Barrett Small Network Hero

Health and Wellness

Explore the various projects below categorized under the general theme of Health and Wellness. 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

Social Connection and Well-Being (SC&WB Study)

Project # 144

Center name: DREAMS Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe; Fully remote
Faculty lead: Mengya Xia

Project description

Our work focuses on understanding ways to promote individual positive development and optimal well-being in the family context, interpersonal settings, and broader ecological systems from the person-centered and transactional dynamic approaches, with an emphasis on fostering adolescent relationship health, social-emotional development, competence and character strengths, and flourishing as a whole.

Specifically, we are running a research study about adolescent (age 12-17) social connection and well-being. This project is funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and led by Dr. Mengya Xia. We aim to disentangle the multi-faceted constructs of social connection and well-being, as well as their associations, using multiple assessments across contexts. The ultimate goal of our research is to inform prevention/intervention to promote child and adolescent health and well-being in real life. For more information about our projects, please visit https://mengyaxia.wixsite.com/dreamslab/research. We are willing to accept 2-3 students for this project!

Special skills needed

-Detail-oriented and organized 
-Interpersonal and communication skills
-Experience in computer skills, including data analysis softwares (R, SPSS, etc.)
-Experience working with adolescents and parents in school settings  -Psychology (specifically developmental, social, and positive)

Majors

-Psychology (specifically developmental, social, and positive)
-Education
-Social and Behavioral Sciences

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Data Analytics and Mathematics, Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Social connection, Technology, Activity, and Resources for healthy Transition (S.T.A.R.T.) Project

Project # 146

Center name: DREAMS Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Mengya Xia

Project description

Our work focuses on understanding ways to promote individual positive development and optimal well-being in the family context, interpersonal settings, and broader ecological systems from the person-centered and transactional dynamic approaches, with an emphasis on fostering adolescent relationship health, social-emotional development, competence and character strengths, and flourishing as a whole.

Specifically, we are running a research study about college students' (age 18 or above) healthy transition and college life adjustment. This project is funded by ASU Institute for Social Science Reserach (ISSR) and led by Dr. Mengya Xia. We aim to learn more about social media use and relevant resources or mechanisms through which promote a healthy transition among college students. The ultimate goal of our research is to inform education practice and prevention/intervention to promote healthy transition to college life. We are willing to accept 2-3 students for this project!

Special skills needed

-Detail-oriented and organized 
-Interpersonal and communication skills
-Experience in computer skills, including data analysis softwares (R, SPSS, etc.)
-Passionate about psychological research

Majors

-Psychology (specifically developmental, social, and positive)
-Education
-Social and Behavioral Science

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Dementia in Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness

Project # 148

Center name: Ross Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Heather Ross

Project description

Up to one-quarter of clients in emergency and transitional shelters are older adults, and homeless services agencies are increasingly focusing shelter services for this highly vulnerable population. Unhoused older adults have a disproportionately high rate of dementia compared to their housed counterparts, and dementia is associated with longer duration of homelessness. Our previous research, including universal screening of older adult clients for dementia and mild cognitive impairment at a large urban emergency homeless shelter, demonstrated high rates of positive screens >90% using a traditional screening threshold and >70% positivity using a conservative screening threshold with ongoing work to determine the true rate of dementia in the population. Moreover, we have found that both congregate and non-congregate shelter settings may exert different stresses on older adult clients with impacts on cognitive performance. Therefore, the caregiving needs of older adults in different shelter settings may vary.

Although staff in emergency and transitional homeless shelter settings often serve in case management roles for shelter clients, they may not be considered as caregivers. However, many unhoused older adults have more extensive support needs than their younger counterparts. Moreover, given the long duration of stay in emergency and transitional shelter settings for older adult clients, often spanning several months, client-facing staff become de facto caregivers for older adults with dementia in shelter.

At present, little to nothing is known about the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of shelter staff and case managers about their de facto role as caregivers of clients with dementia in different shelter settings. Therefore, we are engaged in a multi-method study to 1) build on existing findings regarding the impact of shelter environments on cognitive performance, and 2) understand knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of shelter staff regarding their role as caregiver for shelter clients with dementia or mild cognitive impairment.

