Here at SPS we encourage our members to become active in undergraduate research! We provide resources for our members to become more engaged with faculty research, conferences, funding opportunities, and more. Here are highlights of projects our members are working on and funding opportunities!

Emerson doing stuffs

 

Emerson Peters


I currently work with Dr. Kutlu in the Variability of Identity through Context and Experience (VOICE) Lab. We study psycholinguistics (how speech is perceived by listeners). My research focuses on how people with different linguistic backgrounds encode and perceive speech through more or less adaptive processes, and how these processes are altered by the signal itself. I work with a special continuum-based task that allows speakers to rate their listening on a sliding scale. When paired with social network tracking and electroencephalography (EEG) studies, we can analyze this speech rating metric in tandem with an individual’s linguistic background and direct measurement of their brain activity to understand how experiences of a listener and physical features of the sound wave can warp the way that speech is perceived.

Jeff Leiberton


I do research in theoretical condensed matter physics with Professor Denis Candido. My project focuses on the theoretical prediction and application of topological properties of magnetic materials to entangle qubits in diamond. The transportation of information via entangled qubits is subject to impurities within the diamond sample–so-called noise. The “scattering of information” by this noise results in information dissipation. It has been shown that certain materials called topological insulators exhibit topological phase transitions in which their electronic transport properties are protected from noise. My work is aimed at addressing whether we can incorporate these topological phase transitions in magnetic materials to entangle qubits, thereby protecting them from noise and achieving better control. 

A preview of Jeff Liberton's Research
Mary and her research group in a clean room

Mary Hagg


Mary Haag does research with the University of Iowa high energy physics group with Dr. Jane Nachtman and Dr. Yasar Onel. She has worked on the CMS outer tracker upgrades and the CMS BTL cooling plate upgrade. 

 

Zachary Piker


I do research in theoretical condensed matter with Dr. Denis Candido. Specifically, I work on applications of group theory and symmetry in spin-vacancy centers in diamond lattice structures.

 
A snippet of video  modeling molecules at the atomic level I screenshotted from twitter
Andrew w/ his poster

Andrew Milne


I work with 2 research groups; Dr. Hospodarsky at UIowa studying the plasma environment and lightning whistlers around Jupiter using the Juno WAVES instrument, and Dr. Segura-Cox at UT Austin studying the characteristics of young Class 0/I protostars. I will be heading to Winter 2024 AAS to present my work on protostars. For more information, read more on my website

Fellowships and Funding Opportunities

Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates (ICRU)

  • Funding for undergraduate research projects during either the academic year or summer. Read more HERE.

Iowa Space Grant Consortium

  • Funding for undergraduate/graduate research projects during the academic year.  Read more HERE.

Departmental summer research grants

  • James A. Van Allen Research Grant
  • Charles A. Wert Education Fund
  •   Read more HERE.

Barry Goldwater Scholarship

  • National scholarship for students in natural sciences, engineering, and math.  Read more HERE

Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs)

  • NSF-sponsored programs that fund summer research projects at REU sites Read more HERE.

NASA internships

  • Opportunities to conduct research at a NASA center during the academic year or summer. Read more HERE.

ICRU travel grants

  • Funding to present undergraduate research at a professional conference. Read more HERE.

UI Honors travel grants

  • Funding for internships, research, or presenting research at professional conferences. Read more HERE.