2024 UHP Discover Projects

Faculty: Dr. Alejandro Lozano Robledo

Digital Futures Partnership

Project Description: 

The proposed research project aims to develop a case study using community needs input, multimodal transportation data, and digital twin simulation tools to analyze, test, and propose concepts for Smart Mobility Hubs in Ohio. The larger goal is to develop a set of recommendations that improve multi-modal mobility, land use, public content, job creation, safety, and accessibility in Ohio’s urban neighborhoods and can be scaled to other cities in the future. 

To reach these goals, a multi-disciplinary team of students and academic researchers from the University of Cincinnati (UC) will collaborate in developing an innovative proposal for mobility hubs in Ohio while addressing the needs of local stakeholders and proposing interventions that can have tangible impacts in the community in the short and long term. The project will be hosted at the UC Digital Futures, Future Mobility Design (FMD) Lab which specializes in user-centered research and will conduct qualitative research on MACRO factors such as demographics, trends, economy, markets, politics, and geography, as well as human-centered qualitative research to uncover community stakeholders’ needs. The FMD team can also map out the mobility hub ecosystem and carry out in depth user journeys to identify pain points and opportunities for design interventions. In the design proposal phase, they will use the proprietary multi-level prototyping methodology (including AR/VR/XR tools), to develop and validate concepts for micromobility and other forms of transportation, stations, hubs, public contents, businesses, and interactions.

Additionally, based on a chosen case study, we will gather real drone footage, which can be mapped in a 3D model and used for prototype validation, which will be used to create a high-fidelity Digital Twin (DT) simulation of the proposed mobility hub in Ohio which can be used for future testing and scalability to other cities in the state. The FMD Lab is currently partnering with government stakeholders in the city of Cincinnati in using DT technologies to inform the future city plan and will leverage existing case studies and community outreach to increase the impact of this project.

This project is for you if:

• You are a UHP student who is interested in collaborating in multidisciplinary research teams.
• You want to propose future-forward ideas that the state of Ohio can implement
• You are interested in researching and implementing global trends such as Smart cities, artificial intelligence, vehicle autonomy, shared economy, etc.
• You want to learn human-centered (design research) methodologies which can help frame the scope of any project, understand the implications of your work in terms of people, and develop advanced visualization skills.
• You value community impact work, and engaging with real stakeholders to understand opportunity areas.
• You are excited to play and test new tools including VR/AR/XR and Digital Twins.
• Want to be exposed to cutting edge research happening at UC Digital Futures.

Lab website: https://ucdigitalfutures.com/future-mobility-design-lab/

Project Example: https://www.uptowncincinnati.com/blog/2023/5/24/uptownstakeholders-travel-to-the-future-to-visualize-mobility-solution

Examples of Undergraduate student projects with a similar focus: https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLrp1kQd87X0wEZzc493WOjaQ6Uf2ppAG9/videos

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: In-Person or Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Ming Tang

Digital Futures Partnership

Project Description:

This research project delves into digital humanities within the metaverse and social Virtual Reality (VR). This initiative is specifically designed for students from diverse academic backgrounds, including humanities, social sciences, business, education, music, arts, technology, and design. Our primary objective is to explore and understand the humanistic and societal implications of the metaverse and VR as innovative digital interaction and community engagement platforms. 

The metaverse and VR technologies represent a new frontier in digital interaction, merging reality with virtual spaces to create immersive experiences. Our project investigates how these technologies reshape entertainment and communication and influence cultural, educational, and social paradigms. We aim to analyze how the metaverse can be a tool for more than just gaming and entertainment but a platform for education, artistic expression, and social connectivity.

Students will critically examine Extended Reality (XR) and its applications across various domains. The project will involve an in-depth study of public events hosted in the metaverse using a range of platforms such as Mytaverse, Nvidia Omniverse, Decentraland, Roblox, Sansar, VRchat, Sinespace, Somnium Space, The Sandbox, Second Life, meetaverse.com, and Microsoft Mesh. This exploration is unique as it focuses on the technical aspects of these platforms and deeply investigates their cultural, sociological, and educational impacts. Students will analyze how virtual spaces facilitate new forms of interaction, collaboration, and learning and how they can be leveraged to foster a more inclusive and accessible digital society.

Learning Experience: 

The project is structured to offer a hybrid learning experience, combining both online and in-person elements. Students will be able to work closely with the XR-Lab at Digital Future, where they will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge XR equipment and technologies. This collaborative environment at the Digital Future building fosters practical learning, allowing students to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings. It also encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together students from various academic backgrounds to share insights and ideas, thereby enriching the research process. 

The project aims to equip students with a deep understanding of how digital technologies like the metaverse and VR can be applied beyond entertainment, addressing real-world challenges in education, business, and community building. Students will learn to critically assess the potential and limitations of these technologies, considering ethical, accessibility, and cultural factors. This approach will enhance their technical skills and develop their critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and cultural awareness. 

We invite students passionate about the intersection of technology and humanities to participate in this unique research project. Whether your background is in the arts, technology, social sciences, or any other field, your contribution can help shape our understanding of the digital future. Join us in this exciting venture to explore the digital frontiers where technology meets humanity and help pave the way for a more connected and inclusive digital world.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Todd Foley

Digital Futures Partnership

Project Description:

This research project aims to collaboratively engage undergraduate students from the University Honors Program (UHP) in a comprehensive study of the Adopt-A-Class (AAC) mentorship programs. The project will focus on assessing the effectiveness of AAC in influencing student decision-making, educational outcomes, and the organizational culture of the mentor entities involved. 

Background:

Adopt-A-Class (AAC) has been a beacon of mentorship in underserved communities, connecting students with a diverse range of adult mentors from various industries since 2003. Through group mentorship programs, AAC facilitates monthly visits, educational activities, and field trips. This engagement aims to empower students, enhance their exposure to different career pathways, and foster a culture of teamwork and knowledge growth within the participating organizations. 

Adopt-A-Class has been pivotal in linking students from underserved communities with mentors from various professional backgrounds. However, the longitudinal impact of such mentorship interactions on students' career choices, self-efficacy, and overall development remains understudied. Furthermore, the influence of participation in AAC on the organizational culture of the mentor entities, including aspects like employee engagement and team-building, has not yet been systematically evaluated. 

Project Components: 

1. Longitudinal Study of AAC's Impact: Student researchers will help design and implement a longitudinal study to track and analyze AAC's influence on student participants, especially focusing on their career knowledge, selfefficacy, and decision-making skills. This will involve starting with third-grade classrooms and tracing their progress beyond high school, using innovative data collection methods. 

2. Organizational Culture Analysis: The project will also examine the impact of AAC mentorship on the organizational culture of the participating entities. Student researchers will assist in conducting surveys and interviews with AAC mentors to gauge changes in employee satisfaction, engagement, and team dynamics. 

3. Salesforce Data Utilization and Analysis: Student researchers will engage in extracting and analyzing data from AAC’s Salesforce system, aiming to uncover historical trends and current patterns in AAC’s operations. 

4. Electronic Portfolio Development: Another key aspect will involve developing a digital portfolio system for AAC students to document and reflect on their mentorship experiences over the years. 

