Education

Explore the various projects below categorized under the general theme of Education. 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: [email protected].

Back to Barrett College Fellows main page

Research projects

Barrett SAEE (Space Architecture & Extreme Environments) ARC 493 Honors Thesis

Project # 145

Center name: MSD, Space Architecture & Extreme Environments (SAEE)
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Elena Rocchi

Project description

Barrett Honors students will participate in SAEE Barrett Research programs, including: 1) Working in the labs of the Interplanetary Initiative, The Next Lab, and the Luminosity Lab, contributing to cutting-edge science, with one student per lab. 2) Engaging in supply chain management within the Business program to contribute to designing the first Starbucks in space, with one student. 3) Participating in the SAEE Barrett Global Flex program in Rome, one of the space capitals of the world, providing an ideal environment for this program and open to all. The faculty lead is Elena Rocchi, working in collaboration with the different lab directors, program heads, and faculty abroad. By the time of application, new opportunities in labs and cities may arise, so students are encouraged to schedule a meeting with me, as the leading faculty member, to discuss available placements and opportunities in more detail.

Special skills needed

Self-Time Management; Design Capacity and Interest in Making Things; Collaboration and Teamwork; Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving; Adaptability and Flexibility; Attention to Detail; Interpersonal and Cross-Cultural Communication; Initiative and Drive; Technical Competency; Global PerspectiveArchitecture
Industrial Design
Graphic Design (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Computer Science (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Design, Arts
Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Urban Planning
Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
Environmental Design
Aerospace Engineering
Biomedical Engineering (for health-related research in space)
Materials Science
Sustainability Studies
International Studies (for global perspectives)
Electrical Engineering (for wearable technology design)
Physics (for space science and research applications)

Majors

Architecture
Industrial Design
Graphic Design (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Computer Science (for virtual simulations/technologies)
Design, Arts
Mechanical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Urban Planning
Business Administration (Supply Chain Management)
Environmental Design
Aerospace Engineering
Biomedical Engineering (for health-related research in space)
Materials Science
Sustainability Studies
International Studies (for global perspectives)
Electrical Engineering (for wearable technology design)
Physics (for space science and research applications)

Years

First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025); 2nd Year Students; 3rd Year Students; 4th Year Students- Seniors; ASU Online; Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Engineering, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Safe Routes to School/Safe Streets

Project # 155

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Join Dr. Allison Poulos in the College of Health Solutions and an interdisciplinary research team to support our local communities to make the streets safer for walking, riding, and rolling. We work with City partners to evaluate changes in safety and human behavior after changes to the built environment. Our team meets weekly on the Downtown Campus on Thursdays from 11-1 and includes a large group of students ranging from first-year undergrads to post-doctoral fellows from various programs throughout ASU. You would assist with data collection including conducting surveys and environmental assessments of street and neighborhood conditions, tallying pedestrian and vehicular traffic counts, data management, and dissemination of results. This research provides a great opportunity for hands-on, community-based research with community partners in government and non-profit spaces.

Special skills needed

Interest in health, sustainability, safety, design; Interest in community-based work; Availability on Thursdays between 11-1

Majors

Health Education, Health Promotion, Public Health, Population Health, Kinesiology, Health Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Design, Sustainability, Psychology, Education

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Nationwide School Recess Project

Project # 156

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Recess is a critical setting to support children's healthy growth and development. Across, the U.S., the number of states passing legislation mandating daily school recess continues to increase; however, we don't have a good understanding of actual practices in schools. Join Dr. Allison Poulos in the College of Health Solutions and an interdisciplinary student and faculty group at other universities across 14 states to measure the relationship between recess policies and practices in elementary schools. On this project, you would assist with administering a statewide survey to schools in Arizona, data management, data analysis, and dissemination of results. The goal of our project is to translate evidence from our survey directly to school administrators, champions, and policymakers to support children's health. Our team meets in person on the Downtown campus every Wednesday from 11-1.

Special skills needed

Availability to meet in person on Wednesdays from 11-1 on the Downtown Campus; interest in health promotion, community-based research, policy, education

Majors

Health, Education, Communication, Sustainability, Humanities, Social Work

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

HeatReady Schools

Project # 157

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Interested in supporting elementary schools to make informed decisions about supporting children's health and movement when it's hot? Join Dr. Allison Poulos and our interdisciplinary study team to learn about the strategies used and challenges schools face; and collect data to identify how adding shade and greenspace to schoolyards can decrease children's thermal exposure and improve health. Students would get hands-on experience collecting and analyzing data. Availability to meet in person on Wednesdays from 11-1 on the Downtown Campus required.

