Research Centers and Initiatives | Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences

Student pointing at poster board research

Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences

The Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE), based in the Office of Research and Graduate Education, leads, supports and facilitates student-faculty research collaborations throughout the Schools and Colleges of �̾��Ƶ. The Center’s work is building upon forty years of undergraduate research in Dyson College as a high-impact educational practice that advances student success.

The Amelia A. Gould Undergraduate Research Assistantship in the Creative Arts

Proposals Deadline—Tuesday, September 17, 2024

The Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) is soliciting proposals from faculty for undergraduate research assistants to support faculty projects in the Creative Arts. This funding opportunity will support faculty-mentored experiential learning for students who will work on immersive research-based creative arts projects as research assistants.

Background and Goals

Faculty members in the creative arts are all working professionals in their fields who are publishing, performing, and exhibiting their work throughout the year. Students working on faculty projects will learn how professionals pursue their work and how both faculty and students comprise a creative campus community.

This program is designed:

to offer students a mentoring intensive experience at a professional studio, maker space, or working production and spend an extended period of time immersed in a creative project;
to afford students insight into the culture of their chosen fields, allow them to develop sustained working habits and stamina, and learn new skills and methods;
to involve more creative arts students in faculty-mentored research and creative inquiry;
to provide faculty members with research support and enhance opportunities for student-faculty collaboration on academic projects in the creative arts.

Application and Timeline for Faculty-Mentored Creative Arts Research

Faculty must complete the application form that includes a project description and creative space location, and outlines the project and its goals.
Faculty are required to nominate a student for the program through a letter of recommendation; the nominated student will be required to submit an unofficial transcript, resume, and a personal statement as per application instructions.
Applications will be evaluated by a review committee and award notifications will be distributed by the end of September.
Students will be compensated through payroll system and payment will be set at $20 per hour with the potential to earn the maximum award of $4,000 (up to 200 hours) for the Academic Year 2024-2025.
The faculty mentor will consult with the student assistant in determining how the student should allocate the hours dedicated to the project. The faculty mentor will work with the student in tracking hours and approve student timesheets.
Amelia Gould student awardees will be part of the 2024-2025 Academic Year Undergraduate Research programs and required to meet CURE program requirements.

Download the application (PDF)

Please submit completed application to Norma Quiridumbay at nquiridumbay@pace.edu. For questions, please email Norma Quiridumbay, CURE Director of Operations or Maria Iacullo-Bird, PhD, Assistant Provost for Research at miacullobird@pace.edu.

Dyson Summer Research Awards

Deadline to apply—Wednesday, April 10, 2024

The Dyson College Dean’s Office is pleased to announce for Summer 2024 the availability of two programs supporting research and creative expression at both campuses.

Faculty Research Grants

This program will provide funding directly to full-time faculty for research support. The funds may be used for travel expenses related to research; for research supplies and/or equipment; and to pay for a student research assistant. Grant requests may be made up to $1,000 per faculty member. Actual awards will depend upon availability of funds.

Undergraduate Student-Faculty Research Initiatives

This program will provide support for a student to engage in a summer research project with a faculty mentor. The award will provide a $2,000 stipend for the student and $500 in supplies for the faculty mentor.

Faculty and students interested in applying should forward their applications by email with department chairperson approval to Norma Quiridumbay at nquiridumbay@pace.edu by Wednesday, April 10, 2024. Questions also should be directed to Norma Quiridumbay.

Download the application (PDF)