Special skills needed

Required: Willingness to conduct research in homeless shelter settings. Desired: Survey administration. Participant observation. Interview research. Qualitative data analysis.

Majors

Nursing. Social work. Community health. Aging. Psychology. Public Health. Neuroscience. Population Health. Biology. Biomedical Sciences. Community Advocacy and Social Policy. Anthropology. Sociology.

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:

Health and Wellness, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Embryo Project

Project # 149

Center name: Center for Biology and Society
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Jane Maienschein

Project description

The Embryo Project involves carrying out research and learning to write for a general audience, producing a cluster of articles that are reviewed and (if accepted) published in the Embryo Project Encylopedia. Research participation begins with the Embryo Project Writing Seminar, which is a structured class as a writers workshop that meets Wednesdays 3:15-5:30. We can accept up to 10 students for the course total, including graduate students and undergraduates, and we typically have 1-3 as Barrett College Fellows in fall and spring.

Special skills needed

Interest in writing about scientific ideas for a general public, willingness to learn with and from others in a writers workshop, and interest in the broad field of embryos, development, reproduction, abortion, eugenics, and related topics, and the historical and social context. life sciences, health sciences, communication, journalism, history, philosophy, law, policy, and many others.

Majors

Majors: life sciences, health sciences, communication, journalism, history, philosophy, law, policy, and many others

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Health and Wellness, Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences

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

EPIC Living Alone Plus

Project # 169

Center name: Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, The Center for Innovation in He…
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Abigail Gomez-Morales

Project description

The project consists of a 7-week skill-building intervention for people with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) who live alone delivered via Zoom. Participants learn about ADRD, the importance of family and friends, communication techniques, relaxation techniques, and self-care, among other topics. Dr. Gómez-Morales leads the project, and we are willing to accept a student.

Special skills needed

Data management (REDCap and SPSS), communication skills for screenings, and other interviews.

Extra skills but not mandatory- being knowledgeable in Spanish- able to speak and write.

Majors

Nursing and health care related 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:

Health and Wellness

Mammal-Virus Data & Modeling

Project # 172

Center name: Biodiversity Knowledge Integration Center
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person; Fully remote
Faculty lead: Beckett Sterner

Project description

This project studies viruses detected in North American rodents to advance understanding of reservoir hosts and improve risk modeling for zoonotic disease spread. We are completing the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of studies publishing virus detection results and experimental or statistical studies of factors that influence disease spread. Students with an interest in biology (no prior skills required) can join an ongoing team that extracts and analyzes virus detection studies. Students with some prior computational or statistics background can join a team working on data visualization and analytics. Both tracks can accommodate as many students as are interested and have the relevant background. We have had many prior honors fellows go on to do successful thesis projects based on the data they extract, and we encourage students to develop publishable journal articles from their work.

Special skills needed

Students with an interest in biology (no prior skills required) can join an ongoing team that extracts and analyzes virus detection studies. Students with some prior computational or statistics background can join a team working on data visualization and analytics.

Majors

Biology (or related fields), Computer Science, Math, Data Science, Statistics

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, Health and Wellness

Smart Walk

Project # 173

Center name: Physical Activity and Health Lab, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Preve…
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Rodney Joseph

Project description

Smart Walk is research study funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH/NHLBI). The study aims to to examine if a culturally tailored, smartphone-delivered physical activity intervention, entitled Smart Walk, is more effective for increasing physical activity and improving health outcomes among Black women than the commercially available Fitbit program. A total of 240 participants will be recruited and enrolled in the 12-month study. Results will provide meaningful information on the effectiveness of the Fitbit physical activity program and our Smart Walk physical activity program for increasing physical activity and improving health outcomes among Black women.

