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Undergraduate Research

Summer Research Opportunities

At WashU, you will have the opportunity to work side-by-side in labs with some of the best faculty in engineering, medicine and the sciences.

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Summer research experiences for undergraduates 

Each summer, hundreds of undergraduate students arrive on campus at Washington University in St. Louis to perform research in faculty labs. At the McKelvey School of Engineering, students can choose from six summer research programs that aim to help undergraduates sharpen their analytical skills and build their professional network. In this video, meet five students who spent their summer researching and growing at McKelvey Engineering.

The summer research programs offered through the McKelvey School of Engineering is a great way to expand your horizons and discover if a future in research is right for you.

Washington University Summer Engineering Fellowship (WUSEF)

The WUSEF program is designed to encourage exceptional students from backgrounds underrepresented in the STEM fields, including underrepresented minority students, students from economically disadvantaged and underserved backgrounds, and students with disabilities, to participate in engineering research. Fellows will enjoy a rewarding summer research experience at one of the nation’s top universities. Each fellow will engage in an independent research project under the guidance of a McKelvey School of Engineering faculty member. 

Washington University Cardiovascular Research Summer Program (WashU CardS)

WashU CardS is designed to encourage undergraduate students from academic institutions with limited research opportunities to participate in cardiovascular research. In this 10-week program students will be immersed in rigorous research skill training (e.g., critical thinking, literature reviews and bench skills, like histology, PCR, ECG, microscopy, image analysis, etc.) and cutting-edge projects that advance the state-of-the-art in cardiovascular research.

Computer Science & Engineering Research Experience for Undergraduates

Participating in an undergraduate research project is a great way to learn a lot about a specific area and to try your hand at a cutting-edge research topic. If you are thinking about graduate school, this is also an excellent opportunity to learn more about academic research and to get hands-on experience before applying.

NSF Center for Engineering Mechanobiology Summer Research Experience

The CEMB seeks motivated undergraduate students for its annual summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program . Students participate in 10-week, on-campus programs in Philadelphia or St. Louis, working in research groups at the University of Pennsylvania and WashU. Students are matched to projects within a research group based on their interests, educational background and previous research experience.

International Student Research Internship Program

The International Student Research Internship Program is designed for students currently enrolled at an international university to participate in engineering research at WashU during the summer months (May through September).

Projects will be in the general areas of biomedical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, systems engineering, chemical engineering, energy & environmental engineering, mechanical engineering & materials science.

Thermal Management Research Experience for Undergraduates

Be immersed in projects tied to emerging technologies such as metal-air batteries and nanofluidic and micro-/nanostructural thermal transport enhancement, while also learning the role of thermal-fluids engineers in the micro-/power electronics, chemical/material processing, transportation, and energy industries. You'll have multiple one-on-one advising sessions with faculty to define and develop a plan for achieving personal goals.

Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (BMB) at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis invites undergraduate students interested in completing an 8-week research program over the summer of 2024 to apply to our summer research program.

Students will join a lab that matches their interests where they will complete real-life research at the cutting edge of molecular biochemistry and biophysics. Research areas in the department range from single-molecule spectroscopy to molecular simulations to mitochondrial biochemistry. As well as conducting research, students will also attend workshops that cover various important areas in science, including how to design experiments, how to read papers, scientific communication, and guidance on graduate school applications, etc.

No prior research experience is required, and we strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. Local travel, housing, and an additional monthly stipend of $3000 will be provided (total of $6000 for the 8-week program). The program will run June 6th – August 4th, 2024 . Applicants are strongly encouraged to have completed their sophomore year by June 2024 (but may still apply as a sophomore), and the ideal candidates will be considering applications to graduate school following graduation.

To apply, please submit an application that includes the following information:

Application instructions: Please email application documents to [email protected] . Combine sections 1 and 2 as one .pdf or .docx file, titled: ‘last name, first name’. Have your letter-writer send their recommendation letter to the same address with your full name in the subject line.

The application deadline is Friday, February 16th . Applicants will be notified of success within 4-5 weeks of the submission deadline. All materials are required at the time of deadline.

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• Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Studies in A&S

Undergraduate Research

follow your interests & work closely with faculty experts

Undergraduate? It's time to become a researcher. 

Independent work can be an important part of the undergraduate educational experience. The mathematics department offers opportunities to work in specialized areas with a faculty mentor during the academic year, over the summer, or through the selective Freiwald Scholars program. Students most often become involved in independent study projects or research during their junior or senior years, after taking several advanced courses. 

Independent Study

Undergraduates can work with a faculty member over the course of a semester, conducting independent research for a maximum of three units of course credits. To learn more, talk with your advisor or a reach out to a faculty member whose work you admire. 

Honors Thesis

One of the purposes of an honors thesis is to work together with a WashU faculty member during the final few semesters of study, exploring new material and tying together skills acquired during the major.  

Freiwald Scholars Program

The Freiwald Scholars program is directed to undergraduates with a proven record of strong mathematical skills who are motivated to carry out research in areas with substantial mathematical content. The program engages students in a reading and research project that lasts for at least two semesters and a funded 8 weeks in summer.

The Freiwald Scholars Program

About the freiwald scholars program.

In 2012 the Advanced Research Training For Undergraduates (ARTU) program was founded and was originally funded by the National Science Foundation. Its goal is to introduce and train bright undergraduate students to do research in mathematics and closely related disciplines. The program allows students to work over the course of multiple semesters with a faculty mentor, and includes a funded summer residency. By 2017 the ARTU program had evolved from its original founding and received a name change to honor our Professor Ronald Freiwald, who retired in 2017.

The Freiwald Scholars are supported by a donation from a department alumnus in  honor of Professor Freiwald, and also by the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Eligibility

Juniors, sophomores, and exceptionally strong first-year students from Washington University in St. Louis will be considered. It is a small and selective program.

