Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics
Health Status and Financial Well-Being
Project: This project explores relationships between financial knowledge, financial well-being, health insurance coverage, and health status. It involves data analysis of a large national dataset that has indicators that include financial literacy, financial confidence, daily Management of finances as well as physical and mental barriers to good decision-making and practices in personal financial management. Students will learn how to survey academic and non-academic literature and conduct data analyses as well as disseminate their Research at a national or regional conference.
Faculty Name: Sophia Anong
Student Financial Management Behavior
Project: We are studying college students and their financial management. We need students to analyze data about college students' financial stress, financial knowledge, and personality characteristics that affect their financial management. We also need students to code and enter data from students' credit reports.
Minimum Qualifications: Minimum GPA of 2.75, strong Excel skills and willingness to build skills, interest in research, has blocks of time (minimum of 2 hours) each week to devote to research.
Faculty Name: Brenda Cude
Semester: Fall, Spring
Location: 102 Consumer Research Center
The Effects of Relocation on Elderly Citizens
Project: An issue facing society, relocation among senior adults is understudied and more information is needed for those delivering home based services and providing home modifications. Using a longitudinal data set, we will conduct analyses on moving behavior vs. aging in place; home and community based service use; life stresses; health and activity limitations; and gender/age. Students will be given opportunities to write sections of scientific papers, conduct literature reviews, assist with preliminary data analysis, and prepare/present scholarly posters.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior
Faculty Name: Heidi Ewen
Semester: Fall, Spring
Location: Dawson Hall
Foods and Nutrition
Genetic Regulation of Cellular Defenses
Project: We will use innovative tools and approaches in mouse genetics to identify genes and alleles that regulate stress resistance and disease susceptibility. These efforts will inform future clinical interventions.
Faculty Name: Rob Pazdro
Minimum Qualifications: Please schedule an appointment with Dr. Pazdro if interested.
Semester: Fall, Spring
Location: 302 Dawson Hall
Using Mobile Food Markets to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Young Children and Their Parents
Project: We are studying the effectiveness of using a mobile produce market to deliver fresh produce to child care centers in Georgia to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among preschool aged children and their parents. We are also working on a project, Freggie’s Green Machine, that uses entertainment education to promote fruit and vegetable consumption to preschool children. Students are needed to assist with program implementation and data collection.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior or Senior; GPA=3.0; Interest or experience in childhood obesity prevention and/or community nutrition; completion research methods course preferred.
Faculty Name: Caree Cotwright
Semester: Fall, Spring
Location: Barrow Hall 100B
The Role of Body Composition and Biological Traits on Bone Strength
Project: We are studying a cohort of adolescents, and tracking their body composition and other biological traits that might have an impact on bone strength. Students will be needed to assist us with data collection from participants as well as data entry.
Minimum Qualifications: Completion of IRB CITI training
Faculty Name: Richard Lewis
Semester: Fall
Location: Bone and Body Composition Laboratory, 279 Dawson Hall
The Effect of Dietary Intake on Inflammation and Bone Health
Project: We are studying the effect of dietary intake (particularly protein consumption) on inflammation and bone health in a group of adolescents who formerly participated in one of our research projects. Students will be needed to assist us with entry of diet records into the Food Processor dietary assessment program.
Minimum Qualifications: Completion of IRB CITI training
Faculty Name: Richard Lewis
Semester: Fall
Location: Bone and Body Composition Laboratory, 279 Dawson Hall
Human Development and Family Science
CARE Lab Research on Couple and Marital Relationships
Project: The CARE laboratory team is seeking motivated and dedicated students to assist with our various applied research projects. Our research focuses on understanding healthy couple relationship development among adolescents and adults as well as the impact of relationship and marriage education programming on enhancing relationship quality and stability. Learn more about our projects and ways you can be involved at the CARE Lab website.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior standing, 3.25 GPA, HDFS or related coursework
Faculty Name: Ted G. Futris
Semester: Fall, Spring, Summer
Location: CARE Lab, 114 Dawson Hall
Early Life Stress, Parenting, and Risky Decision-Making
Project: The research team is seeking energetic undergraduates to help collect and analyze data from a sample of 9-12 year olds around issues of self-regulation, parent relationships, and risky decision making. Research assistants will help recruit/enroll participants, conduct data collection visits, and code and process data.
