Student pointing at poster board research

Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences

The Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE), based in the Office of Research, leads, supports and facilitates student-faculty research collaborations throughout the Schools and Colleges of Pace University. 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.

Center for Undergraduate Research Experiences

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)

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

Deadline to apply—Wednesday, April 10, 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 summer immersion experiences for students who will work on 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 early May for projects to commence as early as mid-to-late May and conclude by August 31.
  • 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 during this summer program.
  • The faculty mentor will consult with the student assistant in determining how the student should allocate the hours to be earned during the summer months. The faculty mentor will work with the student in tracking hours and approve student timesheets.
  • Amelia Gould student awardees will be part of the CURE Summer 2024 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.

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, Pace School 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, Pace School 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