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Student research opportunities

New opportunities for undergraduate research at SFIS

SFIS launched an Undergraduate Research Fellows program in Fall 2017, designed to give undergraduate students a chance to engage in research projects on science & society topics, working closely with SFIS faculty mentors.

Engaging in research projects as an undergraduate is a great way to broaden your ASU experience. You’ll get the chance to develop critical skills in how to gather reliable data, how to analyze this information, and how to present your findings to others in a clear and compelling way. These skills can prove very useful in the workplace. Research experience can also help you decide whether you’re interested in graduate school – and, if you are, it can significantly increase your chances of getting accepted.

This website is updated each Fall and Spring semester with new projects that can be applied for. Once the application deadline has passed, there are no research opportunities available until the next Fall or Spring semester.

Students participating in the SFIS undergraduate research program can apply to receive a stipend ($1200 per semester) or to receive research credit (2 credits per semester). You will be expected to meet the following expectations:

  • Spend 5-7 hours per week as a Research Fellow, including attending a weekly meeting with your faculty mentor
  • Attend 2 of the 4 Masterclasses on research and professional development (online Masterclass options will be available)
  • Present your research at an end-of-semester symposium (this is a hybrid event with Zoom options for ASU Online students)

Applications for the Spring 2024 research program will be open on January 8th, with a closing date of January 17th at 11:59pm. Fall research projects will ideally start the week of January 29th. If you would like to apply for a research position, please complete the online application.

For questions, please contact Elisha Thompson ([email protected]).

Faculty advisorProject titleAvailable for stipendAvailable for creditPre-requisites required
Dr Lauren Withycombe-Keeler, Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in SocietyHow Reversing Climate Change Helps CommunitiesYesYesNo
Chris Deaton, Faculty and Product Manager Senior, ITInnovation ModelsYesYesQualified applicants will have a basic understanding of one or more of these ideas, enjoy collaboration, some literature review experience, and a thirst for co-creating efficient and productive processes.
Dr Beza Merid, Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in SocietyRegulating Innovative Digital Health TechnologiesNoYesIdeal candidates will have some prior research experience, particularly as it relates to gathering and organizing primary documents to prepare them for analysis.
Dr Lekelia Jenkins, Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Institute for Social Science Research Affiliated FacultyCommunicating Conservation Science through Dance: Can dance help people to learn, care, and act?NoYesThere are no prerequisites. Although preference will be given to applicants with a genuine interest in the research topic, previous experience conducting literature review, and solid writing skills.
Heather Ross, Clinical Associate Professor, Edson College; Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Natalie Florence, Architecture Faculty Associate
Researching the use of technology in homeless shelters: How the built environment supports or denies equitable access to essential services in Phoenix’s largest homeless shelterYesYesWe are searching for two undergraduates from the Herberger Design School, and two undergraduates from the College of Global Futures.
Heather Ross, Clinical Associate Professor, Edson College; Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in SocietyDementia in HomelessnessNoYesStudents must either have or be willing to get a level 1 fingerprint clearance card issued by the State of Arizona. Students must be available to spend time at the CASS emergency shelter facility in Downtown Phoenix or the CASS Haven site one or more weekdays per week. Training for IRB and dementia screening procedures will be provided.

Full project descriptions

1. How Reversing Climate Change Helps Communities

Faculty advisors

Dr Lauren Withycombe-Keeler, Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Research project overview

ASU is launching the Southwest Regional Direct Air Capture Hub which will design a system to pull 1 megaton of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. That system is proposed to be built in the four corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. In this research project you will join the team responsible for working with communities where the direct air capture hub is proposed. You will help conduct interviews, surveys, and do background research on the community impacts of direct air capture. There are many people who believe technologies like direct air capture can help reverse the worst impacts of climate change, but what are the impacts of direct air capture? Be a part of the team answering this critical question.

Any pre-requisites needed? No.

Research available for stipend? ($1,200/semester): Yes

Research available for course credit? (2 credits/semester): Yes

Research opportunity available to ASU Online students? Yes


2. Innovation Models

Faculty advisors

Chris Deaton, Faculty and Product Manager Senior, IT

Research project overview

The Responsible Innovation Lab is seeking 1-3 applicants to research the deltas and congruencies between the ideas behind Principled Innovation and Responsible Innovation. The deliverable will be a poster outlining the findings and will include recommendations for future study as well as best practices around their use and objectives.

Qualified applicants will have a basic understanding of one or more of these ideas, enjoy collaboration, some literature review experience, and a thirst for co-creating efficient and productive processes.

The Responsible Innovation Lab is a joint partnership between Enterprise Technology and the School for the Future of Innovation in Society. http://links.asu.edu/responsibleinnovation

Principle Innovation is the 9th Design Principle at ASU. https://pi.education.asu.edu

Any pre-requisites needed? Qualified applicants will have a basic understanding of one or more of these ideas, enjoy collaboration, some literature review experience, and a thirst for co-creating efficient and productive processes.

