Barrett Small Network Hero

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: BarrettCollegeFellows@exchange.asu.edu.

Back to Barrett College Fellows main page

Research projects

Project # 3

Center name: School math & natural sciences
Campus/Location: West
Faculty lead: James Johnson

Project description

Urbanization is a rapid ecological disturbance that can alter the genotypes and phenotypes of native biota. These shifts to urban living must be understood if we hope to understand human-wildlife interactions. Our earlier wors suggetss interesting behavioral and genetic difference exist between urban and desert black widow spiders. This fellow would be trained to further this understanding, ultimately helping us collect a fuller dataset that depicts the genetic relationships within and among black widows collected from replicate urban and desert populations. # Students needed: 1-3

Special skills needed

Basic BIO lab skills and comfort working with arthropods a plus.

Majors

BIO, FOR

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, Education, Sustainability

Project # 14

Center name: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Aaron Guest

Project description

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is one of 120 Lifelong Learning Institutes in the United States. Housed in the ASU Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, OLLI at ASU engages in research pertaining to lifelong learning, adult education, and community building. We take pride in that our work is both research-inspired and research-inspiring. The incumbent for this position would assist in the OLLI Lifelong Needs Assessment and Moonshot Project.

Special skills needed

1. Attention to Detail: Ensuring accuracy in coding, data input, and interpretation.
2. Strong Written and Oral Communication: Articulating findings, synthesizing literature, and collaborating with team members.
3. Critical Thinking: Identifying patterns, drawing inferences, and addressing gaps in data or literature.
4. Time Management: Handling multiple tasks and meeting deadlines.
5. Collaboration: Working effectively in a team environment.
6. Flexibility: Adapting to evolving project needs and feedback.
7. Familiarity with literature reviews, data analysis, and surveys is beneficial.

Majors

Open to all majors, with an emphasis on Business, Social Sciences, and Health Programs

Years

2nd Year Students, 4th Year Students- Seniors, 3rd Year Students, ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work)

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Health and Wellness, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 15

Center name: Sport Pedagogy Research Lab
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Pamela Hodges Kulinna

Project description

This project grounded in whole-of-school health models is taking place in 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

A willingness to learn to use new statistical programs including SPSS, NVivo and REDCap.

Majors

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and College of Health Solutions majors; others are welcome

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, Health and Wellness

Project # 16

Center name: Sport Pedagogy Research Lab
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Pamela Hodges Kulinna

Project description

This is a longitudinal project (year 6) 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

A willingness to learn to use new statistical programs including SPSS, NVivo and REDCap.

Majors

Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College and the College of Health Solutions Majors; others are welcome

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

Project # 18

Center name:
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Sangmi Lee

Project description

Assessments profoundly affect how students study and learn. As opposed to traditional assessments such as closed-book exams, learner-centered assessments respect the diverse talents of the learners, encourage meta-cognition, self-reflection, and self-regulation, situate assessment tasks in authentic, real-world contexts, and/or provide a learning environment through social negotiation and collaboration. Such learner-centered assessments better promote learning and provide lifelong benefits to the learners. This project aims to design innovative learner-centered assessments and test their efficacy through randomized controlled trial (RCT) experiments in ASU classes. Interested honors students may assist with any aspect of the project, such as reviewing the literature and designing innovative assessment methods, designing the experiments, managing the in-class experiments, conducting surveys and interviews, analyzing quantitative and/or qualitative data, and writing up the results. This project may become an honors thesis.

Special skills needed

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

Majors

Psychology, education, social sciences, biology or math majors who are interested in education research

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 19

Center name: Social Network Among Caregivers
Campus/Location: Downtown, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Aaron Guest

Project description

The SNAC Lab has two active projects, with additional ones under development; you will contribute as a productive and active team member. The first aims to understand caregivers' weekly activities, who they spend time with, and where to design more effective programs and support. The second project seeks to understand the social network composition of unpaid caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related dementia and evaluate how these networks support the well-being and resilience of the caregivers. You will be able to develop skills and expertise in social network analysis, geospatial analysis, and mixed methods research, including quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.

You will be responsible for assisting in data analysis, cleaning, and preparing manuscripts and presentations.