5. Retrospective Analysis: The project will also include a retrospective component, identifying and analyzing past AAC participants to understand long-term outcomes. Learning Outcomes for UHP Students: • Gain hands-on experience in designing and conducting longitudinal research. • Develop skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis. • Enhance their understanding of mentorship's role in educational and professional development. • Learn to navigate and analyze large datasets, particularly in education and social sciences. • Develop skills in project management and collaborative research.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid 

Faculty: Dr. Whitney Gaskins

Digital Futures Partnership    

Project Description:

Join Wesleigh, Waylen, and Waverly on an exhilarating journey through the captivating world of mathematics in our upcoming animated series, " Numeracy: Teaching Mathematics Through an Animated Children's Series” Geared towards young minds, this show aims to make learning math fun, engaging, and an integral part of everyday adventures. 

The series follows the spirited trio – Wesleigh, the tech-savvy problem solver; Waylen, the curious inventor; and Waverly, the imaginative dreamer – as they embark on thrilling quests that intertwine with various mathematical concepts. Each episode is a thrilling expedition, transporting viewers into a world where numbers, shapes, patterns, and equations are the tools to solve mysteries, overcome challenges, and unlock new possibilities. 

Through the characters' interactions and problem-solving, children will be introduced to fundamental mathematical concepts in an approachable and entertaining manner. From basic arithmetic to geometry, fractions to probability, each episode is carefully crafted to align with educational standards while fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

We are looking to work with students who have interest in bringing this animated series to life.

We are seeking to work with students to develop their skills and talents in using a variety of media tools. The student can expect to do some script writing, storytelling, story boarding, animating and design thinking. 

Expectations of the Student: ​

The expectation for the student is to have a sincere curiosity about research; an interest in diversity, equity and inclusion studies, and particularly how to create inclusive culture for populations that are historically excluded. I am searching for students who are highly motivated and willing to work explore topics in STEM Education. I love research and I believe my passion for research combined with my work in removing obstacles for STEM excellence will inspire the students while helping them to identify their own research interest.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: In-Person or Hybrid

Faculty: Bryan Kowalcyzk

Digital Futures Partnership

Project Description:

This research project aims to create a smart indoor navigation system using a robotic platform. The robot will be upgraded with automation features and various sensors for autonomous navigation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms will be used to help the robot observe its surroundings, make decisions, and map indoor spaces effectively. 

The main focus of this research is: 

1. System Integration: The initial phase involves connecting the robotic system with chosen sensors. This includes setting up communication protocols to ensure seamless integration of hardware and networking. 

2. Automation Development: A framework for automation will be created, allowing the robot to navigate autonomously. Algorithms for obstacle avoidance, path planning, and dynamic re-routing will be implemented to enhance its self-navigation capabilities. 

3. Testing and Optimization: Rigorous testing will be conducted to evaluate the system's performance in different indoor scenarios. Optimization efforts will focus on refining algorithms, improving accuracy, and addressing challenges encountered during testing. 

4. Mapping and Visualization: The final phase involves developing a mapping system that visualizes the indoor environment based on the data collected by the robot. Expected Outcomes: Upon successful completion, the indoor navigation robot will autonomously navigate indoor spaces, avoid obstacles, and create detailed maps. The integration of AI/ML algorithms will make the robot adaptable to various environments, making it suitable for applications such as logistics, security, and facility management. This project marks a significant step towards implementing intelligent robotic systems in real-world indoor environments.

Project Hours: 35

Anticipated Format: In-Person

Faculty: Dr. Chris Collins

Digital Futures Partnership

Project Description:

The Digital Futures AR/VR & Motion Capture Lab is a premier, state-of-the-art immersive technology research facility featuring a suite of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), simulation, haptic, biometric, and motion capture systems to conduct research.  

This opportunity will engage students in research projects with faculty and industry partners to solve urgent real-world problems in safe virtual spaces.  All experience and technical skill levels are welcome - as long as you're passionate about the future of augmented and virtual reality, gaming, virtual environments, and/or the emerging metaverse.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: In-Person

Faculty: Dr. Heidi Kloos

Project Description:

When summer comes, many children struggle to retain what they have learned during the school year. This so-called summer-learning loss is particularly pronounced for children from economically disadvantaged communities. We seek to address the summer-learning loss by interfacing with a summer program that is organized for homeless children. Our specific focus is on elementary-school math (arithmetic, pre-algebra). This is a particularly challenging academic subject, with children often being several years behind their grade level. Children also struggle with learning motivation and persistence. They might even suffer from math anxiety.

The proposed research will explore ways in which children can overcome these barriers and learn math in a positive environment. The research involves designing, carrying out, and testing the effect of a math-enrichment program that will be rolled out during the summer.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: In-Person

Faculty: Dr. Steven Ellis

Project Description:

Our Classics Department here at UC runs two archaeological excavations in Italy: one at the famed city of Pompeii, the other at Tharros on the island of Sardinia.  The student researcher would work directly with the Director of these projects, Steven Ellis, on various projects in Cincinnati to support the excavations while they are ongoing.  This means that data and information will be sent from the live excavations each day to Cincinnati; the student researcher would work on this data and return it to the team to help support the excavations. This would include working on 3D images of the excavations (photogrammetry), organizing, and editing the photographs of the finds and of the trenches, and some work with the website and social media. In all a great opportunity to work behind-the-scenes of an archaeological excavation.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Remote or Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Yingying Sun

Project Description:

Enhancing Campus Accessibility Through Crowdsourced Mapping: A Prototype App for Google

Summary: In urban environments, the quality of routes in urban settings significantly impacts mobility. Various accessibility issues, route elevation, damaged routes, steep roads, vehicular crossing, and uneven terrain, pose challenges for individuals with mobility impairments. The traditional methods of assessing route quality have long been dependent on labor-intensive and costly in-person audits, or they have been reactionary, relying on citizen reports after issues have already arisen. This study aims to leverage user crowdsourcing for mapping local routes, with a focus on recording street elevations to assist individuals with disabilities or mobility challenges.

The primary value of this study is to empower individuals with mobility challenges by providing them with reliable, up-to-date information about the accessibility of local streets. The application seeks to transform community members into active contributors in creating a more inclusive, navigable, and connected environment.

Research Objective: The primary objective of this project is to create an innovative, responsive design app prototype that enables users to contribute to a comprehensive, accessible mapping database. This database will particularly focus on detailing street elevations and barriers, an often-overlooked aspect that can pose significant challenges for individuals with mobility issues. It also includes leveraging crowdsourcing to collect localized information, such as mapping out shortcuts.

Main Deliverables:

1.    Prototype Development: Development of a user-friendly, responsive app prototype.

2.    Crowdsourcing Interface Design and Evaluation: A feature allowing users to input data on local routes, including shortcuts and street elevations. Usability testing will be conducted.

3.    Elevation Mapping: A back-end system to accurately record street elevations, making this information readily available to app users.

4.    Accessibility Database: Review user feedback and organize user-contributed data into a comprehensive accessibility map, highlighting routes suitable for individuals with mobility challenges.

Outcome and Impact: The successful development of this app will significantly enhance urban navigation for people with disabilities by providing them with critical information about street elevations. This information can be used to plan the most accessible and comfortable routes, hence improving their daily mobility and quality of life.

