Business and Entrepreneurship

Explore the various projects below categorized under the general theme of Business and Entrepreneurship. Be sure to return to the Barrett College Fellows Program main page and explore projects under the other 11 themes as well. You might be surprised at what you find and maybe you will discover the perfect research project for what you hope to study!

Please do not contact the research centers or faculty listed below directly (a formal application process is a required step to joining these research opportunities).

For questions about the Barrett College Fellows Program or specific research projects, please contact Dr. Sarah Graff at: BarrettCollegeFellows@exchange.asu.edu.

Projects with an asterisk (*) indicate projects still taking students. If you would like to apply for any of these projects, please contact barrettcollegefellows@asu.edu and fill out the student application.

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Research projects

tDAR User Interface Enhancement

Project # 1

Center name: Center for Digital Antiquity
Campus/Location: Tempe, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Chris Nicholson

Project description

We are updating the user interface for tDAR (the Digital Archaelogical Record), our internationally recognized digital repository for archaeological data and information. The current design is outdated and in need of refinement to ensure users are finding the information they need.

Special skills needed

Website design and experience in user interface.

Majors

Computer Science, Applied Science, Business, Library Science, Anthropology

Years

3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Latinx Leadership Academy in the Performing Arts (LLAPA) *

Project # 27

Center name: Latinx Leadership Academy in the Performing Arts
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Micha Espinosa

Project description

The Latinx Leadership Academy in the Performing Arts (LLAPA) is an initiative to empower, inspire, and motivate Latinx high school students in Arizona. Latinx students and professionals are under-represented in the field and face multiple barriers. To that end, LLAPA uses culturally sustaining training and leadership development techniques to foster positive narratives that prepare Latinx students for successful careers in the performing arts. LLAPA is committed to systemic change and will work with administrators, teachers, students, and their families to transform beliefs, attitudes, and policies and will celebrate and invest in Latinx culture, heritage and identity practices, and creative leadership. Latinx students who study the performing arts are confronted with many factors that limit their success including, diminishing resources, lack of formal mentorship, systemic bias, structural inequality, and organizational barriers. This interdisciplinary academy will improve access to these resources and help these students realize the artists’ role in the relationship between cultural investment, economic development, and social impact.

Special skills needed

Required skills include: 1) communication skills - effective written and verbal communication skills are essential for conveying the organization's message clearly and building relationships with various stakeholders; 2) research skills - ability to conduct research to identify potential partners, opportunities, and community needs to tailor outreach efforts effectively; 3) cultural competency - sensitivity to cultural differences and the ability to adapt outreach strategies to diverse communities; 4) management - oganizational skills to plan, execute, and track multiple outreach projects simultaneously; and 5) reporting and documentation - keeping records, documenting outreach activities, and preparing reports to measure progress and outcomes.

Majors

Open to all students interested in the project's mission

Years

1st-year students (new to ASU Fall 2024), 2nd-year students, 3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Science and Policy of Certifying Carbon Removal

Project # 62

Center name: Center for Negative Carbon Emissions
Campus/Location: Tempe, West, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Stephanie Arcusa

Project description

Prof. Arcusa is seeking Barrett Fellows interested in joining the fight to stop global warming. Carbon removal is a set of technologies that capture carbon dioxide from the air and stores it in rocks, oceans, vegetation, and soils. We cannot keep the Paris Agreement to stay below 1.5 or 2 degree C alive without carbon removal. This means a global carbon removal industry will need to be developed and two of the pressing questions are: how will we certify that carbon removal is taking place as claimed (that is, carbon accounting) and what policies will we need to put in place to sustain such an industry. This project has various opportunities depending on the interest of the Barrett Fellow. Topical questions that need answering span law, justice, business, communication, engineering, public policy, international trade, diplomacy, economics, sustainability, and earth science. Answers will have real world applications for a growing carbon removal industry.

Special skills needed

Curiosity.

Majors

Engineering, Business, Public Policy, Global Management, Economics, Law, Humanities

Years

1st-year students (new to ASU Fall 2024), 2nd-year students, 3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Engineering, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Sustainability

24h Behaviors Laboratory

Project # 80

Center name: 24h Behaviors Laboratory
Campus/Location: Downtown, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Matthew Buman

Project description

The 24h Behaviors Laboratory utilizes emerging technologies (including wearables, smartphone applications, and other novel devices) and health behavior change interventions to understand the dynamic interplay of sleep, sedentary, and more active behaviors, and how collectively these behaviors may be harnessed for health promotion and disease prevention.

Special skills needed

Attention to detail, excellent organizational and communication skills, a self-started, and a genuine interest in clinical research.