Special skills needed

Students should be self-motivated and self-driven. They should be able to commit to a set number of hours per week, be familiar with journal articles, and identify research. They should be familiar with Google Office (sheets, documents), Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Powerpoint), and Adobe.

Familiarity with Qualitative and Quantitative Research a plus, but not necessary.

Majors

Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Medical Sciences, Computer Sciences, etc.

Years

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, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 20

Center name: School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (West Valley)
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Sangmi Lee

Project description

This proposed research is about Korean ethnic return migrant students (KERMS), diasporic descendants who were born or raised abroad and have “returned” to their ancestral homeland of South Korea for their higher education. The goal of this research is to demonstrate that even among educational migrants who share the same ancestry and heritage culture with native-born students, various forms of inequality and exclusion persist in higher education that can differentially affect their sense of belonging and limit their educational success and employment opportunities. I am seeking one or two students who are interested in the topics of global education, migration, and immigrant descendants and qualitative, ethnographic research methods. Students will assist with collecting online data and sources (e.g., survey results, medial and institutional reports, etc.), finding relevant literature, and producing summaries on the collected materials.

Special skills needed

Analytical writing skills, some knowledge about research process would be good, but not required (I will advise and train students).

Majors

Education, Humanities, "Journalism, Communication and Mass Media", Social and Behavioral Sciences

Years

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, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media

Project # 26

Center name: School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Carla van de Sande

Project description

The KiSS Program is an NSF-sponsored project that provides retrieval practice to students over academic breaks so that they maintain foundational math skills for their future studies. We collect data on participation, confidence, accuracy, and decision-making. Students who work on this project would assist in data management, analysis, and visualization. Up to 5 students could participate.

Special skills needed

Interest in mathematics education, Excel proficiency a plus

Majors

Computer science, data analytics, mathematics 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

Project # 28

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

Project description

The Children’s Equity Project is led in partnership with researchers and advocates at several universities and organizations across the United States. Our work focuses on closing opportunity gaps and advancing equity in all of the systems that impact the lives of children and families so that all children, particularly those from historically and contemporary marginalized communities, can thrive.

The CEP works at the intersection of research, practice, and policy. We engage in rigorous original research, partner with policy makers at every level of government to support data and research informed policy changes that will advance opportunity for children from historically marginalized communities; and engage with communities to deliver training, technical assistance, and professional development. We are informed by families' voices through our family advisory committee, lived experiences, data, and research, and have deep expertise in child development, policy, and systems.

Special skills needed

No pre skills required, just dedication and interest in our mission

Majors

Policy, education, sociology, family development, early childhood education, etc

Years

3rd Year Students, 4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Humanities, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Sustainability

Project # 30

Center name: Center for Indian Education
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person, Tempe
Faculty lead: Judy Kertész

Project description

The Indigenous ASU project explores and honors the rich history and enduring contributions of Indigenous faculty, students, and staff at Arizona State University. Through archival research, storytelling, and public engagement, the project seeks to preserve and amplify the legacies of Indigenous communities that have shaped ASU’s culture, academic mission, and identity.

At its core, Indigenous ASU emphasizes public history, focusing on uncovering and sharing stories that often go untold. Students will conduct in-depth archival research, examining historical documents, photographs, and records to uncover key milestones in ASU’s Indigenous history. This work will be complemented by oral history interviews with Indigenous individuals connected to ASU, capturing their personal experiences, challenges, and triumphs. Together, these efforts will contribute to a living archive, ensuring the preservation of these vital narratives for future generations.

The project also includes designing interactive exhibits that showcase important moments in ASU’s Indigenous history, such as the development of academic programs and cultural initiatives. Additionally, a digital archive will host multimedia resources, creating an accessible platform for educators, researchers, and the broader public.

With a cohort size of up to 10 students, the project offers a collaborative environment where participants develop practical skills in archival research, oral history, digital storytelling, and public engagement. Indigenous ASU reflects ASU’s commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and public service, ensuring Indigenous voices remain central to its mission.

Special skills needed

Students participating in the Indigenous ASU project will have the opportunity to develop a range of valuable skills while contributing to this meaningful initiative. Key skills include conducting archival research to locate, analyze, and catalog historical documents and primary sources that uncover significant moments in ASU’s Indigenous history. Participants will also gain experience in oral history, learning how to conduct respectful and ethical interviews while using recording and transcription tools to preserve personal narratives.