Previously Funded Research: Dyson Summer Research Awards

Student: Joshua Ceisler
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Aaron B. Steiner, Biology
Title of project: Assessing Innervation of Nascent Sensory Hair Cells in Zebrafish
Student: Felicity Flores-Drew
Major: English
Faculty Mentor: Eugene Richie, English
Title of project: New York and $0.99 Dreams
Student: James C. Kennedy
Major: Personality and Social Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Courtney L. Gosnell, Psychology
Title of project: Self Vs. Partner Self-control and its Impact on Goal Conflict Within Close Relationships
Student: Cailyn E. Mickelsen
Major: English Language and Literature
Faculty Mentor: Sid E. Ray, English
Title of project: Weaponized Identities: Richard II's Narrative Queerness in History, Text, and Performance
Student: Megan E. Sanchez
Major: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Brenna L. Hassinger-Das, Psychology
Title of project: Exploring the Effect of Parental Preferences and Beliefs About Play Activities on Children’s Frequency of Play Activities
Student: Mark A. Shelan
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Wei Fang, Biology
Title of project: Land Cover Changes and Ecosystem Productivity Under the Changing Climate in Central Asia
Student: Adam M. Al-Hatlani
Major: Art
Faculty Mentor: Inbal Abergil, Art
Title of project: Bodies at Work
Student: Kalina M. Walaski
Major: Peace and Justice Studies, Acting
Faculty Mentor: Emily E. Welty, Peace and Justice Studies
Title of project: Investigative Theater as Pedagogy
Student: Dante D. Dallago
Major: Directing
Faculty Mentor: Emily E. Welty, Peace and Justice Studies
Title of project: Food for Thought: Conflict at the Holiday Dinner Table
Student: Chris M. Rafaniello
Major: Environmental Science
Faculty Mentor: Wei Fang, Biology
Title of project: Temporal Dynamics of Trapa Distribution and Habitat Degradation in the Hudson River
Student: Veronika Orlovska
Major: Film and Screen Studies
Faculty Mentor: Jillian McDonald, Art
Title of project: The Displaced Generations: A Documentary Short Film about Ukrainian Refugees and Their Children
Student: Madison A. Turunen
Major: History, Peace and Justice Studies
Faculty Mentor: Maria T. Iacullo-Bird, History
Title of project: COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter Movement Oral History Project
Student: Brianna Hemmings-Larin
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Joshua E. Cohen, Biology
Title of project: In the Search for Late Cretaceous Coprolites and the Determination of Diets in a Terrestrial Ecosystem
Student: Veronica Kashua
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Joshua E. Cohen, Biology
Title of project: Understanding Faunal Dynamics and Variation During the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution
Student: Noah Colby
Major: Philosophy and Religious Studies
Faculty Mentor: Daniel Barber, Philosophy and Religious Studies
Title of project: The Mental Health Crisis and Covid-19: Through Psychoanalysis
Student: Alexa R. Karp
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Marcy A. Kelly, Biology
Title of project: A Cholesterol-Mediated Metabolic Shift Protects Mycobacterium bovis-BCG from GSH Induced Reductive Stress by Increasing Electron Sink Availability
Student: Sierra J. Metviner
Major: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Courtney L. Gosnell, Psychology
Title of project: Parental Capitalization Support and Student Success During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Student: Brookelynne A. Verrette
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Marcy A. Kelly, Biology
Title of project: Identification of Microorganisms of the geni Rhodococcus and Psychrobacter with
Antimicrobial Activity and their Potential to Fight the Antibiotic Resistance Crisis
Student: Jiajia Wu
Major: Fine Arts
Faculty Mentor: Jillian M. McDonald, Art
Title of project: New York Public Transportation AR Program and Experimental Sound Installation-Commuters
Student: Paris M. Baker
Major: Environmental Science
Faculty Mentor: Monica M. Palta, Environmental Studies and Science
Title of project: Calculating Nutrient Pollution Budgets for New York City
Student: Kendra N. Dascano
Major: Applied Psychology and Human Relations & Management
Faculty Mentor: Courtney L. Gosnell, Psychology
Title of project: Capitalization Support during the Coronavirus Pandemic: Impacts on Recipients’ and Providers’ Well-being and Self-Control
Student: Iqra I. Ahmed
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor Matthew R. Marcello, Biology
Title of Project: Evaluating the role of C. elegans orthologs of human genes hypothesized to drive brain tumor formation.
Student: Madison C. Ames
Major: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Professor JaimeLee I. Rizzo, Chemistry
Title of Project: Determination of the Dielectric Constant of an Exotic African Shea Butter Formulation.
Student: Julia T. Fatum
Major: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Professor JaimeLee I. Rizzo, Chemistry
Title of Project: Manuka Honey Surface as a Novel Wound Dressing.
Student: Brenda B. Hernandez
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Professor William D. Eaton, Biology
Title of Project: The effects of Hurricane Otto and of logging on the groups of soil plant pathogenic fungi, general saprobe fungi, ectomycorrhizal fungi, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in a Costa Rican tropical forest.
Student: Natalie A. Wayland