Special skills needed

Interest in health, sustainability, education, design; Availability on Wednesdays from 11-1

Majors

Health, Education, Sustainability, Design, Engineering, Data Analytics, Policy

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

EYEPlay for Everyone

Project # 159

Center name: EYEPlay
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Erin Rotheram-Fuller

Project description

This project uses drama during story time to increase communication, engagement and literacy skills for preschool aged children who are minimally verbal. We can support up to three students for the project, and Lauren Van Huisstede is the project lead.

Special skills needed

Good organizational skills, enjoy watching and playing with young children, interest in understanding disabilities and early education engagement strategies, and attention to detail! This would be ideal for students in the social sciences and education majors. We have several parts of the project that students can take part in, from play-based assessments in schools, to online coding of classroom videos. There is also an opportunity to build and use databases, and assist in analyses for those who are interested (but not required!). This is also an ideal match for students from any field who are interested in learning more about children with disabilities.

Majors

This would be ideal for students in the social sciences and education majors. We have several parts of the project that students can take part in, from play-based assessments in schools, to online coding of classroom videos. There is also an opportunity to build and use databases, and assist in analyses for those who are interested (but not required!). This is also an ideal match for students from any field who are interested in learning more about children with disabilities.

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Act It Out: Theatre-infused Professional Development for K-12 Teachers and Students

Project # 164

Center name: Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Tara Nkrumah

Project description

This grant focuses on STEM teacher leadership development and middle and high school students exploring STEM concepts in a hybrid STEM camp in San Antonio, Texas. STEM teachers will learn about culturally relevant pedagogy. Students will learn to apply STEM concepts to address community needs, work in collaborative learning teams, and explore STEM career pathways.

Special skills needed

1. Assisting with middle and high school student recruitment strategies
2. Contributing to program design and curriculum development
3. Managing and organizing program data
4. Conducting literature reviews on relevant STEM education topics

Majors

Science and Math

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education

Designing and Evaluating ICAP-Aligned Instructional AI Agents in Online STEM Courses

Project # 189

Center name: N/A
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Yi Zheng

Project description

This project explores how large language model based instructional agents can be designed to support higher-quality cognitive engagement in online STEM courses. The project builds on an existing multi-agent instructional system developed in the lab of Professor Hua Wei in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at ASU. The new research aims to integrate the ICAP framework (Interactive, Constructive, Active, Passive) (Chi & Wylie, 2014) as a principled design lens for instructional decision-making.

The honors student will work on (1) translating ICAP principles into explicit agent behaviors, (2) applying these designs to selected modules from an online STEM course, (3) analyzing how different agent configurations promote different ICAP learning modes, and (4) evaluating artifacts (e.g., engagement coding schemes, alignment checks between learning objectives and agent outputs) and student learning outcomes.

This project is suitable for one honors student with interests in AI, education, and research methodology. The student will gain experience in human-centered AI design, learning science frameworks, and empirical research.

Special skills needed

Strong interest in education research, adept thinker and problem-solver, detail-oriented, organized, professional communication

Majors

Psychology, education, social sciences, computer science majors who are interested in education research

Years

-3rd Year Students
-2nd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Engineering

Mechanisms of self-affirmation and its applications

Project # 192

Center name: Health Neuroscience Collaborative
Campus/Location: Downtown; Tempe; Fully remote/Remote considered
Faculty lead: YiYuan Tang

Project description

Professor YiYuan Tang will supervise this project. The first stage of this project was part of Honors thesis project done successfully by Sophia last year. We will continue to work on the project and explore its brain and body mechanisms and how to apply self-affirmation to education and health. Please feel free to contact Professor Tang for your questions.

Special skills needed

Open-minded attitude and self-learning

Majors

Any majors

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Education, Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Neurofeedback and mindfulness on behavior change

Project # 193

Center name: Health neuroscience collaborative
Campus/Location: Downtown; Tempe; Fully remote/Remote considered
Faculty lead: YiYuan Tang

Project description

This project is part of federally funded research and aims to support effective behavior change using mindfulness and neurofeedback.