Project Hours: 32

Anticipated Format: In-Person or Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Gary Painter

Project Description:

Since the foreclosure crisis of 2008, the real estate landscape in the United States has changed dramatically. One prominent element of this change has been the rise of single family rental (SFR) housing. In the aftermath of the crisis, large investors flowed into this market, buying up foreclosed properties. By 2015, the number of SFR in the top 50 largest metropolitan areas rose from 3.8 to 5.8 million, representing an increase in almost 5% of the stock of single family homes (Immergluck, 2018). By 2021, 33% of all rental households were in SFRs, totaling 14.3 million households (Hermann 2023). The purpose of the proposed project is to contribute to growing bodies of research on the causes and consequences of this shift by performing preliminary research.

This shift need not have negative impacts for all households because of some of these new rentals may be in neighborhoods with better schools and other amenities.  At the same time, rental properties are maintained less than owner occupied properties (Deitz and Haurin, 2003) and restricting ownership opportunities might reduce an important avenue for wealth creation among households.

This research will determine whether maintenance is reduced when properties shift from ownership to rental status.  Further, we will investigate whether there are changes in neighborhood characteristics reflecting differences in amenities, infrastructure, and services.  Of particular interest will be the access of renters to high-quality schools, job opportunities, and other neighborhood amenities.  

The project will rely on the multivariate analyses of large datasets from the Census - American Housing Survey and American Community Survey - as well as mortgage data from Corelogic.

Project Hours: 30

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Shelina Brown

Project Description:

I'm thrilled to propose a research project for undergraduate students that focuses on investigating women's contributions to rock music. As the lead professor, my goal is to study the evolution of rock music from the 1950s to the 1980s, with a special focus on women of color, as well as transgender and nonbinary artists. I am also open to students who wish to explore related genres such as funk and punk rock. Despite some scholarly and journalistic works since the mid-1990s shedding light on women's role in rock music, the field of rock history remains predominantly focused on men. This summer research project aims to uncover overlooked stories of women in rock, inspiring future scholarly work that reevaluates women's involvement in guitar-based music since the 1950s.

The undergraduate student will collect information from UC system libraries, connect with local collectors and record stores housing personal archival collections, and explore digital archival sources. The goal is to contribute to a comprehensive academic research database on women in rock, setting the stage for a larger digital humanities project.

In this project, the student will explore various aspects of women's involvement in rock music, not just as musicians but also as industry professionals, scene participants, and audience members. The aim is to offer a well-rounded perspective on the role of women in rock, recognizing their diverse contributions beyond performing.

For the final project, the student will create a research presentation based on key historical or archival sources that resonated with them. To make the findings accessible to a wider audience, the student will produce a brief YouTube video or podcast episode introducing the general public to their summer research findings on women in rock.

This research benefits both the academic community and plays a crucial role in applying for an NEH Digital Humanities Advancement Grant. If successful, the grant will provide an opportunity for the student to continue researching and growing academically beyond the summer project. The grant application is scheduled for submission in August 2024, following the conclusion of the summer research project.

Expectations:

Expectations for the undergraduate student researcher include mastering research skills and navigating diverse databases and archival sources under my guidance. Following this foundation, students are encouraged to pursue avenues of inquiry that resonate with personal significance. The culmination of their research efforts will manifest in a compelling project, offering them the opportunity to share their findings with a broader audience. This may take the form of a podcast or YouTube video, seamlessly integrating key sources and exciting discoveries, allowing the student to communicate their passion and insights to a wider public audience.

Ethos:

My ethos for mentoring undergraduate students in research projects centers on empowering them with essential tools and skills while fostering independent development. After guiding them through foundational sources, I advocate for thinking innovatively and seeking diverse perspectives as their research progresses. I emphasize the evolution of scholarly research, encouraging exploration beyond archives to interpersonal communication with collectors, local music enthusiasts, and women musicians. By allowing students to take a leadership role, they define their research contribution, fostering a dynamic learning experience that extends beyond acquiring knowledge to actively shaping the trajectory of their academic journey.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid or Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Vikas Mehta

Project Description:

Since the dawn of civilization humans have been creating settlements for shelter and as a means to create community, meaning, and a sense of place. Along the way, humans have innovated with landscape and building techniques as well as materials to find the most effective ways to create a place. This has meant learning how to live with the numerous bounties but also forces of nature. In different civilizations this has transformed into knowledge of working in unique climatic zones, landscapes, and seasonal changes with existing conditions and materials. In effect, this has translated into wisdoms of understanding and working with nature including harnessing the natural energy flows from land, wind, and water. Over decades and centuries, these means and methods have been improved and refined to become increasingly suitable to the specific landscapes where people have chosen to settle.

However, the Industrial Age followed by Modernism in the 20th century has seen the gradual loss of much of this knowledge in favor of a culture of creating human habitat that is obsessed with solutions that result from conquering nature rather than working with it. Thankfully there is a recognition that these ways of building (from entire regions to cities to individual buildings) are not sustainable or resilient especially as we constantly face the wraths of nature in these times of the climate crisis and global health crises. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic showed how our dependence on technologies for artificially ventilating buildings proved to be devastating. One of the broader shifts has been to revisit the past knowledge of building and further improve them using current technological advances to create more resilient ways building.

The faculty researcher is currently conducting research on this new aspect of building in a project titled Vernacular Wisdoms of the Past. The work focuses on reviewing and studying regions and cities across the world, historic and modern, to find and document the vernacular knowledge and wisdom of working in unique climatic zones, landscapes, and seasonal changes with existing conditions and materials. Although urban designers, architects, landscape architects and other built environment researchers and professional have been increasing adopting vernacular methods to contemporary needs, there is no comprehensive collection that acts as a resource for students, researchers, and professionals. The aim is to create a collection using visualizations that communicate these wisdoms of building at the scale of region, city, town, neighborhood, and building from different parts of the world to serve as a learning tool for urban designers, architects, and city planners for building in the 21st century.

Note: please note that the word “building” here implies more than buildings or structures. It is building at all scales including regional master planning, city planning, platting, neighborhood design, landscape design, architectural design and the design of details of buildings.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. David Niven

Project Description:

People can face a wide variety of obstacles to voting. Polling places can be closed. Identification requirements can be tightened. Police officers can be stationed in and around polling places. But we know very little about how many people are affected by those obstacles and how long the effects last.

For this project, we will have access to a complete list of calls for assistance to a national voting hotline. The student researcher will help match those calls to the affected voting precinct and compare the resulting voter turnout. Additionally, we will have access to the complete voter file from several states including Florida, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. The student researcher will help match the data and resolve discrepancies to allow both datasets to help illustrate how many people are affected by voting obstacles.

Additionally, the student researcher will search media reports relevant to voting/voting obstacles and research article databases.

The intent of the project is to produce an academic research paper on the subject and to produce reports that could be used in future legislative debates or court cases relevant to voting and voting rights.

Ultimately, the student's work will help tell the story of what it is like to vote in different localities in the United States and how that matters.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Kaitlyn Bruns

Project Description:

Adams County, Ohio, an exemplar of a rural community with considerable mental health concerns and extensive barriers to accessing care, created the opportunity to address its mental health crisis through partnering with UC Psychiatry to provide tele-mental healthcare services. Adams County, a HRSA-designated rural area in south-central Ohio Appalachia, has a population density of 48.3 people per square mile, a median household income of $35,560, and per capita income of $18,556. The U.S. Census Bureau reports 21.3% of the Adams County population lives in poverty, making it the 2nd poorest county in Ohio. While Cincinnati is roughly 70 miles from Adams County, many youth in the area do not have the means to travel for healthcare. The absence of child and adolescent psychiatrists, coupled with limited mental health agencies, exacerbates the challenges faced by the community.