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Professor William D. Eaton, Biology
Title of Project: The effects of Hurricane Otto and of logging on the groups of soil microbes associated with carbon-use efficiency in a Costa Rican tropical forest.
Student: Claudia M. Maxi
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Assistant Professor Sally A. Marik, Biology
Title of Project: Differences in Motility and the Number of Reactive Microglia Following Hypoxia Between Wild Type and Fish with Reduced PTEPU.
Student: Matthew S. Orzillo
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor Zafir K. Buraei, Biology
Title of Project: TrpC5 channels are inhibited by Wild Type Presenilin1, but not the Familial Alzheimer's Disease Presenilin 1 mutant M146V.
Student: Dahveed D. Wilkins
Major: Art
Faculty Mentor: Lecturer Derek R. Stroup, Art
Title of Project: Ain’t Nothing Here for Free.
Student: Shen Yang
Major: Sociology/Anthropology
Faculty Mentor: Associate Professor Judith Pajo
Title of Project: The Living and the Dead: the Secularization of Chinese religions in the Forms of Commercialization.
Student: Julia Briganti
Major: Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communications
Faculty Mentor: Brenda McManus, Art
Title of project: Letterpress ABC’s
Student: Eric Casper
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Marcy Kelly, Biology
Title of project: The Influence of Cholesterol on Toxicity to GSH in Mycobacterium bovis-BCG
Student: Jillian B. Coughlin
Major: Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: JaimeLee I. Rizzo, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of project: Synthesis and Investigation of New Antibacterial Surfaces Utilizing Agar, Natural Oils and Plant Powders
Student: Silvia B. Dominguez
Major: Peace and Justice Studies, Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Meghana Nayak, Political Science/Women's and Gender Studies
Title of project: Gender Violence at Mexico's Southern Border: Undocumented Migrants from Central America
Student: Kaltrina Mulosmani
Major: Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Rita K. Upmacis, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of project: Novel Metal Complexes Containing Nitrogen Ligands
Student: Mollie A. Murtagh
Major: Film and Screen Studies
Faculty Mentor: Colin Williamson, Film and Screen Studies
Title of project: Shirley in the Sun: Salvaging Women in the History of American Avant-Garde Cinema
Student: Suruj D. Singh
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Erika Crispo, Biology
Title of project: C. Virginica Influence on the nirS Gene Found in Denitrifying Bacteria
Student: Mikela M. Wesson
Major: Art
Faculty Mentor: Jane Dickson, Art
Title of project: Deep Conditioning to Self-Identity: A Portrait Study
Student: Elliana M. Gianacopoulos
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: William Eaton, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of project: The Effects of a Terrestrial Bromeliad on Soil Microbial Community and Carbon Use Efficiency
Student: Joshua G. Kreitler
Major: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Joseph W. Krumpfer, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of project: Preparation of Pre-Ceramic Silicones and the Preparation of High Temperature Stable Materials
Student: Klejdja Qosja
Major: Economics
Faculty Mentor: Gregory Colman, Economics
Title of project: The Effects of the Financial Crisis on Bank Lending to Consumers: Which Consumers Were Affected and Why? An Analysis of Individual - Level Borrowing
Student: Amanda M. Villaggi
Major: Forensic Science
Faculty Mentor: Elmer-Rico E. Mojica, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of project: The Effects of the Financial Crisis on Bank Lending to Consumers: Which Consumers Were Affected and Why? An Analysis of Individual - Level Borrowing
Student: Holly M. Wright
Major: Directing
Faculty Mentor: Ion Cosmin Chivu, �̾��ƵSchool of Performing Arts
Title of project: Anxiety: An Epidemic -- Through the Lens of Social Media
Students: Alexa K. Blanco, Alexandra D. Franciosa
Major: English
Faculty Mentor: Robert J. Mundy, English and Modern Languages Studies
Title of project: Returning Female Students and Writing
Student: Robert W. Dass
Major: Art, Business Administration
Faculty Mentor: Roger Sayre, Art
Title of project: The Creation of the James Moninger Photographic Archive
Student: Emily Hirowski
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Zafir K. Buraei, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of project: The Role of the Unfolded Protein Response in the Malfunction of a Human PQ-Type Calcium Channel Mutant Associated with Epilepsy
Student: Mohini D. Gobin
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Nigel R. Yarlett, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of project: A New Approach to Drug Discovery for Cryptosporidiosis
Student: William H. De Feis
Major: Women and Gender Studies, Sociology
Faculty Mentor: Jason Whitesel, Women and Gender Studies
Title of Research: Meanings, Morals, and Heteronormativity in the Marriage Industry
Student: Mohini D. Gobin
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Nigel R. Yarlett, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of Research: A new approach to drug discovery for the treatment of Cryptosporidiosis
Student: Annabelle F. Krupcheck
Major: Art
Faculty Mentor: Jillian McDonald, Art
Title of Research: Blue Tape Society Research Initiative
Student: Taylor B. Longenberger
Major: English and Communication, Art