Student work takes place under the supervision of mathematics faculty who are leading researchers in their respective fields.

Timeline & Commitment 

Minimum participation time is 1 semester and 1 summer. The expectation is that most students will want to continue significantly longer. Students will write progress reports approximately every 4 months, and after their first summer of funding, they are also expected to do oral or poster presentations every four months. These students are also expected to fulfill requirements outlined by the Office of Undergraduate Research, including presenting their work at the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Students and faculty must be in residence in St. Louis during the summer research months. Long-distance supervision is not allowed.

Spring/Summer 2024

The 2024 Freiwald Program will be run by Prof. Daemi.  The theme of the 2024 program will be Knot Theory.  Students who want to participate are encouraged to have some familiarity with topology.

Spring 2024 Research Seminar

Participating students are expected to enroll in the Honors Seminar in Mathematics, Math 401. This is a 3 credit course to be offered in the spring semester.  The main goal of the spring semester research seminar is to obtain the background and preparedness to begin pursuing a research project by the end of the semester and into the summer. Another main goal is to create a community of researchers.  Most students are expected to work with Prof. Daemi, but there is also the possibility to seek out other faculty members to be mentors.

Activities at the seminar may include:

• General aspects of research in mathematics.
• Background material in knot theory.
• Reading and analyzing papers
• Giving presentations

Freiwald Scholars Summer 2024 Program

Summer activities will take place during the months of June and July, 2024. In addition to individual study and research related work conducted outside of meetings, these activities will consist of seminars (at least 3 hours per week) focused on presentations by the students reporting on their progress and, depending on time availability, presentations by faculty on topics related to the students’ research interests. By the end of summer, each student is expected to produce written expositions of their work, both in a research article format (in Latex) and in presentation style (LaTeX Beamer or PowerPoint).

In Fall 2024, Freiwald Scholars are required to give a poster presentation of their results at the Washington University Undergraduate Research Symposium.

How to Apply: Freiwald Scholars

Applications for the Freiwald Scholar Program for Spring-Summer 2024 are due on November 10, 2023.

Applications are reviewed and finalists are notified and invited to an informal interview to assess the applicants' motivations and consider matches for faculty mentorship.  An application is made up of the following:

• Updated resume (PDF format)
• Statement of interest (PDF format; please keep to one page or less) In particular, students should answer the following questions: What are your expectations from participating in an undergraduate research program in mathematics? Why do you think that the Freiwald Program is the right fit for you?
• Two letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with your mathematical knowledge and skills.

Strong academic records are the primary qualification for admission into the Freiwald Scholar program.

Applications and letters can be sent to Prof Blake Thornton . 

Freiwald Summer Course

During Summer 2024, Prof Martha Precup will be leading a summer reading course in computational and algebraic combinatorics. Competitive applicants will be first or second-year students with a strong academic record who have taken at least one math course at Washington University and plan to complete a math major, but have not taken classes at the 400 level or above. By the end of the summer, each student (or team of students) will produce written reports on their work and give a poster presentation at the Washington University Undergraduate Research Symposium.  

Participation in the Freiwald Summer Course includes summer funding. Students in the summer course are expected to participate full-time and be in residence in St. Louis during the months of June and July. 

Note: The Freiwald Summer Course run by Prof Precup is slightly different from the Freiwald Research Program described above.  It will still involve intensive work in the summer but there is no associated spring seminar.

How to Apply: Freiwald Summer Course

Applications for the Freiwald Summer Course for Summer 2024 are due on February 15, 2024.

• Statement of interest (PDF format; please keep to one page or less) In particular, students should answer the following questions: What are your expectations from participating in an undergraduate research program in mathematics? Why do you think that the Freiwald Summer Course is the right fit for you?

Research Resources

Honors Proposal Form

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Mathematics & Statistics Degree Program Requirements

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Mathematics Literature Collection

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Recent Honors Theses & Projects

Predicting Outcomes for Batted Balls in MLB (Advisor: Professor Victor Wickerhauser)

An Essay on Independent Component Analysis (Advisor: Professor Jimin Ding)

Representations of the Symmetric Group and Nonstandard Quantum Statistics (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

Applications of Mixed Effects Modeling in Observational Studies and Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's Disease (Advisor: Professor Edward Spitznagel)

Hecke Algebra Characters Evaluated at Kazhdan-Lusztig Basis Elements Give the Betti Numbers of Hessenberg Varieties (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Predicting Pitching Injuries in Major League Baseball (Advisor: Professor Nan Lin)

Quantum Techniques for Classical Systems (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

A Walk Through Einstein's General Theory of Relativity (Advisor: Professor Quo-Shin Chi)

Nonabelian Group Based Cryptography (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Two Partitioned Numerical Methods for Solving the Hodgkin-Huxley Equations (Advisor: Professor Ari Stern)

On Numbers with Equal Cototients (Advisors: Professors Matt Kerr and John Shareshian)

Manifesting Polynomials with Small Galois Groups as Rational Points (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Discrete Morse Theory and Some Applications (Advisor: Professor John Shreshian)

Generating Functions for Enumerating Chains of Partitions with Distinct Parts (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

A Multivariate Extension of the von Neumann Inequality (Advisor: Professor Greg Knese)

Analysis of Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) Data for Calculus Using MIxed Linear Effects Models (Advisor: Professor Jimin Ding)

Algorithms for Reducing the Complexity of High-Dimensional Data Sets (Advisor: Prof. Victor Wickerhauser)

Quantal Response: Models of Irrationality and Correlation in Games (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Group Decision-Making with Negative Influence Actors (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Hodge Decomposition and the Shapley Value of a Cooperative Game (Advisor: Professor Ari Stern)

Spectral Gap of a Specific Linear Operator (Advisor: Professor Xiang Tang)

Semiparametric Modeling of Train Accident Costs with Implications for the Importance of Positive Train Control (Advisor:Professor Todd Kuffner)

