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Research

Want to present at a research conference?

Research at URS spans across a wide range of disciplines, from medicine and public health to engineering, psychology, criminology, and beyond. Through collaborative literature review projects, students work alongside their peers to investigate topics tailored to their interests while developing valuable research skills, including critical thinking, scientific writing, and public speaking.

Under the guidance of experienced Research Coordinators, students will learn how to explore scholarly literature, organize research findings, and contribute to a group project. Participants will also have the opportunity to present their research through poster presentations at conferences such as USF Health Research Day, the OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference, and other undergraduate research conferences.

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URS Research Impact

Growing opportunities. Expanding impact. Built by students, for students.

2024–2025 38 Projects
2025–2026 78 Projects
2026-2027 125 Projects

For Mentees

How URS Research Works

1

Join the GroupMe

Join URS GroupMe to be up to date.

2

Topics Posted

Research topics will be posted before registration opens so students can review the available projects ahead of time.

3

Registration Opens

Registration opens on September 14th. Students choose the project they're most interested in and try to secure a spot - spots are first come, first served.

4

Meet Your Coordinator

Each project already has a Research Coordinator assigned. When you select a project, you're also joining that coordinator's research group.

5

Review the Literature

Groups work together to review scholarly papers related to their topic - most projects involve a literature review, systematic review, or similar research-based project guided by the Research Coordinator.

6

Write Your Abstract

Students summarize their findings and develop an abstract to submit to a research conference.

7

Build Your Poster

After the abstract is accepted, students work on making a poster based on their research.

8

Present

Students present their poster at undergraduate research conferences.

The URS research process is designed to be straightforward and easily accessible. It relies on scientific curiosity, teamwork, and personal accountability. Anyone can be involved in research, regardless of prior experience!

What You Can Study

Project Categories

21 Neuroscience, Neurology & Neurodegenerative Disease
21 Psychology, Mental Health & Behavioral Research
14 Cancer, Oncology & Hematology
14 Other Biomedical & Interdisciplinary Topics
11 AI, Digital Health & Computational Tools
8 Orthopedics, Trauma, Surgery & Acute Care
7 Women's, Reproductive & Sex-Based Health
6 Cardiovascular & Vascular Health
6 Public Health, Education & Health Disparities
6 Immunology, Allergy & Autoimmune Disease
6 Infectious Disease, Microbiome, GI & Pulmonary Health
5 Oral Health & Dentistry

View the full list of topics for 2026-27 here.

Research Resources

Guides & tools to get you started

Trusted guides for every stage of your project - from finding a lab to designing your poster.

See All Research Resources →

Conferences & Presentation Opportunities

Where URS members present

Once your project takes shape, URS helps you take it beyond the lab and present it to an audience. Presenting builds confidence, earns you feedback from experienced researchers, and strengthens your application for grad school, med school, or industry. Whatever your experience level, URS supports members through abstract writing, poster design, and presentation practice.

On-Campus - great for a first presentation

OneUSF Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium USF's campus-wide summer poster symposium each July, across the Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses. Open to all majors and experience levels. OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference A spring conference open to all USF undergraduates, including students within one year of graduating. USF Health Research Day USF Health's largest annual research showcase, with hundreds of presenters from medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and public health. A strong fit for health and bio projects.

Regional & National - great next steps

Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium A national symposium in Houston where students give a live 12–15 minute talk instead of a poster, with faculty coaching afterward. National Research Conference at Penn A student-run, two-day interdisciplinary conference at the University of Pennsylvania with poster sessions and a research-communication competition. National Conference on Undergraduate Research One of the country's largest undergraduate research conferences, open to every field and discipline. Florida Undergraduate Research Conference Florida's statewide undergraduate research conference, open to students across the state. Yale Undergraduate Research Conference Yale's undergraduate research conference, open to students from other universities. Harvard Student Research Symposium A research symposium at Harvard featuring poster and paper presentations from undergraduates nationwide.

See Us in Action

Research Groups in Action

URS at Penn (NRCP)

URS at Yale Undergraduate Research Conference

OneUSF 2025

OneUSF 2026

OneUSF 2024

USF Health Research Day

USF Undergraduate Research Conference 2023

URS at FURC

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started with URS Research

How do I join a URS project?
No experience is required to participate in URS and everyone who applies for a group is accepted! Join the URS GroupMe for instructions about how to sign up for projects on September 14th.
What if I don't have much experience in research?
That's okay! Many students join URS with little or no experience reading scientific literature. Research Coordinators guide members through the process of finding, understanding, and analyzing research articles. As the project progresses, members may contribute to writing sections of the project, but you'll receive guidance and feedback every step of the way. The idea is to assist you in gaining confidence and experience in research and presentation.
Do I need to know what I want to research?
Many students join URS without a specific research interest in mind. You can choose whatever topic interests you.
Can I explore topics outside my major?
Students from all majors are encouraged to participate, and interdisciplinary collaboration is a core part of URS.
How are research topics chosen?
Research Coordinators propose and develop project topics before recruiting members. As the project progresses, students collaborate to refine the research question, discuss new ideas, and contribute to the project's development. Although the main topic is predetermined, members are encouraged to share ideas and help shape the final project.

