students participating in research activitiesEmerging Researchers Academy

The Emerging Researchers Academy is a continuing series of student workshops designed for undergraduate researchers and those who are interested in participating in mentored research projects. The workshops offer foundational, research-supportive skill-building activities as well as informational sessions focused on deeper engagement with learning through undergraduate research. Sessions have focused on the research writing process, research question development and design, responsible conduct of research, as well as applying for research opportunities and programs, preparing for graduate study, and combatting imposter syndrome.


Spring Workshop series

Writing Process Workshop

Date: Wednesday, February 5th 
Time: 3-4 p.m.
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

In this interactive Zoom workshop, we will help demystify the college research writing process by breaking it down into manageable chunks, so you don’t procrastinate until the last minute. Start your academic research writing career off right by finding out why you write the way you do, and how to become a more efficient writer!

Research Question Workshop

Date: Wednesday, February 12th
Time: 3-4 pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

Research questions can be difficult to start because they are often the first step in your research process. This interactive Zoom workshop will help you feel more comfortable when beginning a research project and will teach you how to develop a clear, focused, and complex research question.

Navigating Ethical Frontiers: Principles and Practices in Research with Human Participants

Date: Tuesday, February 18
Time: 2-3 pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Elizabeth Taylor (she/ her) - Developmental Psychology Doctoral Student

This interactive workshop introduces undergraduate students to the core principles and practices of ethical research involving human participants. Participants will explore topics such as informed consent, confidentiality, minimizing harm, and the role of institutional review boards (IRBs). 

Library Databases and Research Strategies Workshop

Date: Wednesday, February 19th
Time: 3-4 pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

VCU Libraries provides access to over 650 unique databases, as well as the Gold Search Box on the Libraries' website which allows you to discover books, articles, DVDs, and more. With all these options available, it should be easy to find resources for your research, right? Well, it's not that simple! Join a Teaching & Learning Librarian for a workshop about navigating library databases and forming search strategies to make your hunt for relevant, credible resources quicker, easier, and less of a headache! This workshop will demonstrate how to effectively use the Gold Search Box on the Libraries' website, as well as how to find and use subject-specific databases.

Undergraduate Research Series with the Science Hub

Date: Wednesday, February 26th
Time: 12-2pm
How to join: On campus, Location to be announced.

The Undergraduate Research Series hosts staff from the VCU Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry as well as a panel of undergraduate researchers to share opportunities and insights for students at the undergraduate level who are interested in gaining research experiences. Students who join us will learn what it’s like to do research as an undergraduate and next steps on how to get involved.

Using Zotero to Manage Your Citations Workshop

Date: Wednesday, February 26th
Time: 3-4pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

Zotero is a free and open-source software program to help you manage citations and create bibliographies -- and save plenty of time and heartache in your research process. In this workshop, participants will learn how to create a Zotero account, import citations and PDFs from various platforms, organize references, and generate in-text citations and bibliographies in Microsoft Word or Google Docs.

How to prepare a Research Poster

Date: Tuesday, March 4
Time: 2-3pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Lauren May, PhD

This Zoom workshop is focused on preparing a poster or a presentation for disseminating research results. Students will learn tips for success on developing a research presentation for broad audiences, to include research poster design, data visualization, and more.

Annotating Sources: Gathering Evidence for Your Research Project

Date: Wednesday, March 5th
Time: 3-4pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

Why not save yourself time and energy and take notes in PDFs of sources while you read? Annotation makes reading more engaging and helps you gather the most valuable evidence from your sources. This workshop will show you how to save many kinds of texts as PDFs and introduce you to a system of note-taking using free annotation software. The easy approach to highlighting and leaving comments you will learn will ensure that you can quickly make sense of your notes when you return to them later. 

Reading and Incorporating Academic Sources into Your Writing Workshop

Date: Wednesday, March 19th  
Time: 3-4pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

Sources are an important part of the writing process, but it can be difficult to know whether an article is “academic” or “scholarly,” much less whether or not it is useful to your research. This interactive Zoom workshop is a guide to finding, reading, evaluating, and incorporating academic sources into your work. Students will learn tips to start the search for relevant sources and how to properly integrate outside information into their writing.

