting the awards in person later this year during the Fall Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition on Thursday, October 29, 2020.

Laura Bunyan, Assistant Professor in Residence, Sociology
Professor Bunyan was nominated by Jenifer Gaitan ’21 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Jenifer’s nomination.

Laura Bunyan, Assistant Professor in Residence in Sociology. — 2020 Mentorship Excellence Award winner Laura Bunyan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in Residence in Sociology.

Dr. Bunyan has always been a strong advocate for my academic success. She has made me aware of and supported me in the process of applying to a variety of scholarships, programs, and research opportunities. As I became interested in Sociology research focused on first-generation Latinx students, I was worried because there was no major or minor on the Stamford campus. Dr. Bunyan generously offered to supervise a work-study research assistantship with me to teach me basic principles of research. She also gave me several books and articles relating to education, paid labor, and child rearing practices in order to lay a foundation for my research. She has taught me every step of how to establish a research project and conduct research.

Dr. Bunyan leads by example. Together, we formed the club Husky Outreach for Minority Education (HOME) to provide low-income students with access to professional clothing and other resources for academic and professional success. Dress for Success, HOME’s main event on campus, was the first of its kind in that it offered clothing and other professional accessories to students on campus for internships, job opportunities, etc. In the three years that this program has been running, she has single-handedly collected thousands of items. Through her efforts, she has helped teach me strong leadership skills and activism to benefit our student body. She is a true ally to the first-generation students of color on the Stamford campus. She worked extensively with me during the summer and fall 2019 to submit my research proposal for the University Scholar program, which focuses on studying the systems of support first-generation Latinx students utilize. Despite this area of research not being related to her current research and book she is writing, Dr. Bunyan is committed to helping me pursue this research because she actively acknowledges the importance of uplifting the voices of women of color in social science research. She helped me form the research questions for the interview portion of my research in a way that was ethical and mindful of students’ experiences. She also helped me apply and become accepted to present my work during a major Sociology conference, from the Eastern Sociological Society, in Philadelphia in order to broaden my network, receive feedback from other students and professors, and learn from other presenters.

Dr. Bunyan has written countless letters of recommendation on my behalf and edited dozens of pages of my research proposals, literature reviews, applications, and presentations while providing constructive feedback. She has opened up her office hours and additional time where she juggles her writing, research, grading, and family time to answer my questions and check in on my progress. As I am a low-income student, Dr. Bunyan has helped me secure scholarships and institutional funding that have allowed me to pursue research without additional financial strain. Because of her support, I have been able to succeed as an Honors student, University Scholar, and student leader on campus. She has also advised me extensively regarding future opportunities after graduation, such as applying to graduate school. As a first-generation college student, her mentorship has led me to believe in my abilities and grow as a researcher and student.

J. Peter Gogarten, Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, Molecular and Cell Biology
Professor Gogarten was nominated by Marlene Abouaassi ’20 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Marlene’s nomination.

A mediocre professor teaches their students only the contents of their course. A great professor inspires their students to apply the contents learned outside the walls of the lecture halls, as well as encourages them to expand on their critical thinking capacity. Dr. Gogarten inspires me to continue to investigate the extremes of life, advance scientific understanding, and serve as a role model for first generation matriculants and women in STEM.

During my freshman year, I did not know who to ask for college tips or seek guidance. I applied for a job to alleviate my financial burden as well as expose myself to research in Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB). After my interview, Dr. Gogarten hired me as a research assistant. I completed simple tasks. However, after my first semester of freshman year, I debated if I should continue majoring in MCB or drop out of college for good. The reason is I struggled to adhere to the rigorous coursework of college, held multiple jobs to help pay for my schooling, and at the time felt like I was not contributing anything to society, biology, nor Dr. Gogarten’s lab. But that changed when Dr. Gogarten asked me if I would continue working as a research assistant during my sophomore year. I was taken aback because in a large school filled with thousands of students, there was a professor who cared about my success as a student and was passionate enough to encourage me to continue in the field of MCB. Thus, I took initiative to alter my schedule and take Dr. Gogarten’s course sophomore year. Afterwards, Dr. Gogarten encouraged me to apply to the Honors program, as well as for SURF, in order to enhance my intellectual abilities and apply my knowledge to real world scientific research. During spring break of my sophomore year, I woke up to three emails: my acceptance to the Honors program (where Dr. Gogarten is my advisor), acceptance for the SURF award, and Dr. Gogarten’s email congratulating me on my accomplishments and writing the word “Excellent”.

