2011-2012 Undergraduate Research Grants

The Undergraduate Research Program supported 29 undergraduate research and scholarship projects in th 2010-11 academic year. Click here for a complete list of awardees.

2011-2012 Provost's Award for Outstanding Faculty Research Mentor

Dr. Stephen Ludwig Bültmann
Assistant Professor of Physics

Dr. Bültmann has been involved in mentoring undergraduate researchers since he came to ODU in 2003. He has mentored 17 undergraduate students, resulting in 5 publications that included undergraduates as co-authors, multiple student co-authored posters/presentations, and 13 senior theses. His work with undergraduates has been truly collaborative and he has put tremendous efforts into expanding undergraduate research opportunities in his department. Finally, Dr. Bültmann has been awarded a major grant from the NSF that includes undergraduate research as a major component of the project.

2011-2012 Provost's Awards for Outstanding Undergraduate Researchers

Joshua Hibberd
Department of Physics/Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Mr. Hibberd graduated from ODU in December 2011 with a double major in Physics and Electrical Engineering. Throughout his time at ODU, he has been deeply involved in undergraduate research and participated in research in both the College of Engineering, Department of Physics, and NASA Langley. His senior thesis was a collaborative project that involved faculty mentors from both Physics and Ocean, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences. Mr. Hibberd's has presented his work at major professional conferences and is currently pursuing opportunities in aerospace electronics with the U.S. Air Force.

Julianna Pryor
Department of Biological Sciences/Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics

Ms. Pryor is a Biology major who will graduate in May of 2012. She has been active in Dr. Michael Stacey's laboratory at the Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics since May 2011. Her research has focused on the role of gene expression in chest wall cartilage deformities. Ms. Pryor has been an active participant in ODU's Undergraduate Research Program initiatives including the annual research symposium, undergraduate research grant program, and conference travel program. At the end of March, Ms. Pryor will be representing ODU at the CUR National Undergraduate Research Conference and in April she will be participating in the CAA Undergraduate Research Conference hosted here at ODU. Finally, Ms. Pryor is a co-author on a manuscript that has been submitted to the peer reviewed journal "Connective Tissue Research".

10th Annual Colonial Academic Alliance Undergraduate Research Conference

In April 2012, ODU hosted the the CAA Undergraduate Research Conference. The conference presentations of research and scholarship by students from each of the 12 CAA member institutions. The program for the conference can be found at the conference website and photos of the event can be found on the Undergraduate Research Program's new Facebook Page.

5th Annual ODU Undergraduate Research Symposium