Special skills needed

Open minded attitude and self-learning

Majors

Any majors

Years

-3rd Year Students
-2nd Year Students
-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Education, Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Indigenous Law & Policy Research & Writing Project

Project # 194

Center name: American Indian Policy Institute
Campus/Location: Downtown; Fully remote; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Brooke Curleyhair

Project description

This project is designed for students interested in the intersection of Indigenous law, public policy, and governance, particularly those considering law school or policy-oriented careers. Under the mentorship of faculty and staff at the American Indian Policy Institute (AIPI), students will engage in a structured research and writing experience focused on a legal or policy issue impacting Indigenous peoples in the United States or internationally.

Students will develop a focused research question, examine the historical and legal foundations of the issue, and analyze contemporary federal, state, tribal, or international policy developments. As part of this work, students will contribute to AIPI’s ongoing policy analysis efforts by assisting with legislative and Federal Register tracking, maintaining and updating a shared policy spreadsheet, and drafting summaries of relevant policy developments in collaboration with AIPI researchers. These activities will support, rather than replace, their individual research project.

Students will produce a final written product, such as a policy brief, research article, or blog post, with opportunities for publication through AIPI’s policy blog and/or the Law Journal for Social Justice’s online platform. Year-long projects may support submission to a law or policy journal.

Special skills needed

This project is intended to facilitate learning opportunities in advanced research and academic writing techniques. While a specific set of qualifications is not required, we recommend students with some experience engaging in academic research and writing apply for this opportunity.

Majors

ANY major! Policies touching all facets of everyday life, from education to health to engineering, impact Indigenous peoples. The more research we do on these diverse issues, the more prepared and empowered Indigenous communities will be to develop quality of life-enhancing solutions!

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

A Performer's Guide to Learning

Project # 199

Center name: ASU Percussion Studio
Campus/Location: Tempe; Fully remote; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Michael Compitello

Project description

A Performer’s Guide to Learning examines how musicians and other performers achieve peak performance by cultivating powerful interdisciplinary learning practices drawn from a wide array of musical and non-musical domains, including history, cultural studies, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and motor learning. The project investigates the intricate relationship between learning, intuition, preparation, and reflection in expert artistic performance.

The Barrett College Fellow will contribute to a book-length research project that clarifies how learning processes—before, during, and beyond the practice room—shape high-level musical performance, helping to articulate a performer-centered framework that bridges research, artistic practice, and professional development.

This opportunity is open to students interested in the intersection of the art and science of learning. The Fellow will conduct a guided literature review in selected areas of the learning sciences, humanities, and creative arts aligned with the student’s interests, which may include:

Motor learning, skill acquisition, and memory

• Cognitive neuroscience
• Peak performance
• Reflection and metacognition
• Performer-centered pedagogy
• Historical models of learning among artists

In addition to gaining foundational experience in interdisciplinary research, synthesis, and scholarly communication, the Fellow will work with the faculty mentor to translate this research for public-facing and educational contexts.

Special skills needed

Interest in cognitive neurology, neuroscience, and/or motor learning
Interest in musical performance (no musical skills are necessary)
Ability to read, synthesize, and summarize academic research
Curiosity
Growth Mindset
Organizational ability
Initiative and proactivity

Majors

Educational Science
Interdisciplinary Studies
Behavioral Science
Psychology
Data Science
Music
History
Integrated Studies
International Letters and Cultures
Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance
Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
Social and Behavioral Science

Years

-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Education, Humanities

A Performer's Guide to Learning

Project # 200

Center name: ASU School of Music, Dance and Theatre
Campus/Location: Tempe; Fully remote; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Michael Compitello

Project description

A Performer’s Guide to Learning examines how musicians and other performers achieve peak performance by cultivating powerful interdisciplinary learning practices drawn from a wide array of musical and non-musical domains, including history, cultural studies, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and motor learning. The project investigates the intricate relationship between learning, intuition, preparation, and reflection in expert artistic performance.

The Barrett College Fellow will contribute to a book-length research project that clarifies how learning processes—before, during, and beyond the practice room—shape high-level musical performance, helping to articulate a performer-centered framework that bridges research, artistic practice, and professional development.
This opportunity is open to students interested in the intersection of the art and science of learning. The Fellow will conduct a guided literature review in selected areas of the learning sciences, humanities, and creative arts aligned with the student’s interests, which may include:

Motor learning, skill acquisition, and memory
Cognitive neuroscience
Peak performance
Reflection and metacognition
Performer-centered pedagogy
Historical models of learning among artists

In addition to gaining foundational experience in interdisciplinary research, synthesis, and scholarly communication, the Fellow will work with the faculty mentor to translate this research for public-facing and educational contexts.