Minimum Qualifications: 3.25 GPA or higher; HDFS or related coursework
Faculty: Margaret Caughy and Assaf Oshri
Semesters: Spring 2017
Family Diversity and Children’s Development Lab
Project: The FDCD lab studies how families living in diverse circumstances support the healthy development of children. We currently have two research projects, both funded by NICHD. The Dallas Preschool Readiness Project (DPReP) is a longitudinal study of approximately 400 African American and Latino children from low-income families studying the development of self-regulation, parenting, and academic achievement. In the follow-up, we will begin the next phase of this study that will involve following the children and their families from 4th grade through 7th grade. Research assistants at UGA are needed to help prepare study materials, conduct telephone follow-up interviews, and code and enter data. The language development study focuses on the Mexican-American children and mothers in the DPReP sample and is studying how the mother-child relationship supports early language development in these children. Research assistants are needed to help transcribe video recordings and to manage data.
Minimum Qualifications: 3.25 GPA or higher; HDFS or related coursework. Students who speak Spanish are strongly encouraged to apply.
Faculty: Margaret Caughy
Semesters: Fall 2017 and Spring 2018
Intergenerational influences on household production of health
LIFE lab is looking for 1-2 students with interests in all phases of qualitative research to assist with projects focused on intergenerational household production of health and well-being by members of marginalized groups in the US or with families in Cambodia. Tasks include development of research protocols and grant-related materials, transcription of interview data, and/or production of presentations and publications.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior or senior status with minimum 3.25 GPA
Faculty Name: Denise C. Lewis
Semester: Fall 2017 and Spring 2018
Location: Dawson Hall
Resilience, Strength and Well-Being: Sociocultural Influences on Refugee Communities’ Responses to Environmental Challenges
LIFE Lab is looking for motivated undergraduate students who desire a hands-on experience as a research assistant exploring multiple aspects of qualitative inquiry. Each undergraduate research assistant is expected to provide 9 clock hours of dedicated time each work to tasks associated with the production of knowledge in LIFE Lab. In addition, undergraduate research assistants will submit presentation abstracts for consideration in at least one national or international conference in addition to a presentation for the spring CURO symposium. LIFE Lab operates using a mentoring-collaborative model for learning. Students from all disciplines are welcome to apply.
LIFE Lab is looking for 1-2 students interested in all phases of qualitative research. Students will assist with an interdisciplinary, mixed-methods project investigating Cambodian and Laotian communities’ responses to environmental challenges. The goal of this study is to develop a community-based program that aids communities’ preparation for and adaptation to environmental challenges. Tasks include development of grant-related materials, transcription of interview data, and/or production of presentations and publications.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior or senior status with minimum 3.25 GPA
Faculty Name: Denise C. Lewis
Semester: Fall 2017 and Spring 2018
Location: Dawson Hall
Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors
Functional Nanostructured Materials
Project: We are developing new functional nanostructured materials and methods of their fabrication, including fibers, fabrics, biointerfaces, drug-delivery systems and smart materials. We invite students to explore various opportunities to contribute with interdisciplinary experimental research and new ideas by working together with graduate students and postdoctoral associates of our Nanosturctured Materials Lab.
Minimum Qualifications: NA
Faculty Name: Sergiy Minko
Website: Nanostructured Materials Lab
Semester: Fall, Spring
Location: 101 Riverbend North Research Labs
Sustainable Dyeing Process
Project: We are developing a sustainable dyeing process using hydrogels (ie. nanocellulose). Our dyeing process aims to reduce energy and water consumption involved in industrial dyeing; it reduces dye and chemical waste while still giving the same shade or depth of color as current dyeing processes. Synthetic dyes (ie. reactive dye) and natural dyes (ie. indigo) are being investigated for our novel dyeing process. We are also expanding our investigation to solve problems associated with dyeing recycled PET. Our dyeing system could improve the color consistency of dyed recycled PET since the base color of recycled PET is often inconsistent, ranging from white to yellow.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior
Faculty Name: Suraj Sharma
Semester: Fall, Spring
Location: 360 Dawson Hall
Innovative Polymers and Materials
Project: Students are invited to participate in the development of innovative polymers and materials. Our lab is investigating the biosynthesis of biodegradable and biocompatible polyhydroxybutyrate from algae and the properties of epoxidized camelina oil cured with green curing agents (ie. citric acid). The project will involve experimentation and data analysis. Students may make (ie. grow algae and isolate polyhydrobutyrate or cure epoxidized oil) and characterize polymers for their tensile or thermal properties. Click here for more information.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior
Faculty: Suraj Sharma
A History of Subcultural Retail in the United States
Project: This project seeks to discover the history of how subculture in the United States was integrated into the retail industry of the late 20th c to the present. The goal is to discover the initial subculture stores in the United States and the stories of the development of those industries, including the style leaders, consumers, and how specialty boutiques eventually reached the mainstream through chain stores and evolved through the Internet era.
