Additional funds will be provided to support faculty mentorship, program administration, and cross-campus collaboration through the newly formed Undergraduate Research Council
The Florida High Tech Corridor and USF Research & Innovation will deploy $100,000 to directly support students in undergraduate research programs at the University of South Florida. This funding is a result of the Corridor and USF’s shared commitment and strategic focus on increasing the availability of high-impact educational experiences for students across campus. Since the program’s inception in 2022, the initiative has supported more than 140 students across eleven colleges.
“I learned so much about conducting research and reporting. I even got to present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium,” said Allha Akrami, a College of Public Health undergraduate student supported in 2023. “This 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.”
With funding support from the Undergraduate Research Initiative in 2023-24, the College of Nursing 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’s 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 ten programs in nine colleges and USF St. Petersburg, including two 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.
Recurring Initiatives
College of Behavioral & Community Sciences – 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 – 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 – 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 research through a guided program. Previously funded
by the Corridor, this program provides opportunities for students to hear from researchers
and has opportunities for peer collaboration as they work on research projects.
Judy Genshaft Honors College – USF Undergraduate Research Portal
The student research team will continue developing the Undergraduate Research Portal to serve the entirety of the USF community. Since its launch with Corridor funds,
the portal has been used by over 1,460 students to learn about and apply for undergraduate
research opportunities. As it moves forward into the third year, new functionality
will be added to enhance the overall structure of the undergraduate research portal,
which will improve both student and faculty interfaces.
College of Marine Science – Coastal Ocean Observing Internships
This program allows students from across disciplines to experience short duration
field experiences such as research cruises providing hands on experience in field
work activities including cruise planning, training, and sensor operations.
College of Nursing – Undergraduate Biobehavioral Researchers Program (UBRP)
The Undergraduate Biobehavioral Researchers Program (UBRP) provides undergraduate
students with an immersive experience in laboratory research. Students will be able
to tailor their experiences according to their interests and skill levels with mentorship
from the lab director, research assistants, and graduate-level students.
College of Public Health – COPH Connect to Success: A Program to Enhance Research
Mentorship for Undergraduate Students
This program provides ten paid undergraduate research opportunities for public health
and health sciences students. They will work directly with faculty within broad research
areas such as infectious diseases, maternal and child health, health policy, data
science, global health, and community engaged research on current projects, gaining
valuable research experience.
USF St. Petersburg – Summer Academy for Investigative Learning (SAIL)
The continued Summer Academy for Investigative Learning (SAIL) will introduce undergraduate
participants to the profound significance of research in our ever-evolving society,
challenge them to confront local and global issues, and empower them to actively engage
in research endeavors at USF and beyond.