CURE Examples
Discipline
Core Competencies
- Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering) 13 matches
- Developing and using models 7 matches
- Planning and carrying out investigations 10 matches
- Analyzing and interpreting data 17 matches
- Using mathematics and computational thinking 6 matches
- Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering) 7 matches
Nature of Research
State
Target Audience Show all
Non-major
18 matches
Target AudienceResults 1 - 10 of 18 matches
Community Flood Risk Assessment from Rising/Surging Seas Project
Kevin Kupietz, Elizabeth City State University
Globally 634 million people, 10% of the world's population, live in coastal areas less than 10 meters above sea level. According to 2010 census data, 123 million people, 39% of the United States population, live in coastal counties with an estimated increase to this number by 8% in the 2020 census. As natural disasters have been seen to increase in frequency and severity in the past five years coupled with expected sea rises from climate change it is important that anyone involved with the safety and resiliency planning of their organization/community have an understanding of how to scientifically assess risk from flooding in order to mitigate and recover from the effects. This project allows students the ability to develop skills to utilize computer modeling systems and to apply the data to real world communities in examining risk to structures as well as different groups in the community.
Core Competencies: Developing and using models, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Planning and carrying out investigations, Using mathematics and computational thinking, Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Applied Research
State: North Carolina
Target Audience: Major, Non-major, Upper Division
CURE Duration: A full term
Design2Data
Ashley Vater, University of California-Davis
The D2D program is centered around an undergraduate-friendly protocol workflow that follows the design-build-test-learn engineering framework. This protocol has served as the scaffold for a successful undergraduate training program and has been further developed into courses that range from a 10-week freshman seminar to a year-long, upper-division molecular biology course. The overarching research goal of this CURE probes the current predictive limitations of protein-modeling software by functionally characterizing single amino acid mutants in a robust model system. The most interesting outcomes of this project are dependent on large datasets, and, as such, the project is optimal for multi-institutional collaborations.
Core Competencies: Using mathematics and computational thinking, Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data, Planning and carrying out investigations, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Developing and using models
Nature of Research: Wet Lab/Bench Research, Basic Research, Applied Research
Target Audience: Upper Division, Non-major, Major, Introductory
CURE Duration: A full term, Multiple terms
Laser spectroscopy of atmospherically relevant molecules and clusters in helium nanodroplets
Paul Raston, James Madison University
Superfluid helium nanodroplets present an ideal medium for the study of chemical dynamics at the molecular level. Their low temperature, enormous heat conductivity, and weakly interacting nature allow for the investigation of various things, such as how molecular rotation is effected by a solvent, and how molecules interact with each other. These two topics will be addressed in the lab by (1) measuring the spectra of unexplored molecules in helium nanodroplets and determining their rotational constants; this data will then be used to test known models describing the interaction between the molecule and helium solvent, and (2) synthesizing and characterizing unexplored molecular clusters in an effort to better understand molecular solvation; students will solvate the "unexplored molecule" with an atmospherically relevant species (O2, N2, H2O), and investigate the resulting clusters with laser Stark spectroscopy.
