Please reference the chart below for opportunities offered through the Work-Study Research Assistant Program for 2024-2025 academic year. Opportunities for the upcoming academic year will be posted from June through mid-August. Follow the link in the Job Posting column to access the position listing. Note that all applications must be submitted through JobX. Only applications from undergraduate students with work-study awards will be considered. Please note that the opportunities denoted with the First Generation image are offered by faculty members who themselves identify as first generation (neither parent completed a four-year degree); first generation students are particularly encouraged to consider these positions and apply to those that align with their skills and interests.

Pending

Job Posting	Faculty Name	Department	Research Focus/Brief Position Description	Status
14076-Waterbury	Melisa Argañaraz Gomes	Urban and Community Studies	I am seeking a research assistant to support either a book project focused on Latin American children and youth care work and labor in Waterbury and Baltimore during the pandemic. Children’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic have received little attention. Popular discourses claim that children are less likely to be affected by the virus and focus on isolation/mental health consequences. In doing so, these discourses present children as passive victims. This research examines how youths’ political acts of care are critical to the survival of their families, peers, and society; however, ‘care for their families’ may force youth to sacrifice their well-being and future prospects. This research focuses on the active participation of immigrant Latin American children in US society and the necessity for safety nets to protect/recognize their care work. This work includes topics such as criminality, care work/labor, health, and education of Latin American Children and Youth. Alongside this research you will be able to develop your own research project.	Open
14906	Laura Mauldin	Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies	This position will support the publication of a book on the topic of the politics of disability and the US care crisis. The writing relates to the ways ableism (or the devaluation of disability) is embedded into every aspect of our culture and society, which then translates into such things as a lack of care infrastructure and the resulting dependence on the unpaid care work of family members. The book will cover many facets of both the disability experience and family caregiving. I am looking for a student who understands factchecking (from a journalistic perspective) and/or has interest in social media and marketing.	Open
14911	Caitlin Lombardi	Human Development and Family Sciences	The focus of my research is on early childhood development and programs and policies that influence young children and their families. This position will be on the CT Early Years project. Please read more about it here: https://arclab.hdfs.uconn.edu/connecticut-early-years/. The student will help with recruiting and tracking research participants and child care programs, data entry, and other research related tasks.	Open
14908	SeungYeon Kang	School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering	Our lab work on light-based additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies; digital light processing (DLP) and multiphoton SLA (stereolithography). In contrast to polymer printing techniques, we focus on developing metal printing methods. We are looking for self-motivated students who can help us i) prepare samples for determining optimized recipe, ii) take mechanical/electrical measurements and/or iii) run simulations to understand the relationship between printing parameters and structure property. Previous knowledge on additive manufacturing and COMSOL/ANSYS is a plus.	Open
14909	SeungYeon Kang	School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Manufacturing Engineering	Our lab is interested in understanding how lithium-ion batteries perform under pressure. We are looking for self-motivated students who can help us i) prepare samples for determining optimized recipe, ii) replicate battery samples, and/or iii) take electrochemical/mechanical measurements.	Filled
14104-Stamford	Frederick Roden	English	This position involves work with an archive, historical documents and images (digital and hard copy) and stories. It is well suited for students in the humanities, particularly English and History. They will develop career skills in editing, organizing information, and verbal/visual storytelling. The student will work with the professor in person on campus in organizing and documenting historical documents and images. The student may also be able to work partially remotely in reading and researching information related to the project. Evaluating scholarly sources and editing notes and written documents will combine with aspects of storytelling. The student should be based in Stamford for in-person work. Students with digital proficiency will contribute to a multimedia aspect of this project’s development.	Open
14925	Scott Brown	Office of Global Affairs	The UConn Office of Global Affairs is committed to supporting the assessment process for measuring the impact of the Experiential Global Learning (EGL) program on students - both immediate and long-term, by establishing an Assessment Team led by Dr. Brown, which has created and administered The UConn Intercultural Competency Scale (UICS). The UICS is administered in a pre- and post- format, as well as interviewing a sample of EGL participants after graduation in an online focus group. Two (2) WSRAs are being recruited to become members of the assessment team to support: recruitment, administration, coding, analyzing and report writing related to this project. Research assistants will be trained, supported and mentored related to the research process in the social sciences. Training in qualitative coding and analyses, as well as quantitative analyses will be provided. These assistants will participate in report writing and be recognized with authorship opportunities, as appropriate. Students will be expected to work approximately 6 hours per week, and some of the work may be remote.	Open
14936	Kelly Herd	Marketing	As a marketing professor and consumer psychologist, I am interested in uncovering how people’s thoughts and experiences influence their actions, particularly as they relate to the creative process. Using lab experiments, we ask participants to complete a series of creativity, brainstorming, and product design tasks, which are then evaluated on a variety of dimensions (e.g., novelty, practicality). This position could be a good fit for students interested in business, psychology, and/or communications, among other topics. Students in this position are expected to help create materials for experiments (including survey development), conduct basic literature reviews, and find "real world" examples of the topics we study (e.g., consumer crowdsourcing, inclusive design, donations).	Filled
13032	Tom Deans	English	What are the implications of AI technologies for writing and the teaching of writing? This research investigates the ways that students and teachers are using AI and how we can think through how we might employ AI ethically and effectively in classrooms, writing centers, workplaces, and other learning spaces. his position will involve reviewing both popular press accounts and scholarly publications on AI writing technologies, especially their relation to teaching and learning in universities and secondary schools. There will be weekly meetings with the PI to discuss readings, plan projects, assist with creating visuals for presentations, and the like.	Filled
13991	Daniel Bolnick	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	Our research concerns the genetic variation in immune function in threespine stickleback fish. We rear laboratory bred populations of stickleback drawn from different natural populations spanning a range of immune and other phenotypic traits, and map the genetic basis of this evolved variation. The student will conduct experimental studies of optimal feeding strategies for rearing laboratory colonies of threespine stickleback fish. They will be responsible for animal feeding, care, data collection, and data analysis.	Filled
14959	Natalie Shook	School of Nursing	The goal of the Shook Lab is to understand psychological and social factors that influence mental (e.g., depression, anxiety) and physical health (e.g., pain), as well as health behaviors (e.g., vaccine uptake). Projects in the lab focus on different populations and use a variety of methodologies. Students will assist with literature reviews, designing and testing new studies, screening and scheduling participants, running study sessions and collecting data, and cleaning and managing datasets. Opportunities will also be available for students to assist with dissemination of findings (e.g., presenting at conferences, co-authoring manuscripts).	Filled