Special skills needed

Majors

Educational Science
Interdisciplinary Studies
Behavioral Science
Psycology
Data Science
Music
History
Integrated Studies
International Letters and Cultures
Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance
Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences
Social and Behavioral Science

Years

-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Education, Humanities

Career Navigator

Project # 203

Center name: Decision Theater
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Manfred Laubichler

Project description

This project focuses on developing an AI-powered tool that helps students clearly understand how their coursework connects to the job market. Using data from CGF courses and live job postings from Lightcast, the tool maps specific skills learned in each course to relevant job titles and current employment opportunities. Students can see how completed courses contribute to concrete, in-demand skills, as well as which additional courses could help close gaps for roles they are interested in pursuing. For each job, the tool displays the full set of required skills, allowing users to compare what they have already learned with what employers are seeking. This creates a transparent pathway between education and employment, grounded in real labor market data. By making skill development visible and actionable, the tool supports more informed academic planning, reduces uncertainty about career outcomes, and helps students align their learning choices with evolving workforce needs.

Special skills needed

This position will assist the Decision Theater staff with subject-matter research and analysis which may include:

Writing briefs

Briefing colleagues on background for topics

Researching through complex techniques and procedures, library research, structured

interviews or other project-specific methodology

Writing and editing material for publication and presentation

Maintaining research documentation and sources

Running models and tools for presentations to clients and visitors

Qualifications include:

Demonstrated public speaking experience

Strong qualitative research skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Detail-oriented

Ability to pick up things fast with a strong desire to learn

Demonstrated leadership experience

Previous knowledge or skill and/or equivalent experience in Outlook, MS Office Suite,

Word, and Excel, specifically macros and functions

Experience with collaborative platforms such as Google Docs

Ability to lift/move heavy furniture with the assistance of a dolly

Interest in learning how to utilize technology to support decision-making and public policy

Majors

All majors are appropriate but may be best suited for those in Sustainability, Complex Adaptive Systems, Fulton Engineering, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, WP Carey (Business Analytics), Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering

Children's Equity Project

Project # 205

Center name: Children's Equity Project
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Shantel Meek

Project description

We're happy to accept as many students as are interested in assisting with data collection, cleaning, and research-related items.

Special skills needed

Interest in children, education, public policy, and/or DEI-related work

Majors

Public policy, education, and social work

Years

-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-3rd Year Students
-2nd Year Students
-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education

Child Development Data Management

Project # 207

Center name: Sanford Harmony Institute
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Dan Erickson

Project description

The Sanford Harmony Institute manages many large and small datasets that support our mission to help every child benefit from supportive and caring relationships. For this project, the Barrett Honors undergraduate student will work directly with the Institute's Data Manager to launch new data collection efforts, organize incoming data, and manage existing datasets. Examples of recent data collection efforts include evaluating a new app to help parents interact with their children in engaging ways in various settings, gathering perspectives of K-12 educators about how to implement our evidence-based curriculum to improve peer relationships in classrooms, and comparing outcomes of child development measures for head start children who do not have our harmony curriculum to those who receive the curriculum and have a new playground built for them for the purpose of encouraging stronger peer interactions outdoors. No prior experience is necessary, as this project will also include the necessary training and supervision to succeed in managing various elements of data collection. This position is ideal for students who are interested in child development and helping improve harmonious relationships in kids. As Mahatma Gandhi taught, "If we are to have real peace, we must begin with the children."

Special skills needed

Interest in child development, desire to learn new skills, aptitude for learning and iterating, adaptability (tasks evolve and change frequently), responsive to feedback, courage to ask questions, dependable and reliable, initiative and diligence.

Majors

Family and Human Development, Sociology, Psychology, Counseling and Applied Science, Applied Science (Early Childhood Studies), Educational Studies (Early Childhood Studies), Social Work, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Early Childhood Education

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Student Leaders of Recess Project

Project # 219

Center name: Physical Activity and Healthy and Active School Research Team
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Pamela Kulinna

Project description

This project grounded in whole-of-school health models is taking place in five local schools. Different models of the intervention are taking place in different schools with one school implementing a youth participatory action research project. The goal of this project is to document the outcomes, successes and challenges of students being trained and leading physical activities and games at recess in elementary schools to support use of this model and expanded recess opportunities for students. This project can offer Barrett students may different research opportunities which could include training student leaders, using systematic observation instruments, conducting interviews, data entry and management, data analyses and writing/grant writing with the research team.