Faculty Mentor: Joseph W. Krumpfer, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of Research: Preparation of silicone materials with controllable optical properties via the incorporation of crosslinking inorganic salts
Student: Emily M. Lopes
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Matthew R. Marcello, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: RNA interference (RNAi) screen to identify of new genes that control fertilization and embryo development
Student: Samantha J. Pace
Major: Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Elmer-Rico E. Mojica, Chemistry and Physical Science
Title of Research: Screening of flavonoids as inhibitors of amyloid formation
Student: Yuliya Palianok
Major: Economics
Faculty Mentor: Gregory Colman, Economics
Title of Research: The Financial Value-Added of College Degrees by Major
Student: Sukhjinder Kaur
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Zafir K. Buraei, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: A Molecular Mechanism For Alzheimer’s Disease: The Effects of WT and Mutant Presenilin 1 on TRP Channel Function
Student: Juliette Delaney
Major: Applied Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Angela Legg, Psychology
Title of Research: Bad News Delivery in Romantic Relationship
Student: Dana Greenfield
Major: Theater Directing
Faculty Mentor: Ion Cosmin Chivu, �̾��ƵSchool of Performing Arts
Title of Research: Our Brother’s Dog Tags: A Theatrical Investigation of the Contemporary Digital Home Front
Student: Maria Lane
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Nancy A. Krucher, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells Grown in 3D Tumors
Student: Shirlina Chiu
Major: Biology, Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Marisa Isaacson, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: Exploring the Role of the Phosphorylation State of the TORC Proteins in HTLV Gene Expression
Student: Katherine A. Rivera Gomez
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Matthew R. Marcello, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: Identification of New Genes That Control Fertilization and Embryo Development
Student: Alireza Vaziri
Major: Film & Screen Studies, Arts and Entertainment Management
Faculty Mentor: Judith Pajo, Sociology and Anthropology
Title of Research: All You Can Eat: San Francisco—Examining Food Waste in America
Student: Daniel Rubado
Major: English
Faculty Mentor: Jane Collins, English
Title of Research: Gaming as Literature: Assessing the Literary Value of Modern Digital Storytelling
Student: Davina Anderson
Major: Political Science, American Studies
Faculty Mentor: Christopher Malone, Political Science
Title of Research: Organic Globalizer: The Political Development of Hip Hop and the Prospects for Global Transformation
Student: Huari Li
Major: Biochemistry
Faculty Mentor: Elmer-Rico E. Mojica, Chemistry and Physical Science
Title of Research: Recycling Industrial Biological Catalysts: Enzyme Immobilization Using the Sol-Gel Process
Student: Jason Gonzalez
Major: Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Farrokh Hormozi, Public Administration
Title of Research: A Case Study on Perceptions of Structural Violence: Mexico’s Economic Activity and its Influence on its Social Welfare Organizations
Student: Karina Shendrik
Major: Psychology
Faculty Mentor: Erika Crispo, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: Using Next-Generation Sequencing to Identify Variation in Immune Response Genes in Longnose Dace Fish Populations from Polluted and Non-Polluted Environments
Student: Kelsey D. Jordan
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Rita K. Upmacis, Chemistry and Physical Sciences
Title of Research: Fish Oils and Their Potential Role in the Death of Parasites
Student: Valerie J. Marallano
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: Nancy A. Krucher, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: The Role of the Retinoblastoma Protein in Cancer Cell Apoptosis
Student: Alyson M. Curtis
Major: Film and Screen Studies, English
Faculty Mentors: Satish K. Kolluri, Communication Studies; Joseph Tse-Hei Lee, History
Title of Research: A Reader on Hong Kong and Bombay Cinemas
Student: Mona Khaldi
Major: Psychology, American Studies
Faculty Mentor: Andriy Danylenko, Modern Languages and Cultures
Title of Research: Vladimir Nabokov: A Psychobiography
Student: Victoria L. Measles
Major: History, Women’s and Gender Studies
Faculty Mentor: Matthew B. Bolton, Political Science
Title of Research: The Politics of Occupy Wall Street: Policing
Student: Nick E. Zukowski
Major: Political Science
Faculty Mentor: Emily E. Welty, Political Science
Title of Research: The Politics of Occupy Wall Street: The Internal Structure of OWS
Student: Matthew J. Ceurvels
Major: Spanish, Latin American Studies
Faculty Mentor: Antonia Garcia-Rodriguez, Modern Languages and Cultures
Title of Research: City of God: Two Brazils on the Big Screen
Student: Kristen M. Gulino
Major: Biology
Faculty Mentor: David Zuzga, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: Generation and Characterization of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the Vasodilator-Stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP)
Student: Jonathan P. Oswald
Major: Biology, Chemistry
Faculty Mentors: Rita K. Upmacis, Chemistry and Physical Sciences; Erica Kipp, Biology and Health Sciences
Title of Research: Heat Stress in Arabidopsis Thaliana: A Study of Chemical and Signaling Processes

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