Modeling the Spread of Amyloid in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (Advisor:Professor John McCarthy)

Elements of the Mathematical Formulation of Quantum States (Advisors: Professors Xiang Tang and Renato Feres)

Exponential Random Graph Models Under Measurement Error (Advisor:Professor Nan Lin)

Risk Factor Analysis of Thrombocytopenia (Advisor: Professor Edward Spitznagel)

Stochastic Thermodynamics of Markov Chain from Billiards Model (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

The Hermitian Symplectic Group, Neumann Extension Theory, and Scattering on Quantum Graphs (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

A Comparison of the Lasso and Dantzig Selector in Linear Regression Models (Advisor: Professor Todd Kuffner)

N -Complexes and  Sn  Representations (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Schatten-class Truncated Toeplitz Operators (Advisor: Professor Richard Rochberg)

Computing the Dispersion Relation of Periodic Quantum Graphs (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

Modeling Air Pollution with GIS (Advisor: Professor Edward Spitznagel)

Polynomial Automorphisms (Advisor: Professor David Wright)

An Alternative Graph Theoretic Proof of the Amitsur-Levitzki Identity   (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Nash-Moser Inverse Function Theorem and its Application to Ricci Flow  (Advisor: Professor Quo-Shin Chi)

Automatic Classification of Formal and Informal Text (Advisor: Professor Edward Spitznagel)

The Relativistic Heat Equation  (Advisor: Professor Ari Stern)

Modifications to Nowak et al.'s Mathematical Population Genetic Model of The Evolution of Eusociality  (Advisors: Professor Renato Feres and Prof. David Queller (Biology))

Categories, Groupoids, and Groupoidifications  (Advisor: Professor Xiang Tang)

Aliquot Cycles for Elliptic Curves with Complex Multiplication  (Advisor: Professor Matt Kerr)

On a Small Non-Shellable Lie Algebra (Advisor: Professor John Shareshian)

Applications of Mixed Effects Models: An Analysis of fMRI data in Anesthesiology (Advisor: Professor Nan Lin)

Lie Groups and Lie Algebras (Advisor: Professor Xiang Tang)

Nonholonomic Diffusion (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

Life-Cycle Investment and Consumption Retirement Strategy via Markov Chain Monte Carlo with R (Advisor: Professor Renato Feres)

Questions to Remember: An Analysis of Cognitive Data for Alzheimer’s Disease Detection (Advisor: Professor Jimin Ding)

Proctor or Doctor: An Analysis of Survey Data from Patients with Alzheimer's Disease (Advisor: Professor Jimin Ding)

Applications of Linear Mixed Effect Models: An Analysis of Missouri School Data (Advisor: Professor Jimin Ding)

I started at WashU knowing I was interested in math, but I wasn't sure how I could make that into a career. The department not only helped me find the area of math I'm most passionate about, but also guided me in finding opportunities to pursue it further. Along the way I've made a lot of great relationships with professors, advisors, and other majors in the department, which has been one of the best parts of my undergrad experience!

Have questions?

To learn more about undergraduate research opportunities, contact the associate director of undergraduate studies. 

Mechanobiology

Undergraduate Research

Summer research experiences for undergraduates (reu) program.

The Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB) , a National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Center (STC), recruits motivated undergraduate students for its Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Students participate in a 10-week, on-campus program, working in research groups both at Washington University in St. Louis and at the University of Pennsylvania. Students are matched to projects within a research group based upon their interests, educational background, and previous research experience.

Many projects are interdisciplinary and provide opportunities to develop research skills in the physical sciences, the biological sciences, and engineering. Students develop practical research skills: collaborating, designing experiments, collecting and analyzing data, and communicating results. Other aspects of the program complement the lab experience and are oriented toward professional development and career skills: seminars, outings, and professional and career workshops, including training in ethics, science communication, and knowledge transfer.

Research projects may be interdisciplinary and include such areas as:

• molecular biology
• cell and tissue mechanics in plants and animals
• bioengineering
• biochemistry
• computational biology
• biomedical devices
• nanoscale science and engineering

The Center for Engineering MechanoBiology (CEMB) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Center (STC)

• 2023 Cohort
• Housing Information
• Program Schedule & FAQs
• Past Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Programs
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• Arts & Sciences
• Graduate Studies in A&S

Undergraduate Research

Let your curiosity lead the way..

Research addressing global and international issues is a fundamental part of the Global Studies Program. Global Studies Program faculty and students are actively engaged in research projects that explore historical and contemporary issues around the world and draw on various disciplinary approaches. The research projects allow for, and help develop, a variety of skills that distinguish Global Studies from disciplinary programs: as a Global Studies scholar, you speak at least one foreign language, you are a conscious participant of intercultural encounters, and you are aware of historical and cultural linkages across political and geographical boundaries. In addition, you are prepared to use various methodological and theoretical approaches that suit your questions and take into account the cultural, political, and historical specificity of your research sites.

You are encouraged to publish your original research in a Senior Honors Thesis and/or are strongly encouraged to submit to and present at the Undergraduate Research Symposium . Qualified graduates are recognized by the Global Studies Program as Research Scholars each year.

Research Spotlight: Jaszmine Parks

IAS and French major Jaszmine Parks (LA'17) journeyed to Senegal to interview local women about their Islamic faith after finding their voices.

Research Spotlight: Nicholas Okafor

Majoring in mechanical engineering and IAS: Development, Nick Okafor (EN'16) talks about his recent efforts in Brazil to create better, more sustainable housing for those living in the favela.

IAS major Samantha Pitz publishes independent study project during a semester in Geneva

Take Your Knowledge Further

Opportunities for independent research.

Many Global Studies courses include research components and final projects. In addition, Global Studies encourages you to gain credit through approved independent study projects, supervised research under the direction of Global Studies faculty, or participation in the Global Studies Research Methods Proseminar and Assistantship (L97 4007). Additional opportunities may periodically exist to join faculty projects. If interested, you may also form research cohorts under faculty direction.