Special skills needed

Students will have opportunities to develop research skills during the project.

Majors

Health, Wellness, Physical Activity and Physical Education

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Education, Health and Wellness

Physical Activity Opportunities in Schools Longitudinal Project

Project # 220

Center name: Physical Activity and Healthy and Active School Research Team
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Pamela Kulinna

Project description

This is a longitudinal project (year 7) grounded in ecological theories studying the adoption of a recess law in Arizona (ARS§15-118) requiring 2 recess sessions per day. The goal of this project is to track physical activity opportunities for students at schools. This data will be used in school partnerships to expand physical activity opportunities for students. This longitudinal project can offer Barrett students many different research opportunities which could include data collection, school visits, data entry and management, conducting interviews, data analyses, and writing/grant writing with the research team.

Special skills needed

Students can develop research skills while working on the project.

Majors

Health, Exercise, Wellness, Kinesiology, Physical Activity and Physical Education

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness

PLAYground Project

Project # 221

Center name: Physical Activity and Healthy and Active School Research Team
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Pamela Kulinna

Project description

The “Play and learning activities for Youth--ground” project grounded in ecological theories will be taking place in local elementary schools. The project was inspired by the PlayOn! curriculum that focuses on developing social skills through physical activities. The project aims to increase social skills as well as increase physical activity patterns of students in afterschool programs. A second phase of the project, is to train students in the afterschool program who are interested to be recess leaders to provide the PlayOn! activities during recess at their schools. This project can offer Barrett students many different opportunities which could include tutoring, data collection, data entry and management, data analyses and writing/grant writing with the research team.

Special skills needed

The students will have opportunities to gain research skills with the project.

Majors

Exercise, wellness, Kinesiology, health, physical activity, Physical Education

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Health and Wellness

Empowering Youth Climate Action (EYCA)

Project # 237

Center name: Mary Lou Fulton College of Teaching and Learning Innovation
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Andrea Weinberg

Project description

The Empowering Youth Climate Action (EYCA) project responds to the urgent need for effective, justice-centered climate education. This research explores gaps in current climate learning efforts and strengthens the use of digital resources through three interconnected areas of work: (1) participatory mapping and analysis of existing climate education resources in collaboration with educators and youth, (2) the development and refinement of an open-access online repository to increase access to high-quality climate learning materials, and (3) research connected to yearlong professional development programs that support climate educators and their students.

The EYCA team will work with a cohort of 2-4 Barrett Fellows who will collaborate closely with each other and the research team, which is led by PI Andrea Weinberg, and Co-PIs Michelle Jordan and Iveta Silova. Students will not work independently or be assigned to isolated roles. Instead, responsibilities will be shaped collectively based on students’ interests, strengths, and developing expertise, which may include quantitative analysis, qualitative coding, synthesis and meaning-making, and collaborative interpretation of findings. Fellows will engage in shared inquiry, regular team meetings, and collective reflection as integral members of an ongoing, interdisciplinary research effort. This collaboration model was successfully used with a previous cohort of Barrett Fellows.

Special skills needed

The EYCA team looks forward to working with undergraduate students who are committed to sustainability and climate action and are eager to engage in collaborative research. Undergraduate researchers will become integral members of the research team throughout their participation in the Barrett College Fellows Undergraduate Research Program. In addition to being punctual, communicative, and self-driven, the following skills and dispositions would serve students well in this research:
- Interest in climate change, sustainability, and education
- Openness to collaborative, team-based research and learning alongside peers and faculty mentors
- Willingness to work with different types of data, including quantitative data, qualitative data (e.g., interviews, open-ended responses), and digital artifacts
- Interest in learning to use and contribute to data management and data analysis platforms (prior experience not required)
- Curiosity and comfort with making sense of complex information, patterns, and perspectives
- Willingness to complete required Human Subjects Research Training (IRB/CITI) and to engage in ethical research practices
- Thoughtfulness, reflexivity, and respect for diverse perspectives
- Reliability in meeting commitments and communicating progress and questions with the research team.

Majors

The climate crisis requires transdisciplinary responses. As such, students from all majors are encouraged to apply if their interests are well-aligned with EYCA’s research.