In addition, students will explore the art of digital storytelling by creating multimedia content and designing engaging online platforms that bring these stories to life. They will also apply principles of exhibit design, working collaboratively to develop interactive displays that effectively communicate Indigenous contributions and experiences.

A commitment to cultural sensitivity is essential, as participants will represent Indigenous voices with respect and inclusivity. Collaboration will be at the heart of the project, with students honing their ability to manage time, contribute to team efforts, and communicate effectively to meet project goals.

No prior experience is required—just an interest in Indigenous history and public history. Training and mentorship will be provided to help students build these skills and make a lasting impact through their work on the project.

Majors

History, American Indian Studies, American Studies, English Literature, Sociology, Anthropology, and any relevant humanities and social science majors.

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, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 36

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 Perspective

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

2nd Year Students, 4th Year Students- Seniors, ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work), 3rd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 45

Center name: New Carbon Economy Consortium (NCEC)
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person, Tempe
Faculty lead: Krista O'brien

Project description

The New Carbon Economy Consortium (NCEC) is an alliance of universities, national labs, and NGOs working in partnership with industry leaders to build a carbon-conscious world. NCEC hosts members with carbon removal solutions in Engineered Solutions, Biological Solutions, and Hybrid Solutions as well as Finance, Governance, Policy, Business, and Entrepreneurship.

The NCEC Insights project intends to educate a broad audience on cutting edge solutions in carbon sequestration, use, and storage. These solutions range from technical solutions like mechanical carbon sequestration to natural solutions such as “blue carbon” which utilizes coastal ecosystems to capture and store carbon. The Barrett Fellows will be tasked with 1) conducting research into up-and-coming carbon solutions, 2) interviewing researchers and practitioners in fields of carbon capture, use, and storage, and 3) drafting written deliverables. This project will expand students' knowledge of carbon capture concepts and allow students to develop climate communication skills, as the insights will communicate complex topics to the general public.

The faculty lead for this project is Amanda Ellis, but Krista O'brien is the secretariat and primary manager of the New Carbon Economy Consortium. NCEC falls under the Global Partnerships department within the Global Futures Laboratory.

Special skills needed

Required:
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Proficiency in email communication
- Self-motivated to work independently and meet deadlines in a timely manner
- An interest in climate action and carbon solutions
- Experience working on a team

Preferred:
- Understanding of various CO₂ concepts such as CO₂ sequestration, conversion, storage, and mineralization.
- Experience conducting interviews

Majors

English, Communications, Journalism, Sustainability, Engineering, Education (flexible on major if they fulfill the required & preferred skills through course work and professional experience)

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Sustainability

Project # 51

Center name: Center for Global Health
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Amber Wutich

Project description

AW4A’s goal is to advance water security in Arizona’s most water-insecure households. Our international, interdisciplinary team works under the leadership of MacArthur Fellow, Dr. Amber Wutich. Based on the premise that it is impossible to create meaningful environmental justice impacts in communities without establishing trust and committing to long-haul connections with those communities, we are building a multi-stakeholder network facilitated through a partnership between Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of Arizona (U of A) to engage and co-develop projects with water-insecure communities across the state.

At the AW4A network, we expect to create in-person and virtual spaces that allow stakeholders who are experiencing water insecurity to learn from each other, build leadership and advocacy capacity, and enhance existing opportunities for collaboration. Fully integrated into the AW4A team, the Barrett College Fellow will take a leading role in building this collaborative network, developing and implementing the effective relationship building and communication strategies that are vital to its success. This involves hosting workshops and webinars, as well as maintaining newsletters, blogs, graphic creations, and other media tasks to keep our partners and community engaged with our work.

Special skills needed

We are seeking a dynamic student invested in learning how to create and maintain relationships with multiple stakeholders involved in socio-environmental issues (i.e., water security in low-income communities) across Arizona. Skills that are valued are:
Strong written and verbal communication skills that enhance the quality of team and project outputs.
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to deal with unexpected situations.
A desire to work on complex problems as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Curiosity and learning mindset about stakeholder engagement and community-based research.
Minimum basic understanding of Spanish.
Ability to work with Canva or other graphic design software.
Ability to work with Mailchimp or other newsletter design and distribution software.