Special skills needed

Student applicants should have an interest in physical activity/exercise and health promotion. Students will have the opportunity to gain skills related to the design and implementation of a behavioral clinical trial, including recruitment and retention; data collection, entry and management; and intervention delivery. Community Health, Integrative Health, Nursing, Clinical Exercise Science, Applied Health Sciences, Applied Nutrition and Health, Health Education and Health Promotion, Health Sciences, Kinesiology, Population Health, Public Health

Majors

Community Health, Integrative Health, Nursing, Clinical Exercise Science, Applied Health Sciences, Applied Nutrition and Health, Health Education and Health Promotion, Health Sciences, Kinesiology, Population Health, Public Health

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:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Views of Aging, Health, & Well-Being Lab

Project # 180

Center name: Views of Aging, Health, & Well-Being Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Hannah Giasson

Project description

Dr. Giasson’s lab examines the social and environmental contexts that shape views of aging and the impact of such views on people’s health and well-being. Students in the lab will have opportunities to collaborate on research projects investigating the emergence of attitudes and beliefs about aging and evaluating the cognitive, behavioral, social, emotional, and physiological implications of age stereotypes. Projects in the lab also explore potential ways to improve views of aging across the life span.

Special skills needed

Strong verbal & written communication, well-organized, willingness to learn & adapt, experience with data analysis welcomed

Majors

Psychology, Nursing, Community Health, Integrative Health, Social Work, Biological Sciences, Communications/Journalism, Pre-Medicine, Sociology, Health & Wellness, Public Health, Health Sciences & Medical Studies, Human Development

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Multi-omic data integration for microbiome research using scikit-bio

Project # 181

Center name: Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Qiyun Zhu

Project description

Dr. Qiyun Zhu is leading a DOE-funded project to enhance scikit-bio (https://scikit.bio/), a renowned open-source Python library for bioinformatics. Scikit-bio offers a range of algorithms and data structures extensively utilized in biological data analysis. Our goal is to augment its capabilities, particularly in handling and interpreting large-scale, multi-layered biological data (multi-omics), crucial for unraveling the intricate interactions among organisms and the environment. Specifically, we seek to recruite 1-3 students to add and refine functionalities for 1) efficient processing of diverse data types, 2) seamless integration of multi-omic datasets, and 3) characterization and labeling (annotation) of biological elements. This opportunity is a gateway for students to collaborate with leading bioinformatics experts and software engineers. Ideal candidates should have a keen interest in open-source scientific computing and a basic understanding of programming, preferably in Python. Students from diverse academic backgrounds who are enthusiastic about merging computing with biology are encouraged to apply. Participants will receive hands-on experience in contributing to high-quality software, valuable mentorship, and skill development that is highly desired in both academic and industry settings. This experience will be a significant stepping stone in your career in bioinformatics, software development, or data science.

Special skills needed

* Strong programming skills, preferably in Python, is essential for this position.
* Experience in open-source software development is highly preferable but not essential.
* Experience or interest in machine learning, computer science, mathematics, or statistics is preferrable but not essential.
* Experience or interest in evolutionary biology, ecology, genetics, molecular biology, or any other biology fields is preferrable but not essential.
* The applicant may read the scikit-bio guideline for contribution: https://scikit.bio/contribute.html to assess their comfortableness with the development work.Any major is appropriate, as long as you have the right skillset. Some successful candidates were from majors such as Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, Mathematics, Statistics, etc.

Majors

Any major is appropriate, as long as you have the right skillset. Some successful candidates were from majors such as Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology, Mathematics, Statistics, etc.

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, Health and Wellness

Are dating apps responsible for sexually transmitted infections?

Project # 183

Center name: Simon A Lebin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Fabio Milner

Project description

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are very common, particularly among 18-to-24-year-olds. It has been observed that they are more common among dating app users than among non-users. If we want to study a possible causal relation or correlation between STI incidence and use of dating apps, we must first know the structure of the sexually active population, hopefully by age and sex. We also need to know the rate at which the various groups considered in the structure acquire new individuals (onset or restart of sexual activity) and the rate at which they lose them (cessation of sexual activity). Building a model for this population will be the first step in the project. The next step will be to build a model for the transmission of STIs across the groups in the sexually active population. This will involve the collection and preparation of data, parameter fitting, research question(s) formulation, experimental design to answer the question(s), and analysis of scenarios. This exciting project will be hands-on, not lecture style. Participants will be responsible for conducting literature reviews, selecting and summarizing articles, discussing and carrying out model formulation, formulating research question(s) and analyzing results that help answer them.

