Additional funds will be provided to support faculty mentorship, program administration, and cross-campus collaboration through the newly formed Undergraduate Research Council
The and USF Research & Innovation will deploy $130,000 to directly support students in undergraduate research programs at the 黑料老司机. This funding is a result of the Corridor and USF鈥檚 shared commitment and strategic focus on increasing the availability of high-impact educational experiences for students across campus. Since the program鈥檚 inception in 2022, the initiative has supported more than 140 students across eleven colleges.
鈥淚 learned so much about conducting research and reporting. I even got to present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium,鈥� said Allha Akrami, a undergraduate student supported in 2023. 鈥淭his position has inspired me to be involved in research throughout my career. It feels great to play a part in making advancements in research and findings.鈥�
With funding support from the Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2023-24, the built upon its student volunteer program by using funding to hire undergraduate teaching assistants. The students involved in the program were able to contribute to two publications.
The College of Marine Science, which does not have a undergraduate student population, received funding in 2023-24 to hire four undergraduate students across colleges to participate in a four-day research cruise. Students studying geography, chemistry, environmental science and psychology, and digital communications and multimedia journalism, participated in field work on shore and at sea during their internship.
Students from the College of Design, Art & Performance participated in research assistantships in entertainment design, gaining valuable career skills through hands-on field-based learning. The success of the first year of the Corridor-supported program was demonstrated through significant achievements by students, such as contributing to lighting design at Lincoln Center鈥檚 Koch Theatre and assisting with major theatre productions at Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre.
"This role has solidified my passion for technology and has equipped me with the tools to succeed in a dynamic professional environment, helping me envision a future where I can innovate and lead in the tech industry," said USF student Boburjon Usmonov, who helped develop the Research Portal Enhancement in the Judy Genshaft Honors College.
In 2024-25, the Undergraduate Research Initiative will fund thirteen programs in twelve colleges and USF St. Petersburg, including four new initiatives. Several of the ongoing programs were first formalized with previous support from the Florida High Tech Corridor.
To recognize faculty for their commitment to these programs and undergraduate research more broadly, the Corridor Undergraduate Research Initiative is also providing faculty stipends to participating colleges. Faculty identified by college leadership will constitute the inaugural Undergraduate Research Council, led by USF Research & Innovation.
Muma College of Business - Integrated Analytics Research Experience for Undergraduates
(iAREU)
Students in the iAREU program within the School of Information Systems and Management
will be provided hands-on learning experiences to prepare them for careers in technology
and business analytics. The program will emphasize interdisciplinary, data-driven
projects utilizing analytics, machine learning, and advanced programming.
Taneja College of Pharmacy - Training USF Undergrad Students for Cardiovascular and
Bioinformatic Based Laboratory Research Experiences
This program will allow undergraduate students from across USF to engage with Taneja
College of Pharmacy faculty and work on laboratory or course-based experiences. Students
will receive hands-on training in the research laboratory conducting experiments utilizing
in vitro, ex vivo and other advanced techniques. While students also learn techniques
related to the fields of biochemistry, bioinformatics, and pharmacology, they will
receive mentoring for overall learning for laboratory-based experiences and contributions.
College of Arts and Sciences - Tampa Bay REACH Project
The Tampa Bay REACH Project is an interdisciplinary research initiative designed to
assess community health in the Tampa Bay region by exploring the intersection of environmental
pollution and human behavior鈥攑articularly among recreational and subsistence fishers.
Students will conduct field surveys in designated zones across Tampa Bay, engaging
fishers and community members to gather gather data on fishing practices, perceptions
of fish health, and environmental concerns.
Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing - REU Interdisciplinary
Research Support for Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and
Computing
The newly created Bellini College鈥檚 REU program aims to give undergraduate students
an opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary research involving AI, Cybersecurity,
Computing, as research assistants with professors and graduate students on a variety of exciting existing and new research projects.
Recurring Initiatives
College of Behavioral & Community Sciences 鈥� Corridor Undergraduate Research Initiative
This program will expand upon the existing Undergraduate Research Scholarship program
that currently supports undergraduate research allowing students to conduct guided
research projects with a faculty mentor. The program will be expanded using Corridor
funds, supporting more research scholars and allowing for a broader set of research
interests.
College of Design, Art, and Performance 鈥� Field based Research Assistantships in Entertainment
Design & Technology
Students will conduct research field work in Entertainment Design using cutting-edge
design technology like 3D rendering, drafting, projection and lighting software, 3D
printers, laser cutters and AI-generated art to open career pathways in the field
of entertainment design. Students will assist a designated Design faculty mentor for
at least three months on an external professional design job or in a USF production.
College of Education 鈥� Educational Research in the Classroom & Beyond: The College
of Education Undergraduate Summer Research Academy
The Summer Research Academy allows 10 undergraduate research scholars in the College
to experience and learn about res