Majors

Business, management, marketing, and related support services,
Marketing/marketing management,
Multi-/interdisciplinary studies,
Journalism,
Environmental studies,
Communication sciences and disorders,
Anthropology,
Global Health,
Liberal arts and sciences/liberal studies,
Graphic design,
Digital communication and media/multimedia,
Environmental design/architecture,
Geography,
Environmental/environmental health engineering

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 57

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

The intern will provide crucial support to the program director in various aspects of the initiative, including:
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

Specific skills are not required. Mentorship will be provided on how to perform the specific tasks

Majors

Science and Math 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:

Education

Project # 59

Center name: Center for Global Health
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Amber Wutich

Project description

Global Health & Water (2-3) Mentor: Dr. Amber Wutich Global Health & Menstruation (2-3) Mentor: Dr. Alexandra Brewis Global Health & Sociolinguistics (1-2) Mentor: Dr. Cindi Sturtz Sreetharan Global Health & Education (1-2) Mentor: Dr. Alissa Ruth Arctic Multi-level Governance (1-2) Shauna BurnSilver

Special skills needed

Research coding, adobe suite, Microsoft suite, google suite

Majors

Global Health, Anthropology, Health Care, Community Engagement, Social Science majors, Health majors in general

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, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 64

Center name: Center for Science and the Imagination
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Ed Finn

Project description

The Center for Science and the Imagination is building a community climate futures project with the town of Guadalupe. Students joining this project will participate in a collaborative research program working with elders and high school students in the Guadalupe community to imagine resilient, positive futures in the face of climate change and other challenges. Activities will include designing and implementing monthly activities for community members to imagine hopeful futures and connect community heritage and history to aspirational goals for the future. Some examples of previous workshop themes include quilting and fabric arts, visual arts, cooking, music. This work draws on methodologies from the fields of design research (such as co-design and speculative design), foresight and futures (including trend analysis and worldbuilding), and the humanities (speculative fiction and personal narratives). Students will support the project through ideation and implementation, community engagement, data analysis, and sharing of research findings with the Guadalupe community and other audiences.

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

Project # 69

Center name: Fisher Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Rebecca Fisher

Project description

Dr. Rebecca Fisher (Professor, School of Life Sciences and Director of Anatomy, School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering (SOMME)) is collaborating with colleagues in the SOMME and the School of Biological & Health Systems Engineering
to design an innovative curriculum for medical students that integrates anatomy, medical imaging, and clinical skills training. The Virtual Anatomy Project will include opportunities for students to: 1) assess the pros and cons of existing extended reality platforms, AI tools, and other educational technologies, 2) explore new ways to utilize existing and emerging technologies to design an integrated anatomy, medical imaging, and clinical skills curriculum, and 3) critically assess the learning outcomes of these curricula.

Special skills needed

Seeking students who have taken at least one college-level anatomy course (e.g., BIO 201 or equivalent) and have experience using XR platforms and AI.

Majors

All majors welcome, but prior coursework in biology, engineering, and other related sciences will be helpful for this project.

Years

2nd Year Students, 3rd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Education

Project # 71

Center name: Active Schools & Communities Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Allison Poulos

Project description

Join Dr. Allison Poulos in the College of Health Solutions and an interdisciplinary student and faculty group working on a joint project with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to promote children's health in schools. Our team works with ADHS and ADE to administer a statewide survey to schools in Arizona to understand which schools have supportive wellness and physical activity policies and practices, and which schools need more assistance. Our Barrett Fellows assist with 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.

Special skills needed

Interest in learning about OR experience working with large amounts of data; Preferred availability on Thursdays

Majors

Public Health, Health Sciences, Population Health, Education, Social Work, Public Service, Communication, Family and Social Dynamics

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, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 72

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

Project description

Interested in helping schools make informed decisions to support physical activity when it's hot? Join our study to learn about the strategies used and challenges schools face; and collect data to identify thermal exposure among children playing in different schoolyard environments. This project will include collecting some primary data at schools in the Phoenix region and working with existing data. Our team collaborates and supports other labs at ASU including Dr. Vanos' Human Biometeorology Lab and Dr. Middel's SHaDE lab.