A 2017 Community Health Assessment, distributed by the ACHD and completed by community members, revealed substance abuse and mental health disorders as the leading health problems in Adams County. The lack of available and appropriate mental health care worsens care inequities, widening the mental health disorder prevention and treatment gap between poor, rural counties like Adams County, and higher SES counties in Ohio (University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 2022).

The “Together We Care” initiative brings together the Adams County Health Department (ACHD), Children Services, local school districts, the Sheriff’s office, Common Pleas Court and Probation Department, the Coalition for a Drug Free Adams County, and the University of Cincinnati Department of Psychiatry as a consortium to provide evidenced-based mental health services delivered via telehealth in order to addresses an unmet need in Adams County. The program provides psychotherapy and psychiatry for youth either in their school, juvenile detention facility, or regional medical center.

We have several ongoing research projects including the following:

*Pre- and post-training survey data which measures changes in knowledge of community members after attending a mental health-related training/presentation. Presentation topics have included, Parenting youth with ADHD, Understanding mental health disorders in youth, and Depression and suicide awareness in youth.

*This summer we will be running a large-scale mental health and prevention group with rural youth grades 3-6. Part of this project will be collecting, entering, and analyzing pre- and post-intervention surveys that measure symptoms of depression, anxiety, and social belonging.

*Implementation and program evaluation of a rural teen mom therapy group. Collected data will be related to depression and anxiety symptoms, clinical improvement, and program evaluation.

Prospective student researchers will engage in various research-related activities, such as literature reviews, survey data collection and analysis, transcription of interviews, and contributing to manuscript or poster presentations. Other activities may include creating psychoeducation presentations for the community, assisting in the branding of mental health therapy programs in Adams County, and participating in the planning and implementation of summer prevention groups.

This research opportunity is ideal for students interested in mental health, health disparities, suicide prevention, and potential careers in counseling, therapy, or social work. The program emphasizes collaborative skill development, offering meaningful contributions to projects and efforts related to the mental health care of rural youth based on individual interests and skills.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid or Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Dong-Gil Ko

Project Description:

Telehealth is a health-related service and distribution of information using information and communication technologies and includes video visits, e-visits, and secure messaging. Secure messaging (SM) is like sending a “protected text message” and is one of the most used telehealth services that is growing very rapidly. Some of the problems in primary care include not enough time during in-person visits to provide the recommended care. There has also been a big increase in secure messages in the last few years with some that are associated with medical visit avoidance. For providers, they feel burned out from the increased workload arising from frequent messages.

SM telehealth service lets patients send non-urgent requests for medical advice. SM helps with getting people involved, understanding information, improving results, coordinating care, and keeping the care going seamlessly. The UHP student will study telehealth and look at real data from electronic health records in the SM system. The goal is to understand who uses it and how and figure out the best way to offer this service to improve primary care practices. The aim is to provide good patient care, management, and outcomes in a way that's affordable and sustainable. The UHP student will get an opportunity to present their findings at an academic conference or publish their work.

Visit https://sites.google.com/view/kolablcb/ 

This project examines a real-world complex problem, conducts impactful research, and improves people’s lives consistent with UC’s Research 2030/Next Lives Here goals. This study also aligns with the “Good Health and Well-Being” goal specified in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by making progress towards improved health and life expectancy.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid or Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Brittany Hayes

Project Description:

Research has consistently demonstrated that individuals with disabilities, but particularly individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), are at greater risk of victimization that individuals without disabilities. IDD is “characterized by significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviors that originates before the age of 22” (American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 2022) and may include communication challenges (e.g., individual who is non-speaking or nonverbal; production and/or comprehension of speech). Yet, there are a number of barriers when it comes to reporting their victimization for individuals with IDD. Communication challenges are likely a unique hurdle to reporting among victims with IDD.

Our goal is to enhance communication and reduce language access barriers for persons with IDD when it comes to accessing justice for violence against women (VAW) in a way that best represents their lived experience. We will analyze the problem domain and ascertain the barriers to language access from the perspective of victims with IDD, the disability community, and practitioners who work with VAW victims with IDD. This will be done through two methods – 1) an analysis of law enforcement and victim service agency’s policies for victims with IDD and 2) interviews and/or focus groups with victims with IDD, the disability community, law enforcement, victim advocates, and disability advocates.

For the first portion of the project, our goal is to ascertain the current state of policies around accommodations among law enforcement agencies and victim services. To do this, we compile law enforcement and victim service agency’s policies related to victims with IDD. The mentee will assist in compiling these policies (either through web-searching or requests to the agencies) and organizing policies into a qualitative data analysis software. The mentee will also assist in codebook development. This portion of the project can be conducted at home.

We will also be conducting interviews and/or focus groups with victims with IDD, the disability community, law enforcement, victim advocates, and disability advocates. All these interviews will be audio and video recorded. Interviews will need to be transcribed.  The mentee will assist with the transcription of these interviews/focus groups.

In this way, the mentee will be involved in many aspects of the research process including different forms of data collection, analysis, and dissemination. In addition, they  will learn how to interact with community agencies in the research context. They will be a member of the research team and regularly meet and interact with members of that team, including current graduate students at UC.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Keshar Ghimire

Project Description:

After the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (1992) in 2018, several states across the country legalized sports betting. As of 2023, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting in some form. Of these, 29 states and DC legalized after the Supreme court ruling. This rapid roll out of sports betting laws (SBLs) has encouraged a plethora of private entities, such as FanDuel and DraftKings, to enter betting industry offering lucrative sign-up deals to acquire new customers.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that take-up rate for these ‘deals’ are high, and some estimates suggest millions of users betting regularly on betting platforms.

This project seeks to evaluate the multi-faceted impact of SBLs on American Public with special focus on the outcomes of youth. We will utilize data from various national surveys to estimate the causal impact of SBLs on a range of labor-market outcomes (absence from work, unemployment, labor force participation, etc.) and health outcomes (substance use, mental wellbeing, etc.). Data on labor-market outcomes comes from the Current Population Survey (CPS) administered by the US Census Bureau and the data on health outcomes comes from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Using a difference-in-difference estimation strategy, the project will exploit the variation in SBLs across states and time to gauge their impact. Given that SBLs vary greatly in scope and leniency across states, we will explore facets of SBLs that have the biggest (and smallest) impact on the outcomes we study. The results will not only help us understand the contemporary state of sports gambling and its impact but will also help inform policymaking going forward as the remaining states contemplate their next steps in the context of legalizing sports betting. 

Project Hours: 32

Anticipated Format: Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Christopher Platts 

Project Description:

Dozens of small museums, special-collection libraries, universities, and other public institutions in Ohio and the Midwest contain significant medieval and early modern European artworks (ca. 1300-1700) that remain in storage, unpublished, and virtually unknown to both scholars and the public. Only a few of these little-known repositories of Renaissance and Baroque paintings, sculpture, and illuminated manuscripts were inventoried by two art historians in the 1960s, but the resulting publication included very little data about the artworks and not a single illustration. Consequently, scholars and curators have ignored this highly useful book and, in so doing, have neglected to consider the hundreds, if not thousands, of medieval and early modern artworks currently all but invisible in local and regional institutions.