Research Assistantships

Global Studies selects a limited number of Research Assistants (RAs) each fall and spring semester. RAs will work on an ongoing faculty research projects for five hours per week. Research Assistants will meet for a weekly proseminar, or orientation to the practice of research professions. Ideally, students should apply to take this course in their sophomore or junior year.  There are no prerequisites to take this class. Students who successfully complete the Research Methods Proseminar will be awarded the Research Scholar Distinction within Global Studies.

How are students selected for the ‘Research Team’? This is a competitive process. Students are matched with faculty based on the needs of faculty for a particular research project. Some faculty, more often those in the Humanities, require certain language skills. Other faculty may not have specific needs but do expect that students are diligent, meticulous, and curious. Students will work with faculty from Global Studies and other departments in Arts & Sciences on projects focused on public health, human rights, and political behavior, among others. All of the projects are international or global in focus and some may make use of students’ foreign language skills. 

To apply for the Research Team, please submit an application to Dr. Elizabeth Reynolds and register for Research Methods Proseminar and Assistantship (L97 4007) .

While we encourage you to pursue individual interests outside the classroom format by enrolling in L97 GS 400 (Independent Study) OR L97 GS 4007 (Research Methods Proseminar) under the direction of one or more faculty members, please note that electing either of these two options may not necessarily fulfill your 400 level requirement for your specific Global Studies concentration and direct approval must be sought from your major advisor. If that approval is given, a limit of 3 units of independent study may be counted toward the 36 units needed to complete the Global Studies major.

If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Elizabeth Reynolds.

Email Dr. Reynolds

Additional Resources

Honors Thesis FAQs

discover what you need to know about writing an honors thesis

Undergraduate Honors & Awards

learn about our program honors and awards

Undergraduate Research Symposium

learn more about showcasing your research

Honors Thesis

Writing an honors thesis is exciting and very rewarding, but it can also be challenging, exhausting, and far more time consuming that you imagine. Ideally, you need to start thinking about potential topics and meeting with potential advisors by the end of your sophomore year. The deadline to declare your intent to write an honors thesis (by  completing this intent form  and submitting it to the Global Studies main office) is the second Friday in April of your junior year. You must have your thesis advisor secured at this time. [For those students graduating in December, the deadline for the intent form is the second Friday in November of their junior year.]

In writing a thesis, you will work closely with a faculty advisor to articulate a narrow research question, identify the type of data and secondary sources you will examine to answer this question, and formulate an original argument based on your findings. Your faculty advisor will do their best to guide you, but ultimately, the project is up to you. In the Fall, all Global Studies honors students must enroll in the Global Studies honors seminar course ( GS 485 ). In this seminar, you will present your thesis proposal, your results at various stages of progress, and a final presentation. To write a first-rate research paper, all scholars need the opportunity to present their ideas and receive feedback. In addition, you will have the opportunity to interact and learn from your fellow honors students. In the Spring, all honors students must enroll in GS 486 . You will work closely with your thesis advisor (they will determine and submit the final grade for your thesis). Once your research and writing is complete, you will present your thesis to the Global Studies Honors Committee. We view this more as an assessment than a defense, and as an opportunity for professional development in preparation for the public presentation at our annual spring semester conference.

Through the process of writing a thesis, you make the transition from being a consumer of other scholars’ analyses to being a contributor to knowledge. Regardless of your future plans, conducting an independent research project in the form of a thesis is a meaningful intellectual process. Moreover, the thesis can be helpful professionally. If you plan to attend academic graduate school or any professional graduate school requiring independent research, analysis, and writing, you should strongly consider writing a thesis.

Global Studies majors who write an honors thesis are eligible for Latin Honors (level is determined by the College of Arts & Sciences) and are strongly encouraged to submit to and present at the  Undergraduate Research Symposium .

Note: there are special requirements for students who conduct independent research involving human participants - for more information on the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process, contact your thesis advisor. The  WUSTL Human Research Protection Office  (HRPO) website has information for undergraduates conducting research, including information for students who conduct research abroad, and a special section for SIT program participants.

For more details about the thesis writing process, please consult the  Director of the Honors Program .

"The experience of writing my thesis on a United Nations climate change policy was both challenging and incredibly rewarding, as it pushed me as a writer and a critical thinker. I continue to use my research, writing, and critical thinking skills daily at my job as an analyst at a consulting firm in D.C. specializing in government-driven markets such as the aerospace, defense, energy and healthcare industries."

Arts & Sciences

WUSTL ENDURE Program

Endure undergraduate education.

The Blueprint initiative “ Enhancing Neuroscience Diversity through Undergraduate Research Education Experiences (ENDURE) ” aims to raise interest and opportunities in neuroscience research for individuals who are typically underrepresented in the field.

WUSTL ENDURE

undergraduate research experience in neuroscience May 26, 2024 – August 2, 2024

The Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL) ENDURE research program prepares undergraduates from diverse backgrounds for neuroscience PhD programs. We combine outstanding research training, a rigorous curriculum and an empowering support system so participants thrive on their path to graduate school and beyond. With support from the NIH Blueprint ENDURE initiative and Washington University, accepted students are funded for up to  two  years and trips to the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting. Overall, the program embeds students in a network of neuroscientists and enhances the success of trainees towards our goal of increasing diversity in neuroscience. Students will arrive on campus on Sunday, May 26, participate in our Closing Symposium on Friday, August 2, and return home that evening or on Saturday, August 6 (move out of the dorms by 11am).

WUSTL ENDURE selects new class of scholars

3.6.23 |  UNDERGRADUATE ,  OUTREACH

The ENDURE program has selected 10 students to join in 2023.