Special skills needed

Interest in learning about OR experience with data collection (observations, interviews, environmental sensoring); Data entry; Data analysis; Creating reports/presentations; Preferred availability on Wednesdays

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, Education, Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Project # 73

Center name: Participatory Governance Initiative
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Daniel Schugurensky

Project description

This project consists of an analysis of youth participation in institutional spaces in the Phoenix metropolitan area with a focus on three case studies: school participatory budgeting, youth advisory council (municipal level) and student government at the college level. For each case study, the project will start with three questions: a) who participate; b) how do they participate; and c) what for?
Different levels and types of participation will be examined, considering key demographic variables of participants.
The study will also include process and impact evaluation.

Special skills needed

Ability to collect, analyze and interpret data,
Ability to conduct interviews and focus groups,
Familiarity with youth engagement, especially youth advisory councils (municipal level) and student government (college level).

Majors

Public service, Public policy, Political science, Education, Justice studies

Years

3rd Year Students, 4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 74

Center name: ASU Social Media Observatory
Campus/Location: Fully remote
Faculty lead: Bryan Henderson

Project description

This research seeks to identify trends in how students make sense of science-related information (e.g., climate change; COVID vaccinations) through social media, and then informed by these trends, design classroom interventions to support students in more critically evaluating the different ways science information is spread throughout digital social networks like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.

My research team has been developing classroom activities for middle school students designed to help them think more critically about the science-related information they encounter on social media. For example, we have been developing classroom activities where students have to make sense of conflicting evidence about climate change being shared by two different hypothetical accounts on social media. These activities are being delivered to students through a classroom technology I created called Braincandy.

I would gladly welcome 1-3 Barrett College Fellows that are interested in helping further the development of these social media classroom activities and assist with pilot testing them at local schools.

Special skills needed

While all necessary skills can be trained during the research itself, some experience with digital content creation (e.g., graphic design; presentation creation; image editing) is desirable. A genuine interest in education and/or science-related issues is also a plus.

Majors

This research is at the intersection of science/technology, psychology/sociology, and education. Hence, this opportunity is relevant to many different academic majors. We seek students concerned with social media misinformation and interested in helping address the issue through the development of classroom materials that support more critical sensemaking of information shared on social media networks.

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Education, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 78

Center name: SILC
Campus/Location: Tempe, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Olga Kellert

Project description

This project examines how social backgrounds influence the understanding of COVID-19 information disseminated by high-impact news outlets in Peru and Ecuador. Using data collected from indigenous and non-indigenous communities, the study employs interdisciplinary methods, including statistical analyses, to evaluate belief states and their alignment with news content (Reference Corpus).

Honor students will analyze the dataset (provided in Excel) to determine whether knowledge about virus treatment varies by cultural, linguistic, age, or gender differences. They will also contextualize their findings within broader social and cultural research frameworks. This project offers students a practical, hands-on experience in quantitative analysis while emphasizing the integration of cultural contexts into data interpretation.

Special skills needed

Familiarity with quantitative data analysis techniques and tools (e.g., Excel, R, or Python). Basic understanding of research methods, particularly in social sciences. Cultural sensitivity and interest in working with diverse populations and data. Understand Spanish or use Google Translate.

Majors

Social and Behavioral sciences, Data analytics/Statistics

Years

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, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 81

Center name: Center for Indian Education
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Brooke Curleyhair

Project description

This project focuses on the development of a culturally relevant and responsive educational (CRRE) curriculum for grades 6-12 that examines the history of American Indian boarding schools in the Southwest U.S. The curriculum will address the legacies of colonialism and assimilation policies, as well as the intergenerational trauma caused by boarding school systems, which have disrupted cultural continuity and created barriers to educational success for Indigenous youth. The goal is to reconnect students with Indigenous histories specific to the Southwest, challenging dominant narratives in mainstream education.

The curriculum will integrate primary sources, including Indigenous voices, and encourage critical engagement with issues such as sovereignty, power dynamics, and the consequences of education policies. It is designed to help Indigenous students feel pride and belonging, while offering all students the opportunity to explore historical injustices and their ongoing impact.

The faculty lead is Dr. Jessica Solyom, Associate Director for the Center for Indian Education, along with CIE Policy Analyst, Brooke Curleyhair. Together, they will guide the development and implementation of this curriculum, ensuring it meets state-mandated educational standards while fostering critical inquiry and action-oriented lessons.