Still, because the EYCA project sits at an intersection of education and sustainability, students in related degree programs will find clear connections between its research and their academic work. Such majors include, but are not limited to:
- Early Childhood Education (BAE)
- Educational Studies (BAE)
- Elementary Education (BAE)
- English (Secondary Education) (BA)
- History (Secondary Education) (BA)
- Media Arts and Sciences (Education) (BA)
- Middle Grades Education (BAE)
- Secondary Education (BAE)
- Special Education (BAE)
- Applied Biological Sciences (BS)
- Culture, Technology, and Environment (BA)
- Earth and Environmental Sciences (BS)
- Environmental Engineering (BSE)
- Environmental Science (BA / BS)
- Sustainability (BA / BS)

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Science and Imagination Lab

Project # 240

Center name: Center for Science and the Imagination
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ruth Wylie

Project description

The CSI Lab is a new undergraduate research and experiential learning program at the Center for Science and the Imagination (CSI). The program offers selected undergraduates the opportunity to work closely with CSI faculty and staff on applied projects that translate speculative thinking, futures methods, and science fiction into real-world public engagement and community impact. Students in the CSI Lab will contribute meaningfully to ongoing CSI initiatives while developing skills in research, creative production, collaboration, and futures-oriented problem solving.

The CSI Lab is designed as a mentored research experience, emphasizing hands-on work, iterative experimentation, and public-facing outputs. Projects will culminate in tangible deliverables such as curricula, media products, reports, toolkits, or public presentations.

Each CSI Lab cohort will pursue projects in one of two primary categories:
1. Public Engagement for Imagination and Futures Thinking
Students will adapt prior CSI work—such as science fiction stories from CSI anthologies, research reports, or speculative design projects—into new formats for education and public engagement. Working with CSI staff, students may:
* Develop classroom-ready curriculum modules or lesson plans
* Produce short-form social media videos or digital storytelling content
* Create informal learning materials for museums, libraries, or community organizations
* Translate speculative narratives into workshops, games, or interactive experiences
These projects emphasize accessibility, storytelling, and the translation of complex ideas into engaging formats for broad audiences.

2. Futures Clinics with Community Partners
Students will participate in a “futures clinic” model, providing consulting-style futures services to external partners such as nonprofits, government teams, or civic organizations. Under CSI staff supervision, students may:
* Conduct horizon scanning and trend research
* Facilitate futures workshops or scenario exercises
* Co-create speculative artifacts that help partners explore long-term possibilities
* Produce written or visual reports that synthesize insights and recommendations
Futures clinic projects prioritize ethical engagement, mutual learning, and practical value for partner organizations.

Special skills needed

Required: Collaboration, communication, creativity, reliability, and a sense of adventure

Interest in community-based work, futures foresight

Majors

All majors are encouraged to apply

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Business and Entrepreneurship, Education, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Exploring Signals, Trends and Future Scenarios of U.S. Research Universities

Project # 243

Center name: Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory
Campus/Location: Tempe; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Bea Rodriguez-Fransen

Project description

Futurists and foresight practitioners use certain methodologies to research the future. This project invites students to explore how U.S. research universities might change by researching weak signals of change and larger trends that are beginning to reshape universities. Students will learn how to distinguish “signals” from “trends,” conduct environmental scans across news, policy reports, think-tank publications, and higher ed/ed-tech media, and record their findings in a shared database. Working together, they will cluster these signals and trends into themed groups and use them to help create “guiding images” or short scenarios for the futures of higher education, culminating in a polished synthesis report or slide deck for wider audiences. This project is ideal for students who would like to learn the basic building blocks of futures research, and for those who enjoy pattern-finding and imagining how today’s changes might shape tomorrow’s universities.

