Founded in 1831 as Alabama's first public college, The University of Alabama isdedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service. We provide a creative, nurturingcampus environment where our students can learn from the best and brightest faculty, andcan make a positive difference in the community, the state and the world…and whereundergraduate research and opportunity are indeed important parts of our vocabulary!

EXCELLENCE IN UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH DISCOVER | RISE | INVENT The University of Alabama is a place where all undergraduates can engage in innovative research, mentored scholarship, creative expression, and entrepreneurship. It is the mission of the Office of Undergraduate Research to empower students to better the world and themselves through discovery and invention. Our students become critical thinkers and learn how to navigate the research landscape through guided experiences and research opportunities. At the University of Alabama, we are committed to excellence in research, and it all starts with our undergraduate researchers.

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Whatdo OURUAStudents have to Say about their ResearchExperience?

“DuringmyfirstyearatThe UniversityofAlabama, Iparticipatedinthe EmergingScholarsProgram.Iwasable tohelpDr.KimBissellinher backgroundresearchforastudyfeaturing the perceptionsofbodyimage in youth. Ilovedit.NowIam startingtoconsiderwhatresearchIwouldlike todo inanMAprogram.” ~ Kaylin Bowen

“Duringmytime atThe University, Ihave beeninvolvedinvariousresearch projectsthathave allowedme tobecome involved withmyprofessorsandgain real lifeexperience inmyintendedfieldcareer.” ~ AmandaJones

“Researchhas inspired, instructed, and informed me insomanydifferentways, andhasbecome anintegralparttomyacademicandpersonalcareersatUA.” ~ MaxtonThoman

Quick Facts: UA’s Undergraduate Research

• More than 65% of the courses taught at the upper-division, 300-400 level, have a research component.

• In the social sciences, the College of Human Environmental Sciences has over 20 faculty who involve undergraduates in research. Five HES undergraduates were authors in recent peer-reviewed publications, and 50 students have given research presentations in the last year.

• The College of Arts and Sciences had 1756 undergraduate students formally engaged in research in the academic year 2014-2015.

Ollit;e f4tr U ndergrdduale Research at The University of Alabatna

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Why Undergraduate Research?

1. Planning and Exploring

2. Grad School Prep

3. Class Credit

4. Opportunities

5. Networking

6. Giving Back

Top Questions About UR

• WHY SHOULD I GET INVOLVED? – Gives you a glimpse at a possible career; – Gives you a transferrable skill set; – Develops critical thinking and problem solving skills;

– Helps you expand your network;

Top Questions About UR

• WHO CAN GET INVOLVED? – Not limited to students in STEM; – Freshmentoseniors – Not limited to HC; – The more experience you have in research, the stronger your CV, internship application, job application, grad school application, etc.

Top Questions About UR

• WHAT LEVEL OF INVOLVEMENT WILL THERE BE? – Dependent upon what you do, who you work with, and how many semesters you want to invest.

– You can develop your own project idea and have a faculty member or grad student mentor you or;

– You can “hop on” to a work in progress. – You can determine if you want to gain significant experience in one area/one lab/with one professor or if you want a variety of experiences.

Top Questions About UR

• WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GET INVOLVED? – The earlier the better; – Sometimes based on previous experience, academic coursework, academic ability;

– Plan ahead—it is more difficult to get involved in the middle of a semester

– Summers are great for you because you are not in courses but not always paid.

The University of Alabama

Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities Conference (URCA)

     

 

     

   

URCA – 2016 Participation

326 Posters were presented at URCA '16

550 Undergrads were involved in research projects for URCA '16

250 Faculty served as mentors to students engaging in research

195 Undergrads were a part of the emerging scholars program

URCA – Participation Participation 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Arts & Sciences 143 151 182 204 162

C&BA (Culverhouse) 12 26 9 6 9

C&IS 15 28 47 24 24

Education 2 5 7 13 4

Engineering 27 46 48 61 21

HES 22 39 41 69 75

Nursing 91 57 99 144 86

Social Work 17 6 6 20 20

Emerging Scholars Program 79 195 157 172 97

STEM 40% 43% 39% 37% 35%

Fine Arts & Humanities 6% 6% 5% 6% 4%

Social/Behavioral Sci/Bus. 54% 51% 56% 57% 61%

TOTAL PARTICIPANTS 408 553 590 713 498

UA’s Emerging Scholars Program

• Within UA’s Office of Undergraduate Research, the Emerging Scholars Program is by application only and involves students for two semesters.

• The first semester is dedicated to teaching students the basics of research, while the second semester is a research project where students are pair with a faculty mentor to work on research.

• In order to complete the Emerging Scholars Program, students must also present at the URCA.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Towanda Pettway is a junior from Bridgeport, Connecticut studying psychology and sociology. Towanda won first place at URCA for her research project with Dr. Bronwen Lichtenstein: “A Study of Public Health Cutbacks and precursors of the TB Outbreak in Perry County, Alabama.”

Towanda says she engages in undergraduate research because it is a learning experience that goes beyond the books and a classroom. She hopes that her research educates others and helps them make changes.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

William McCrary is a junior from Moody, Alabama studying history and anthropology. William won second place in the poster division of Fine Arts at URCA for his research with Dr. George Rable for their project: “Civil War Values: What the War is Doing to the Country.”

William says he engages in undergraduate research because researching the past can influence how we handle current situations.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Katie Zucker is a sophomore from Morgantown, West Virginia studying computer science at the Capstone. She is working with Dr. Jeff Gray on a project entitled: “Automating the Addition of Harp Pedals to Standard Sheet Music.” This work is Katie’s own project idea, and she is writing a program that can be used as a plugin for free, open- source software MuseScore. Katie says she engages in research because she believes that computer science has the ability to cross disciplines and bridge technological gaps in more traditional fields.

QUICK FACTS: UA’S EMERGING SCHOLARS PROGRAM

• 654 students have participated in the classroom and research components of the Emerging Scholars Program between Spring ‘15-Fall ‘16.

• Of these students, 96% (630) worked with a faculty mentor.

• The Emerging Scholars Program has evolved in the last year to increase demographic and subject-area diversity among student participants. One of the many goals of the program is to increase student retention and expose students to options at the graduate level.

Emerging Scholars Fall 2016 Cohort

Ways to Get Involved on Campus

• Faculty Research Database – www.facultyresearchdatabase.ua.edu

• Emerging Scholars Program – www.emergingscholars.ua.edu

• New programs coming in spring for sophomore and juniors.

Ways to get Involved Off Campus

• REU—Research Experience for Undergraduates • National Science Foundation

• https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/

DA VINCI'S STUDIO 10 PLUS Op OJECT

ITHE ARTOFRESEARCH

Da Vinci Studios

• The da Vinci Studios--10 Plus 10 project--combines the arts with research and the sciences. 10 student artists are paired with 10 student researchers. The artists are challenged to use a 10 by 10 canvas and visually represent the student researcher’s work. The artists are provided basic materials (brushes, paint, canvas, etc.). They are also given a $20 gift card to a local crafts store for anything extra.