Along with 7 students who will return for their second year in the program, these scholars will arrive on campus Sunday, May 28, do cutting-edge research in a WUSTL lab for 10 weeks, and present their findings at our Closing Symposium on Friday, August 4. Congratulations to Catrina Reyes and Shylyn Collier from our 2022 cohort on being selected as our ENDURE Student Representatives! Catrina and Shylyn coordinate initiatives and serve as liaisons between the students, program director, faculty and staff.

The research-intensive  ENDURE  program prepares undergraduates from diverse backgrounds for neuroscience PhD or MD/PhD training with outstanding research experiences, a rigorous curriculum and an empowering network. With support from the NIH and Provost Office, accepted students are funded for up to two years of research, coursework, and trips to the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting.

The 2023 cohort:

Victoria Cadena, Sophomore, Washington University in St. Louis Tamara Dandreamatteo, Sophomore, Washington University in St. Louis Makenna Fluegel, Sophomore, Washington University in St. Louis Drake Gorecki, Junior, Hamilton College Kassie Hamilton, Junior, Duke University Yana Honcharuk, Junior, Kenyon College Noah Kabbaj, Freshman, Washington University in St. Louis Sara Morcos, Junior, Bowdoin College Sebastian Monge-Reyes, Sophomore, Washington University in St. Louis Megan Niehaus, Junior, University of Missouri-St. Louis

The 2022 cohort:

Shylyn Collier, Junior, University of Missouri-St. Louis Fabrizio Darby, Senior, University of Miami Javier Kelly-Cuenca, Senior, University of Missouri-Columbia Rachel Membreno, Junior, San Diego State University Trinidi Prochaska, Senior, Washington University in St. Louis Catrina Reyes, Junior, Washington University in St. Louis Tyara Thompson, Junior, The College of Wooster

Home > UNDERGRAD > URS

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Available works & program from 2024 2024.

Afterlight: Game Design and the Power of Narrative , Elio Hollenbeck

Animal Conservation in St. Louis , Kate O'Sullivan

A Vaccine Against Holocaust Denial: Knowledge , Riley Andreasen

Bananas vs. Coffee: Why Did One Instigate Violence and the Other Community? , Sydney Stark

Comparing Sucrose Preference Between Colonies of Bombus impatiens , Kevin R. Corrigan, Becky Hansis-O'Niell, and Aimee Sue Dunlap

Conceptualizing Nazism in America through Alternative History Media , Matthew Fear

Content Analysis of Backyard Conservation Websites , Katie George and Sam Holzer

COVID-19 Effects on Adolescent Anxiety , Lyndsay Michelle

Determination of Antibody Affinity for the Alzheimer’s Amyloid-β Protein , Bree Carlton

Effects of Beauveria bassiana on the Mortality and Thorax Width of Bombus impatiens Colonies , Bri Petty

Effects of Foster Children’s Epigenetics in Abusive Environments , Shamika Ellis and Theresa Moore

Erwin Rommel: Noble Knight of Germany or Nazi Knave? , Jake Schultz

Etherification of Propargylic Alcohol using Ferrocenium Ions , Cody Amann, Sai Anvesh Bezawada, and Eike B. Bauer

Evaluating Farm Size Change as an Expression of Preferential Alignment in the Corporate Food Regime , Rachael Carpenter

Examining Immune Markers as Determinants of Cognitive Difficulties Among Perinatally Infected Youth with HIV , Addie Halbrook, Jacob Bolzenius, Julie Mannarino, and Robert Paul

Exploring Best Practices in UMSL’s Collaborative Laboratory Internship and Mentoring Blueprint (CLIMB) Program , Dakota Warren

Finding gene candidates that interact with MarA to control hilA expression in Salmonella enterica , Kylee Hempel

Gangsterism, the Urban Ruling Elite, and the Guomindang: Power Sharing During the Early Years of the Chinese Republic, 1927-1937 , Evan Boyle

Holocaust Denial: The Conspiracy of Ignorance , Morgan Nelson

Hope for the Unhoused: Medical treatment access and retention among unhoused individuals with Opioid Use Disorder in the St. Louis region , Allison Token

How Technology is Helping Holocaust Deniers Rewrite History , Michael Raffelson

How the West Was Stolen: A Closer Look at the St.Louis Treaty of 1804 , Lisa Kozieja

Human Zoo Healthcare at the 1904 World’s Fair , Angel Blake

Hvaldimir: Russian Beluga Spy Whale , John Granicke

"I Hate Illinois Nazis:" Remembering Hate Speech and the First Amendment in Skokie, Illinois , Morgan Myers

Investigation of Alzheimer’s Amyloid-β Protein Aggregation With a New Fluorescent Dye. , Emma Alberty

"Killin' Nazis": How Jews are Portrayed in Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds , Skylar Baxter

Learning curves in bumblebee foraging (Bombus impatiens) , Samir Benbakir, Becky Hansis-O'Niell, and Aimee Sue Dunlap

Life Beyond the Horizon: The Universe Was Born in a Black Hole , Zahria Patrick

Lucas' Empire: Star Wars and Nazi Germany , Karli Dean

Magneto’s Origin in the Holocaust and how it Influences His Character Today , Rena Usprich

Memory as a Foundation for Learning , Manuel Vicuna and Juan Manuel Vicuna

NBA Conspiracies: A League That Values Money Over Honesty , Rebecca Littrel

Precautionary Buying During the COVID Pandemic: Evidence from Grocery Scanner Data , Blake Williams and Trilce Encarnacion

Preserving Sacred Memory: The Effort to Create the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum , Jessica Wachtel

Psychopathy & Perceptions of Control , Amy Kenny

Recognition Promotes Sodomy: Gay Lib Vs. The University of Missouri , Micah Hillier

Recovering Ancient DNA Using the Polymerase Chain Reaction , Rose Jennings

Seeing Me: Influential Queer Black Men in Entertainment , Jay Gaskin

Socio-Demographic Risks Affect Executive Functioning , Brittny Rodgers; Nicole Shelley; and Hannah B. White, Ph.D