Faculty Lead: Bea Rodriguez-Fransen
# of Students: Up to 5

Special skills needed

One or more of the following:
-Critical thinking, qualitative data analysis, synthesis skills
-Project management/organization skills
-Storytelling
-Willingness to learn and apply foresight research methods

Majors

Any major interested in learning and applying foresight research methods

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mapping and Measuring Urban Tree Health and Impact Under Extreme Heat

Project # 254

Center name: Human Biometeorology Lab/ HeatReady Initiatives
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Jennifer Vanos

Project description

This project focuses on measuring, monitoring, and evaluating trees planted across the Phoenix Metro area. Overall, the project aims to yield insights into how trees perform in extreme heat environments, and how community-based tree planting contributes to urban cooling and heat resilience. Students will assist in collecting field data for hundreds of trees, including indicators of tree health, growth, and survivability, and will help analyze these data as part of a larger database to assess the effectiveness of urban tree planting efforts. Students will be advised by Dr. Jennifer Vanos, Associate Professor in the School of Sustainability and the team at the HeatReady initiatives at ASU, in partnership with the nonprofit organization Trees Matter. Findings will support evidence-based decision-making for future urban forestry efforts, tree maintenance strategies, and heat mitigation efforts. Students will gain hands-on experience in field data collection, applied environmental research, and community-engaged science. Students will also be part of communication efforts with our partners at the Sustainability Teachers Academy to bolster ongoing collaboration on tree education.

Special skills needed

Looking for students who are eager to engage in outdoor fieldwork as part of a larger, collaborative effort, learning hands-on techniques related to urban forestry and desert tree health, being part of a collaborative team, and have an interest in urban ecology, GIS, and/or urban climate.

Majors

Environmental Science, Conservation Sciences, Sustainability, Geography/GIS, Ecology, Public Health, Education, or related fields.

Years

-First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025)
-2nd Year Students
-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Opportunities in Conservation - Science Communication & Digital Content Coordinator

Project # 271

Center name: Desert Botanical Garden - The Hernandez Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Tania Hernandez

Project description

The Hernandez Lab at the Desert Botanical Garden is a collaborative team of researchers, students, interns, and volunteers dedicated to the study and conservation of desert plant biodiversity, with a particular focus on cacti and agaves, two of the plant groups under the highest threat of extinction. We integrate cutting-edge DNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses with innovative conservation tools, an international network of collaborators, and a strong local community of committed volunteers to generate knowledge that guides the protection and long-term persistence of species. We believe plant conservation is both a scientific imperative and a shared responsibility, and our work centers on understanding genetic diversity, adaptation, and resilience in desert plants; especially in the face of climate change. Through mentorship, research, and hands-on programs such as the Saguaro Initiatives, we connect science, community, and action to safeguard desert ecosystems for future generations.

To learn more about our work, visit https://www.hernandezlab-dbg.com/

Project Location: Desert Botanical Garden and remote work

Special skills needed

** Science Communication & Digital Content Coordinator Honors Student, Intern, or Collaborator **
Effective conservation depends not only on strong science, but on our ability to communicate that science clearly, creatively, and responsibly to diverse audiences. The Hernández Lab places a high value on transparent, engaging, and accessible science communication that connects research, community, and action.

The Science Communication & Digital Content Coordinator will be responsible for helping shape and maintain the public-facing voice of the Hernández Lab. This role focuses on website content, newsletters, blog posts, and digital storytelling related to Sonoran Desert plant conservation, lab research, student projects, the Saguaro Initiatives, and CryoBank activities. The coordinator will work closely with the Hernández Lab team and Desert Botanical Garden’s Marketing and Communications staff to ensure all content is accurate, engaging, and aligned with DBG standards and messaging.

This is an excellent opportunity for a student or early-career professional interested in science communication, conservation storytelling, and digital outreach within a research and museum setting.

Requisites
• Strong interest in science communication, conservation, or environmental storytelling
• Excellent written communication skills (English required; Spanish a plus)
• Interest or experience in website content management, newsletters, blogging, or digital media
• Ability to work collaboratively with scientists, students, and communications professionals
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Availability of approximately 5–10 hours per week
• Ability to participate in a bi-weekly advisory meeting and a quarterly full-team meeting
• Access to a personal computer and reliable internet

Benefits
• Hands-on experience in conservation science communication within a major botanical institution
• Training in translating scientific research into public-facing content
• Experience working with DBG Marketing to develop institutionally approved media content
• Portfolio-building opportunities (website pages, newsletters, blog posts, outreach materials)
• Mentorship from conservation scientists and science communicators
• Networking opportunities across research, conservation, and communications teams
• Resume-building experience in a visible, high-impact conservation program

Majors

Biology, Biological Sciences (Biology & Society), Conservation Biology, Communication, Journalism, Digital Media, Marketing, Sustainability, Innovation in Society, Environmental Studies, or related

Years

-3rd Year Students
-4th Year Students- Seniors
-ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Education, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Sustainability