During the summer for SURF, I expanded on my technical skills in bioinformatics and knowledge in molecular evolution. While working on my project, Dr. Gogarten encouraged me to help my lab coworkers with mentoring other undergraduates and high school students on the use of existing bioinformatics programs, as well as educating them on certain biological processes. My acquired knowledge and Dr. Gogarten’s connections with Paul Lewis opened up doors for me to a course assistant position for the annual Workshop on Molecular Evolution at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. In doing so, I was able to help teaching assistants with basic level introduction to coding, gain an insight on how molecular evolution has changed practically, and foster relationships with well-known faculty who invited me to apply for graduate assistantships with them. In the fall, Dr. Gogarten encouraged me to present at the Mobile Genetic Elements conference at MIT to showcase the progress of my research. In doing so, he provided me with constructive criticism in presenting my research to a crowd full of graduates and faculty members. Along with presenting, I was able to build a network of connections and gain strategies in further pursuing my research effectively.

Dr. Gogarten pushes his students to seek opportunities that will advance their intellectual abilities and creativity. Since freshman year, Dr. Gogarten has gone out of his way to forward me emails about opportunities and encourage me to pursue them. If it was not for Dr. Gogarten’s email, I would not have become president of the new undergraduate MCB club. If it was not for his encouragement, I would not have applied for, or been accepted to, the University Scholar program. The passion, dedication, and commitment Dr. Gogarten has for all his students to ensure they are advancing their educational experience is invaluable. I was able to grow as a student, researcher, educator, and an overall individual through the mentorship of Dr. Gogarten.

Samantha E. Lawrence, Ph.D. Student, Human Development and Family Sciences
Samantha was nominated by Jessica Gagnon ’20 (CLAS). The following text is excerpted from Jessica’s nomination.

Samantha Lawrence, Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Sciences. — 2020 Mentorship Excellence Award winner Samantha E. Lawrence, Ph.D. student in Human Development and Family Sciences.

I honestly don’t know how I could’ve handled the last year without Sam. As a student who was entering a lab and starting research for her thesis relatively late, I knew that I would need a supportive advisor who could help me reach my goals. When I first joined the lab, Sam sat down with me to get to know not only what I wanted to do for my project, but also who I was as a person and what I wanted to learn through my experience in the lab. She walked me through what my project would actually look like, while also identifying all the areas she could help me with throughout the process. She made it clear from the beginning that she was on my team and would do everything in her power to help me have a successful year.

Over the winter break, I was seriously stressed that I was not going to be able to complete my thesis in time for graduation. Sam immediately responded with compassion, support, and guidance. She gave me a list of ideas and ways I could alter my project in order to make it possible to complete, while also preserving what I wanted to get out of the project and honoring my passion for the topic. She then worked with me to create a concrete plan, including a timeline for who to talk to and what to say. She gave me the confidence to not only trust myself, but also to stand up for my needs.

Even when she moved to a different lab, Sam made it clear to me that she was still going to be my mentor and get me to graduation. She scheduled a meeting to share this with myself and one of the other undergraduate students in the lab who she had been working closely with. She made a plan for how she would continue to support us this semester, including reading and editing my thesis drafts and helping teach me how to use the software I have to learn. She made sure that we knew she was still there as a resource for us and that we would continue our bi-weekly “wellness checks” to ensure we were both still doing okay and felt like we were making enough progress. For me, this speaks the most to how incredible of a mentor Sam is and how dedicated she is to helping her mentees. Her mentorship is not dependent on her job or which lab she is in. It does not come strictly out of responsibility, but out of a deep and genuine desire to help others. There have been many times throughout the last year or so where I felt completely powerless and unsure of what to do. Each time, Sam has been there to pull me out of my rut and ensure that I have the plan, knowledge, and support to move forward and speak up for my needs. She has dedicated her time to ensuring that I finish my thesis and graduate with Honors, and she represents everything that a mentor should aspire to be. She is completely deserving of the Mentorship Excellence Award.

Congratulations to the 2020 award recipients! The Office of Undergraduate Research thanks the undergraduate students who nominated their faculty and graduate student mentors as well as the Peer Research Ambassadors who served on this year’s selection committee.

• Congratulations, Spring 2020 UConn IDEA Grant Recipients!

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Berkey, Melissa

Congratulations to the 33 undergraduates who have been awarded UConn IDEA Grants in the spring 2020 funding cycle!

The award recipients represent a variety of disciplines, from English to pathobiology, and music to electrical engineering. They will conduct independent research, engage in creative endeavors, and develop prototypes.

Click here to view the full list of spring 2020 UConn IDEA Grant award recipients.

Special thanks to the faculty and staff who supported student applications to the UConn IDEA Grant and to those who will be mentoring the award recipients as they complete their projects.

The UConn IDEA Grant program awards funding to support self-designed projects including artistic endeavors, community service initiatives, research projects, prototyping and entrepreneurial ventures, and other creative and innovative projects. Undergraduates in all majors at all UConn campuses can apply. Applications are accepted twice per year from individuals and from small groups who plan to work collaboratively on a project.