Project Mentor
Dr. Megan O'Grady
Department of Public Health Sciences
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Description
| Project Description | Drug overdoses continue to be unacceptably high, contributing to tens of thousands of deaths per year. Opioids have been a major contributor to these mortality rates. The summer research student will have the opportunity to work at the Center for Prevention Evaluation and Statistics (CPES) at UConn Health on projects that are evaluating opioid prevention and overdose initiatives across Connecticut. The summer research student will work with the CPES team to collect and examine data, participate in research interviews and focus groups, and create presentations and reports from evaluation activities. |
| Project Direction | The Center for Prevention Evaluation and Statistics (CPES) at UConn Health has 2 federally funded grants to evaluate efforts to improve overdose and opioid misuse prevention activities that will be occurring over the next several years. The summer project contributes to the larger goal of evaluating these activities over several years. |
| Mentorship and Supervision | A designated research supervisor will meet with the summer research student regularly to review progress, provide feedback, and identify learning opportunities. Dr. O'Grady will also meet with the summer research student weekly. Training will be provided by a mix of reading, online, and in person didactic modalities. In addition, the summer research student will join regular weekly research team meetings in order to review progress and get feedback. Regular interaction via teams, email, and in office check ins will be available. |
| Student Qualifications | Coursework in statistics, research methods in behavioral sciences, public health, psychology/human behavior, and/or data visualization is recommended. Student should be interested in substance use/addiction and/or mental health topics. Skills in data collection and analysis are desired. Exposure to data collection and analysis software (e.g., Qualtrics, SPSS/SAS) is recommended. |
| Summer Schedule Options | Research Dates: May 18 to July 24, 2026 Schedule: Student can work between the hours of 8am-6pm Monday through Friday to fulfill their hours and the research supervisor will work with them to set a regular schedule within those hours. A hybrid of working in person and virtually can be arranged depending on current project needs and student preference. |
| Project Continuation | Fall 2026, Spring 2027 |
| Academic Year Time Commitment | 3, 6, or 9 hours/week |
| Possible Thesis Project | Yes |
Application
Submit an online application for this research opportunity at https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/HRPSU26-26. The application deadline is Monday, February 16, 2026.
This application requires a cover letter, a resume or CV, an unofficial transcript, a brief statement of research interests, and a brief statement of career interests.