My project aims to discover, research, and share the most significant early European artworks held in little-known museums, libraries, colleges, and churches in Ohio and the Midwest. To do this, we will contact curators, librarians, archivists, and church caretakers to request information and images about the art collections they oversee. With photographs and data to hand, we will study the artworks, including their style, quality, iconography, and other features, determining which objects deserve further research and in-person examination.

I have already begun this project by contacting and visiting local institutions in Cincinnati, Dayton, Columbus, and other nearby cities, and based on the promising results so far, I am eager to expand the scope of the study to include institutions in Kentucky, Indiana, West Virginia, and other states. I have already found a handful of unpublished Renaissance and Baroque paintings, sculptures, and illuminated manuscripts that I have discussed in scholarly conference papers and that I plan to publish. I believe that by working with a dedicated research assistant from the Honors Discover Program, we will find additional artworks that we can examine and share, not only with the staff at the institutions that own them, but also with their diverse audiences and with the  scholarly community more broadly. In fact, after working closely with a research assistant from the Honors Discover Program last summer, I know this to be the case: there are indeed more artistic treasures to find and study.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Sherae Daniel

Project Description:

Increasingly, the Internet provides the primary mechanism through which we learn about the people around us. Getting to know someone online is often the initial way we meet someone, and at the same time can be a continual way to learn information about someone over time. For this reason, the way many people perceive us is determined by how we present ourself online. Whether this is to find a romantic connection on Tinder, to find lodging on Airbnb or to find a job on LinkedIn, the way that we present ourself online drives important outcomes.

The goal of this project is to better understand the impact of managing one’s online profile on software developer career opportunities. In particular, we consider efforts on platforms including LinkedIn, Twitter and Github. We are interested in career opportunities including promotions within a firm and career opportunities with other firms.  We also include promotions within organizations other than firms such as open-source software development communities (e.g., Apache Software Foundation).

In addition to understanding how online behaviors impact careers, generally, we consider in what situations the impact of an online behavior on a career outcome might differ. Preliminary interviews suggests that a person’s gender might influence the relationship between those behaviors and career opportunities. We consider for instance if a man posting a skill gives him more career opportunities than a woman posting the same skill.

More generally, this work will consider the degree to which a person’s social identity, including things such as race, gender, or political affiliation change the relationship between how one presents themselves online and career opportunities.

Findings from this study will be useful for individuals who interact online and pursue careers.  In addition, findings from this research could help those who own and design digital platforms. This would include the owners and designers for platforms including LinkedIn and Github.

This project is ideal for a student who has interests in data collection, analysis and psychology. A student with a potential interest in a career in research would be ideal. This summer, the student will be completely emersed in moving the research forward. This is an ongoing project. The project team has already identified relevant literature and collected interview and survey data. The student will have opportunities to leverage statistical tools to analyze the survey data.  This would likely include conducting ANOVAS, regressions and structural equation modeling. The team will include multiple professors and a Ph.D. student. This will provide the students with ample opportunities to learn about various roles and opportunities within the academy. The student will be expected to work independently and manage their time.

Project Hours: 35

Anticipated Format: Hybrid or Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Danilo Palazzo

Project Description:

Urban Walls was a non-profit wall mural and community improvement project organized and sponsored by Carl Solway Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.  It began as an idea in 1970.  Urban Walls: Cincinnati is a limited-edition spiral-bound book self-published in 1976 by Carl Solway Gallery created to be provided to the buyers of the Urban Walls screenprints. T  

I am engaged in this research with my colleague Prof. Kate Bonansinga, Director, School of Art, College of DAAP.  She is also applying for support from UHP for a student research assistant during Summer 2024 for this project. Her 2024 summer research project interest is to write a narrative that builds upon this publication by providing insights on the artistic impact of Urban Walls between 1976 and today. Carl’s son, Michael Solway has loaned her the Urban Walls archive for research purposes.

My interest is aligned with hers. The Carl Solway Gallery's initiative to engage downtown Cincinnati happened soon after the city, and in particular, the West End, where the Gallery was historically located, was involved in massive urban transformations and social turmoil. Cincinnati manufacturing employment was in decline. It went from 27.9% to 15.4% (Leibovitz and Salmon, 1999.) The population of the city's central core has steadily declined since the 1950s while the population of the greater metropolitan area continues to expand. In 1967, riots took place in Cincinnati over racial segregation and lack of political representation.

I am interested in investigating this heterogeneous framework and the role that public art, or art in public (such as the D'aug Days, a month-long presentation of all the arts at Downtown Cincinnati's Fountain Square in 1973) and, in particular, the Urban Walls, had in the local and national debate about the decline of downtown areas.  

Professor Bonansing and I are both interested in investigating this heterogeneous framework and the role that public art, or art in public space and, in particular, Urban Walls, had on the local and national debate about the decline of downtown areas. My research interest looks at this initiative in the context of actual and planned urban transformation, while her view is related to an art historical perspective.

If both of our applications are successful, some of the goals of her research assistant will be the same as mine, and others will be different.  For the shared goals, the two students will work as a team.

The dissemination of the research may be in a peer-reviewed publication, an exhibition of the archival materials, or both. 

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Virtual

We are open to consider an intensive F2F in May and then final F2F meetings in August with the rest remote.

F2F means that the students will have to spend most of their time meeting with us and working here at DAAP since there are some initial activities—orientation and organizational meetings, becoming familiar with original hardcopy documents, synthesizing them, and so on) that can only be done being physically here since most of the original documents in the Urban Walls archive are only in one copy and cannot leave the premise.

Faculty: Dr. Audrey Hickert

Project Description:

The U.S. public are often uninformed about crime and justice matters, yet public opinion is influential in politics and policy (Pickett, 2019). Mass incarceration was a result, in part, of growing public punitiveness starting in the 1970s (Enns, 2016). The trend has recently reversed, with prison populations starting to decline over the last decade – with largest rate of decline for Black Americans (Carson, 2021; Robey et al., 2023). Although Black Americans remain disproportionately involved in the US criminal legal system, there have been remarkable declines in multiple points of contact (e.g., arrest, incarceration) (Sabol et al., 2019; Sabol & Johnson, 2022). This project will analyze data from a national survey experiment that assesses the public’s knowledge about the recent prison decline – particularly for Black Americans – and tests how informing the public of these crime and justice trends influences their perceptions of crime, the criminal legal system, and support for policies and personal actions to support reintegration of formerly incarcerated individuals. The following six research questions guide the project:

1. Are Americans aware that Black Americans’ rate of contact with the criminal justice system has declined in recent years?

2. Which groups have the most accurate perceptions of trends in criminal justice contact?

3. When made aware of the downward trend, how does the public explain it? That is, what mechanism(s) (e.g., changes in offending, changes in child poverty, changes in drug enforcement) does the public find convincing?

4. How does providing information about Black Americans’ downward trend in criminal justice contact affect the public’s perceptions of the fairness and legitimacy of the legal system and their feelings about the salience of crime in their lives (e.g., their fear of crime)?