Special skills needed

- Strong research and critical thinking skills
- Interest in Indigenous education, history, or policy
- Ability to analyze and synthesize primary sources
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Familiarity with culturally responsive pedagogy (preferred but not required)
- Basic curriculum development skills or interest in curriculum design
- Knowledge of or willingness to learn about American Indian boarding schools and their impact

Majors

Education, History, Indigenous Studies, Public Policy, Sociology, Humanities, Anthropology, Social Work, Journalism

Years

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, Humanities, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 91

Center name:
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Tracy Perkins

Project description

Environmental Justice Wikipedia Project: Conduct background research to identify strong source material for new articles about US environmental justice activists on Wikipedia. Student will be trained in finding and evaluating source material. Depending on student interest and ability, student may edit existing Wikipedia articles on environmental justice activists.

Environmental Justice Oral History collection: Edit transcripts of oral history interviews with environmental justice activists to prepare them for public release. Student will be trained in the editing process.

Perkins is faculty lead for all of the above. Depending on student interests and project needs, students could be assigned to either of these projects.

Special skills needed

Detail oriented
Responsible and reliable

All project skills can be taught, but familiarity with social movements, environmental justice, library sciences, racism and other forms of social inequality, oral history, literature reviews, Wikipedia and/or archiving is a plus.

Majors

Most humanities and social science degrees will be appropriate. Particularly useful degrees include: Justice Studies, Transborder Studies, American Indian Studies, Asian Pacific American Studies, African and African American Studies, Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies, Sociology, History and American Studies.

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

Project # 93

Center name: SolarSPELL
Campus/Location: Tempe, Flexible to remote and/or in-person, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Laura Hosman

Project description

SolarSPELL is seeking 3-4 interns to curate regionally-relevant, engaging, and educational Wikipedia articles to add to our offline digital libraries that are used around the globe. Wikipedia for Schools (WFS) is a curated selection of ~7,000 articles from the full Wikipedia article catalog that are meant to be school-friendly and support existing curriculum. The SolarSPELL initiative includes WFS as a collection of our offline, digital libraries, which are localized for the community using them. As such, further review of WFS is necessary to assess what new articles to include and what articles to (perhaps) weed out in order to be as relevant as possible to our in-country library users around the world. This project would require research into relevant supporting materials for curricula where SolarSPELL currently has libraries, including countries in the Pacific Islands, East Africa, and Southern Africa. Students proficient in Arabic may also work on the Arabic WFS for our Northeast Syria library.

Special skills needed

- Ability to conduct research
- Thrive in a team environment and work well with others
- Detail oriented and reliable; a strong and honest work ethic motivates you
- Globally minded; you have a desire to work for a department that serves communities from all over the world

Majors

All 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:

Education, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Project # 94

Center name: SolarSPELL
Campus/Location: Tempe, Flexible to remote and/or in-person, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Laura Hosman

Project description

SolarSPELL is seeking students to curate regionally-relevant, open access, educational content for our Middle East library collection that is currently used in the Autonomous Region of North and East Syria (AANES). Proficiency in Arabic, Kurdish, OR Syriac is required. The Arabic collection on our digital library currently includes over 1500 resources. Students in this role will oversee the expansion and further development of the Arabic collection for use in North and East Syria and beyond. This is the first library to curate local content in three languages: Arabic, Kurdish, and Syriac. More information about our partnership with AANES can be found here: https://solarspell.org/rebuilding-education-during-conflict.

Special skills needed

- Arabic, Kurdish, or Syriac proficiency
- Thrive in a team environment and work well with others
- Detail oriented and reliable; a strong and honest work ethic motivates you
- Globally minded; you have a desire to work for a department that serves communities from all over the world

Majors

All 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:

Education, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Project # 95

Center name: SolarSPELL
Campus/Location: Tempe, Fully remote, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Laura Hosman

Project description

SolarSPELL is seeking enthusiastic interns with a passion for French, education, and community development to help curate culturally relevant, open-access educational content for our newest French language library, set to empower communities in West Africa. Students will work closely with the SolarSPELL team to prioritize content needs and address feedback. This opportunity allows for in-depth research on the cultural, linguistic, and educational contexts of West African / Sub-Saharan African countries, with a preliminary focus on Senegal, Cameroon, and/or Benin.