Space Nazis - The Specific Connections Between Star Wars and Nazi Germany , Jeremy Dobrzanski

Stability and Crisis Response: Comparing the U.S. and Canadian Banking Systems , Sarah E. Boslaugh

Studying the genes and conditions that influence root development , Tessa Holtkamp and Hannah Ordonez Webb

Surveys of Aphonopelma hentzi in Missouri: Conservation Efforts through Population, Genetics, and Habitat Studies , Anderson B. Spencer Mr. and Becky Hansis-O'Niell

Telehealth Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in Missouri’s Urban and Rural Areas Prior to and Since COVID-19 , Aurora Rojo, Rashmi Ghonasgi, Zachary Budesa, and Rachel Winograd

The 1904 World’s Fair: Intended Impact of the U.S. Government Building Versus Visitor Experience , Dalton King

The association between coping-motivated drinking and alcohol-related consequences. , Jacob D. Salser, Ian A. McNamara, and Ryan W. Carpenter

The Effect of Caffeine on Bee Behavior: A Progressive Ratio Study , Kayle Cohen, Becky Hansis-O'Neill, and Aimee Dunlap Dr

The Effect of Variation of N-Substituents on Oxidopyridinium Ions in (4+3) Cycloadditions , Zahria Patrick and Madison Clark

The Failed 1971-1973 Redevelopment of Pruitt-Igoe , Rachael Heriford

The Fentanyl Crisis in the African American Community: Exploring Geographic Differences in Overdose in the St. Louis Region , Tanys Giles, Devin Banks, Rashmi Ghonasgi, Maria Paschke, and Rachel Winograd

The Life and Music of Hazel Felman , Shane Devine

The Roaring Lion of Berlin: The Life, Thought, and Influence of Eugen Dühring , Arden Roy

Third Reich in Harry Potter: Fiction Imitating Fact , Paul Sanders

Total Variation Flow in R^n Dimensions with Examples Relating to Perimeters of Level Sets , Luis Schneegans and Victoria Shumakovich

Tritons United: Against Gender-Based Violence , Kayla Bowling, Jessica Emert, Kimberly Werner, and Maggie Gross

Unraveling the Truth: The Wannsee Conference and Holocaust Denial , Howie Parkes

White Allies in the American South , Diamond Cannady

Available Works & Program from 2023 2023

2023 Program , Kate Votaw

Available Works & Program from 2022 2022

Alzheimer's: The Invisible Second Victim , Emma Alberty

Analysis of SoxS in S. typhimurium by Transposon Mutagenesis , Joel Hanns, Brenda Pratte, Lon Chubiz PhD, and Lauren Daugherty

Analyzing the Variable Pain , Payton Ruediger, Ryan W. Carpenter, and Melissa Nance

A New Life for UMSL’s African Instrument Collection , Brandon Elliott, Shane Devine, and Kieth Stephens

Asthma in St. Louis: A Crisis of Equity , Ashley Maempa

A Study of Brain Cell Loss In the Student Body of UMSL: Brain Stew. , Cullen Landolt, Mya Horn, Aimee Q. Pieper, Abby 6. Wall, and Kenny "Special K" Miller Esq

Bridging the Gap: Informal Sex Education on TikTok , anne brown

Cinema Exhibition In St. Louis, 1920: A Thriving Business , Sarah E. Boslaugh

Comparative Performance of Food and Nutrition Security Operations , Maya Harter

Competition between honey bees (Apis mellifera) and native bees: an investigation in urban community gardens in St. Louis, Missouri , Owen Ireton

Eating Disorders: Creating a New Standard , Bree Carlton

E. coli: The 1993 Jack in the Box Nightmare , Jared Morton

Externalizing Behavior Predicts Differential Patterns of Substance Use among Adolescents by Race , Andrea Palacios

Gender Dysphoria: The Widespread "Social" Disease of the 21st Century , Aria Spencer

Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Challenges in Everyday Life , Chloe Wilke

Giving of One’s Self: Perceptions, Experiences, and Motivations in United States Blood Donation , Allison Huene, Jamie Jones, Hayden Steingruby, and Alexis Warnecke

Gonorrhea: Tragic Effects on Women ​ , Aleah Thompson

How Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games Can Change the World , Jacob Fox

Jesse James' Hideout or Civil War Midden? , Steven Meyer, Tim Evers, and Ben Ebert

Leprosy: How it Defined a King , Paul Sanders

Malaria: Existence Perpetuated by a Counterfeit Drug Industry , Nicholas Black

Mow It or Grow It?, Neighborhood Survey of UMSL Sustainability , CRT Moorhead

Mythos Modernized: Echoes of the Literary Past in Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse (2019) , Kayla Burrows

Polio: Healthcare Workers Murdered for Eradication Efforts , Emily Beauto

Putin's Russia: Lineage of Totalitarianism , Micah Hillier

Rabies lyssavirus: A Vector for Stories​ , Daniel Olejniczak

Resolving the Repression Pathway of Virulence Gene hilA in Salmonella , Alexandra King, Lon Chubiz PhD, Brenda Pratte, and Lauren Daugherty

Respiratory Diseases: Results of 9/11 Rescue and Recovery Effort , Isabel Schnittker

Schizophrenia and Social Stigma: How Society Views Those With Mental Illness , Rebecca Littrel

Staph Infection: Hospitals Battle Against A Deadly Menace , Mckenzie Lamos

Successful Women Majoring in STEM Have Higher Optimism and Lower Stigma Consciousness , Bridget Muise and Bettina Casad

Synthesis of Curcumin Derivatives: Increasing Compound Stability , Chloe Wilke

The Demise of the Beef Industry , Natalie Powers

The Diversification of the Anti-Vietnam War Movement: An Analysis of the St. Louis Peace Information Center Files , Reagan Elkhashab

The Effects of Floral Attributes and Conspecifics on Bumble Bee Forager Memory , Lucas Lauter and Tiffany Dinh

The McCarthy Subcommittee: A Case Study , Hudson Levanos

The Relationships Between Perceived Social Support, Discrimination, Distress, and Alcohol Usage , Kylie Thorwardson, Ryan Carpenter, and Melissa Nance

The Role of Omission in Self-Deception , Natalie Bishop

The Synthesis of Deuterated Isohumulones for Use as Internal Standards in LC-MS Stable Isotope Dilution Assays , Patrick Gleason and Bruce Hamper Dr.