5. How does providing information about Black Americans’ downward trend in criminal justice contact to the public affect their support for different policies (e.g., punitive policies such as capital punishment; progressive reforms such as second look sentencing)?

6. How does providing information about Black Americans’ downward trend in criminal justice contact to the public affect their willingness to take personal actions to support successful reintegration of formerly incarcerated people (e.g., hiring, inviting to community events)?

The project will involve searching and synthesis of public opinion and criminal justice literature, survey data cleaning and analysis, preparation of materials to convey survey findings (e.g., presentation slides, written drafts), and other collaborative tasks with the research team, led by three School of Criminal Justice faculty members: Drs. Leah Butler, J.Z. Bennett, and Audrey Hickert. 

Project Hours: 30

Anticipated Format: Hybrid or In-Person

Faculty: Dr. Cassandra Jones

Project Description:

Metaphorical uses of sowing seeds and harvesting abound in the work of Octavia E. Butler beginning with her earliest works published in 1977. Indeed, her Patternist series is currently published as a collection titled Seed to Harvest featuring individual titles within the collection such as Wild Seed and Patternmaster which reflect the internal themes of cross-pollination of purposes and ideas as well as domination and enslavement that arise throughout the series.

The religion created in the Parable series, Earthseed, equally employs the metaphor of seeds and plant migration to explore issues of human migration and colonization “among the stars.” Beyond these metaphors, Butler’s protagonist Lauren Olamina teaches herself and her followers how to successfully collect seeds, grow plants, and identify edible plants in the wild as a material practice of survival in a time of political, environmental, and economic chaos. This reflects the real-life activist projects such as that of Fannie Lou Hamer who sought to address hunger and poverty in Black rural communities, while also providing tangible skills and support for Black farmers and sharecroppers through the creation of the Freedom Farm Cooperative in 1969.

As the world Butler predicted in Parable of the Sower and Parable of Talents approaches our reality, including numerous raging wildfires, diminishing fresh, clean water supplies, unpredictable weather patterns, mass human migration looking to escape war and political upheavals, etc., groups of activists increasingly look to Butler’s work for inspiration about how to address social issues. Adrienne Maree Brown’s Emergent Strategy series explicitly cites Butler as inspiration for considering the lessons of plant and animal life for human social organization. Groups such as the EARTHseed Land Collective and EARTHseed Blak Farm take lessons from Butler’s novels in order to create shared resources and cooperative living similar to the Earthseed communities in Parable of the Talents.

Beyond the novels, what ideas does Butler have about the role of farming in liberatory movements? Exploring Butler’s archival records to consider references she made to seed saving, soil and water management, and farming practices, this project seeks to place Butler in conversation with her contemporaries in the Black Freedom Movement, specifically those using agriculture as a form of resistance.  

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Daniel Murphy

Project Description:

The aim of this project is to understand how social and economic inequality are intertwined, and how this relationship varies across diverse pastoral communities in Mongolia. In order to do this, we explored the economic effects of social networks and network structure across individuals, households, and communities in two rural, pastoral communities in Mongolia. The relationship of social networks to economic inequality are well supported in small-scale, qualitative analyses of communities around the world, but quantitative analysis is lacking. In pastoral communities, which have long been noted for their paradoxically strong but flexible networks, there have been few quantitative or mixed method studies of social networks. Yet, the diversity of social network structures makes pastoral communities a unique context in which to explore these dynamics. This research aims to utilize longitudinal mixed method research to investigate whether social network structure impacts economic outcomes, measured here as household wealth.

The research data collected as part of this project comes from two different field sites in eastern and western Mongolia. These regions are marked by very different social, economic, and environmental dynamics. In each site (bag or district) data has been collected from every registered household. The data collected include demographic data, household wealth data, and social network data. In addition, the researchers have also collected qualitative data from households in each field. The qualitative data include discussions of the cultural dynamics of social bonds and relationships within networks. Data was collected in the western field site in 2018 and 2023, and in the eastern field site in 2019 and 2024.

Data for this project have only been partly entered and a change from paper survey questionnaires to digital questionnaires in Jotform mean that the database requires both an overhaul and completion. Once the data has been entered into and completed in Excel this summer, the data will be analyzed in a unique social network analysis program created by colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany. Qualitative data will be transcribed and uploaded to Dedoose for analysis. This will occur in summer 2024. 

Project Hours: 30

Anticipated Format: Hybrid or Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Peter Yi

Project Description:

Cincinnati Reuse Collective is an interdisciplinary research initiative at UC DAAP that asks: what are the processes impacting the reuse of abandoned and disused buildings in Cincinnati, and how can community members become stakeholders in this process? In just the West End neighborhood alone, there are an estimated 231 vacant buildings in various states of disrepair. At the same time, residents have expressed an urgent need for housing and public spaces. There are promising examples that point to an alignment between the need to reuse buildings and the need to provide for the community. Through the collaborative efforts of the city and non-profit organizations, several historic rowhouses on Baymiller Street have been renovated into new family homes, and designs have been proposed for renovating the historic Regal Theater into the new Robert O’Neal Multicultural Center.

What lessons can be learned from the successes and failures of past and ongoing projects, and how can design research and expertise support building reuse that benefits the communities around them? Our research approaches this question from a variety of knowledge frameworks, tools, and methods. We will closely study buildings and neighborhoods in need of repair, create photographic and video documentation, and interview residents, city officials, and community organizations. We will use GIS mapping and visual diagramming to uncover the physical and intangible relationships that propel a building’s reuse and renovation. We will design and implement an arts-based workshop, in partnership with reuse-oriented community organizations, for residents to obtain skills and knowledge in building repair and reuse. We will create publications, media, and public presentations that communicate the findings of the research to diverse audiences in Cincinnati. The combination of research outputs will be used to advocate for the city to create equitable policies and frameworks for building reuse and neighborhood revitalization. Students who have an appreciation and curiosity for the arts, design, buildings, urban space, and community engagement will benefit the most from this research. There is no required skill set in specific tools except a willingness to learn.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

It is possible to work on the research in a primarily virtual format. If the student has the ability to work in person on campus, it would be great to involve them in the hands-on making part of the research, design, and building process. However, this is not a requirement and the research can be accommodated to a wide range of virtual/in-person formats. This can be discussed during the informational interview.

Faculty: Dr. Kara Moranski

Project Description:

The student researcher will work with a research team on the project “Making Sense in Virtual Environments: Sensory Research in Virtual Reality for Language Learners,” which was recently funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s International Research and Studies program and is housed with the CEDAR Title VI Language Resource Center (LRC). The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of virtual reality (VR) experiences for language learners. The student researcher will work with the Principal Investigator, a Postdoctoral Fellow, and collaborators at the UCSIM Center for Simulations and Virtual Environments Research to collect data on language learners’ experience before, during, and after their participation in various virtual environments. Data collection will include a variety of instruments and techniques, such as surveys, sensory data collected via wearable technology, and stimulated-recall interviews. The VR materials included in this study are developed at the CEDAR LRC and are designed for Spanish and Arabic courses; proficiency in one of these languages is highly desirable. The student researcher will participate in all aspects of the study, including reviewing current literature in VR research, screening participants, collecting data, and analyzing data to arrive at preliminary results. The student researcher will also occasionally participate in activities and events of the CEDAR LRC, thus gaining experience in working at a Title VI Language Resource Center.

