Social Sciences, Business, & Education
Photo: Derek Flodmand
NMSU Affiliated Activities in Social Science, Education, Business
Independent Projects and Activities in Your Major
Social Science, Business, & Education majors provide many opportunities to engage in disciplinary research. Many majors offer a capstone project, thesis, or exhibition. Internships in your major may already incorporate research or could serve as the basis for these activities. Many majors offer opportunities to take part in faculty-led projects, such as education studies or community health programs. All of these could provide the basis for an Honors Capstone proposal. To brainstorm how to get involved, talk to your departmental mentor and CURCA.
Psst--think research is only for the hard sciences? Think again, says this Marketing student who argues that research is essential for Business majors.
Glass Family Research Institute for Early Childhood Studies
The Glass Family Research Institute for Early Childhood Studies has conducted research for over 20 year s in the areas of early childhood, after-school care, special education, professional development, and leadership. The Glass Family Institute is an interdisciplinary research institute that supports innovative research and service projects that broadly focus on early childhood topics relevant to the southern N.M. area & borderland. These efforts include educational degree offerings, university and community lab schools, and collaborative partnerships. For more information on opportunities in early childhood education research, contact Director Angela Owens at avowens@nmsu.edu.
Capstone Project: Honors Program
All students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are eligible to complete a thesis or internship through the Honors College. Those with a GPA below 3.5 can petition the Dean of Honors to make their case for waiving the minimum GPA. The Honors Capstone also caps off the complete University Honors program. Students already completing a thesis or other culminating project for their major can also propose with the Honors College in advance to satisfy the requirements for Honors capstone credit.
Honors projects can vary widely, depending on the students' interests and proposed approaches. All Honors capstones will:
- Be a significant project beyond the work completed in a standard three credit class
- Be proposed in advance with approval from an advisor and/or the Honors Office
- Require work at a high level (early professional level) appropriate to the field
- Generate an original final product that can be submitted to the Honors Office for documentation
- Be shared with others beyond the advisor and Honors Office
- Be a useful enterprise that elevates student achievement with preparation for next steps beyond NMSU
NMSU Business Research Center
This website serves as a clearinghouse for information on the many faculty-led research projects in Business at NMSU. Familiarizing yourself with these projects, some of which may provide opportunities for undergraduate research assistants, and the faculty who direct them gives a sense of the broad range of research possibilities in Business disciplines.
NSF-REU on Immigration Policy and US-Mexico Border Communities
The NSF-REU Collaborative Site Program on Immigration Policy and US-Mexico Border Communities is designed to provide undergraduate students with training in research methods and opportunities to conduct collaborative projects with community partners on the nature and impacts of US immigration policy in the Paso del Norte borderlands region of Las Cruces-El Paso-Ciudad Juárez. 30 undergraduate students from NMSU, UTEP and around the United States have participated in 10-week summer programs. For more information, see https://borderreu.nmsu.edu/ . Contact: Dr. Neil Harvey, NMSU Department of Government ( nharvey@nmsu.edu).
STEM Outreach Center
Housed in O'Donnell Hall, the STEM Outreach Center introduces K-12 students to virtual reality, robotics, flight simulators and many other topics. The Center also conducts research on topics such as building engagement with secondary mathematics and using games to fill conceptual gaps. Participating in an outreach program may introduce to many possible topics in education research.
Undergraduate Research & Creative Arts Symposium (URCAS)
The Undergraduate Research & Creative Arts Symposium is NMSU's annual showcase of undergraduate intellectual enterprise. URCAS has been held every year since 1995. ALL NMSU students are welcome and encouraged to take part, not just Crimson Scholars or Honors students. Highlighting student research, artwork, performances, and more, URCAS is a great way to get experience presenting in your field. Come also to support your friends and classmates and find out what might be possible for you to accomplish at NMSU. URCAS is coordinated by CURCA. For more information, reach out to director Tracey Miller-Tomlinson at tomlin@nmsu.edu.
Research and Creativity Week at NMSU
Each year the Office of Research, Creativity, and Economic Development hosts a week-long celebration, with participation by faculty, students, and community members in panels and keynotes, concerts and exhibits. Click the header to submit an abstract and find the events schedule.
National Opportunities in Social Science, Education, Business
NCUR Undergraduate Research Conference
The National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) promotes undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study through its annual conference for students. Unlike meetings of academic professional organizations, this gathering of student scholars welcomes presenters from all institutions of higher learning and from all disciplines. Through this annual conference, NCUR creates a unique environment for the celebration and promotion of undergraduate student achievement; provides models of exemplary research, scholarship, and creative activity; and helps to improve the state of undergraduate education. Each conference hosts 3,500 to 4,000 students from across the globe, presenting their research through posters, oral presentations, visual arts, and performances. Their faculty mentors also attend, often presenting or facilitating faculty/mentor networking sessions. Propose a topic in the fall; conference in spring.
Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Summer Internships
These student internships provide hands-on experience in a range of subject areas. Each unique project offers a chance to explore current topics in archives, libraries, and information science and learn from experienced Smithsonian Libraries and Archives staff. For example, interns in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Education Department will help build and shape a new digital resource committed to Information and Media Literacy for students grades 6-12. Most internships are virtual/remote opportunities, but one project includes on-site work in the American Art and Portrait Gallery Library. All include a stipend. To apply, go to the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives Internships website.
Smithsonian Virtual Education Internship
Are you interested in how museums are sites for education and research? Claudine K. Brown Internships in Education are paid, online, 8-week experiences intended to increase participation of students who are underrepresented in the education and museum leadership field. Interns help create, develop, and disseminate innovative educational programs and resources at the Smithsonian, online, in the classroom and in communities. 2023 interns will work with mentors in the Office of the Under Secretary for Education (OUSE). The application portal will remain open until 100 applications are received (or Feb. 17).
UW Summer Education Research Program (SERP)
The UW Summer Education Research Program is sponsored by the School of Education and the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Graduate School. The program provides traditionally underrepresented undergraduate students interested in pursuing graduate studies in academic fields within the School of Education the opportunity to engage in independent research. Research is guided by a faculty/research associate mentor in or affiliated with the School of Education. The program offers a competitive stipend for participants as well as other amenities, including travel expenses to Madison and housing.
The World Congress on Undergraduate Research (WorldCUR) brings together undergraduate researchers to focus on some of the most significant challenges facing the global community. Students across the world are invited to share their research, discuss global issues, and create or strengthen international research partnerships. World Congresses on Undergraduate Research have been held in Qatar (2016), Germany (2019), and England (2023). Applicants submit a proposal approximately 9 months in advance.
Check out these resources for more opportunities:
https://www.ssrc.org/fellowships-and-opportunities/
https://diversity.williams.edu/pathways/other-opportunities/non-williams-summer-research/