Core Competencies: Using mathematics and computational thinking, Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data, Developing and using models, Planning and carrying out investigations, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Nature of Research: Basic Research
State: Virginia
Target Audience: Upper Division, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: A few class periods, Multiple terms
Water in Gen Chem
Ruthanne Paradise, University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Core Competencies: Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Planning and carrying out investigations, Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Applied Research
State: Massachusetts
Target Audience: Introductory, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: A full term
Using R to Build Powerful Predictive Models for Kaggle Competitions
Earvin Balderama, California State University-Fresno
Core Competencies: Using mathematics and computational thinking, Analyzing and interpreting data, Developing and using models
Nature of Research: Informatics/Computational Research, Applied Research
State: California
Target Audience: Non-major, Major, Upper Division
CURE Duration: A full term
Race & Incarceration in The USA Overtime: Analysis of Trends & Forecast
Shyamal Das, Elizabeth City State University
The course in Race and Ethnic Relations examines the evolving nature of America's social and cultural diversity in terms of different race and ethnic groups (Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and American-Indians), and the issues of racial prejudice, hatred, and discrimination in the country. In so doing, students complete the final paper based on research on the relationship between race and incarceration. The research utilizes arrest data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics website. Students derive the research questions and corresponding hypotheses based on their review of literature. Based on their data analysis, they attempt to explain or interpret the arrest data on the relationship between race and the arrest rates by types of crimes. There two steps: (1) individuals complete data gathering and analysis as well as interpretation in the first place; and (2) groups will be formed by at least three students in each. The groups will prepare the final group paper and present the findings in the class. The current assignment illustrates on the Step 1 of the final project. Each student will select an assigned crime type (see the Assignment Topics) from the Bureau of Justice Statistics database, and run the graphs to show the trends by race. Assess whether students can explain the arrest rates by race. Then each student runs another analysis to forecast the arrest rates for the coming ten to fifteen years. The final group outcomes will be presented in the class. The proposed CURE incorporates a STEM component into social science as students run forecasting models for an important social problem in the USA.
Nature of Research: Basic Research
Target Audience: Upper Division, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: A full term
Fall 2020 HLTH 369 Principles of Nutrition CURE
Jennifer Brown, Elizabeth City State University
Prediabetes is a common health problem, afflicting an estimated 88 million (34.5%) of US populations (CDC, 2020). Many individuals experience disease progression, and are diagnosed with diabetes (34.2 million, 10.5% of US, CDC, 2020). In total, an estimated 45% percent of US populations is affected, making complications management, lifestyle interventions, and prevention of this disease pathway a major point of concern. Neuropathy is an associated, but often silent complication that comes in many forms, potentially affecting multiple systems in the body. Eyes, kidneys, touch perception, balance and gut metabolism are a few common, and serious issues that frequently arise simultaneously with disease onset. Because of the serious and silent nature of the onset of these disease pathways, early detection is key in order to allow the opportunity for lifestyle intervention practices. Previous research indicates higher incidence rates of prediabetes, diabetes and neuropathy in rural areas, with socioeconomic factors playing a role in the development of the disease. The purpose of this research is to determine the prevalence of prediabetes/diabetes and neurpathic symptoms in healthy weight and obese individuals, active and inactive individuals at ECSU, in Elizabeth City and in the Southeast/MidAtlantic region.
Core Competencies: Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Field Research
State: North Carolina
Target Audience: Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: A full term
General Chemistry II Water Quality labs at Adams State University
Christina Miller, Adams State University; Christopher Adams, Adams State University; Umesh Bhattarai, Adams State University
Adams State is conducting CURES in many of our lower divisional Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Math courses to increase the number and diversity of students who participate in undergraduate research. In General Chemistry II lab we will be replacing our normal labs concerning titration pH and ion solubility with CURES concerning water quality. These water samples will come from surrounding areas that have either been grazed or ungrazed to find out if there are differences in water quality between them. We will be using ion-specific probes to determine the presence and concentration of specific ions in the water samples. We will be using pH probes and titration to determine the acid concentration in water samples.
Core Competencies: Planning and carrying out investigations, Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Wet Lab/Bench Research, Basic Research, Field Research
State: Colorado
Target Audience: Non-major, Introductory, Major
CURE Duration: A few class periods
Emerging Contaminants in Arizona
Frank Marfai, Phoenix College
Core Competencies: Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data, Using mathematics and computational thinking, Developing and using models
Nature of Research: Basic Research, Applied Research
State: Arizona
Target Audience: Introductory, Upper Division, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: Multiple terms, A full term
Polymer/Materials Structure-Property Relationship Investigations for General Chemistry Students
Zuleikha Kurji, Saint Marys College of California
Core Competencies: Analyzing and interpreting data, Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Planning and carrying out investigations, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Nature of Research: Wet Lab/Bench Research, Applied Research
State: California
Target Audience: Introductory, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: A few class periods, Half a term