Grady College students hone research skills through CURO

Nine Grady College students will present findings at the University of Georgia’s annual Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities (CURO) symposium April 20 – 21, at The Classic Center. Several Grady faculty served as mentors.

Grady College students involved with CURO this year include Evan Kane, Kaia Kirkpatrick, Hannah Lee, Norah Philipp, Katelyn Porter, Caroline Roshelli, Savannah Celeste Scott, Devin Thomas and Mary Wahn.

The CURO program is designed to provide undergraduate students the opportunity to participate in faculty-mentored research and gain exposure in identifying and selecting opportunities, choosing a mentor and presenting and publishing their work. More than 900 UGA students are participating at CURO symposium this year during National Undergraduate Research Week.

“Undergraduate research plays a critical role in research innovation and leadership development for our students,” said Yan Jin, the C. Richard Yarbrough Professor in Crisis Communication Leadership. “The unique, rewarding experiences a student can have via developing the student-faculty collaboration via mentorship and extended on-campus, national and international scholarly opportunities, help our students develop further passion, curiosity and new ways of thinking towards their career and advanced academic endeavors.”

Jin is also the director of the Crisis Communication Think Tank (CCTT) and is mentoring four students submitting projects in CURO this year.

“Participating in CURO has been great for me,” said Evan Kane, a journalism student who is working with faculty mentor Welch Suggs, associate director of the Carmical Sports Media Institute. “It has really helped me to hone my skills on data collection and interviewing. I really had to dig for some of the research and sources that I found, and it is rewarding to finally see my work in its final form.”

Kane’s research, “International soccer players competing for Georgia colleges,” investigates why international soccer players affiliate with the United States instead of their native countries to pursue athletic careers. A soccer player himself, Kane said his most interesting finding was that going to college and turning pro were a common combination and that players came to the United States due to expectations of a better life after their soccer careers.  

“As an aspiring soccer journalist,” Kane said, “this will show my range not just as a writer, but also as a researcher. A lot of the work I have done has been on a beat, but as a freelance piece, this will give a different dimension to my portfolio.”

Creating resources for the future

Norah Philipp, who is majoring in entertainment and media studies and English, identified her CURO project, “The Peabody Awards Collections LibGuide,” based on a necessity to create a database that people could use to find information in the vast Peabody Collection located at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries.

LibGuides are web-based content management systems created by librarians to access information about specific topics. Philipp worked with Mary Miller, her internship supervisor at the Brown Media Archives, to create the LibGuide connecting background information and navigation tips that aid users in locating archival materials across the multiple collections related to the Peabody Awards.

“With thousands of media and manuscript materials split across the Brown Media Archives and the Hargrett Library—most of which are inaccessible online—this creation of a digital research guide studies information organization and user behavior to increase discovery, navigation and accessibility,” said Philipp, who plans to pursue a Master of Library Information Science to become an archivist.

Peabody Awards, which were founded at Grady College in 1940, recognize Stories that Matter in the categories of entertainment, documentary, news, podcast/radio, arts, children’s and youth, and public service programming. Phillip and Miller noted that not many students within UGA or Grady College are familiar with the Peabody Award and its massive archive which is the third largest broadcasting archive in the country.

“We knew there was a significant access/knowledge gap keeping people from fully utilizing Peabody Awards archival materials,” said Philipp.

This CURO research has been as much of a passion project for Philipp as one that gives her experience for her career aspirations.

“Not only have I gotten to pursue research related to my programs, but I have also been able to specifically pursue research through archival media at Brown Media Archives, which might be my favorite place in the whole world,” Philipp said. “I am so lucky to be pursuing research in archives through UGA Libraries, and it has been an invaluable experience as someone hoping to begin a Library/Archives career.”

Projects tied to Lab Work

Kaia Kirkpatrick, a public relations major, used her work with the CCTT READINESS lab to study how scholars and practitioners can strengthen their readiness for economic and technological disruptions. Her project, “GenAI Culture Catalysts and Constraints for Crisis READINESS,” studied how organizational culture shapes the adoption of generative AI in crisis communication, and specifically, an organization’s ability and willingness to effectively use AI during crisis situations.

One of the most interesting findings in her research was that organizations have to adapt to GenAI much faster than they did with past technologies like social media, all while maintaining an ethical mindset.

“Being able to study something so current and evolving has made the research feel both relevant and exciting,” Kirkpatrick said.

Kirkpatrick says that her CURO experience has taught her skills like critical thinking and communication that she knows she will use in the future.

“Participating in CURO has truly been a transformative experience for me,” Kirkpatrick said. “I’m especially grateful because it pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me grow both intellectually and personally. It also made me realize that my interests in communication and technology can contribute to real research in a meaningful way.”

Coursework tied to CURO

It’s not uncommon for faculty to work on research projects with students outside the majors that they teach. Such is the case with Michael Cacciatore, assistant head of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, who is working with a Vertically Integrated Program in Research (VIPR) program with faculty in Ecology. The class,  “Perception & Preparedness: Healthcare Seeking Behaviors Before, During and After a Pandemic,” is working with students from a variety of different majors who are studying multiple datasets around the topic of public perceptions toward vaccines.

For their CURO projects, one team of students is investigating how the political polarization that occurred during COVID-19 concerning the development and mandates around vaccines, has spilled over into attitudes toward the yearly influenza vaccination. The second group is looking at changes in attitudes toward the trusted information sources for vaccine content before and after the pandemic. 

“I think it is important because it provides a window into a world that many students might not otherwise receive in their day-to-day classes,” Cacciatore said. “This type of program gives students course credit while also providing experiences that may open their eyes up to careers they otherwise might not have imagined.” 

Author: Sarah E. Freeman, freemans@uga.edu