Faculty Name: Monica Sklar
Subculture and the Fashion Cycle
Project: The objective of this project is to examine the relationship of subcultural clothing to the concept of fashion cycles. The main objective is discovering if subculture is at the forefront of the larger mass society fashion cycle, as innovators and early adopters, or, if subculture's stylistic elements are community-oriented and exclusive, existing outside of mainstream trends. Furthermore, we will look subculture’s internal aesthetic cycles.
Faculty Name: Monica Sklar
Motown: The art of authenticity and aspiration
Project: This is a project of interviews and reviewing costume pieces in national collections comparing with social theories to determine motivations and outcomes of the elaborate costumes and the internal etiquette school run by Motown for its performers of the 1960s & 70s.
Faculty Name: Monica Sklar
Quail Hunting Apparel Design
Project: The proposed project examines the links between leisure pursuits and dress, specifically, the socioeconomic and gendered sartorial aspects of quail hunting in South Georgia. Particular attention will be paid to the seemingly disparate gear used for quail hunts which combines English inspired hunting clothes with Western style boots that protect against snake bites and brightly colored apparel, instead of camouflage, to avoid being mistakenly shot at. A research paper is planned to be co-authored with an undergraduate student who has been participating in quail hunts and is familiar with local outfitters and people who organize and participate in quail hunts. The involvement of a student who knows the local context will allow insider access to this close knit community and this highly tradition bound social practice. The final draft of the paper is intended for the special Dress Issue of the journal of Annals of Leisure Research or other scholarly publication.
Minimum Qualifications: Junior standing, minimum GPA of 3.00, knowledge of dress history, knowledge of the area and local social context, excellent communication and interview skills, and the ability to conduct scholarly research. Preferred qualifications include: background in psychology.
Faculty name: Katalin Medvedev
Semester: Fall (field research conducted) and Spring (additional library research and paper writing.)
Location: Thomasville GA Research site
Diversity and the Fashion Industry
Project: The proposed project examines issues of diversity and inclusion through a critical take on the fashion industry. Issues of interest include racial and ethnic diversity amongst runway models, the lack of gender diversity amongst fashion designers, and the fashion industry’s tendency towards cultural appropriation. The undergraduate student is expected to provide thoughtful critique of these issues, as well as research on how similar fashion programs address the lack of diversity in the fashion industry.
Minimum Qualifications: Sophomore or Junior standing, minimum GPA of 3.00, knowledge of fashion in popular culture, an interest in diversity related to: ethnicity, race, gender, and sexuality, excellent communication and the ability to conduct scholarly research.
Faculty Name: Katalin Medvedev
Semester: Fall
Location: Athens, GA
Uncovering the 21th Century, Classroom Built Environment: The Influence of Social Media and Technology on Learning
Project: Today's 21st century university student has access to a myriad for social media outlets and technology that allows them to learning formally and informally. Social outlets, such as twitter and facebook allow students to create social bonds with classmates as well as communicate and resolve course assignments and/ or prepare for tests. Technology such as tablets, laptops, smart phones and computer software also provide outlets through which students may learning formally and informally, particularly informally outside of the classroom. Since both mass media and technology are readily available through the university and students themselves student learning has extended beyond the boundaries of the classroom. Even so, this study's focus is on the classroom built environment because each discipline requires a distinct classroom environment.
This project seeks to explore the influence that social media and technology has on the 21st century university classroom by focusing on three research questions. First, " Has social media and technology equally influenced the classroom built environment across disciplines?" Secondly, "Which social media and technology has the most influence on the classroom's built environment? Lastly, "Does gender play a role in the use of social media and technology in the classroom built environment?
Tasks will include development of research protocols and grant-related materials, quantitative and qualitative data analysis and production of conference material. This research is significant because it enables policy-making administrators and educators a better understanding of the changing classroom built environment. By doing so gain insights in how best to distribute institutional resources toward the construction and/or adaptability of built spaces on campus
Minimum Qualifications: junior standing, 3.0 GPA or higher, knowledge of interior design.
Faculty Name: Lilia Gomez-Lanier