Barrett Small Network Hero

Law, Justice, and Public Service

Explore the various projects below categorized under the general theme of Law, Justice, and Public Service. 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 # 7

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.

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

Project # 11

Center name: Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Deirdre Pfeiffer

Project description

Understanding and responding to fair housing issues facing Arizona Hispanic and other underserved households may help to improve their housing security, particularly through access to affordable homeownership and rentals. This research will examine two pathways of discrimination in Arizona housing markets in collaboration with the Southwest Fair Housing Council (SWFHC). Subproject 1c.1 will examine the pathway of coded language for Fair Housing Act (FHA) protected groups in grounds for opposition in public decisions about proposed housing projects and policies diversifying types and costs. Subproject 1c.2 will examine the pathway of home sale transactions. This research will contribute to scholarly conversations about the drivers of housing discrimination and inform new strategic initiatives to dismantle pathways to discrimination in Arizona (e.g., stakeholder convenings to discuss policy changes and SWFHC grant writing and strategic planning).

Special skills needed

Passion for social justice issues, interest in learning more about how housing is related to social justice, self-directed, strong communication skills, reliable, adeptness at Excel, interest in qualitative research methods (understanding the world through textual data collected from people, media, and public meetings)

Majors

Any social science major

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:

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

Project # 13

Center name:
Campus/Location: Downtown
Faculty lead: Sian Mughan

Project description

This overall objective of this project is to investigate how the retail sale of marijuana effects economic development in Arizona communities. In April 2019 the Arizona Department of Health and Human Services (ADHS) held a lottery to distribute 13 licenses for adult use (recreational henceforth) licenses. In the initial phase of this project we will use statistical techniques to analyze large, administrative datasets to compare economic development outcomes (house prices, retail sales, foot traffic, etc.) in areas surrounding a dispensary to outcomes in areas surrounding addresses that applied for but did not receive a dispensary license. Later phases of the project might involve field work (interviewing local policy makers for example), extending the quasi-experimental approach to other geographic areas and grant development.

Special skills needed

Experience collecting and recording data; programming skills in R, Python, and/or Stata; interest in public affairs/public policy; ability to work independently; strong critical thinking and analysis skills

Majors

Public Affairs/Public Policy, Economics, Political Science, Criminal Justice, Statistics

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 17

Center name:
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 propose 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.

3 undergraduate students will be on this project team and involved in all aspects of the work, which will ideally begin in Spring 2025. Student stipends are available.

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

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 23

Center name: Center for the Study of Guns in Society
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Jennifer Carlson

Project description

Led by Jennifer Carlson (director, ASU Center for the Study of Guns in Society) and funded by the Russell Sage Foundation, “The American Gun Experience” project involves mixed methods data collection (surveys, in-depth interviews) on American attitudes on and experiences with guns. Today, millions of Americans own and carry guns largely for self-defense, while US gun violence remains at stark levels. These dynamics speak to the urgency of understanding the complex and contradictory ways that people actually encounter guns, gun violence, gun law, and gun politics in US society—what we can holistically conceptualize as the American gun experience. The goal of the project is to use social science methods to rigorously capture the rich nuances of the American gun experience in order to understand how Americans experience the contradictory significance of guns in their lives and how this reflects and reinforces distinctly American axes of inequality; how Americans in the “messy middle” navigate guns as a personal, social and political issue; how gun attitudes and engagement impact other life decisions; and how and why Americans’ attitudes and engagement with guns changes over time. Students can expect to participate in data collection (including conducting in-depth interviews), data management, and analysis as well as preliminary dissemination of results.

Special skills needed

Familiarity with social science methods (especially in-depth interviews) and/or willingness to learn; strong communication skills, especially writing and editing; strong time management skills; open-mindedness/curiosity to better understand the impact and import of guns in American society.