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We Stories: Mission

WE STORIES HELPS FAMILIES START AND STRENGTHEN CONVERSATIONS WITH KIDS ABOUT RACE AND RACISM.

We support families and educators in building their competence and confidence in anti-biased, race-conscious conversations with young children (ages 0-8). 

Our free, downloadable resources support families and educators in minimizing biases, naming and noticing differences, developing positive self concepts, learning truthful and nuanced history, promoting critical thinking, practicing self-reflection and continuous learning, and building empathy. 

We Stories enacts the values of learning, practicing, and building through its mission, vision, operations, and programming.

We model a mindset of striving to LEARN .

We PRACTICE disrupting bias and socialization around silence.

We BUILD habits and momentum that strengthen relationships and community.

Our programs and resources are centered on these values, and we intentionally work to cultivate them in ourselves and our families.

In hopes of bolstering an even greater number of changemakers, we culminated our programs and many of the curricular resources developed over the past seven years into a broadly accessible and downloadable format.

WE INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO DOWNLOAD, USE, AND SHARE THESE FREE RESOURCES AS YOU LEARN, PRACTICE, AND BUILD TOWARDS A MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE FUTURE.

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Office of Neuroscience Research

Inaugural Lifespan Development Summit – “The Daily Life of Aging”

Hosted by the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences

Schedule of events

• 9-10 am: Kate Leger , University of Kentucky
• 10-11 am: Mathias Allemand , University of Zurich
• 11:15-12:15 pm: Stacey Scott , Stony Brook University
• 12:15-1:00 pm: Graduate Student Luncheon 
• 1-2 pm: Keynote speaker – Dave Almeida , Penn State University
• 2-3 pm: Jonathan Rush , University of Victoria
• 3:15-4 pm: Panel Discussion on Daily Life of Aging
• 4-5 pm: WUSTL Lifespan Development Data Blitz

For inquiries contact Patrick Hill or Emily Willroth .

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Research Opportunities

Numerous research opportunities are available for Saint Louis University students in the neuroscience program. The Institute for Translational Neuroscience  at SLU includes faculty from a wide range of neuroscience disciplines, many of whom include undergraduates in their research.

Neuroscience majors Michael Kanan, Wendy Teal, and Sydney Rosenthal presented their research at the Society of Neuroscience annual conference in San Diego. This is the world's largest international meeting of neuroscientists with about 30,000 attendees. Wendy Teal received a Knoedler Student Research Award from the College of Arts and Sciences to support her travel to the conference.

The Institute for Translational Neuroscience comprises 61 members and 18 associate members across six schools/colleges in 27 Saint Louis University departments, institutes and centers. The institute fosters multi-disciplinary neuroscience research ranging from molecular to clinical studies and promotes excellence in undergraduate and graduate neuroscience education.

Faculty Research

In addition to the Institute for Translational Neuroscience, students have participated in research projects in departments such as psychology and biology. Students interested in participating in these research opportunities are encouraged to contact the faculty member overseeing the project.

Please contact [email protected] if you have questions. Graduating seniors may want to look into post-baccalaureate programs .

Neuroscience Research Labs

Both undergraduates and graduates can pursue the research they find most interesting through faculty-guided research in one of the program's many research labs.

Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience of Aging (CANA) Lab Principal Investigator: Jill D. Waring, Ph.D.

The Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience of Aging Lab investigates the interactions of cognition and emotion processing across the lifespan, with the goal of identifying behavioral and neural markers that may influence or precede cognitive decline or symptoms of anxiety and depression in late life. We investigate these topics using behavioral, neuropsychological and neuroimaging techniques.

Cognitive Neuroscience of Stress Lab Principal Investigator: Tony W. Buchanan, Ph.D.

The Cognitive Neuroscience of Stress Lab is interested in how psychological stress affects attention, encoding, consolidation and retrieval of memory. We use endocrine measures (cortisol), autonomic nervous system activity (heart rate variability, skin conductance, pupil diameter) and eye-tracking methodology to examine how stress affects cognition.

Luking Lab Principal Investigator: Katherine Luking, Ph.D.

Our research focuses on relationships between neurodevelopment and the emergence of psychopathology in middle childhood and early adolescence. Using a variety of methods (EEG, fMRI, behavior, hormones), we ask how core affective and cognitive processes, including emotion reactivity/regulation, response to social feedback, and reward processing, change in early puberty and mechanistically contribute to the emergence of depression and borderline personality disorder.

Sengupta Lab Principle Investigator: Mohini Sengupta

Generating movement is essential for survival. Even simple movements like walking require precise coordination between different body parts that is not a trivial feat. Just like toddlers slowly get better at walking, motor coordination improves as the animal matures. Motor coordination is specifically disrupted in several motor diseases and spinal cord injuries, yet therapy remains limited. Our lab is interested in deciphering how different muscles are coordinated for diverse movements, how this coordination is refined over development and how this coordination is disrupted in motor diseases.