13042-Waterbury	Kimberly Cuevas	Psychological Sciences	In the CAP Lab, we study the building blocks of early cognitive development. We play different games to understand how babies and young kids learn, remember, and think at different points during development. By wearing our EEG & ECG sensors as they play, we gain insight into how brain waves and heart activity are involved in kids’ thinking. Student research assistants interested in developmental cognitive neuroscience research with a background in psychological sciences are encouraged to apply. RAs will contribute to multiple aspects of research (community outreach, recruitment, data collection, data coding) investigating the development of self-regulation, memory, cognitive flexibility, imitation, and the “social brain”. Lab members at the Waterbury Campus have the opportunity to work infants, toddlers, & preschoolers.	Open
13043	Kimberly Cuevas	Psychological Sciences	In the CAP Lab, we study the building blocks of early cognitive development. We play different games to understand how babies and young kids learn, remember, and think at different points during development. By wearing our EEG & ECG sensors as they play, we gain insight into how brain waves and heart activity are involved in kids’ thinking.Student research assistants interested in developmental cognitive neuroscience research with a background in psychological sciences are encouraged to apply. RAs will contribute to multiple aspects of research (community outreach, recruitment, data coding) investigating the development of self-regulation, memory, cognitive flexibility, imitation, and the “social brain”. Data collection is at the Waterbury Campus; Storrs RAs focus on primarily behind the scenes aspects of research with emphasis on data coding and management.	Filled
14947	Roman Shrestha	Allied Health Sciences	My research primarily centers on the interface of HIV, substance use, mental health, and mobile technology (mHealth), specifically focused on HIV prevention and treatment issues. My current projects include NIH-funded grants, both domestically and internationally. The domestic projects focus on HIV and substance use prevention in people who use drugs. The international projects emphasize using mHealth technologies, such as apps, to promote HIV testing and linkage to HIV prevention services among sexually diverse groups (i.e., MSM, TGW) in Malaysia and Nepal, with a focus on mental health in Nepal. Research Assistants will have the opportunity to be involved virtually in various aspects of these projects, collaborating with an interdisciplinary research team that includes community stakeholders, faculty, research staff, graduate students, and undergraduate students. However, they are required to attend bi-weekly team meetings in person.	Open
14946	Xinyu Zhao	School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing	The research program aims at explaining basic concepts of heat transfer using existing research data from the lab, and from the literature. The student has the opportunity to contributing to new materials on educational websites and textbooks that have an international audience. The student is expected to 1) clean up existing research data so that the data can be easily shared and used by people with interest; 2) digitize data from the literature and plot them in a prescribed format to be publishable either online or in book format; 3) running/adding to python programs that explain basic problems in heat transfer using existing or digitized research data; 4) review/proof-read materials for future book publication and create contents for websites.	Open
14961	Eiling Yee	Psychological Sciences	This position will support research in two labs. Yee Lab: How do we know what a lemon is, or understand the concept of joy? The goal of much of the lab’s research is to understand how meaning is represented—particularly the cognitive and neural representations of conceptual knowledge (a.k.a. semantic memory). For instance, how is the representation and retrieval of conceptual information affected by factors such as long-term experience, short-term experience, and the current context? We address these questions using a number of different tools, primarily behavioral responses, but also eye movements, EEG, and fMRI. See: https://yeelab.uconn.edu/research-overview/. Altmann Lab: How does the human mind “do” language? In particular, we focus on sentence and multi-sentence comprehension - how, for example, we interpret in real time (i.e. as each word is encountered, one-by-one) the “events” described by those sentences. How do we track the different objects that take part in an event? Or keep track of the different things that happen to those objects? Our lab uses a range of behavioral and neuroscientific methods to address these and other questions. See: https://altmann.lab.uconn.edu/research/	Filled
14960	Tiffany Kelley	School of Nursing	Dr. Kelley is the first professor of her kind to lead innovation integration into nursing core curriculum. She has spent 20 of her current 24 nursing years aiming for higher quality care through healthcare technologies. Dr. Kelley’s relentless vision for breaking the status quo in nursing led to her pursuit of a professional, academic, and entrepreneurial trajectory in nursing informatics and innovation, both specialty nursing fields, that integrate multiple sciences to guide the practice. This position will be to support Dr. Kelley with conducting literature searches and formulating research papers for submission. The student in this position will be motivated and eager to learn the skills and steps involved in developing new knowledge for publication in journals and books. The student in this position will work with Dr. Kelley to identify key articles, organize data, formulate tables, reference lists, journal manuscript templates and more.	Open
12983	Crystal Park	Psychological Sciences	We study stress, coping and mental health and the factors that help people to be resilient (e.g., self-compassion, mindfulness, spirituality, coping skills). We also study mind-body interventions like yoga and meditation to promote mental and physical health. Research assistants attend weekly lab meetings (Wednesdays 1:25-2:15), during which we review projects and discuss a weekly journal article. In addition, each research assistant is assigned to a specific project; specific activities depend on the project and might include running participants, collecting and coding data, finding relevant background literature, helping to design new studies, and analyzing and interpreting data.	Open
13154	Sherry Pagoto	Allied Health Sciences	My research focuses on using digital platforms to deliver weight management interventions. We conduct both quantitative and qualitative analyses of behavioral data. We need assistance collecting behavioral data in clinical trials testing behavioral weight loss interventions delivered via social media platforms. This position entails extracting behavioral data from digital/social media platforms and processing it in a way that prepares it for statistical analyses. The candidate may also be trained to perform qualitative coding of data. Candidates will get experience with data management software programs, weight management interventions, and clinical trial data.	Open
14920	Jonathan Klassen	Molecular and Cell Biology	Our lab studies how animals benefit from the microbes that they live with and how these relationships work mechanistically. We are particularly interested in how such symbioses respond to stressors, including disease, environmental challenges (e.g., forest fires), and nutrient availability. We primarily study these using a unique insect model system (fungus-growing ants) that allows us to understand the chemical, genetic, and microbiological bases of symbiosis. The WSRAP student will maintain ant colonies in our lab and use these to set up experiments that uncover how ants maintain their microbial symbionts, collaboratively with other lab members. Such experiments may include (but are not limited to) testing ant behaviors, colony stress responses, sample collection for later analyses, or DNA-based analyses. WSRAP students will also support other lab tasks (e.g., record keeping, sample archival) as needed. Development of more specific projects is possible based on WSRAP student interest and experience.	Filled
14115-Stamford	Mars Plater	History	I am writing a book about green spaces in New York City during the 1800s. I am learning about how parks and private commercial green spaces (called "pleasure gardens," "beer gardens," and "excursion groves") were where working-class New Yorkers fought against authorities and elites in order to have fun outdoors, while fighting amongst themselves over issues of racism, sexism, and nativism. A forgotten strand of environmentalism grew in these complicated and dramatic green spaces. am looking for research assistants to help me finish and improve my manuscript in the following ways: A. doing research into some lingering questions I'm having about nineteenth-century NYC; B. helping to format my citations; C. transcribing newspaper articles from the 1800s and offering your thoughts on what they reveal; D. reading chapters to let me know where the writing is confusing or boring	Open