Project Hours: 35

Anticipated Format: In-Person or Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Kelly Merrill

Project Description:

The Avondale community is home to a large number of low-income residents who have limited access to a variety of resources including computers, the Internet, healthy food, and much more that can impact one’s health. These lack of resources can make it difficult for them to stay informed about their health and take advantage of technologies that are designed for health outcomes and benefits. Thus, the current project will help to bridge this divide by providing hands-on training, support, and activities to improve the overall health and (digital) health literacy among Avondale residents and the larger community. Indeed, increased (digital) health literacy is linked to increased engagement with online health-related tools and technologies designed for health, increased adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors and improved abilities to assess online health information.

To address these issues, a variety of community-based brainstorming and listening sessions, as well as community-based workshops will be implemented. The brainstorming and listening sessions will be led with the assistance of academic and community partners. Specifically, individuals in the Avondale community and beyond will meet with the academic and community partners to discuss what health-related issues they think are important to address in the community. These sessions will inform the eventual community workshops that will be held for the community. The community workshops will include partnerships between community leaders, community partners, and academic partners. Some potential topics for the community workshops include healthy eating, (digital health) literacy, social support, and interacting with digital health technologies. The workshops will be designed to actively engage the community in experiential learning about the selected topics.

This project is vital for empowering Avondale residents and beyond with health skills, reducing healthcare disparities, and fostering long-term community health improvements. The primary long-term goal is to create a sustainable model for bridging health divides, ensuring equitable access to health resources and thus significantly enhancing the overall health and well-being of Avondale residents and beyond. Completion of this project is a crucial step toward achieving this goal, laying the foundation for ongoing health equity initiatives that will continue to benefit the community in the years to come.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: In-Person

Faculty: Dr. Melissa Jacquart

Project Description:

Philosophy is a way of thinking about certain topics such as moral responsibility, meaning in life, personal values, and reasons. It is an activity in which people try to figure out truths about themselves, the world in which they live, and their relationships to the world and each other. Public philosophy is a new subfield of philosophy that involves engagement with the public around various philosophical topics and cultivating philosophical critical thinking and perspective-taking skills in the public.

This summer project examines different ways in which philosophy can engage the public. The goal of this project is to provide a model for how publicly-oriented scholarship and community-engaged work can support academic research as well as be valuable academic work in itself. Focal questions include: How do we use philosophy topics to engage the public? How do we use public interest to explore philosophy? How do we best translate philosophical methodology and skills into public spaces? How does academic public engagement differ depending on the subject matter? What are the benefits of such engagement from both the perspective of academics and from the public? We will examine these questions through three dramatically different existing research projects of mine:

(1) Philosophy in Schools. “Philosophy with Youths” or “Philosophy with Children” is a methodology and term that refers to outreach and engagement activities aimed at introducing K-12 students to philosophy and its methods. Through cultivating communities of inquiry, we foster curiosity, develop critical thinking skills, and explore big questions. We work with local elementary schools and high schools.

(2) Philosophy in Science. Approaches to public engagement around science must address the complexity of issues such as trust in science, political polarization, the identities and worldviews of scientists, and understanding scientific methods and their social structure. Philosophy has rarely been incorporated into public engagement with science efforts, yet philosophy has the potential to make valuable contributions to this effort, as philosophers examine these very topics.

(3) Philosophy in Pop Culture (Taylor’s Version). One of the reasons that Taylor Swift resonates with so many people is that they identify with themes and questions that she sings about (love, revenge, trust, authentic life, power, free will, etc). These same topics and questions raise social, cultural, and ethical issues that have long been of central concern to philosophers.

The student will assist in conducting a literature review connected to these topics and public philosophy efforts; assist in developing philosophy-focused outreach and engagement activities; and facilitating outreach efforts including outreach with local elementary and/or high school summer programs, as well as social media. The student will also gain experience in the assessment and academic analysis of these experiences. This work is housed in an ongoing research group, so there will also be opportunities for the student researcher to collaborate with other undergrad and graduate students, and possibly prepare their own academic poster, article (suitable for undergraduate journals), or public-facing writing.

Project Hours: 30

Anticipated Format: Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Isaac Campos

Project Description:

My ongoing research project examines the history of the ongoing drug-overdose epidemic (often called the "opioid epidemic") in the Cincinnati area. More than one million people have died of drug overdoses in the U.S. since 1999. Cincinnati has been one of the "ground zeroes" of this epidemic. Work on this project will primarily involve newspaper research sketching out the unfolding of this epidemic since the mid-1990s, but may also involve the transcription of some oral histories (i.e. interviews with people who have experienced these events). 

Project Hours: 30

Anticipated Format: Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Thomas Moore

Although today’s world features unprecedented levels of cross-border interdependence socially, culturally, ecologically, environmentally, and militarily, many observers argue that economic ties remain the primary driver of global interconnectedness. Working on this project should provide an enriching experience for anyone interested in international economic affairs, changes in the global corporate landscape, the geopolitical implications of a globalizing world economy, and the use of quantitative and qualitative evidence to address policy-relevant social science questions.

Two decades into the 21st Century, scholars who study international relations – economists, political scientists, public policy experts, and foreign policy specialists – are reassessing the extent to which “developing” countries from the “Global South,” such as China, India, and Brazil, have begun to challenge – individually and collectively – the long-standing economic dominance of “developed” countries from the “Global North,” such as the U.S., Germany, and Japan. In particular, scholars are debating two big issues: (1) whether intensifying economic globalization from 1980 to 2020 helped or hindered the ability of the Global South to challenge the Global North’s dominance economically and (2) whether growing economic ties between countries such as the U.S. and China, China and Japan, and India and China have mitigated, exacerbated, or had no effect on prospects for geopolitical or military conflict.

At an empirical level, my project engages these questions by examining the ebb and flow of multinational companies (MNCs) from different countries in the annual Forbes Global 2000 rankings. Given the growing role that MNCs have played in recent decades as the principal organizers of international economic activity, governments regard the strength of “their” MNCs – public and private companies alike – as being almost synonymous with national economic competitiveness. As evidenced by the recent escalation of commercial and technological jousting between China and the U.S., governments believe there is a synergistic dynamic between MNCs and their home countries that has critical implications for long-run national power and security.

Much of the research for my book has already been completed; in particular, students working in past summers have already created original databases in which the world’s top 2,000 companies are organized by industry and nationality so we can track changes in the prominence of companies from more than 60 countries in over 80 industries. We’ve collected company-specific data about how “globalized” companies are in their ownership, revenue generation, and asset deployment. Take Toyota as an example. We’ve retrieved data on how the company’s Japanese ownership vs. foreign ownership has changed over time; digging deeper, we’ve identified the specific foreign countries that have accounted for the highest portion of foreign ownership in Toyota (US, Germany, China, etc.). We’ve also extracted data on how the share of domestic vs. foreign sales has changed over time. In a similar vein, we’ve retrieved data on how the distribution of Toyota’s physical assets (e.g., factories) has shifted between domestic and international locations. All of this is designed to assess whether companies from certain countries and industries are more “globalized” than others.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Kristina Shin

Project Description:

Investigative study on Breast Cancer Patient’s Post-mastectomy Product Needs and Market Research

Background

In 2023, an estimated 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in U.S. women (Breastcancer.org, 2024). A mastectomy (i.e., removing all breast tissue from a breast) is used as a treatment or a preventive measure for breast cancer. Although there are various mastectomy products (e.g., mastectomy bra, prosthesis, and compression sleeve) available on the market, the existing research reported that the poor fit, aesthetically unappealing utilitarian design, and poor thermal and moisture comfort (hot and sticky microenvironment inside products) as the constant drawbacks of the mastectomy products.

