Expanding Research Opportunities for Undergrads

Studies have shown that undergraduate students who participate in research activities under the guidance of a faculty member or mentor are more likely to finish college. That’s one of the reasons why UTA has tripled its investment in this area in recent years.

“Engaging students in original scholarship is time-intensive and expensive, but the outcomes are overwhelmingly positive, leading to more student success and an increase in the number of students interested in pursuing graduate school, including medical school,” says Kayunta Johnson-Winters, director of undergraduate research at UTA and an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

Among the opportunities offered to students is the chance to present their research at academic conferences.

“This allows students to network with future collaborators, talk to possible employers, and experience firsthand what it’s like to be an established researcher,” says Dr. Johnson-Winters. “The response from the students and their faculty advisors has been so encouraging.”

Two notable examples are aerospace engineering senior Philip Wilson, who presented his work and won second place among student presenters at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics conference in Oklahoma; and Ken Perry, who presented research on the connection between high-fat meals and cardiovascular health at an American Physiological Society meeting in California, where he received two awards for his presentation.