Welcome to the University of Georgia Honors Program

student researchers with faculty mentor

"CURO Apprentices at UGA are at the bench with their graduate and post-doctoral colleagues, doing cutting-edge research, from trying to validate a new cancer biomarker, to understanding the molecular mechanisms of various congenital diseases, to discovering economically feasible methods for the conversion of grass into gas (biofuels)." --Dr. Lance Wells, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

The CURO Apprentice Program is a strong and diverse community of young scholars and investigators who have funded opportunities to work with top faculty from their first semester on campus. Apprentices represent diversity in field of study, geography within Georgia, racial and ethnic backgrounds, with a gender balance. This cohort of 30 first- and second-year students participate together in a weekly Honors seminar complemented by 10-12 hours of individual research experience with their mentors.

About the CURO Apprenticeship | Benefits and Eligibility | Online Application
Current CURO-AP Research Projects | CURO Program

About the CURO Apprenticeship
The CURO Apprentice Program seeks to enrich the academic experience of undergraduate students by engaging them in research during their first and second years. Each year, CURO selects a limited number of incoming first year students from historically underrepresented groups for research apprenticeships. These students are eligible to receive a stipend of $1,000 per semester, for four successive semesters, based on satisfactory performance as an apprentice. Apprentices are required to spend an average of 10 to 12 hours a week under the direction of their respective mentors and attend the CURO seminar led by the Associate Director of Honors.

Former CURO Apprentice Sonia Talathi, a broadcast journalism major now at the Medical College of Georgia, wants to use broadcast media to address health disparities in developing countries. She conducted research in Uganda and wants to set up news networks in Africa to deliver timely and accurate health information.

Benefits of the CURO Apprentice Program

Begin working with self-selected premier faculty mentors from your first moments on campus.
Become a member of a community of research scholars.
Receive an annual $2,000 stipend for the first two years.
Attend special lectures, workshops, events, and activities.
Advising by the Honors Program
Network with current apprentices, successful alumni, faculty, and professionals.
Participate in a writing-intensive weekly Honors seminar.
Join the Honors Program and live in Myers Residence Hall.
Enjoy the support of peer mentoring and teaching assistance.
Present your work at the annual CURO Symposium.
Submit your work for publication in the Journal for Undergraduate Research Opportunities.

Eligibility

The Apprentice Program is only available to graduating high school seniors in the state of Georgia who intend to become incoming first year students at the University of Georgia. It is not available to current UGA undergraduates.

Current CURO-AP Research Projects

Apprentices	Mentor	Mentor Department	Project Title
Christine Akoh	Dr. Joseph Frank	Food Science	Effect of Cation Chelators on Biofilm Formation in a Prolific vs. Non-Prolific Strain of Listeria Monocytogenes
Jessica Alcorn	Dr. Brian S. Cummings	Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences	Dermal Absorption of Novel Pesticides
Amarachi Anukam	Dr. Harry Dailey	Biomedical and Health Science Institute	Creation of a Heme Biosensor
Christina Azahar	Dr. Susan Thomas	Music/LASCU	Latin American Protest Song Movements
Jason Bowman	Dr. Cathleen Brown	Kinesiology	Time to Stabilization
Michael Burel	Dr. Steve Stice	Animal and Dairy Science	Neural Progenitors Derived from IPSC
Jaharis Collier	Dr. Kathy Simpson	Kinesiology	The Effects of Spinal Fusion on the Physical Funtion of Females with AIS
Adriana del Valle	Dr. Peter Brosius	Anthropology	Mapping Penan Genealogies
Vinh Dong	Dr. Yan Geng	Chemistry	Structural Effect of Amino Acids on DNA Condesation
Eric Ekueme	Dr. Brenda Cude	Housing and Consumer Economics	Social Networking and Marketing
JoyEllen Freeman	Dr. Barbara McCaskill	English	Civil Rights in Digital Library
Craig Hayes	Dr. Ralph Tripp	Infectious Diseases	RNAi Global: Investigating the Effects of siRNA on Influenza
Shelby Hipol	Dr. Frances van Keuren	Art History	Multimethod Analyses of 20 Sarcophagi in the Museo Nazionale, Rome
Dillon Horne	Dr. Thomas Cerbu	Comparative Literature	Development of Preductive Modes of Thought
Rachel Johnson	Dr. David Peterson	Infectious Diseases	Characterizing Diversity in a P. Falciparum Adhesion Protein
David Mapp	Dr. Mark Dawkins	Terry College	Management Turnover and Bankrupcy Performance
Francisco Marrero	Dr. Leidong Mao	Engineering	(desc. of research: studying the manipulation of water droplets in ferrfluidic oil using electromagnets)
Amanda McKenley	Dr. Hui-Chin Hsu	Child and Family Development	Attachment Between Children and Mothers
Patricia Mitchell	Dr. Ralph Tripp	Infectious Diseases	miRNA upregulation and effects on RSV
Christopher Morehouse	Dr. Steve Stice	Animal and Dairy Science	Natural Stem Cell Differentiation of Neurons
Oluremi Ojo	Dr. David Peterson	Infectious Diseases	Characterizing Diversity in a P. Falciparum Adhesion Protein
Laura O'Neill	Dr. Rebecca Marshall	Communications Sciences and Special Education	Complementary Approahces to Treating Language and Cognition
Rachel Perez	Dr. Peter Brosius	Anthropology/CICR	Oil Palm Proliferation in Peru and Indonesia
Akil Piggott	Dr. Patrick O'Connor	Kinesiology	Effects of Exercise on Anxiety and Pain
Akanksha Rajeurs	Dr. Russell Karls	Infectious Diseases	Creation of Vectors for Deletion of CODH in M. Tuberculosis
Al William Ray III	Dr. Susan Sanchez	Infectious Diseases/Population Health	Epidemiology of Salmonella in Songbirds in the Southeastern U.S.
Donald Snyder	Dr. Paul-Henri Gurian	Political Science	Campaign Influences on Presidential Elections
Theodore Story	Dr. Don Bower	Child and Family Development	Comparative Effectiveness of Teen Driver Interventions
Kema Hodge	Dr. Richard Watson	Management Information Systems	Analysis of Linear Adveristing Strategy of Major Computer Firms
Edward Wells	Dr. Brock Tessman	International Affairs	A New Approach to Grand Strategy in International Relations