Special skills needed

Quantitative and analytical thinking
Understanding the meaning of and using derivatives and differentiation (calculus 1).

Majors

all

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:

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

Making knots and links from DNA and RNA

Project # 184

Center name: Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, Biodesign Institute
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Di Liu

Project description

This project explores the design and synthesis of complex DNA and RNA topological structures, including knots and links, to address fundamental questions in biology and medicine. By leveraging cutting-edge techniques in bionanotechnology, we aim to construct and characterize these intricate structures and to reveal novel insights into the biophysical properties of nucleic acids and their potential biomedical applications. Students will gain hands-on experience in molecular biology and nanotechnology techniques, including DNA and RNA handling, gel electrophoresis, and various characterization methods. Computational tools may be used for structural modeling and prediction.

Special skills needed

Basic experimental skills in biochemistry or molecular biology. Programming skills are also preferred.

Majors

Chemistry, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Molecular biology, Physics

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Engineering, Health and Wellness

Investigating Intimate Partner Aggression (IPA)

Project # 185

Center name: The CHASE Lab
Campus/Location: Fully remote
Faculty lead: Julia Hammett

Project description

The CHASE Lab investigates health disparities associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) and other forms of interpersonal aggression. Our studies focus on examining sociocultural and economic risk factors of IPV and on developing interventions to reduce the risk of IPV among under-resourced couples.

2 students Lead: Julia Hammett

Special skills needed

Students should be professional, reliable, and detail-oriented, with strong communication, organizational, and time-management skills, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote research environment. Comfort engaging diverse populations and sensitive topics, along with an interest in public health or research methods, is valued, and students with an interest in health equity, community-engaged research, and violence prevention are especially encouraged to apply.

Majors

All majors/levels welcome to apply.

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:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Views of Aging, Health, & Well-Being Lab

Project # 190

Center name: Views of Aging, Health, & Well-Being Lab
Campus/Location: Downtown; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Hannah Giasson

Project description

Dr. Giasson’s lab examines the social and environmental contexts that shape views of aging and the impact of such views on people’s health and well-being. Students in the lab will have opportunities to collaborate on research projects investigating the emergence of attitudes and beliefs about aging and evaluating the cognitive, behavioral, social, emotional, and physiological implications of age stereotypes. Projects in the lab also explore potential ways to improve views of aging across the life span.

Special skills needed

strong verbal & written communication, well-organized, willingness to learn & adapt, experience with data analysis especially welcomed

Majors

Psychology, Nursing, Community Health, Integrative Health, Social Work, Biological Sciences, Communications/Journalism, Pre-Medicine, Sociology, Health & Wellness, Public Health, Health Sciences & Medical Studies, Human Development

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

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:

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

Research Communication & Dissemination

Project # 196

Center name: Global Center for Applied Health Research
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Flavio Marsiglia

Project description

Research Communication and Dissemination Assistant will support the Global Center by enhancing its research dissemination and public health education strategy through research briefs, social media content strategy, marketing materials, website content and reports. Ideal for a student interested in research journalism, communications, marketing, public health education, health communication, social media marketing and/or public relations.

Special skills needed

social media, graphic design, report writing, journalism, communications, public health

Majors

Graphic design, journalism, communications, public health

Years

-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:

Health and Wellness, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Parenting in 2 Worlds (P2W)

Project # 197

Center name: Global Center for Applied Health Research
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Stephen Kulis

Project description

Led by Dr. Stephen Kulis, the Parenting in 2 Worlds (P2W) project addresses health disparities in urban American Indian/Alaska Native families. The research aims to identify if positive changes in parenting lead to improved youth health, providing crucial insights for community prevention interventions in urban AI communities. The student assistant will assist in data management, data analysis, literature reviews, and researching relevant areas of the project to increase dissemination and research impact.

Special skills needed

Detail-oriented, excellent communication skills, ability to work in a team environment, entry-level data entry skills, literature review or literature research , academic writing, meeting minutes , editing and graphic design Social work, Public Health, Global health, American Indian Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Public Policy. We are open to other majors as well.