Special skills needed

- Strong written and verbal communication skills in both French and English.
- Thrive in a team environment and work well with others
- Detail oriented and reliable; a strong and honest work ethic motivates you
- Experience with online research, document curation, or working with open access resources.
- Globally minded; you have a desire to work for a department that serves communities from all over the world

Majors

All 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:

Education, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Sustainability

Project # 96

Center name: SolarSPELL
Campus/Location: Tempe, Flexible to remote and/or in-person, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Laura Hosman

Project description

SolarSPELL is looking for students with a strong passion for agriculture to help research and curate region-specific, open-access educational content for SolarSPELL’s Agriculture Library. New students will build on the foundation established by previous student teams, enhancing the library’s resources. The Agriculture Library focuses on climate change adaptation strategies for small-scale subsistence farmers in regions like South Sudan and Rwanda. A background in small-scale agriculture, including crops such as coffee and corn, as well as knowledge of climate change impacts is essential for effective research and content curation.

Special skills needed

- Background knowledge and/or experience with agricultural practices
- Detail oriented and reliable; a strong and honest work ethic motivates you
- Globally minded; you have a desire to work for a department that serves communities from all over the world

Majors

All 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:

Education, Health and Wellness, Sustainability

Project # 97

Center name: OASIS Learning Futures Collaborative; Mary Lou Fulton College
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Erin Rotheram-Fuller

Project description

We can support up to four students for this project where we are using drama during story time to increase communication, engagement and literacy skills for preschool aged children who are minimally verbal.

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!

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

Project # 98

Center name: SolarSPELL
Campus/Location: Tempe, Fully remote, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Laura Hosman

Project description

SolarSPELL is seeking a team of students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to curate regionally-relevant, open-access, educational content for the collections in the SolarSPELL library. Students will review, research, and select high-quality STEM resources that align with the curricula and educational needs of SolarSPELL’s target regions, including countries in the Pacific Islands, East Africa, Northeast Syria, and Southern Africa. Interns will focus on ensuring that materials are engaging, culturally appropriate, and suitable for offline learning environments. This project will also involve identifying gaps in the existing library collections and sourcing innovative content that supports foundational STEM education and sparks curiosity in learners worldwide.

Special skills needed

- Interest in STEM Education: Passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics.
- Ability to thrive in a team environment and work effectively with others.
- Detail oriented and reliable; a strong and honest work ethic motivates you
- Globally minded; you have a desire to work for a department that serves communities from all over the world

Majors

All 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, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Education, Engineering, Sustainability

Project # 99

Center name: SolarSPELL
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person, Tempe, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Laura Hosman

Project description

SolarSPELL is seeking a music production intern to assist in the editing and production of songs that reflect the mission and values of our global educational initiative. The final product(s) will be used in various media and outreach initiatives, enhancing our organization's branding and storytelling efforts. This role offers the unique opportunity to apply music editing skills in a meaningful way, contributing to an organization that aims to improve access to education in resource-constrained regions to children around the world.

Special skills needed

- Experience in music production, including audio editing, mixing, and mastering
- Proficiency in music production software
- Strong attention to detail and the ability to work independently while meeting deadlines
- Globally minded; you have a desire to work for a department that serves communities from all over the world

Majors

All 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:

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

Project # 111

Center name: Thinking Across Languages and Contexts (TALC) Lab
Campus/Location: West, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Alex Carstensen

Project description

Do speakers of different languages think about the world in qualitatively different ways, or do they just talk about it differently? How do children learn to understand abstract ideas, like similarity or time, and how do their day-to-day experiences with language and culture shape their cognitive development?

This research investigates similarities and differences in cognition between kids and adults from different contexts, as a function of the language(s) they speak and the cultures they have experience with. Our studies involve interactive puzzle games like guessing how to make a music box play or identifying a hidden picture, and open-ended play, like drawing pictures on a tablet. We use responses in these games to infer the structure of our participants’ concepts, and identify influences from language, culture, and other experiences.

Fellows will be instrumental in recruiting participants and collecting data from speakers of their language, including English! Data collection will occur on campus in our lab testing space and off campus at schools, museums, and other organizations like the Desert Botanical Garden. The ideal candidate is motivated, organized, excellent at working independently, and passionate about science and research in general.