How does Research Groups Work?

How big of a time commitment is a URS project?
In general these projects require 1-5 hours of work each week although it can vary between groups and between weeks. If you join a project it is essential that you can commit to fully participating until it is complete.
When are meetings held for each project group?
Meeting times are arranged around the schedules and availability of group members. Most groups meet online via Teams about once a week or every other week.
What happens during a typical URS research meeting?
Every meeting is different, but most involve discussing project progress, reviewing research articles, brainstorming ideas, assigning tasks, and planning next steps. As the project develops, meetings may also focus on writing, creating research posters, and preparing for conference presentations. Research Coordinators are there to guide members every step of the way.
What role will I have in a research project?
Every group member contributes meaningfully to their project's success. Responsibilities may include reviewing scientific literature, organizing and synthesizing research, contributing to writing, and preparing posters or presentations for conferences.
What skills can I expect to develop?
Through this experience, students gain skills in scientific writing, teamwork, literature searching, critical thinking, and public speaking.
What's the difference between a literature review and a systematic review, and which type of project will I work on?
A literature review summarizes and analyzes existing research to provide an overview of a topic and identify research gaps. A systematic review follows a structured, reproducible process to locate, evaluate, and synthesize all relevant studies using predefined methods. Many URS projects focus on literature reviews, while some use systematic review methodologies depending on the project's goals.

Research Coordinators

What is a Research Coordinator?
Research Coordinators are the main point of contact for students in URS research groups. They are usually upperclassmen or recent graduates with prior research experience who volunteer to guide students through the research process.
What do Research Coordinators do?
Research Coordinators help develop project ideas, lead student research groups, guide literature reviews, support research planning and design, and help students prepare abstracts and poster presentations.
Will my Research Coordinator help me if this is my first project?
Yes. Research Coordinators are there to support students at different experience levels. They help make the research process more approachable by guiding the group step by step.

Conferences and Presentations

How long does a research project take to finish?
Research projects conducted at URS typically take about an entire academic year to be finished. Upon completion, students present the findings of their research at an undergraduate conference, like the OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference in April, and may have the opportunity to present at additional conferences.
Can I publish the research I do with URS?
Depending on the quality and significance to publishers, the research can also have the possibility of being published in an undergraduate academic journal, if your coordinator chooses to do so and plans accordingly. It is key you ask your coordinator about that.
Can I present my URS project at a conference?
The goal for URS projects is to present them at conferences by the end of the school year. If you wish to present your project after the completion of the project, feel free to as long as your research coordinator is ok with it. Students have taken their projects beyond USF, including Harvard, Yale, Brown, and Penn undergraduate conferences.
What does a finished URS project look like?
Students typically complete a literature or systematic review, create a professional research poster, and present their work at undergraduate research conferences. Some projects may also continue toward publication or future collaboration.

Still have a question? We're here to help!

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Poster Examples

What a finished poster looks like

URS members design and present polished research posters at symposia and national conferences.

Selected research poster
Patidar et al., 2026

Click any thumbnail to preview

Past Project Highlights

What URS members have researched

Research Project

Effects of Food Prescription Programs on Blood Sugar Control in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Research Project

Effects of Normothermic Machine Perfusion on the Risks of Postoperative Cardiac Complications in Liver Transplant Patients

Research Project

Impact of the Skin Microbiome on Clinical Outcomes in Adult Patients with Severe Acne or Atopic Dermatitis

Research Project

Applying AI to Bioengineered Pharmaceuticals

Research Project

Efficacy of Monoclonal Antibody Treatment on Lowering Infectious Disease Burden in U.S. Elderly Patients

Research Project

Evaluating Biomechanical Factors in Bone Fracture Healing and Contemporary Orthopedic Interventions in Collegiate and Professional Athletes

Research Project

Neurodegenerative Disease Risk After Cancer Recovery

Research Project

A Systematic Review of Racial Health Disparities in US Infant Cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Research Project

CRISPR Cas9 Usage for Cancer Therapy

These are just a few highlights - URS members have presented at conferences across Florida and beyond.

See Conference Opportunities