Majors

Social work, Public Health, Global health, American Indian Studies, Psychology, Sociology, Public Policy. We are open to other majors as well.

Years

-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:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Health Impact

Project # 204

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

Project description

This project deploys a health care focused decision support tool to further shared understanding and informed decision-making around emerging health policy impacts in Arizona. The platform integrates geo-coded data on health outcomes, health care systems, access, demographics, infrastructure, and environmental factors into a single interactive environment. These data layers can be queried and visualized and serve as the basis for complex systems models, scenarios, and predictions. The platform also examines impacts on the future health workforce, including constraints on medical education financing. Decision Theater provides a testbed for evaluating mitigation strategies, helping stakeholders assess trade-offs, coordinate responses, and explore solutions before decisions are implemented.

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:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Health and Wellness, 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

Exploring the Development of a Medical-Legal Partnership

Project # 222

Center name: Civil Litigation Clinic, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Campus/Location: Downtown; Fully remote
Faculty lead: Tracy Ortega

Project description

I am presently exploring the development of a medical-legal partnership in the Phoenix metro area on behalf of my Civil Litigation Clinic. Medical-legal partnerships work to combat social-determinants of health by addressing legal needs. I have been meeting with local medical providers who may serve as partner(s). Building a medical-legal partnership is a comprehensive process that requires understanding the legal needs of the community, the present resources within hospitals and legal service offices, and so on. This specific project will consist of conducting research and interviews so that my Clinic can better understand where the legal needs are in the community and available networks. The individual fellow will utilize tools on the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership website to help assess the project as a whole. This is a great opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary work as it is a meaningful cross-section of medical and legal. Faculty Lead: Tracy Ortega (Director of the Civil Litigation Clinic and Associate Clinical Professor of Law)

Special skills needed

An interest in helping the community; an interest in medicine and/or law; strong research skills; a willingness to meet with and conduct interviews as appropriate; and a self-starter, able to work independently.

Majors

As this interdisciplinary work can touch on various majors, I would not limit it and I would consider across disciplines.

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:

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

The Storytelling Project: Take Care of YOU

Project # 225

Center name: Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Alyssa Robillard

Project description

The Storytelling Project: Take Care of YOU
Faculty Lead: Alyssa Robillard, PhD, MCHES

This study is exploring the feasibility of a storytelling social-media driven intervention to promote HIV testing and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) in Black women in the Southern U.S.

Summary
Black women in the U.S. are disproportionately overrepresented in HIV incidence among women; the greatest burden is in the Southern U.S. HIV testing is fundamental to end the HIV epidemic and can ideally serve as a gateway to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Storytelling interventions informed by the culture-centric model of health promotion may drive HIV prevention behavior in this population. This study will involve a pilot test of the “Take Care of YOU” intervention which centers a serial “community-built” story with additional health communication content delivered over 14 days through a private Facebook group.

Students will have the opportunity to be involved in various aspects of the study that might include: literature review/background research, intervention development/refinement, implementation, data collection, and data analysis. Opportunities for student presentations and/or writing for dissemination are anticipated.

Special skills needed

I am looking for students with a strong work ethic who are enthusiastic about research (regardless of their level of experience with it). I appreciate students willing to think critically and innovatively to solve problems. Strong writing and communication skills would be helpful. Technical experience with social media is necessary.

Majors

Open to any major with an interest in health-related outcomes.

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Do Disability Registries Reduce Negative Outcomes for Disabled People During Police Contact?

Project # 226

Center name: Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety
Campus/Location: Fully remote
Faculty lead: Danielle Wallace

Project description

Many states and local jurisdictions have created disability registries (a.k.a. special needs or vulnerable persons registries), or lists managed by police departments that capture individuals’ disability and other related information that is useful to officers during encounters. Once individuals register, these databases inform officers of individuals’ disability and accommodation needs during an encounter. However, registries are not universally accepted. Common critiques of registries include concerns about registry data being outdated/inaccurate or not private, insufficient in the absence of police training, and stigmatizing. Even with these critiques, registries are being widely used nationally without any causal evidence to suggest they work. We ask: what effect do disability registries have on reducing the frequency and amount of force used in police-citizen encounters during discretionary stops? Undergraduate researchers will help to buildout the registry database by collecting information from police departments and double-checking the information in the database. Additional data collection about disability services in the area may be needed. There may be opportunities to present and write reports and other publications for students who are interested. The faculty lead on this project is Dr. Danielle Wallace in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