Majors

Population, Public Health, and Health Care Policy; Neuroscience; Movement Science; Medical Studies and Health Sciences; Nutrition; Healthy Lifestyles and Health Education; Neuroscience; Nutrition; Biomedical Informatics; Data Analytics

Years

1st-year students (new to ASU Fall 2024), 2nd-year students, 3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Business and Biodiversity

Project # 101

Center name: Conservation Innovation Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Leah Gerber

Project description

Our project involves the analysis of corporate sustainability responsibility (CSR) and other company reports, identifying the sustainability strategies adopted as it relates to biodiversity conservation.

Special skills needed

The position requires skills in data collection, organization, and analysis. Barrett Fellows will assist in the collection of company reports over a period of time, using global databases. These reports will be content analyzed, using a computerized text analysis program and perform statistical analysis including clustering and other theme-development methods. The position requires an independent worker with strong problem solving skills, a flexible approach to working and an acute attention to detail and depending on interest and ability, the position may entail some writing as well.

Majors

Sustainability, Conservation, Mathematics, Biological Sciences, Business Sustainability

Years

3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Sustainability

Developing a Productivity Picture of Maricopa County

Project # 110

Center name: Complexity Economics Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Joffa Applegate

Project description

Productivity is commonly measured as GDP per worker hours, and since GDP and National Income are nearly identical, this is the same thing as measuring productivity as average wage. But this tell us nothing about what is being produced in an economy or how. Two hundred years ago Charles Babbage wrote "On the Economy of Machinery and Manufacturers" in which he detailed the production of contemporary industries by visiting factories, counting and describing the machinery used and how the workers spent their time, and the standard production outputs in terms of quantity and quality. This project will apply creative thinking and data sleuthing to collect a simlar dataset for modern Maricopa County.

Special skills needed

Knowledge of R; data sleuth and out-of-the-box thinking.

Majors

Business, Data Science, Economics, Engineering

Years

2nd-year students, 3rd-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics

Supporting Minority Entrepreneurs through Nonprofit Collaboration - Case Study

Project # 132

Center name: Dr. Danbi Seo's Research Team
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Danbi Seo

Project description

This project traces and analyzes nine years of nonprofit efforts for supporting minority entrepreneurship and addressing racial income and wealth inequities in the state of Minnesota (2014 to 2023). The research team consists of leading scholars in public and nonprofit management at ASU and the University of Minnesota. Data collection has been completed, and the Barrett Fellow will help mostly with data management and analysis. In particular, the student will work with Dr. Danbi Seo at ASU on writing narratives of a group of nonprofit organizations and their collaborative efforts on helping minority entrepreneurs. This will provide good opportunities to work in a research team and learn about nonprofit management, collaboration, and issues related to minority entrepreneurship.

Special skills needed

Strong writing skills; experience in literature search; attention to detail; and interests in ethnography and community-oriented research.

Majors

Nonprofit Management, Public Affairs, Community Development, Political Science, Sociology

Years

3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Coffee Value Chains in the U.S.

Project # 134

Center name: Food and Agribusiness Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe, Polytechnic, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Alexis Villacis

Project description

This project aims to conduct a comprehensive literature review on coffee production systems in the United States with a specific focus on the unique contexts of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. By synthesizing existing research and scholarly articles, we intend to provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges, innovations, and sustainability practices prevalent in these two regions. The review will delve into various aspects of coffee cultivation, including agronomic practices, environmental impact, economic considerations, and social dimensions. By scrutinizing the literature, we aim to identify key trends, gaps in knowledge, and potential areas for improvement within the coffee production systems of Hawaii and Puerto Rico. This research endeavor not only contributes to the academic discourse surrounding coffee agriculture but also serves as a valuable resource for stakeholders, policymakers, and industry professionals seeking to enhance the resilience and efficiency of coffee cultivation in these unique American landscapes.

Special skills needed

Analytical thinking, communication skills, attention to detail, time management, interdisciplinary perspective, and adaptability.

Majors

Business, Sustainability, Agribusiness, Supply Chain, other related fields

Years

3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Sustainability

Caring and Sharing Informal Economy in Maricopa County

Project # 147

Center name: School of Transborder Studies
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Irasema Coronado

Project description

Anecdotal evidence suggests a thriving informal economy in Maricopa County, with many individuals involved in various roles such as household cleaning, babysitting, landscaping, food vending, and caring for the elderly. Additionally, many families provide services for one another such as day care, providing transportation, with our remuneration. This project entitled "The Caring and Sharing Informal Economy in Maricopa County" aims to assess the significant role played by the informal economy in providing vital support and resources to families within the county. The project will commence with an extensive literature review on the subject, followed by the second phase, which involves conducting informal interviews with individuals who utilize services from the informal economy and participate in the caring and sharing economy. Alongside qualitative insights gathered from interviews, we will incorporate quantitative data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the informal economy's impact. This could involve statistical analysis of income generated, hours worked, and economic contributions.

Special skills needed

Literature review, experience working with census data or other economic data, and Spanish language skills.

Majors

Liberal Arts, Business

Years

1st-year students (new to ASU Fall 2024), 2nd-year students, 3rd-year students, 4th-year students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Social and Behavioral Sciences