Undergraduate Research Stories

Department of Theatre Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre Brad Willcuts and East Lansing High School Visual Arts Instructor Jacqueline Carroll have brought their students together in a unique collaboration to bring words and movement to life.

Mercer University’s School of Engineering earlier today continued a run of unprecedented success with the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. For the third consecutive year, three students were announced as recipients of the nation’s most prestigious scholarship for undergraduates in science, mathematics and engineering. Mercer leads all U.S. institutions with a total of nine engineering majors selected as Goldwater Scholars since 2019.

The short story is that UCO’s Provost John Barthell, Ph.D., has had the honor of having a species of bee named in his honor, the orchid bee Eufriesea barthelli. And while the obvious connection is Barthell’s extensive work in bee research worldwide, the story of how a new bee species like E. barthelli comes to be is more like a scientific mystery novel.

Sunghee Lee, Ph.D., Iona College Board of Trustees endowed chemistry professor, established the scientific research group Project Symphony to enhance the fundamental understanding of cell membranes and help engineer new bio-inspired devices. For nearly two decades, various Iona STEM majors have worked side-by-side with Lee to perform groundbreaking research, setting students well on their way to both successful careers and more advanced degrees.

Cassandra Hartsgrove credits working in Penley’s research lab with solidifying her goals to earn a PhD in developmental or cognitive psychology and become a college professor. “Before I joined this research lab, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I was nervous about graduating,” she said. “Now I’m so excited to graduate because I know what I’m going to do.”.

As a freshman, Mason Ward took a chance and applied to the Freshman Research in Plants Program with the thought that he would give research a try. Now, three years later, Ward’s extraordinary research portfolio has earned him two undergraduate research awards from the Entomological Society of America.

Hundreds of general education students embarked on integrative undergraduate research that resulted in student-produced short documentary films that were highlighted in an innovative student film festival during December 2020.

Six Georgia College students were selected to present their scholarly work at the Third Annual Posters at the Georgia Capitol event. This is the second year in a row that music therapy students have represented Georgia College during this prestigious statewide event.

Smantha Good discovered the fossil, one of the best-preserved Paranthropus robustus specimens known to science. The excavation site was at the Drimolen Palaeocave System within the Cradle of Humankind, located northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa.

When the health and safety response to the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Department of Theatre’s entire 2020-2021 production season to be canceled, a group of Michigan State University Department of Theatre students created a series of new audio plays, each connected to themes of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).