Undergraduate Research

Are you interested in learning more about research? Not sure where to start or how to navigate all the programs available? This workshop will discuss how to expand your academic experience through undergraduate research, including how to get started by finding…

Are you interested in learning more about research? Not sure where to start or how to navigate all the programs available? This workshop will discuss how to expand your academic experience through undergraduate research, including how to get started by finding…

Publishing a research article is a formidable goal for any undergraduate researcher! Join this workshop hosted by The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal (URJ) to learn the ins and outs of publishing and how to get started on writing…

Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award

Congratulations to the September Distinguished Undergraduate Researcher Award Winner, Disha Iyengar!

Disha Iyengar’s interest in research came from her experience attending an Honors pre-med research panel. Iyengar decided to join a research project under Dr. Kausik Mukhopadhyay. She has been awarded the OUR Student Research Grant and has participated in programs such as Burnett Research Scholars.

Iyengar is currently working on a project involving the synthesizing of snail mucin based hydrogels as an alternative treatment route for sever lacerations. Preliminary mechanical and physical characterization using the rheometer and an FTIR show promising results in terms of the snail mucin hydrogel’s durability and flexibility, which are important characteristics of wound healing materials. Further antimicrobial testing is in progress to determine whether the hydrogels can be used to prevent or slow the growth of bacteria.

“If you know you’re interested in pursuing undergraduate research, start looking as soon as possible! In my experience, it usually takes a semester to settle in and learn your way around the lab, so starting early gives you more time to work on a project. Also, seek out opportunities to present your work at research conferences. It’s a good way to learn to articulate your research work and present yourself in a more professional setting.”