Majors

All Social Sciences Majors, Pre-Law, Public Administration

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 27

Center name: Dr. T's Research Lab
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Gunes Murat Tezcur

Project description

Dr. Güneş Murat Tezcür is Professor and the Director of the School of Politics and Global Studies. He studies comparative politics and explores political violence and politics of identity with a focus on Iranian, Kurdish, Turkish, and most recently, American human geography. His scholarship has appeared in many leading scholarly journals and his recent book "Liminal Minorities: Religion and Mass Violence in Muslim Societies" was published by Cornell University Press in 2024. He is currently pursuıng a comparative research project that explores how past atrocities are remembered (or forgotten) through public memorials, symbols, and narratives.

How are sites of atrocities transformed into places of remembrance as opposed to entertainment, consumption, or habitation? How do memorials, monuments, and museums shape the politics of reconciliation? How do marginalized communities create memorials and spaces that challenge hegemonic discourses and perceptions in such sites? Alternatively, how are collective memories of violence being silenced and prevented from transmission across generations? The project has a deliberately comparative edge and aims to document memorials as well as voids locally (Native American landscape in Arizona), nationally {Black landscapes in the United States), and cross-nationally (minorities in the Middle East). Barrett Fellows will think about politics of remembrance and forgetfulness with a focus on the experience of marginalized communities are encouraged to develop honor theses based on this project. Participation in this project may require travel within Arizona.

Special skills needed

Curiosity about the role violence plays in human affairs, the legacies of past atrocities on contemporary issues, the ways in which collective memories and public memorials are constructed, contested, and how marginalized groups express themselves, challenge hegemonic discourses and representations, and articulate alternative histories and remembrances.

Majors

Political Science, Global Studies, History, Art, Anthropology

Years

3rd Year Students, 4th Year Students- Seniors

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Art, Architecture, and Design, Humanities, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences

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 # 29

Center name: Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Campus/Location: Downtown, Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Jennifer Selin

Project description

Approximately 81 percent of federal laws include provisions that require partnerships between federal agencies and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments (SLTGs). These partnerships serve as critical conduits for administering a wide array of federal policies in diverse contexts.

Students will work with Professors Jennifer L. Selin (faculty lead) and Pamela J. Clouser McCann (USC Sol Price School of Public Policy) on a project commissioned by the Administrative Conference of the United States (an independent agency within the federal government) to explore the federal laws and policies that govern federal agency partnerships with SLTGs and the practical considerations that policymakers consider in structuring, implementing, and maintaining such partnerships. The project includes a variety of research methods, including analysis of statutory frameworks; a survey of federal and state administrators; interviews and closed forums with government officials; and targeted case studies. From this research, the authors will propose broadly applicable recommendations for action by federal agencies and, if necessary, recommend potential reforms for the President or Congress to consider. More information on the project can be found here:

https://www.acus.gov/projects/federal-agency-collaboration-state-local-tribal-and-territorial-governments

Special skills needed

Well-developed critical thinking and analytical skills; comfortable communicating with professionals from a variety of fields, including government officials; attention to detail; willingness to engage with historical, legal, and government documents; interest in public policy, law, public administration, political science, or related fields.

Majors

Including but not limited to American Studies; Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership; Community Advocacy and Social Policy; Economics; Political Science; Prelaw; Public Service and Public Policy; Social and Behavioral Sciences

Years

4th Year Students- Seniors, 3rd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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

Project # 31

Center name:
Campus/Location: Tempe
Faculty lead: Itty Abraham

Project description

The artist Richard Serra is said to have coined the aphorism, “if the product is free, you are the product.” Although he was referring to broadcast television in the 1970s, the idea captures very well the logic underwriting our current online condition. The phrase draws attention to the ubiquity of seemingly free digital technologies in our daily lives and how they are shaping us in ways both good and bad. Yet, even as our technological lives are being transformed at breakneck speed, our political thinking seems trapped in an analog era, especially with respect to legal protections. Without going into the reasons why our rights and entitlements have not kept up with the online-offline worlds we now inhabit, it seems obvious we need a much greater degree of public awareness and transparency to protect us from the harmful effects of existing and emerging digital technologies, not least AI. With this background in mind, I am looking for two Barrett students interested in helping draft a digital bill of rights for Arizona residents and citizens.