Special skills needed

data entry, emailing (and emailing etiquette), timeliness, work in teams, detail oriented, willing to ask questions

Majors

Any major in the social sciences or health sciences

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:

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

HELM Lab Design and Launch

Project # 238

Center name: HELM Lab
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Joseph Daniels

Project description

The HELM lab is a new venture led by Dr. Daniels, Associate Professor in the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation. HELM is Harnessing Evidence to Lift Men’s Health. There are four projects associated with HELM:

1) HELM lab design and launch: Develop mission, objectives and branding including website and social media that leverages previous, current and future research led by Dr. Daniels. Additionally, write two white papers based on current evidence, community activities and research that will position HELM as a leader in men's health globally. This may involve assessing the current men's health landscape at US institutions to position HELM appropriately.
2) Assist in Research I: Learn, participate and lead components of a community engaged project focused on prostate cancer in Phoenix.
3) Assist in Research II: Learn, participate and lead components of a study to assess the feasibility of an intervention to improve care engagement by men in Phoenix.
4) Assist in Research III: Learn, participate and lead components of a study to assess the feasibility of an intervention to improve care engagement by men and women in South Africa.

For Projects 3 and 4, this work will focus on activities related to data collection, analysis, and study coordination, and these projects are funded by the National Institutes of Health. There will be opportunities to be an author on conference presentations and manuscripts, and potentially lead these dissemination activities.

Special skills needed

IT
MS Office
Ability to learn study related programs (REDCap, Dedoose)
Able to complete CITI certification if don't have it already
Innovative thinking
Ideally, experience with any kind of research and literature review
Highly organized
Can commit to completing action items and projects

Majors

Any

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:

Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Health and Wellness, Social and Behavioral Sciences

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

SOGIQ2 Study: Identity and mental health in the transition to adulthood

Project # 250

Center name: SOGI Health and Rights Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Stephen Russell

Project description

The SOGI-Q 2.0 Study follows up with participants from a longitudinal study conducted between 2012-2015 of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth ages 15-21 (participants will now be ages 28-34). The study will be guided by the following aims:
AIM 1: To examine trajectories of the formation, expression, and experience of sexual and gender minority identities over nearly 10 years of follow up.
AIM 2: To identify LGBT-specific protective factors associated with lower risk for multiple indicators of compromised mental health in young adulthood.
AIM 3: To examine identity variability across time in association with mental health in young adulthood for people who identified as LGBT during adolescence.

We would accept up to 2 students; faculty lead is Stephen Russell in the School of Social and Family Dynamics, and the research team includes one postdoctoral researcher and several PhD students.

Special skills needed

We are open to students new to research.

Majors

Open to any major - particularly relevant for Family & Human Development; Sociology; Psychology

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:

Health and Wellness, 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

Mammal Virus Data

Project # 265

Center name: Center for Biology and Society
Campus/Location: Tempe; Fully remote; Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Beckett Sterner

Project description

This project studies viruses detected in North American rodents to advance understanding of reservoir hosts and improve risk modeling for zoonotic disease spread. It will be the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of studies publishing virus detection results and experimental or statistical studies of factors that influence disease spread. Students with an interest in biology (no prior skills required) can join an ongoing team that extracts and analyzes virus detection studies. Students with some prior computational or statistics background can join a team working on data visualization and analytics. Both tracks can accommodate as many students as are interested and have the relevant background. We have had many prior honors fellows go on to do successful thesis projects based on the data they extract, and we encourage students to develop publishable journal articles from their work.

Special skills needed

Students with an interest in biology (no prior skills required) can join an ongoing team that extracts and analyzes virus detection studies. Students with some prior computational or statistics background (e.g. ability to program or analyze data to produce statistical summaries and trends) can join a team working on data visualization and analytics.

Majors

Biology, Computer Science, Math, Data Science, Statistics, Physics

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, Health and Wellness