Special skills needed

- We are currently seeking applicants who are fluent speakers of English, Spanish, Korean, Hindi, Telugu, and Gujarati, but bilinguals in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, and other languages are also encouraged to apply.
- Multilingual and multicultural students are particularly encouraged to apply, especially those with Asian or Indigenous American heritage (in any part of the Americas: north, central, and south).
- Fellows wanting to work with kids should have extensive experience with young children, ages 3-8 years, though this may be in formal (e.g., daycare, summer camp) or informal (family) settings.
- Experience with R, javascript, php, and other programming languages is a bonus.
- Applicants must be available to run studies and participate in lab activities at least 10 hours per week.

Majors

Psychology, linguistics, education, data science, sociology, anthropology, interdisciplinary studies

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, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 122

Center name: School of Molecular Sciences, Earley Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Justin Earley

Project description

This project aims to develop Bloch Sphere Hero, a rhythm-based game that teaches quantum control. Inspired by Guitar Hero, the game challenges players to apply quantum gate operations by timing electromagnetic pulses that manipulate a qubit’s state on the Bloch sphere. Players will match pulse sequences to execute precise quantum operations, reinforcing intuition for qubit control, coherence, and error correction.

As a researcher, you will contribute to designing and implementing game mechanics, visualizing quantum state evolution, and developing pulse-based interactions. The project involves programming in Python. You will build an interactive system where players respond to dynamically generated pulse sequences, simulating real-world quantum control techniques.

This opportunity is ideal for students with Python experience and some familiarity with quantum mechanics. Prior experience with game development is helpful but not required. This project will provide hands-on experience in computational physics, quantum information science, and scientific visualization while creating an engaging and educational tool for understanding quantum mechanics.

Special skills needed

Python programming experience (required), calculus (required), linear algebra (suggested), and interest in STEM education

Majors

Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Education

Project # 127

Center name: Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Keith Brown

Project description

The Melikian Center is part of the Content Advisory Group for the USS Phoenix Cold War monument and memorial, under design for the Steele Indian School park in Phoenix. Providing research, writing and other logistic support, this project seeks students with interests in Cold War history, non-profit organization, city administration, education or art and design. The project would include liaising with designers, educators, historians and technical writers to curate historical content for panels that will provide context for visitors to a new monument centered on the remains of the USS Phoenix, an attack submarine that was in service during the Cold War. For more see https://www.ussphoenixmonument.org/

Special skills needed

Interest in historical interpretation, Writing and research skills, Interest in working collaboratively, User-centered design, Interest in military history, and or memorialization

Majors

American Studies, Applied Military and Veteran Studies, Architectural Studies, Business (Tourism), Communication, English, Global Studies, History, International Relations, Military Studies, Public Policy (Parks and Recreation Management), Urban Planning, User Experience

Years

ASU Online Barrett Honors Students (fully remote work) 3rd Year Students 4th Year Students- Seniors 2nd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 128

Center name: Melikian Center: Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies
Campus/Location: Tempe, Downtown
Faculty lead: Keith Brown

Project description

This new oral history project will document the history of the State Partnership Program (SPP), a National Guard-led program which has linked Arizona to Kazakhstan since 1993. The Arizona and Kazakhstan partnership is one of the original 13 partnerships of the program, which now includes over 100 countries. The concept for this project emerged during an Arizona delegation visit to Kazakhstan in Fall 2024, and has the support of leadership of AZ National Guard. ASU has provided cultural training and support for the Program since 2018, and this research project builds in that relationship. The goal is to produce both scholarly and public-facing products (including for example interviews and transcripts, storymaps, podcasts and blog articles, as well as a potential short book). This would be suitable for development into a Barrett honors project, and be of interest to students with interests in civil-military relations, citizen diplomacy, Central Asian politics and culture and oral history.

Special skills needed

Interest in oral history, Interview design and implementation skills, Project management, Experience with digital media recording, editing

Majors

American Studies, Russian, Applied Military and Veteran Studies, International Relations, Global Studies, History, Education, English, Communication

Years

First Year Students (new to ASU Fall 2025), 2nd Year Students, 3rd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Education, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences