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Division of Academic and Student Affairs 
Office of Undergraduate Research

Overview

The OUR supports and promotes the undergraduate research community at NCSU, providing tools, resources, and guidance to students, faculty, and staff.

Reducing Barriers to Research

The two largest barriers to research are funding (not being able to afford the additional time needed to engage) and knowledge (lack of access to the ‘hidden curriculum’ of research). The Office of Undergraduate Research addresses both these challenges through programs that provide funding to students and initiatives that expand the imbedding of research into students’ regular curriculum, and through the use of multiple venues to spread information about and invitations to the world of research.

Student & Mentor Support

The Office of Undergraduate Research supports research in all fields and supports both students and their mentors.

Mentors are anyone with the appropriate level of expertise to guide a student through research in a given field. While most mentors on campus are faculty, there are many fantastic staff mentors at NC State plus students can find great mentors at outside institutions, companies, and/or organizations.

Student Support

  • Guidance throughout your entire research journey. Students can meet with the Office of Undergraduate Research and take advantage of our online resources and open workshops.
    • Includes: what research looks like in your field and how to get started, up to how to present your research and future steps, plus everything in-between including troubleshooting.
  • Online tools to enhance your mentor-mentee relationship.
  • Programs that fund your research, plus guidance on applications and other funding resources.
  • Opportunities to present your research, and resources to improve your presentation and communication skills..
  • Opportunities to enhance a wide range of professional development skills and make yourself more competitive for future jobs and applications.
  • Enhanced Institutional Membership to the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
    • Grants NC State students access to all membership benefits such as access to student resources and eligibility for CUR’s student funding.

Mentor Support

  • Consultations for your research program, CURE (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience), and/or mentorship.
    • Both directors in the Office of Undergraduate Research have substantial experience running research and scholarship programs and in directly mentoring undergraduate researchers. They are happy to share what they have learned from their experiences and to help you build solutions to any problems you may face. The Office of Undergraduate Research can also make sure you are aware of university policies and standard best practices.
  • Online tools to enhance your mentor-mentee relationship.
  • PRIME the Pack (free mentor training based on the well-studied CIMER Entering Mentoring curriculum).
    • The OUR’s director is a trained facilitator for both the Entering Research and Entering Mentoring curricula.
  • Programs that can financially support your students’ research.
  • Enhanced Institutional Membership to the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR).
    • Grants NC State faculty and their students access to all membership benefits such as access to mentor and student resources and eligibility for CUR’s student funding.
  • Opportunities for your students to present their research with free poster printing services.
  • Workshops and other resources that can complement your mentoring objectives and/or your research program’s activities.
    • Includes: logistical information for starting and running formal research programs on campus, plus connections to other key campus contacts.
  • Proposal support through letters of support and/or collaborations to leverage existing resources for an enhanced chance of success.

Advisory Board

The Office of Undergraduate Research invites members of the campus community to serve on our advisory board, sharing their expertise and feedback as the office works to meet the needs of students and mentors across the campus.

Current Members

  • Ashley Brown – College of Engineering
  • Carol Ann Lewald – College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Celen Pasalar – College of Design
  • Courtney Huges – Division of Academic & Student Affairs
  • Courtney Simpson – Division of Academic & Student Affairs
  • Erin McKenney – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Ernest Hendley – College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Holly Hurlburt – Division of Academic & Student Affairs
  • James Zink – College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Karen Hollebrands – College of Education
  • Kim Duckett – University Libraries
  • Lara Pacifici – College of Natural Resources
  • Levent Atici – Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
  • Lindsey Hubbard – College of Education
  • Lisa Paciulli – College of Sciences
  • Melvin Jackson – Office of Equal Opportunity
  • Natalie Cooke – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Olgha Qaqish – College of Engineering
  • Rudolf Seracino – College of Engineering
  • Sean Cassidy – Division of Academic & Student Affairs
  • Zakaiya Leggett – College of Natural Resources

History

In 2003, the Office of Undergraduate Research was formally established thanks to the efforts of Drs. James Anderson and Jo Allen (Vice Provosts for Undergraduate Affairs). Dr. George Barthalmus (who previously served as Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Interim Director of the University Honors Program), was the first director (serving at half-time).

In 2006, the office expanded to include a full-time Assistant/Associate Director position.

In 2012, after the death of Dr. Barthalmus, Dr. Chris Ashwell (Professor of Animal Genomics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences), became the second director (also serving at half-time). Dr. Ashwell left this position in 2021.

In 2020, the Office of Undergraduate Research moved from Broughton Hall to D.H. Hill Jr. Library (after significant renovations created a space for it), but still remains in University College within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs.

In 2023, Dr. Janet M. Goins became the first full-time director of the Office of Undergraduate Research having previously been at UCLA for 7 years as the Assistant and then Associate Director of UCLA’s Undergraduate Research Center-Sciences.