Networking and Building Research Connections

Date: Friday, March 21
Time: 11-12pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Laura Boylan

This Zoom workshop is focused on creating, developing, and strengthening your network in your research journey. This interactive session will provide practical tips and strategies for expanding your network and strengthening research partnerships in a research setting.

Undergraduate Research Series with the Science Hub

Date: Wednesday, March 26th
Time: 12-1pm
How to join: On campus, Location to be announced.

The Undergraduate Research Series hosts staff from the VCU Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry as well as a panel of undergraduate researchers to share opportunities and insights for students at the undergraduate level who are interested in gaining research experiences. Students who join us will learn what it’s like to do research as an undergraduate and next steps on how to get involved.

Writing a Strong Introduction, Abstract, or Proposal Narrative Workshop

Date: Wednesday, March 26th
Time: 3-4pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

Being able to show the value of a larger piece or project with a succinct, well-structured introduction, abstract, or proposal narrative can be a nerve-wracking endeavor, as you scramble to articulate your ideas in the best way possible. In this interactive Zoom workshop, we will give you the tools necessary to establish your ideas in a strong, logical way that will hook your audience and get them excited about reading more.

Data Cleaning and Preprocessing with R

Date: Tuesday, March 24
Time: 2-3pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Tzu-Wei Wang

When using a secondary dataset in our research, what should we do first to prepare for analysis? How to clean / preprocess datasets for analysis using R? What are some resources that can help? How can I use generative-AI to help my coding process?  All of these questions will be addressed in this interactive workshop.

Research Poster Design and Presentation Tips

Date: Wednesday, March 26
Time: 4-5pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Herb Hill

This workshop guides undergraduate researchers in creating impactful research posters and delivering effective presentations. Participants will learn key design principles for crafting visually appealing and informative posters, including layout, color, and content organization. The session also offers practical tips on presenting their research confidently, engaging their audience, and handling Q&A sessions. By the end of the workshop, students will be equipped to showcase their work with professionalism and clarity at academic conferences and events.

Structuring Your Writing for Your Audience Workshop

Date: Wednesday, April 2nd
Time: 3-4pm
How to join: Sign up via Zoom

It can be frustrating to put so much work into a paper, only to be told it doesn’t flow or make sense. Alternately, if you’re not sure how to do these things, you may put off writing until the last minute, which often results in a rushed mess. This interactive Zoom workshop will give you the tools necessary to meet the needs of your audience by writing strong, logical, structurally sound work.

Research considerations for LGBTQIA+ Participants

Date: Thursday, April 3
Time: 10-11pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Elizabeth Kurt, MS, LPC, NCC, PhD Student

This workshop provides undergraduate researchers with essential insights into conducting ethical and inclusive research involving LGBTQIA+ participants. Topics include understanding unique vulnerabilities, fostering trust, ensuring confidentiality, and employing culturally competent methodologies. Through case studies and best practices, participants will learn how to design research that respects the identities, experiences, and needs of LGBTQIA+ individuals while adhering to ethical standards.

Research Poster Design and Presentation Tips

Date: Tuesday, April 8
Time: 4-5pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Herb Hill

This workshop guides undergraduate researchers in creating impactful research posters and delivering effective presentations. Participants will learn key design principles for crafting visually appealing and informative posters, including layout, color, and content organization. The session also offers practical tips on presenting their research confidently, engaging their audience, and handling Q&A sessions. By the end of the workshop, students will be equipped to showcase their work with professionalism and clarity at academic conferences and events.

Communicating Your Research to Multiple Audiences

Date: Wednesday, April 9
Time: 3-4pm
How to join: Join via Zoom
Presenter: Caleb Wells

This workshop equips undergraduate researchers with strategies to effectively communicate their work to diverse audiences, from academic peers and faculty to community stakeholders and the general public. Participants will learn how to tailor their messaging, use accessible language, and choose appropriate formats to ensure their research resonates across different contexts.

Undergraduate Research Series with the Science Hub

Date: Wednesday, April 16th
Time: 12-1pm
How to join: On campus, Location to be announced.

The Undergraduate Research Series hosts staff from the VCU Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry as well as a panel of undergraduate researchers to share opportunities and insights for students at the undergraduate level who are interested in gaining research experiences. Students who join us will learn what it’s like to do research as an undergraduate and next steps on how to get involved.