14984	Joshua Mayer	Anthropology	I am a community-collaborative ethnographer working with Indigenous and Black communities in Nicaragua to study research questions that address the communities’ most pressing needs. For several decades, the communities with which I work have been engaged in a legal and political struggle to stop individuals, businesses, and government entities from seizing their ancestral lands. This project is an oral history of the ongoing, anticolonial struggle of one Indigenous community and one Black community in southeastern Nicaragua; more than 80 interviews were conducted in 2022. The student selected for this position will participate in the transcription and analysis of oral history interviews, which will contribute to a report for the participant communities and to a scholarly book manuscript. If the student is interested, there may be opportunities for remote meetings with community leaders and co-researchers to discuss the analysis of the interviews and research products. Note that this position will require the ability to understand and transcribe interviews in either Spanish or an English-based Central American or Caribbean creole language.	Open
15093-Hartford & 15060-Storrs	Jennifer Dineen	Public Policy/Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy	Our team uses a variety of methods to study the effectiveness of policies and interventions that aim to reduce firearm injury. Student Research Assistants will also be working to support Drs. Dineen and Raissian's work building a research clearing house for UConn's ARMS Center for Gun Injury Prevention. The student research assistant may be expected to conduct literature reviews, catalogue relevant sources, edit webpages, proofread and edit research briefs, create bibliographies, and attend weekly staff meetings.	Open
14981	Jason Hancock	Physics and Institute of Materials Science	Research in fundamental quantum materials physics, with some applied physics projects using photon based spectroscopy. Student would join the research group, be available to assist. graduate students, may receive and independent project from the PI after initiation period. Experiments may use lasers and broadband sources, may include synchrotron based experiments at national laboratories.	Open
14983	Kaveh Yazdani	History	I am specialized in social and economic history between in the 16th and 19th centuries. I am currently researching the history of capitalism in Asia (particularly India and Iran) with a special focus on the Parsi and Zoroastrian communities between the 16th and 20th centuries. The position can be in-person, partially in-person, or fully remote. Students are expected to create bibliographies and search for primary sources in newspaper archives and other available datasets. In the course of time, they will also have the opportunity to read the relevant literature and/or primary sources, extract excerpts and write an independent proposal and/or paper.	Open
14129	Zehra Arat	Political Science	The student would help with multiple projects. The subject matter of all projects involve human rights. The methodology employed is typically text analysis (content analysis of documents). A student in this position will assist a political science professor in carrying out a number of human rights research projects (e.g., neoliberalism, the UN, and human rights; human rights discourse and practices in Turkey; international human rights norms; human rights theory of democratic backsliding) that are in different stages. Thus, the job will allow the student to observe and participate in different stages of the research process, from the formulation and justification of a research question to the preparation and revision of articles for publication.	Filled
14980	Molly Waring	Allied Health Sciences	Our research focuses on health promotion among pregnant and post-partum persons and mothers, with a particular focus on healthy eating, weight management, and mental health. Ongoing research projects relate to misinformation on social media about child nutrition, use of social media to support maternal mental health, and lifestyle interventions for pregnant persons with gestational diabetes. Research Assistants will work with our research team on multiple ongoing research projects. Research Assistants will get involved in all aspects of our projects, from study design to participant recruitment to data collection to results reporting. We expect that Research Assistants will assist with participant interviews, qualitative data analysis, literature searches, and results reporting.	Open
13151	Steve Utke	Accounting	The focus of this research is to understand the amount of tax that multinational firms pay, or would pay if they did not operate globally. This position involves collecting income tax data of publicly traded firms in order to determine how much tax these firms owe on their foreign earnings. This information is available from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and the position will involve learning how to use their website and read financial statements of publicly traded firms.	Open
14991	Sandra Chafouleas	Educational Psychology	This position entails working with Dr. Chafouleas and her research team, with specific emphasis on tasks for the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH; see http://csch.uconn.edu). The mission of the Collaboratory on School and Child Health (CSCH) is to facilitate innovative and impactful connections across research, policy, and practice arenas to advance equity in school and child health. CSCH is committed to anti-racist work that prioritizes inclusion, reduces disparities, and creates systemic change. CSCH researchers acknowledge that a whole child lens that integrates academics and health in serving students leads to better student outcomes across domains (academic, social, emotional, behavioral, physical). Although CSCH is engaged in many scholarly activities, the primary job tasks for this position include research dissemination activities across areas related to school and child health. The person may interact with multiple team members and CSCH affiliates, with the intent to facilitate work to synthesize and disseminate information on evidence-informed policy and practices (e.g. what are best practices for increasing physical activity?, what has the policy impact been on changes to school nutrition programs?) in multi-media formats (e.g., brief user-friendly reports, podcasts), through conference presentations, and at networking events.	Filled
14993	Bandana Purkayastha	Sociology	Document the state of sociology in several countries of the world. These will be oral documentation, through interviews with the heads of national associations in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, and the data/narratives will be prepared for dissemination as podcasts. The student will help me to conduct short interviews, but the main task is to prepare all stages of the podcasts. Experience with producing podcasts is essential. I will only expect you to participate in the interviews that fit into your normal work hours in the US; I will complete the others. This is an unprecedented opportunity to hear from global leaders about the state of social sciences, specifically sociology, in several countries. I will train you to understand the logic of the interviews and the purpose of publishing these as podcasts. Your effort will be acknowledged. If we gather sufficient information to prepare a traditional article, I will train you in that process as well.	Filled
14996	Lauren Corso	Allied Health Sciences	The posted position is a research assistantship working on a study that aims to examine behavioral and biological determinants of cardiometabolic health risk in young female adults. Identifying early/subclinical determinants of cardiovascular risk offers researchers valuable information that can be used to design preventive and/or interventions to mitigate risk before disease states are established. The study is comprised of interviews/survey administration, anthropometric measures, as well as biomarker analysis. The assistantship role focuses on study advertisement, participant screening, scheduling study visits as well as active data collection for the interview/surveys. Formally, this position assists faculty in research efforts utilizing survey research techniques.	Open
15005	Daniel Bolnick	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	We are studying how fish ecological niches change when they are re-introduced to a habitat. This entails grinding and weighing and packing muscle tissue for Carbon and Nitrogen stable isotope analysis to infer diet, in fish sampled from 16 lakes in Alaska. The WSRAP researchers will prepare fish muscle tissues (pre-dried) by grinding and weighing and packing them to ship to a laboratory in Switzerland for stable isotope analysis. The students will be responsible for careful sample preparation, and data management tracking information on the samples. When data collection is completed there is an opportunity to be involved in data analysis after.	Open
15006-Hartford	Lisa Werkmeister Rozas	Social Work	The general focus of the research is around advancing the health and well-being of the Latine community in the Hartford and greater Hartford area. Currently, we are conducting listening sessions with Latine community members around policy issues, collecting oral histories of particular ethnic groups, and interviewing bilingual social workers to understand workforce development. We are also writing a grant to better understand Latine immigrant health. The research assist would be conducting interviews, focus groups, helping to develop and collect survey data, writing literature reviews for grants and publications, analyzing data, participating in team meetings and 1 or 2 trainings around research methods/data analysis. The student would also be helping to recruit study participants and write conference abstracts (and present them if desired) and manuscripts for publication.	Open
15010	Barbara Gurr	Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies	My research is focused on independent publishing (self-publishing) and social media (booktok, instagram, X, etc.). The student will research popular social media and other communications to determine race, gender, sexuality, among independent authors and their readers as well as other creators (i.e., reviewers). Develop social media campaigns for a volunteer indie author and measure their efficacy.	Open
15012	Bruce Blanchard	Allied Health Sciences	We use clinical laboratory techniques to train students enrolled in the Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) program. In the fall, we have laboratory courses in Hematology, Medical Chemistry, Blood Banking (Transfusion Services) and Urinalysis. In the spring, we have laboratory courses in Molecular Diagnostic Techniques, Introduction to MLS, and Mycology, Parasitology, and Virology. For this position, the work study student is expected to work with MLS faculty to set up instruments and prepare biological samples for testing/analysis by students enrolled in the MLS program. In addition, the work study student is expected to set up data entry sheets in HuskyCT for MLS students to enter their laboratory results and to perform the experiments on the samples to determine the expected results. Also, the work study student will be assigned relevant literature and case studies (related to each course) to read and discuss with MLS faculty.	Open
15019	Cristina Connolly	Agricultural and Resource Economics	We use case study methodology to look at the impact of adopting conservation practices on livestock farmers in New England. My research is part of a larger Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant to improve agricultural practices in the region. Students will be expected to review case study methodology in order to help develop the protocol. They will participate in interviews with producers and aid in data analysis and writing of the case study. Students will be expected to use Excel to collect and visualize cost and benefit data.	Filled
15020	Kristina Wagstrom	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	The Computational Atmospheric Chemistry and Exposure (CACE) Laboratory specializes in applying computational engineering-based approaches to address the impacts of air pollution on human and ecosystem health. We use a combination of computational modeling approaches, low cost monitoring, and community partnerships to effectively address a variety of questions. The overarching goal of the laboratory is to bridge the gap between the basic scientific understanding of the transport and transformation of atmospheric pollutants and the tools policy makers and communities use to develop potential air pollution abatement strategies. Students would have the opportunity to develop a research review on one of several topics including (but not limited to): airborne transport of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), indoor air quality in K-12 schools, the impact of airborne metal exposures, or using games in citizen science.	Open
15023	Kristina Wagstrom	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	The Computational Atmospheric Chemistry and Exposure (CACE) Laboratory specializes in applying computational engineering-based approaches to address the impacts of air pollution on human and ecosystem health. We use a combination of computational modeling approaches, low cost monitoring, and community partnerships to effectively address a variety of questions. The overarching goal of the laboratory is to bridge the gap between the basic scientific understanding of the transport and transformation of atmospheric pollutants and the tools policy makers and communities use to develop potential air pollution abatement strategies. There are a large number of potential projects (both computer and laboratory based), and I will work with applicants to identify a project of interest though some potential project ideas can be found on the lab webpage (https://cace.lab.uconn.edu/available-undergraduate-research-projects/). There are project in the lab that can be completed either in-person or remotely and many will allow for flexible work hours.	Open
15025	Diane Burgess	Pharmaceutical Sciences	The Burgess Lab is a growing research laboratory specialized in the areas of formulation development, and analytical characterization for different pharmaceutical dosage forms. We are looking for motivated and enthusiastic students to join our lab. The candidates will work with a senior graduate student to perform tests, record and analyze the results. We are looking for candidates with strong attention to detail, responsibility in maintaining the laboratory regulations and a clean workspace, as well as good communication skills.	Filled
13252	Jeffrey Cohen	Finance	My current research is related to topics in real estate finance/economics; affordable housing; transportation economics; renewable energy economics; substance use disorder treatment economics; inequality among various demographic groups, in their burden of environmental noise pollution; inequality in housing wealth accumulation among different racial and ethnic groups; and other economics/finance related topics. Much of my work utilizes statistical techniques to analyze data and test hypotheses on the above topics. More details about my research can be found on my UCONN webpage: https://www.business.uconn.edu/person/jeffrey-cohen/ I am looking for student(s) who can support my efforts with at least one, or more, of the following: (i) researching background literature and writing literature reviews for topics related to my research interests; (ii) supporting data analysis with Excel and/or statistical analysis software such as Stata, R, and/or Python; (iii) background research and writing for developing grant proposals; (iv) making of thematic maps with GIS or other software; (v) supporting developing presentation slides using Powerpoint and/or other software.	Open
15061	Luyi Sun	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering/Institute of Materials Science	Our research focuses on functional organic and inorganic materials based on the unique assembly of multiple components. The design and control of these structures are the keys to the high performance of these materials. Specific research areas include nanostructured materials for functional, structural, and environmental applications, as well as functional inorganic solids for luminescent, optoelectronic, electrochemical, and mechanical applications. Research areas also include the processing methods for fabrication of these materials, including additive manufacturing, roll-to-roll coating, etc. Students will assist in a variety of in-lab and data processing tasks, including hands-on fabrication of functional materials, material characterization, and literature review. Given the variety of projects, students will be able to assist in projects that best align with their research interests within our field.	Open
15038	Sarah Knutie	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	Our disease ecology lab studies the effect of environmental factors on bird-parasite interactions. Specifically, we study host defenses (e.g. the immune response) against native and invasive parasites and how these interactions influence disease outcomes. Students will be involved in various projects in the lab throughout the year. One student will join our Nest Parasite Community Science team, whose focus is dissecting bird nests from throughout the US for parasites, identifying parasitic taxa, communicating with the public, and conducting outreach in schools in Hartford. The other student will work with a graduate student to process data that were collected from the Galapagos Islands in 2024 to study the effect of urbanization on Darwin's finches and their invasive parasites.	Open
15056	Sung Yeul Park	Electrical and Computer Engineering	My research aims to develop and design impedance-based renewable energy integration using power electronic conversion systems including battery management systems, photovoltaic impedance measurement systems, grid impedance monitoring systems. Impedance can be measured by power converters and conditioning systems. It can be utilized for the diagnosis and prognosis of renewable energy sources and utility grid conditions and can be reflected in upper-level management systems. To perform the aforementioned research activities, we need self-motivated undergraduate students with hands-on experience. They will design electronic circuits, including circuit layout, assemble boards, and test circuits. In addition, microcontroller programming and NI-DAQ testing will be utilized for the automatic testing of the prototype systems.	Open
15035	Colin Kremer	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	We study the ecology and evolution of phytoplankton: microscopic, single-celled plants that are vital to marine and freshwater food webs and ecosystems. We want to know how the effects of climate change, such as warming ocean temperatures, impact different species (including some from the Arctic!). Our research combines lab experiments and quantitative modeling, involving students from different backgrounds. Students joining the lab will help us grow and maintain different populations of phytoplankton under controlled lab conditions. Students will also work with graduate student mentors on questions such as: How do temperature and light affect phytoplankton growth and physiology? How do bacterial interactions affect marine phytoplankton? Along the way, you will learn and apply essential wet lab and microbiological techniques, and potentially statistical and mathematical techniques for studying biological data.	Filled
15094-Waterbury & 15053-Storrs	Pablo Kokay Valente	Allied Health Sciences	Dr. Valente's mixed-methods research interests include social and structural determinants of HIV risk and engagement in HIV prevention and treatment services, as well as behavioral interventions to address health inequities among marginalized populations. He has primarily worked with key populations in the HIV epidemic in the United States and Brazil, including sexual and gender minority populations, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. The research assistant will work as part of a team to identify potential research participants, schedule and conduct participant interviews, administer questionnaires, help prepare data for analysis (i.e., data cleaning), and assist in analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.	Open
15042	Gerry Altmann	Psychological Sciences	How does the human mind “do” language? We focus on sentence and multi-sentence comprehension - how, for example, we interpret in real time (i.e. as each word is encountered, one-by-one) the “events” described by those sentences. How do we track the different objects that take part in an event? Or keep track of the different things that happen to those objects? Our lab uses a range of behavioral and neuroscientific methods to address these and other questions. See: https://altmann.lab.uconn.edu/research/ The student will develop as a scientist while learning lab communication skills, experimental design and analysis, and how to run human participants in behavioral experiments. The student will also develop time management and interpersonal skills. This position is ideal for students looking to explore or develop the all-around skills necessary for future careers in research.	Filled
15054	Felicia Pratto	Psychological Sciences	Research in social and political psychology, often taking an international perspective. Research focuses on social power, relationships between groups, international humanitarian law, empathy, dominance, and emotions in intergroup relations. Identifying relevant scientific and historical publications, reviewing research, developing experimental stimuli, analyzing experimental and survey data, content coding of participants' free responses, organizing information and tracking project progress. Students will be taught how to do most tasks. I was a work-study student in college. Student workers will learn how to design and organize research, how to consider what data mean compared to theory, data analysis, presentation preparation, assist with writing papers (Especially for two ESL post-doctoral fellows), using software like R or SPSS, Qualtrics, or other programs.	Open
15055	Shane Murphy	Finance	This research will focuses on financial, health, and socio-economic factors contributing to hospital performance. Hospital performance will be measured in terms of patient outcomes, hospital financial and labor outcomes, and community attributes. Seeking undergraduate research assistant to assist health economics research project with experience in statistics and interest in health economics. This job seeks to involve students in research program of individual faculty. Project will consist of approximately 5 hours per week. Additional tasks will include reviewing existing research and producing a literature review and assisting with the writing up research output, data collection and processing, verifying existing data to ensure proper classification, linking data from multiple databases, and data analysis including producing data summaries and regressions.	Filled
15080	David Pierce	Mechanical Engineering/Biomedical Engineering	The Interdisciplinary Mechanics Laboratory (imLab) investigates the biomechanics of cartilage and other soft tissues. We apply a combination of experimental and computational methodologies to advance understanding from the tissue to the cellular level. We are looking for motivated students who can 1) help monitor experiments; 2) collect and export data from software applications 3) maintain a sterile environment; 4) complete required training to work in a biological safety level 2 laboratory. Students will 1) work both independently and with graduate researcher; 2) gain experience with different cell culture techniques, mechanical testing methods, and documentation of experimental results; 3) enhance their understanding regarding the connection between mechanical and biological systems.	Open
15092	Steven Suib	Chemistry	Our lab studies synthesis, characterization and applications of solid materials. These are metal oxides, sulfides, carbides, and other materials. Such materials are used in catalysis, ceramics, batteries, adsorption, and other areas. The research would involve literature searches, synthesis of materials, use of instruments to characterize these systems, and applications in the areas described above. Students in this position would be involved with literature searches, reading the literature, carrying out experiments, analyzing data, working hand in hand with graduate students, writing up results, communicating these results to others, and related opportunities. There could be possibilities of publishing papers and presenting results at conferences.	Open
15091	Nathan Acebo	Anthropology; Social and Critical Inquiry (Native American and Indigenous Studies)	Dr. Acebo is an Anthropologist-Archaeologist, and Indigenous studies researcher and runs the UConn Anthropology Department’s Community-Based Digital Heritage Lab (CDHL). His research uses archaeology, material science applications, and ethnographic interviews to aid partnered Tribal Nations and descendant communities in California and Hawaii. This includes archival and artifact analysis, 3D scanning and printing applications, geochemical analysis, and digital mapping applications (GIS). As Laboratory and Field Analysis Assistant, the student will be expected to help prepare and maintain research materials and environment, code/ plot and analyze data, file and classify data, and assist with literature review/publication preparation. These activities are specifically related to 2024 field data from the “Enduring Indigenous Homelands Project,” a community-based archaeology project that assists the Pechanga Band of Indians with mapping cultural areas and developing ecological-cultural protection protocols for undeveloped land. The assistant will help curate and analyze samples and survey data, as well as prepare and maintain laboratory equipment related to this project.	Open
15079	Oskar Harmon	Economics	The research will involve collecting, cleaning, organizing data, and using STATA for analysis. The topic is in the field of Economics of Sports, about Title IX and exploring differences among Title IX compliance and systematic correlations with characteristics of colleges. The student will be assisting with literature review, bibliography, and collecting data. Excel, Stata, and Statistics skills are required.	Filled
15076	Amy Egbert	Psychological Sciences	The mission of the EMPOWER Lab is to understand why kids eat the way they eat and to address disordered eating in a culturally responsive and effective way. We are interested in how social factors influence eating behaviors. We believe the environment in which a child lives plays a central role in shaping the food that they eat, and we know that online environments are just as important as in-person ones. In the EMPOWER Lab, we know that eating disorders affect people of all colors, shapes, and sizes. Our goal is to revolutionize who is included in eating disorder research by conducting inclusive and innovative science. The work study student will help with all aspects of the research process, including study participant recruitment (sending emails, making phone calls, helping to schedule research visits), data collection (interested students can be involved in focus groups, interviews, and other forms of working with the teens in our studies), literature searches, and administrative tasks. The work study student will also be involved in a journal club learning about relevant research that is related to the work that we do in the lab. Finally, opportunities for presenting research posters and being involved with manuscripts are available to motivated students.	Open
15108-Stamford	Wei Chen	School of Business	Our research focuses on the development and application of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) to create educational resources and foster community engagement in the GenAI area. We utilize methods such as prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation, and agentic workflows to design and evaluate AI-driven educational tools and community platforms. Students in this position will be responsible for conducting comprehensive literature reviews on the latest advancements in generative AI and LLMs, specifically in the context of educational resource development and community engagement. They will analyze and summarize research findings, identify key trends, and help draft proposals for NSF funding. Additionally, students will collaborate with the research team to design and evaluate AI-driven educational tools and community platforms.	Open
15112-Waterbury	Laura Donorfio	Human Development and Family Sciences	This is an exploratory, qualitative research study examining the intersection of aging and drag performance. Older drag queens have yet to be studied in the social science literature (Henneberry et al., 2022) and this research aims to understand and represent this relatively understudied population of drag queens while drawing attention to the specific sub-population of older adults in the profession. The first phase consisted of a semi-structured interview protocol and thematic analysis to understand the unique perspectives of self-identified drag performers over the age of 50 (n=15; ages 54-90). The second phase is under development. This student in this position is expected to look up and check references and extract information from sources, help build and maintain a study website, organize, transcribe, and analyze data, contribute to the writing of manuscript and conference presentation, and attend research team meetings.	Open
15104	Fiona Vernal	History	Students will provide research assistance on one theme of their choosing based on the suite of projects in the Engaged, Public, Oral and Community Histories lab. These projects focus on Hartford and its immediate suburban ring of Windsor and Bloomfield and include projects on Puerto Rican civic engagement, West Indian civic engagement, African American flood risk in the 19th and 20th century in Hartford, Caribbean/West Indian migration and GIS methods for mapping stories of African American, West Indian, and Puerto Rican housing, migration, and community formation. A student in this position will assist faculty in research efforts by conducting research in primary sources related to West Indian, African American, and Puerto Rican migration and settlement other subject matters specific to the research topic including, but not limited to: civil rights, flood risk, suburbanization, education, redlining, gentrification, urban renewal, housing codes, home ownership, evictions, migrant labor, immigration laws, public housing and religious affiliation. Methods include oral histories, GIS and archival research in primary sources. Students will join a research team of faculty, graduate, and other undergraduate students.	Open
15083-Stamford & 15041-Storrs	Patricia Ritter	Economics	Forty percent of full-time students in UConn enrolls in fewer than 15 credits. They pay to take up to 18 credits but enroll in 12 to 14 credits. The focus of this project is to understand why. We will use the Human Capital Model as the theoretical framework and anonymous administrative data from the university to analyze the role of the price per credit for in-state versus out-of-state students, the role of the opportunity cost of taking an extra course per semester, the role of the interest rate in discounting the cost of a ninth semester, among others. The student will produce summary statistics, graphs, and simple linear regression analysis in Excel or Stata. In addition, the student will carry out a couple of focus groups and short surveys. Finally, the student will write a midterm and final report with the main conclusions of the analyzed data. Ideally, the student has taken Women and Minorities in the Labor Market or any other course that teaches the Becker’s Model of Human Capital Model. The student also needs to work well with Excel or Stata.	Open
15103	Martine Granby	Journalism	This position will support the production of two short nonfiction films. One project focuses specifically on the history of the marketing materials used by the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E. program. The other revolves around the inception of Paradise Park, a Black-American resort created in 1949 as a response to segregation. Both films primarily use archival materials. I’m seeking a student who is well-versed in reporting and interviewing sources and interested in learning to work with archival footage, photos, audio, etc. The primary duties of this position (partially in-person) include researching the topic background, pre-interviewing sources, corresponding with archivists and collectors, and collecting and sharing notes about the materials.	Open
15107-Waterbury	Stephen Trumbo	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology	Our lab investigates the behavior and ecology of biparental burying beetles. We are focused at the present on the regulation of brood size and environmental factors, such as population density, that affect the decision of how many offspring to raise. We need help to maintain the beetle colony. This will involve feeding beetles, changing the rearing containers and general lab hygiene. In addition, we need help in altering population density as a factor in brood size regulation, as well as recording results (number and size of offspring). Students will learn about insects (specifically beetles), their care and experimental design.	Open
15105	Alexandra Paxton	Psychological Sciences	The dyscord lab focuses on how people communicate and work together. We use a variety of research methods—including eyetracking, motion-tracking, computer vision, touch-screen games, online games, and driving simulators—to quantitatively analyze the dynamics of human interaction. This WSRAP posting is for a research assistant to assist primarily with the data collection process, including recruiting participants, running experiments, and organizing data after the experiments. As part of this research assistantship, students will gain valuable experience with cutting-edge data collection methods in psychology and learning to work as part of a scientific team. (Note: If you have an interest in this research but have significant data science and/or programming experience, see the other posting by faculty member Alexandra Paxton).	Open
15106	Alexandra Paxton	Psychological Sciences	The dyscord lab focuses on how people communicate and work together. We use a variety of research methods—including eyetracking, motion-tracking, computer vision, touch-screen games, online games, and driving simulators—to quantitatively analyze the dynamics of human interaction. This WSRAP posting is for a research assistant to assist primarily with data science and/or programming activities in the lab (including coding experiments, posting online experiments, analyzing/visualizing data, and documenting/maintaining lab code). As part of this research assistantship, students will gain valuable experience at the intersection of data science and psychology; students will also improve their real-world teamwork and communication skills by working closely with programmers and non-programmers to meet the lab’s research goals. (Note: If you have an interest in this research but do not have significant data science and/or programming experience, see other posting by faculty Alexandra Paxton.)	Open
15113-Stamford	Mars Plater	History	Stamford has many old cemeteries that have fallen into disrepair, and I am part of a local committee working to preserve them for historical and ecological reasons. We want to bring these cemeteries into a network of “pollinator pathways”—places where hummingbirds and bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects can find tasty plants and flowers indigenous to this region, even in our busy city. As a research assistant, you would conduct research about Stamford’s cemeteries and how other cities have managed their old cemeteries, and pollinator pathways. You would find information through online searches, in databases full of historical documents, and in archives at the Ferguson Library and the City Clerk’s office. You would then write short reports to share what you learned with the committee. You would be welcome to attend meetings with the committee and get to know people working on this project.	Open
15114-Waterbury	Kimberli Treadwell	Psychological Sciences	I study peer and parental factors in anxiety in adolescents and young adults. My current focus is on contagion of anxiety between parents and children. Our study focuses on parental conversations with their child (ages 7-17) to see how discussion of worries may translate to increased child anxiety. My team collects self-reports and observational data to understand this process better. Students that work with my research team will recruit parents and their children, schedule participants, help answer parent questions about the study, code parent-child observational data, enter data into datasets, communicate data, and attend training sessions and research team meetings. Requirements: Computer skills, ability to maintain confidentiality, excellent communication skills (verbal and written) and strong interpersonal skills.	Open
15115-Waterbury	Kimberli Treadwell	Psychological Sciences	I study peer and parental factors that influence anxiety and its treatment for children and adolescents. I am conducting a systematic review of the literature on how parental accommodation of anxiety in their children may contribute to increases in child anxiety. I am looking for an undergraduate researcher to assist in this review of knowledge base to determine future directions of research in this area. The student will be expected to compile a list of possible references from PsychInfo and other relevant library databases, extract information from sources, read an abstract and determine if the study "fits" with the goals of the review paper, tabulate abstracts, prepare bibliographies and indexes, attend training sessions and research team meetings, and effectively communicate with the faculty advisor.	Open
15131	Kevin Ferreira van Leer	Human Development and Family Sciences	The Using Our Voices to Transform Hispanic Serving Institutions is a mixed methods participatory action research project that examines Latine student perceptions of “servingness” at California State University, Sacramento, a Hispanic Serving Institution. The project has utilized photovoice and a survey of undergraduate Latine students. More information about the project can be found here: https://www.usingourvoiceshsi.com/ The research assistant has the opportunity to support analysis and writing in the study listed above. Common tasks will include literature searches, transcription of interviews, qualitative coding, writing summaries of research, developing presentations, and proofreading writing products. Additional tasks may include scheduling meetings among community partners, preparing summaries of meetings, and planning agendas for community-partner meetings. Additional tasks related to the project may be completed as needed.	Open
15133	Remy Levin	Economics	The goal of our project, the Historic Risk Lab, is to learn about individuals' risk-taking behavior in the past. We tap unexplored and difficult-to-access historical archives (like the dusty records of old insurance companies) to understand how insurers and underwriters priced various risks and what strategies traders, entrepreneurs, and other economic agents used to cope with risk. The Historic Risk Lab's first priority is to examine risk-taking behavior in two of the most perilous sectors of the economy in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries: the Transatlantic slave trade and the American whaling industry. Our ultimate aim is to build the largest database in the world of pre-1870 insurance policies and other risk-related business records. Research Assistants who join our team will be reading insurance policies from the nineteenth or late eighteenth centuries and inputting the premium rates and other key information into a structured Excel spreadsheet. RAs will work remotely and will have the freedom to schedule their work at any point during their week, except for a weekly 1-1.5 hour meeting on Wednesdays at 5:15pm that all team members are required to attend. The expected total time commitment for the position is 5-7 hours a week, for at least one semester.	Open
15134	Vincent Tycer	Dramatic Arts	My current research is focused on Developing the animated series Quinn and the Quantum Team. It's aim is to teach children in middle school about STEM curriculum, teamwork and Quantum Mechanics through an action/adventure animated series. We are currently developing an animated pilot supported by a QuantumCT Educational Grant. Ongoing research in 24/25 will continue to develop the artistic world for use in the series. The position will entail Artistic Design work in one or more of the following: Costume, Scenery, Props, Storyboards and/or Graphic Design. The specific duties of each Artist/Designer would align with the needs of the production and the skills of the student. Students would be expected to primarily work asynchronously to develop drawings, digital assets and technical designs.	Open
15130	Sandy Grande	Social and Critical Inquiry & Political Science	This aspect of my research is related to developing a relevant educational program for Native American students and their communities in Connecticut. The research will have real-world application as there will be implementation of the work across the next couple of years. Students will assist with analysis of survey data collected from Tribal Communities in Connecticut (Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Golden Hill Paugussett, Schagticoke, and Eastern Pequot). They will also assist with setting up follow up interviews and conducting focus groups. Students will also do some research on national educational trends among Native American students.	Open
15135	Alyssa Dunn	Curriculum and Instruction/Office of Teacher Education	My research focuses on justice and equity in K-12 schools. In particular, I study how teachers and students experience "days after" tragedies and trauma and what teaching/learning looks like on these critical days. This research is done through qualitative methods of interviews, surveys, focus groups, and classroom observations. Students will have an opportunity to learn more about K-12 teaching and learning, interact with local educators and youth, and practice qualitative research methods under the supervision of an experienced researcher. I have extensive experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students in writing, as well, so students may enhance their academic writing and presentation skills as they are comfortable.	Open
15085-Avery Point & 15037-Storrs	Pieter Visscher	Marine Sciences	The Geomicrobiology Lab of Visscher is combining microbiology, chemistry and geology to understand the origin of life, resilience of microbial ecosystems and the potential for life in outer space. We combine microbial cultivation, molecular, chemical and geological analyses in both lab and field work. The student will perform routine lab work (prepare media, measure chemical composition of liquids and gases, assist in field work); we investigate so-called microbial mats, which present the oldest fossil life on our planet but still can be found in extreme environments.	Open
15116	Mariana Fragomeni	Plant Science and Landscape Architecture	Our project focuses on understanding the microclimatic impacts of wooded wetlands in cooling surrounding areas. The study is currently collecting data at the UConn Plant Research farm, in Storrs-CT, collecting meteorological data in three established wooded wetlands. The research team is trying to understand how much the size and composition of the wetland forests buffers impact cooling downwind. The student selected for this position will be involved in aiding a graduate student in with collecting data from mobile handheld weather stations, thermal camera, and soils temperature and moisture probes within the three locations on the UConn PSLA farm. They will also help with data analysis and mapping using drone and satellite remotely sensed images, and will be involved in using 3D modeling and thermal simulation software.	Open
15124	Anna Mae Duane	UConn Humanities Institute (UCHI)	UCHI is a multidisciplinary research institute which supports faculty, grad students and undergrads in pursuit of their research projects. We host weekly research talks, offer interdisciplinary programming, and facilitate collaborative funding inquiries. Our projects include research methodologies from the humanistic social sciences and the humanities. Student researchers would be exposed to a wide variety of research projects and would be invited to support the work that aligns with their own research interests. Students will be expected to support research talks and other programming; such support can include but is not necessarily limited to, facilitating Q & A, providing tech support (PowerPoint and Zoom); helping set up and break down the room set-up, providing brief summaries of the talks and posting them on social media. Additionally, this position will involve planning for and facilitating our grant incubators, researching materials for grant applications, and compiling bibliographies and other components.	Open
15118	Haiying Tao	Plant Science and Landscape Architecture	We are studying the role of cover cropping in Connecticut cropping systems, such as silage corn in dairy farms. Example research focuses are how cover crop seeding rate and planting date can be optimized for the best production, how cover crops affect soil nutrient cycling, soil microorganism, weed suppression, and subsequent crop yields. The student will work with Dr. Tao and a graduate student for the following research activities: soil sample collection using soil probes and augers, soil preparation using grinders and ovens, sieving soils, weighing soils, measuring soil samples using analytical scales, and analyze samples for nutrient analysis using various equipment such as Carbon/Nitrogen Analyzer, Discrete Analyzer. The student will also assist with plant tissue sampling, harvesting, and preparation for chemical analysis. The student will shadow a PhD graduate student in learning how to use and maintain laboratory equipment commonly found in soil and plant laboratories. The student will be introduced to common laboratory practices and safety, such as washing dishes, waste glass handling, chemical handling etc. The student will be introduced to analyzing and organizing data using Excel and other programs relevant to soil science, such as SAS and R.	Open
15120	Haiying Tao	Plant Science and Landscape Architecture	We are studying phosphorus cycling between soils and waters in agricultural field systems, especially how such cycling relates to nutrient leaching loss in agricultural fields in Connecticut. We are also benchmarking the routine soil tests method typically used by soil testing lab to establish the critical soil test levels at which significant nutrient leaching occurs. The student will work with Dr. Tao and a graduate student for soil and water sample preparation, including weighing soils, loading soils onto a mechanical shaker, and pipetting. The student will shadow a graduate student in learning how to use and maintain laboratory equipment commonly found in soil, nutrient, and water testing laboratories. The student will be introduced to common laboratory practices and safety, such as washing dishes, waste glass handling, chemical handling etc. The student will be introduced to analyzing and organizing data using Excel and other programs relevant to soil science, such as SAS and R.	Open
15121	George Pavlidis	School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Manufacturing Engineering	Our lab is focused on developing new thermal imaging tools for microelectronics as well as understanding heat transfer in electronics through optical and electrical methods. Student work may include: designing deep ultra violet thermoreflectance imaging tool for ultra wide band gap semiconductor electronics, image processing of reflectance images captured with tool, and assembling high power LEDs with efficient thermal packaging. Students may perform thermoreflectance calibrations to extract accurate thermoreflectance coefficients.	Open
15122	Mayra Alejandra Toro Herrera	Plant Science and Landscape Architecture	The student will join the Greenhouse Research and Extension Team, which focuses on projects related to water quality and quantity in greenhouse-grown crops. The student will assist graduate and post-doctoral fellows with research projects conducted in the laboratory and greenhouses. Responsibilities for this position include maintaining and sampling plants in various settings (greenhouse or growth chambers), preparing materials for experiments and harvests (e.g., setting up irrigation systems, organizing trays, preparing paper bags, centrifuge tubes, and test tubes), and preparing materials for isolating or reproducing microorganisms such as phytopathogenic fungi (e.g., preparing media, autoclaving media and tools, and setting up Petri dishes). Additionally, the student will sample, collect, and enter data and perform miscellaneous duties as directed.	Open
15123	Loneke Blackman Carr	Nutritional Sciences	My lab conducts research to address obesity among populations experiencing health disparities. This research is behavioral in nature, meaning, we focus on lifestyle change through dietary and physical activity improvement. In this position, the student will support a behavioral weight loss intervention specifically targeting postpartum Black women (N=15) with overweight or obesity. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of delivering a 12-week weight loss program through a digital medium.	Open
15129	Jennifer Scapetis-Tycer	Dramatic Arts	My research is focused on the intonation patterns of different accents and how to distill them into a more teachable form using musical concepts. I am considering a range of accents and much of the work is based in analyzing recordings of speakers with those accents. A student Reasearch Assistant has two important jobs: 1) computational analysis of sound files using a computer program called PRAAT, 2) finding and summarizing relevant articles (largely from Linguistics) focused on the pitch patterns of specified accents. There is also sometimes a need for transcription of recorded speech.	Open
15128	Virginia Hettinger	Political Science	This position is ideal for a student interested ingoing to law school or graduate school in political science or public policy. The research focuses on the behavior of judges in the American legal system. I am working on a book project examining judges who engage in unethical behavior. I am also working on another project examining whether increased racial and gender diversity influences decision making in the federal Courts of Appeals. The student researcher will assist in cross-checking initial data collection with other sources. Depending on skill level, the student will assist in final coding and preliminary data analysis. Other activities will include compiling and verifying sources using Refworks.	Open
15138	Anna Tarakanova	Biomedical Engineering & Mechanical Engineering	Our focus areas: molecular modeling, molecular dynamics simulations, machine learning for materials, biophysics, biomaterials, and biochemistry. Our group specializes in molecular and multiscale modeling & simulation to study biomaterials, biomechanics and biophysical processes associated with the body’s function in health and disease. Multiple projects are available, depending on student interest and fit. Students will work directly under the supervision of the faculty member -- we are always interested in mentoring self-motivated undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. The student will gain experience in molecular model development, atomistic modeling, molecular dynamics, coarse-graining approaches, molecular simulation setup and implementation on supercomputers, molecular visualization software, MATLAB/Python/bash scripting, and scientific writing.	Open
15145	Yuri Gloumakov	Electrical and Computer Engineering	The Ruka Lab in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering studies prosthetic and robotic grasping, manipulation, and controls. This position is an undergraduate research experience focusing on end-effector and test object design. Both animal-inspired hands and model-based designs will be explored. Working on this project entails designing, building, testing, and iterating using 3D modeling software and additive manufacturing techniques. The student will be expected to work approximately 7hr/week and will primarily include independent design work and regular weekly meetings to discuss progress. Submitting work for publication will be contingent on good progress and interest from the student.	Open
15117	Mariana Fragomeni	Plant Science and Landscape Architecture	This research project focuses on developing a Connecticut community needs assessment at the intersection of urban greening, heat and air quality. We are in the process of conducting interviews with 10 town and regional stakeholders to identify community-specific research needs and build collaborations and partnerships. This position will involve transcription of approximately 10 recorded interviews, coding, and analysis of coded data retrieved from planning and public policy documents, and transcripts. The student will also be involved in the development of a summary report and organizing project results.	Open
15164	Dorit Bar-On	Philosophy	The Expression, Communication, and the Origins of Meaning (ECOM) research group investigates the various ways we express ourselves and communicate with others and the emergence of linguistic meaning in ontogeny and phylogeny. As these are quintessentially interdisciplinary topics, we regularly bring together scholars from diverse disciplines, such as philosophy, linguistics, psychology, anthropology, biology, and neuroscience, to engage in focused discussion of these interconnected themes. Through regular meetings, speaker series, workshops, and conferences, ECOM fosters collaboration among researchers with various backgrounds, all sharing the goal of achieving a deeper understanding of these core human capacities. As an undergraduate research assistant at ECOM, you will play a key role in organizing conferences and talks, contributing to the smooth execution of these academic events. You will also assist with research activities, particularly in conducting literature reviews to support ongoing projects. Additionally, if you have skills in website design, you will help maintain and update the ECOM website, ensuring it effectively communicates our work and events to the academic community. We are especially interested in students from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, or related fields, as this role offers valuable experience in both research and event coordination, along with the opportunity to enhance your digital skills.	Open
15173	Stefanie Acevedo	Music	Our project is a collaborative project investigating how musical and athletic training affect coordination during musical performance, namely in the genre of Javanese Gamelan. This study involves a variety of methodologies including motion-capture, EMG, and behavioral components. The PIs are Dr. Stefanie Acevedo from the music department and Dr. Steven Harrison from the psychology and kinesiology departments. Our research assistant will mainly aid our research team in piloting the study, data collection, and data analysis. This will include scheduling and running experimental tasks as well as coding and analyzing data. Other responsibilities might include aiding in IRB paperwork editing/filing, researching any relevant literature, writing research reports, and aiding in grant writing.	Open
15174	Stefanie Acevedo	Music	The Systematic Musicology Lab is headed by Co-PIs Dr. Stefanie Acevedo and Dr. Daniel Goldberg. Multi-faceted in scope, we study a variety of musical topics, including motor coordination and musical performance, probability in music, dance and meter, and musical diversity in higher education. Our research assistant will mainly aid our research team in literature review, research, and data analysis. This will include reviewing relevant literature, analyzing and transcribing music (including musical corpus creation), summarizing research, IRB proposal writing and editing, data analysis, grant writing/proofing, and manuscript preparation. Other responsibilities might include creation of online surveys or experiments, survey data collection and clean-up, or lab scheduling.	Open