Xu Lab Principle Investigator: Fenglian Xu

Xu's lab conducts research using both the mollusk Lymnaea stagnalis model and rat (cortical and hippocampal) cell culture in conjunction with state-of-the-art electrophysiological, calcium imaging, confocal microscopy and molecular biological techniques. The long-term objective of her research is to identify critical genes or proteins that are involved in neuronal outgrowth, regeneration, synaptogenesis, and plasticity. The identified genes or proteins will be manipulated experimentally to deduce their physiological significance in brain development and animal behaviors. The knowledge gained from these studies will help efforts in repairing brain damage after stroke or injury and in treating neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Kazakhstan launches child account policy informed by Brown School research

Kazakhstan has launched a national Child Development Account (CDA) policy informed by research from the Center for Social Development (CSD) at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. The development opens the door on a policy structure for channeling natural-resource wealth to invest in children and build human capital.

Through the policy, each child in Kazakhstan receives an asset-building account, and 50% of the dividends from the National Fund will be transferred yearly into the new National Fund for Children for distribution to the CDAs of individual beneficiaries.

“The launch of Kazakhstan’s CDA policy is an important achievement,” said  Michael Sherraden , the George Warren Brown Distinguished University Professor at WashU and founding director of the CSD. “The nation is leveraging natural resources to create opportunities for every child and building a stronger economy in the long run.”

“The Kazakhstan CDA policy may serve as a model for other nations, showing how natural-resource revenue can benefit the whole population,” Sherraden said. “Three billion people live in low- to middle-income countries with natural-resource wealth, yet most of this wealth is currently not developing the population. CDAs could become a more positive strategy.”

Read more on the CSD website .

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The OUR periodically receives postings from faculty who are looking for undergraduates to work on research projects. This is by no means an exhaustive list of opportunities on campus.

Summer Research Assistant Opportunity at WashU Brown School's Race and Opportunity Lab WashU Brown School's Race and Opportunity Lab is looking for a research assistant, undergraduate or graduate, to assist with various research projects. 

WashU Summer Programs & Conference Services Events Are you a WashU summer researcher here in STL looking for fun things to do this summer? Check out the great events hosted by WashU Summer Programs & Conference Services.

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Economic Synopses

What to know about the rise of services.

The reallocation of economic activity away from manufacturing toward the services sector is a notable feature of advanced economies over the past 40 years. This essay presents four facts about the rise of services in the U.S. and other advanced economies.

1. Value Added: The services sector produces 79% of U.S. output 

The services share in value added has grown markedly in the U.S., increasing from 52% in 1950, to 62% in 1980, to 79% in 2020. 1 This growth stems from both an increase in the quantity of services produced and the relative price of services. Administrative services; professional services; education; health care; finance and insurance; and arts, entertainment, and recreation industries grew the most since 1980. These six industries now account for more than 33% of the aggregate value added.

Figure 1 shows that the services sector accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity in most advanced economies, with the sector's share rising close to 9 percentage points on average over the past 25 years. Professional and administrative services, health care, real estate, and the information industries have driven this increase.

2. Employment and Hours Worked: The services sector accounts for 85% of U.S. employment 

In 1980, the services sector employed two workers for every worker in non-service industries in the U.S. It is now 5.5 workers for every non-service worker (i.e., 85% of employment). Skill-intensive industries, such as professional services, health care, and education, grew considerably over the past 40 years and now account for 26% of employment in the U.S. Less-skill-intensive service industries also contributed to this shift in employment: Administrative services, accommodation and food services, and transportation and warehousing now represent 24% of employment in the U.S. 

Despite having more people working in services, the average number of hours worked per employed person has declined. Partly due to more part-time jobs in services, the average number of hours worked fell from 1,932 hours in 1980 to 1,587 in 2020. Conversely, the average number of hours worked in non-service industries has been stable at 2,400 hours per year. 

Figure 2 shows that other advanced economies experienced similar growth in services employment: This sector now employs more than two-thirds of workers in industrialized countries. Employment grew the most in professional and administrative services, health care, real estate, and information. People employed in services work fewer hours than non-service workers, with the average for service workers ranging from 1,345 hours per year in Germany to 1,989 hours in Portugal.

3. Firms and Establishments: The services sector accounts for 83% of U.S. firms 

Although the number of firms and establishments increased at a slower pace than output and employment in services over the past 40 years, the sector currently comprises 83% of firms and 86% of establishments in the U.S.: There were about four service firms for each non-service firm in 1980 and about five in 2020. 2 A rapid expansion of the number of firms in professional services, administrative services, health care, and accommodation and food services drove this increase. These four industries now account for 39% of firms in the U.S. 

Most European countries have followed similar trends, with more than two-thirds of firms operating in the services sector. Countries such as Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Portugal have more than five service firms per non-­service firm, while countries such as Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland had fewer than 3.5 service firms. The latter group of countries have many firms in construction and manufacturing.

4. Consumption: The services sector accounts for 78% of U.S. household spending 

Household spending represented 78% of personal consumption expenditures in the U.S. in 2020—an 8-percentage-­point increase relative to 1980. The increase in spending on services is less spectacular than that in value added over the past 40 years because the measures discussed above relate to production and do not necessarily align with the classification of what final consumers buy. 3  

Why Did the Services Sector Grow?

Stronger productivity growth in non-service industries (e.g., manufacturing) reduced the cost, and therefore the price, of manufactured goods compared with services. Holding other things constant, this stronger productivity growth in non-service industries tends to increase the share of services in the economy. Another explanation relates to household preferences. As people become richer, they tend to spend less on basic goods and demand more services.

1 In national accounts, value added refers to the value of the aggregate output of goods and services (i.e., gross output) minus the aggregate expenses with intermediate inputs.

2 Establishments refer to a single, fixed physical location where economic activity occurs. A firm can be an establishment or a combination of establishments.

3 Take a toy as an example. In terms of final consumption, a toy is a good and hence will not be measured as a service output. However, in terms of value added, the toy would be broken down into several components—one related to the production of the toy (i.e., manufacturing), another related to the transportation and storage of toys (a service), and yet another related to its sale in a retail store (a service).

© 2024, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect official positions of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis or the Federal Reserve System.

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