Indiana University’s Center of Excellence for Women & Technology paired 60 undergraduate women with faculty for one-on-one, hands-on research experiences through its Emerging Scholars Research Experience for Undergraduate Women program this year.
The program matches IU Bloomington first- and second-year students from all majors with faculty mentors to conduct a research project with a technology or computing component. In addition to their hours of dedicated research work, students complete a research methods course for the cohort, take part in a a research hackathon, and participate in a research poster competition in the spring.
Undergraduate psychology student Janice Chen is working with faculty mentor Noriko Hara, professor of information science, to analyze social media data regarding scientific topics — such as climate change, COVID-19, and artificial intelligence — about which public sentiment can be uncertain.
"My project has allowed me to learn the importance of having a strong foundation and understanding of the skills and methods that go into preparing for and conducting research,” Chen said. The two are investigating how conversations and discussions evolve on different platforms (such as Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram) and if the messages from scientists align with public discourse.
Since 2014, the Emerging Scholars program has paired more than 430 first- and second-year students with 322 faculty mentors from a variety of disciplines. The call for faculty proposals begins in May, and applications for students open on July 1, 2023. Learn more about this program and a variety of workshops, internships, and mentorships offered at the Center of Excellence for Women & Tech designed to empower women with career and leadership skills.