In short, the mastectomy patients’ needs have not been fully understood and subsequently created dissatisfaction amongst the mastectomy patients.

Therefore, this study aims to investigate the gaps in both the market and research studies while surveying the breast cancer patients’ post-mastectomy product needs. The results will provide a future direction for the practical solution.

Student researcher will participate in the following:

1. Online market research and compilation of commercially available post-mastectomy products

2. Compilation of the peer-reviewed research papers and patents

3. Organization of information (1 & 2 listed above)

4. Questionnaire design for breast cancer patient’s post-mastectomy product needs

5. Dissemination of the survey, and data collection and compilation

7. Report/manuscript draft

The student researcher will work closely with the supervisor. The student researcher is required to complete the human participant research ethics training in addition to the UC library data search training. Both will be online.

The student researcher should possess good organization skill, research skill, time management skill, communication skills, and writing skills.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid (Mostly Virtual)

Faculty: Dr. Lauren Forbes

Project Description:

This project focuses on two related initiatives- one to improve maternal and birth outcomes among pregnant Black women in Cincinnati through a local food procurement network and another to advance trauma-informed policies within the City of Cincinnati.  The UHP student will be involved in both projects, facilitating the coordination and evaluation of a local food network of farmers and by supporting community organizing and partnership among other grassroots organizations that address social determinants of health (e.g. housing, food access, substance abuse).  The student will help to gather and analyze data, develop information databases, and coordinate across community stakeholders. They will also support the management and maintenance of a data dashboard and website for the Homegrown study.   Through this community-based participatory research study, the UHP student will have the opportunity to gain valuable research skills and build relationships with justice-centered community partners.

Project Hours: 40

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Michael Loadenthal

Project Description:

This research supports the Prosecution Project (tPP), a long-term, open-source intelligence and public policy research program focused on understanding how political violence—terrorism, extremism, hate crimes, and illegal political action—is prosecuted in US courts. Researchers would work to locate current and past (1990-present) cases of felony political violence occurring in the US, test that case for inclusion utilizing a decision tree, assemble requisite evidentiary documents, and code that case for 50 variables. Researchers are provided with training modules and an extensive team manual as well as regular check-ins with me, and later, a coding partner (i.e., another student researcher).

Every case included in the tPP dataset is validated through a decision tree, coded for 50+ variables, associated with a set of primary source documents, and triangulated via secondary sources by an independent coding team. After the first round of dual coding, the case is checked by a senior member of the project team, and finally, validated by one of the tPP Auditors. The data generated is suitable for a patterned statistical analysis and the development of complex models to understand patterns, trends, and outliers.

Through identification, analysis, and assessment of thousands of cases, tPP seeks to identify correlations between who a defendant is, how they are charged and prosecuted, and other related factors, such as political ideology, religion, and the crime’s motive, means, target, and impact. The project explores defendant demographics, prosecutorial strategy and outcome, juridical rhetoric, and relevant laws dealing with hate crimes, civil rights violations, designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, and material support, as well as assigned terrorism enhancements and the use of specialized motive-centric statutes.

Project Hours:40 

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

Faculty: Dr. Hexuan Liu

Project Description:

The project aims to utilize ChatGPT to enhance the readability of trial descriptions on ClinicalTrials.gov. It is important to have material present on highly frequented health websites like ClinicalTrials.gov be easily comprehensible by laypersons to ensure that they fully understand the information before taking a health-related decision. There are two parts to this project: a comparative analysis and reviewing and refining ChatGPT. In the first phase, a comparative analysis will be conducted by downloading relevant trial descriptions and having ChatGPT generate brief summaries.

Reviewers will rank which of the three summaries (ChatGPT, ClinicalTrials.gov description, and Fine-tuned BART-Large-CNN) is easier to comprehend and preserves all necessary information. The second phase will be reviewing and refining ChatGPT. To achieve this, domain experts will be utilized to help review and revise ChatGPT generated summaries. Their insights will be utilized to retrain ChatGPT to improve the clarity and the accuracy of the content. This project will essentially use ChatGPT to enhance the readability of trial descriptions through a comparative analysis, followed by the review and refinement of ChatGPT-generated summaries to improve the quality of trial descriptions on ClinicalTrials.gov to make the material more accessible and comprehensible for the general public.    

Project Hours:40 

Anticipated Format: Virtual

Faculty: Dr. Kate Bonansinga

Project Description:

Urban Walls was a non-profit wall mural project organized and sponsored by Carl Solway Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio.  It began as an idea in 1970.  By 1974 there were thirteen architectural scale painted murals in downtown Cincinnati, many of them designed by University of Cincinnati faculty members.  Urban Walls was an example of private funding of public art and is arguably the beginnings of Cincinnati’s preeminence as a global leader in public murals and public art.  ArtWorks Cincinnati began in 1996 and has now sponsored more than 300 permanent outdoor murals.  Cincinnati’s BLINK biennial is the nation’s largest light, art, and projection mapping experience that involves the creation of multiple commissioned wall murals; its fourth iteration is scheduled for Fall 2024. But the national impact of Urban Walls began long before ArtWorks or Blink: in the 1970s cities from across the Midwest were contacting Solway for guidance on how to establish a mural program.

Urban Walls: Cincinnati is a limited-edition spiral-bound book self-published in 1976 by Carl Solway Gallery. The goal of my summer 2024 research project is to write a narrative that builds upon this publication by providing insights on the artistic impact of Urban Walls between 1976 and today. Michael Solway, Carl’s son, has loaned me the Urban Walls archive for the purpose of research to support this goal.  

I am engaged in this research with my colleague Prof. Danilo Palazzo, Director, School of Planning, College of DAAP.  He is also applying for support from UHP for a student research assistant during Summer 2024 for this project. His interest, as a planning and urban design scholar, is to investigate the Urban Walls initiative in the context of Cincinnati’s urban transformations, and in particular the radical changes that happened and were happening in its Central Business District and its closest neighborhoods in the 1970s. He and I are both interested in investigating this heterogeneous framework and the role that public art, or art in public space and, in particular, Urban Walls, had on the local and national debate about the decline of downtown areas, he from a urban transformation perspective and me from an art historical perspective.

If both of our applications are successful, some of the goals of his research assistant will be the same as mine, others will be different.  For the shared goals, the two students will work as a team.

The dissemination of the research may be publication in a peer-reviewed book or journal, an exhibition of the archival materials, or both. 

Project Hours: 40 

Anticipated Format: Hybrid

An intensive F2F in May and then final F2F meetings in August with the rest remote is an option. 

F2F means that the student(s) will have to spend most of their time meeting with us and working here in College of DAAP since there are some initial activities—orientation and organizational meetings, becoming familiar with original hardcopy documents, synthesizing them, and so on) that can only be done being physically here since most of the original documents in the Urban Walls archive are only in one copy and cannot leave the premise.