Special skills needed

Some background in political theory, online technology, current affairs would be helpful. Ability to read and synthesize official documents. Interest in global affairs. Willingness to learn through debate and discussion

Majors

Political Science, Innovation in Society, Public Policy, Social Transformations, Justice, Rights

Years

3rd Year Students, 2nd Year Students

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Humanities, Journalism, Communication, and Mass Media, Law, Justice, and Public Service, 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 # 37

Center name: Consortium for science, policy & outcomes
Campus/Location: Fully remote
Faculty lead: Robert Cook-Deegan

Project description

I support three students on the pangenome project, and one student (plus a former student who graduated) on the BRAINshare project.

Special skills needed

Writing and organization skills.

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:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Health and Wellness, Law, Justice, and Public Service, Social and Behavioral Sciences

Project # 48

Center name: Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics
Campus/Location: Unknown
Faculty lead: Joan McGregor

Project description

This project is aimed at research for our grant project designed to cultivate civic character and virtue among undergraduates at Arizona's public universities. I am looking for a student to develop a bibliography on the moral and epistemic virtues crucial for citizenship and flourishing democratic societies, particularly the virtues of civility, empathy, civic grace, humility, and openness to diverse perspectives. I would also like to have someone compile materials for our website on cultivating civic virtue.

Special skills needed

Strong research skills, some knowledge of philosophy or political science desirable

Majors

Philosophy, Political Science, Religious Studies

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Humanities, Law, Justice, and Public Service

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 # 54

Center name: Imaging Informatics Research (JLiang Lab)
Campus/Location: Flexible to remote and/or in-person
Faculty lead: Jianming Liang

Project description

This is a set of projects aiming to develop novel methods and systems in artificial intelligence (AI), artificial general intelligence (AGI), and deep learning (DL) towards multimodal medical foundation models for medicine, imaging, and clinical reports (based on ChatGPT/GPT-4, Gemini/Bard, and LLaMA) to support clinical decision-making and facilitate precision medicine. While my lab is working on the brain, heart, lung, skin, eye, and abdomen diseases across modalities (images, lab tests, reports, videos, and audio) you may choose to focus on one particular condition at one specific modality based on your interest. My lab has the infrastructure to accommodate multiple students in this research direction.

Special skills needed

Skills required:
1) Strong programming skills in Python -- you have taken courses in computer science and programming, and have experience in using GitHub;
2) Good understanding of machine (deep) learning -- you have taken courses in machine learning, and gained experience in training AI models;
3) Determination to pursue majors in computer science, computer engineering, data science and analytics, robotics and autonomous systems, software engineering, biomedical informatics, and biomedical engineering;
4) Deep commitment to conducting rigorous experiments to establish state-of-the-art baselines, and
5) Strong desire to publish a paper at a top conference and turn it into a journal article in your first year with my lab.

Majors

Biomedical Informatics and Data Science;
Computer Science;
Computer Engineering;
Robotics and Autonomous Systems;
Data Science, Analytics, and Engineering;
Software Engineering; and
Biomedical Engineering

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

Biological, Chemical, and Physical Sciences, Business and Entrepreneurship, Data Analytics and Mathematics, Engineering, Health and Wellness, Law, Justice, and Public Service, 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 # 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 # 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 # 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 # 123

Center name: School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, New College of Interdisciplinary Arts…
Campus/Location: West, Fully remote
Faculty lead: Tricia Redeker Hepner

Project description

This project engages ethnographic methods (interviewing, focus groups, observant participation) and policy-related research to document the intersection and impact of policies and practices governing gender and immigration in the US and abroad.

Special skills needed

Knowledge/grasp/appreciation of relevant conceptual literature in the social sciences and/or humanities regarding gender/gender identity/sexuality, and immigration/refugee status. Excellent oral communication and writing skills. Experience conducting, transcribing, and analyzing interviews a plus. Experience/interest in policy and legislative research also a plus.

Majors

Anthropology, Communication, Sociology, Journalism, Justice Studies, Social Justice and Human Rights, Transborder Studies, Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies and related fields

Years

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

Themes

Cross-listed with the following themes:

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