Research available for stipend? ($1,200/semester): Yes

Research available for course credit? (2 credits/semester): Yes

Research opportunity available to ASU Online students? Yes


3. Regulating Innovative Digital Health Technologies

Faculty advisors

Dr Beza Merid, Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Research project overview

This project explores how innovative digital health technologies are regulated by government agencies. Students participating in this work will be asked to help gather documentation of how issues like market authorization, patentability of technologies, the safeguarding of private health information, and the operation of software as a medical device guide regulation. Students will learn about the relationship between innovation and policymaking, what constitutes “safe use” of innovative digital health technologies, and where the regulation of innovative digital health technologies can fall short. Outputs for this project will include literature reviews and annotated bibliographies, contribution to a growing catalogue of benefits and risks associated with the use of these technologies, and the opportunity to collaborate on public-facing writing exploring these issues.

Any pre-requisites needed? Ideal candidates will have some prior research experience, particularly as it relates to gathering and organizing primary documents to prepare them for analysis.

Research available for stipend? ($1,200/semester): No

Research available for course credit? (2 credits/semester): Yes

Research opportunity available to ASU Online students? Yes


4. Communicating Conservation Science through Dance: Can dance help people to learn, care, and act?

Faculty advisors

Dr Lekelia Jenkins, Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Institute for Social Science Research Affiliated Faculty

Research project overview

Historically, dance was an important form of storytelling about nature. Embodying the plight of wildlife through dance can lead to a greater sense of connection to nature and a willingness to take action to protect it. The goal of this project is to conduct pilot research to answer the question: How does creating and participating in dance as a form of storytelling impact participants’ understanding of, empathy towards, and behaviors towards sea turtle conservation?  We intend to test the potential of dance through a controlled, experimental study to compare dance-based programs with other forms of engagement (i.e. science lecture and science theater). The student researcher will update a literature review on science art: update an Endnote database, annotated bibliography, and written summary. The student researcher will also take the lead in recruiting research subjects: developing and distributing recruitment materials. Importantly, the student will also assist with the in-person intervention workshops, helping with registration, consenting, and logistics.

Any pre-requisites needed? There are no prerequisites. Although preference will be given to applicants with a genuine interest in the research topic, previous experience conducting literature review, and solid writing skills.

Research available for stipend? ($1,200/semester): No

Research available for course credit? (2 credits/semester): Yes

Research opportunity available to ASU Online students? Yes


5. Researching the use of technology in homeless shelters: How the built environment supports or denies equitable access to essential services in Phoenix’s largest homeless shelter

Faculty advisors

Heather Ross, Clinical Associate Professor, Edson College; Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Natalie Florence, Architecture Faculty Associate

Research project overview

This project focuses on an important issue related to the use of technology within and the architecture of Phoenix’s largest homeless shelter, the Human Service Campus (HSC). This project aims to improve our understanding of the use of technology and the impact of the built environment on people experiencing homelessness through applied research on site with a multi-disciplinary team of students and faculty.

The goals include:

  • Studying how technology affects people experiencing homelessness, who are often overlooked.
  • Studying how technology affects and is used by HSC staff and administration.
  • Studying the relationship between the built environment and the use of and access to technology.
  • Teaching students to collect data with multidisciplinary methods.
  • Giving students hands-on experience in an applied research project in a homeless shelter setting.

Any pre-requisites needed? We are searching for two undergraduates from the Herberger Design School, and two undergraduates from the College of Global Futures.

Research available for stipend? ($1,200/semester): Yes

Research available for course credit? (2 credits/semester): Yes

Research opportunity available to ASU Online students? No


6. Dementia in Homelessness

Faculty advisors

Heather Ross, Clinical Associate Professor, Edson College; Associate Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society

Research project overview

This is an ongoing program of research in partnership with Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS). We are implementing dementia screening for older adults seeking emergency shelter for homelessness, and evaluating the prevalence of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in the population. Our research team is working directly on-site with CASS staff and clients at the emergency homeless shelter to conduct brief screenings for dementia and mild cognitive impairment. We are further collaborating with CASS staff to collect and analyze aggregated data to inform a sustainable plan for a permanent screening procedure for CASS clients.

In addition to the dementia screening program, we are conducting qualitative research to understand the lived experience of older adults experiencing homelessness, and exploring the factors that impact homelessness for older adults.

Any pre-requisites needed? Students must either have or be willing to get a level 1 fingerprint clearance card issued by the State of Arizona. Students must be available to spend time at the CASS emergency shelter facility in Downtown Phoenix or the CASS Haven site one or more weekdays per week. Training for IRB and dementia screening procedures will be provided.

Research available for stipend? ($1,200/semester): No

Research available for course credit? (2 credits/semester): Yes

Research opportunity available to ASU Online students? YES – but ASU online students will need to be able to participate in-person at CASS in Phoenix.