Undergraduate Research Club

The Undergraduate Research Club (URC) is a Registered Student Organization dedicated to promoting undergraduate research and creative activity at Kennesaw State University. Here are just a few things you can do as a member of the club:

• Learn more about how to get started in undergraduate research, how to find a mentor, how to publish and present your results, and how to get funding for your project.
• Help sponsor the Symposium of Student Scholars each year.
• Conduct research as part of an interdisciplinary team.

• Purpose

  Our mission is to promote an environment of undergraduate research on campus, to advance and disseminate the theory and practice of research, to provide members with opportunities for professional socialization in a research environment, to promote research that benefits the community, and to foster relationships among like-minded peers who are also interested in research. URC is open to all KSU students.

• Meeting Information for the 2022-2023 Academic Year

   

  • Date
    Time
    Location
    Topic
  • August 30, 2022
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    Introduction to the club and overview of the research teams
  • September 20, 2022
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    Presentations by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Office of Undergraduate Research
  • October 18, 2022
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    Applying for National and International Scholarships and Fellowships (Dr. Michelle Miles) and Writing Effective Abstacts (Dr. Amy Buddie)
  • November 15, 2022
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    Presentation by Dr. Brendan Callahan, Interim Executive Director of General Education and Associate Professor of Biology Education
  • January 24, 2023
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    Welcome back! Presentation on finding a research experience by Dr. Buddie, Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research 
  • February 21, 2023
    11:00am-2:00pm
    University Rooms
    STEM Graduate Fair
  • March 28, 2023
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    What to expect at the Symposium of Student Scholars by Caitlin Callahan, Undergraduate Research Peer Mentor
  • April 18, 2023
    5:30pm-7:00pm
    Academic Learning Center Suite 5500 or join online through Microsoft Teams
    Pre-Symposium Practice! Come with a presentation and receive feedback from peers

   

• Research Teams

  Each year, the Undergraduate Research Club conducts team-based research projects that are decided upon by the membership at the beginning of the academic year. Each team is led by either an officer or member who has experience in undergraduate research. The projects are submitted to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year and are presented at KSU's annual Symposium of Student Scholars.

  • 2019-2020 projects
  • 2018-2019 projects
  • 2017-2018 projects

  More information about the team-based URC research projects can be found here. 

  A quick guide to research, developed by URC officers, can be found here. 

• Join URC
  • Officially join the URC on Owl Life.
  • Connect with the Club in Microsoft Teams. This is where members communicate and meetings take place.
• Social Media
   Microsoft Teams: Click Here!

  Connect With Us

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Officers and Contact Information

General inquiries can be sent to urc@kennesaw.edu 

• Kadi Doumbia, President
  • 

    kdoumbia@students.kennesaw.edu

    Hi! I’m Kadi Doumbia, and I’m a junior at Kennesaw State University pursuing a degree in Biology and a minor in French. This is my third year of being a member of the Undergraduate Research Club, and I’m very excited to be the president for the 2022-2023 school year. My current plan after graduation is to get accepted and attend a reputable medical school, which will overall help me achieve my dream of becoming a dermatologist.

    Outside of school, I enjoy going to the gym and hanging out with my friends. Being a part of URC has great benefits. For example, it is a fun and productive way to find your craft in research and meet new people from different backgrounds who share your same interests. Research is one of the most important parts of becoming a successful doctor, and URC will help me master the essential fundamentals of research and what it has to offer.

    If you have any questions about becoming a part of the Undergraduate Research Club or anything involving research, feel free to reach out to me or any of the other officers! We’d be more than happy to help :)

     
• Ben Gibbas, Vice President
  • 

    bgibbas@students.kennesaw.edu

    I am a chemistry major in my sophomore year. I've worked in a research laboratory over the summer and am continuing to work in it this year. I joined URC because I knew it would help me become familiar with the different facets of research, and the skills I've learned have improved my performance in my research lab. I look forward to meeting all of you this year!
• Francis Katter, Treasurer

  • fkatter@students.kennesaw.edu

    Hello all! I am Francis Katter, and I am a sophomore pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Artificial Intelligence and a minor in Finance. I believe research is one of the cores to the advancement of humanity. I joined Undergraduate Research Club in hopes to gain the skills to conduct a thorough research project and be able to present it clearly for others to understand.

    I am excited for the opportunity to serve as your treasurer for the academic year. Thank you for taking interest in URC. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.
• Salini Ambadapudi, Secretary
  • 

    vambada1@students.kennesaw.edu 

    Hello everyone! I am Salini Ambadapudi. I am a freshman majoring in computer engineering. This is my first year being an officer and a member of the Undergraduate Research Club. I enjoy research and truly believe that research provides the best hands-on experience. I joined URC because research helps expand my knowledge and challenges me in multiple ways.

    Outside of school, I like to sing, watch k-dramas, and hang out with friends. I love to spend my weekends shopping and watching the sunset.

    I am very excited to be the secretary for the 2022-2023 school year. And if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me!
• Caitlin Callahan, Marketing Co-Chair
  • 

    ccallah8@students.kennesaw.edu

    Hello, my name is Caitlin Callahan! I am a psychology major with a minor in applied statistics and data science. This is my third year in the Undergraduate Research club, and my second year as marketing chair. My current research focuses on burnout in college students and the many factors that attribute to mental health. Through my minor in data science, I have analyzed data sets in sports statistics, heart disease, personal medical insurance costs, and many other topics. I hope to use these skills in an applied statistics or data science graduate program in the future as well as become a full-time data scientist as a career. You can find me on campus working for the psychology department as a student assistant in the Psych Lab where I tutor students in various psychology courses.

    Outside of school, I love camping, hiking, kayaking, and basically anything outdoors. My favorite hike I have done was at Saint Mary’s Glacier in Colorado. I also love animals and currently have two cats, Willow and Ivy, who my boyfriend and I rescued. I also love reading so please reach out with any book recommendations!

    Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about Undergraduate Research Club, or if you have any general questions about research!
• Portia Smith, Marketing Co-Chair
  • 

    psmit217@students.kennesaw.edu

    I am a sophomore majoring in biology with a concentration in pre-medicine. I joined URC because I wanted to gain more experience with conducting research while also using my curiosity about the world to drive my understanding and research of various topics. I am so excited to be the marketing co-chair and am excited for a great year!
• Dr. Amy Buddie, Co-Faculty Advisor
  • 

    abuddie@kennesaw.edu

    I am the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Professor of Psychology. I have served as the faculty advisor for the Undergraduate Research Club since its inception in 2011. I have been the faculty mentor for several of the club's research projects. If you have any questions about anything related to undergraduate research, please do not hesitate to reach out!
• Dr. Tsai-Tien Tseng, Co-Faculty Advisor
  • 

     ttseng@kennesaw.edu

    I am the Associate Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Associate Professor of Biology in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. I have served as co-faculty advisor for the Undergraduate Research Club for two years.  My areas of research interest include bioinformatics, metagenomics, and molecular evolution.