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Play a Part in the Advancement of Human Knowledge
Become a part of Nova Southeastern University’s professional research community, and participate in externally sponsored projects worth $167 million. Join a wide range of research projects on campus, from monitoring gopher tortoise activity to researching periodontal disease. Get hands-on experience as a research volunteer. Earn academic and experiential learning units. Define your career interests through independent study. Learn directly from leaders of the scientific world, and gain research skills that stay with you no matter what field you’re in.
Research Opportunities
Improving Visual Functions in the Normal and Amblyopic Visual Systems
To develop new treatment protocols for improving vision in patients with amblyopia using video games and perceptual learning.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Roger (Wing-Hong) Li, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, College of Optometry, Nova Southeastern University
wli@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Preferably Pre-Optometry, Computing and Engineering, Psychology
Preferred Experience
Interested in pursuing a healthcare career in the fields of optometry and ophthalmology.
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Volunteer (unpaid)
Time Commitment
5-10 hours per week
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026 and Summer 2026
Integrated Management of Invasive Water Hyacinth in Collaboration with USDA Invasive Plant Research Lab
Evaluating the effects of water hyacinth and its management on aquatic communities,
especially fish.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Jeffrey Hoch, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Marine and Environmental Science, Halmos College
of Arts and Sciences
jhoch@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Marine Biology, Environmental Science
Preferred Experience
Some research experience.
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Paid
Time Commitment
8-16 hours, every other week, plus time in lab
Semesters
Fall 2025
Introduction to Biology Research Lab I & II (BIOL 1000, BIOL 1001)
This course is a unique undergraduate research opportunity designed for freshman and/or sophomore-level students interested in a career in the sciences. Each course satisfies one (1) ExEL unit.
This course is part of a two-course sequence; therefore, students are required to enroll in BIOL 1001: Introduction to Biology Research II Lab in the winter semester.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Emily Schmitt, Ph.D.
Chair and Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and
Sciences
eschmitt@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Open to all majors
Preferred Experience
Freshmen or Sophomores
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Course
Time Commitment
16 weeks (one semester), 3 hours per week. Ideally two semesters.
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Next Generation of Communication Technology
Study on Photonic Devices.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Yueting Wan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Halmos College of Arts and
Sciences
ywan@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Engineering
Preferred Experience
Having completed Physics I & II courses and some basic computer engineering courses.
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Volunteer (unpaid)
Time Commitment
2-3 hours per week
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Neuroprotective Strategies against Alzheimer's Disease
The project will investigate neuroprotective agents as a potential therapy for Alzheimer's Disease.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Janet Menzie-Suderam,PhD
Recommended Majors
Biology, Neuroscience
Preferred Experience
Not necessary but should be at a sophomore or junior level of study
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Volunteer (Unpaid)
Time Commitment
20 hours per week
Semesters
Summer 2025
Phage Hunters: Characterizing Bacteriophages That Can Infect Bacteria in Hopes of Identifying New Antimicrobial Treatments
Using Bioinformatics techniques, we will be characterizing the genes of a new discovered virus that can infect and kill bacteria.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Katie Crump, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and
Sciences
kcrump@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Any science major interested in a career in health care.
Preferred Experience
None required.
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Course
Time Commitment
16 weeks (one semester), students must enroll in BIOL 1001 with Dr. Crump (T/R 9:30
am – 12:15 PM)
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Practicum in Biology I - Sea Phages (BIOL 4960)
Students in my Practicum in Biology course will be doing research in my lab as part of the course. The research will be to discover new phages (viruses that infect bacteria) in soil in hopes to be used as an alternative therapy to antibiotics. Successful completion of this course satisfies one (1) ExEL unit.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and
Sciences
jg1511@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Biology
Preferred Experience
S BIOL3400 Microbiology/Lab and/or BIOL 1000 Introduction to Biology Research I
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Course
Time Commitment
16 weeks (one semester), approximately 10.5 hours per week (2.5 hours in class and
8 hours in lab)
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Tiny Earth: Studentsourcing Antibiotic Discovery
Tiny Earth inspires students in the sciences while addressing one of the most pressing global health challenges of our century—the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics. Tiny Earthlings are college students who enroll in BIOL 3400 (Microbiology) taught by Dr. Raja at NSU, or as an independent research study course at NSU to discover antibiotics from soil bacteria in their own backyards. This innovative, international network was created by Dr. Jo Handelsman, Vilas Research Professor of Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and former Associate Director for Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Aarti Raja
Recommended Majors
Biology or any student pursuing a career in biological sciences
Preferred Experience
Sophomores with science lab classes. BIOL 3400 (microbiology) preferable.
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Volunteer (Unpaid)
Time Commitment
3 -4 hours per week
Semesters
Fall 2025
Understanding Neural Activity Homeostasis Using the Critical Brain Hypothesis
We use a computer simulation to model the activity of networks of artificial neurons
to better understand the behavior of the brain, and if it is possible to predict the
onset of seizures in patients with epilepsy.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Louis Nemzer, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Halmos College of Arts and
Sciences
lnemzer@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Biology, Chemistry, Math, Computer Science
Preferred Experience
Any
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Volunteer (unpaid)
Time Commitment
20 Weeks, 5 hours per week
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
The Universal Mass Function and its Applicability to Organic Molecules
Synthesizing and analyzing different derivatives of organic molecules.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Carmit Alexenberg
Instructor, Halmos College of Arts and Sciences
calexenber@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Chemistry
Preferred Experience
Organic Chemistry/Spectroscopy
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Volunteer (unpaid)
Time Commitment
8 hours per week/12 weeks
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Machine Learning for the Prediction of Mental Health-related Side Effects of Drugs
We use machine learning and drug databases to find patterns in data that are associated with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Research Lead
Dr. Tara Ghafourian, Pharm.D., Ph.D., FHEA
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
tghafour@nova.edu
Recommended Majors
Computer Science, Math
Preferred Experience
Any
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Research Trainee
Time Commitment
6 – 10 hours per week
Semesters
Fall 2025, Winter 2026
Multi-Omics Approach to Study Rice Genome Evolution and Gene Regulation in Response to Climate Change
The project aims to identify changes in mechanisms of gene function and regulation in response to high night temperatures during seed development. Possible mechanisms include changes in methylation patterns, tranposable element activity, transcription factor binding sites, splice variants etc. We also use AI/ML based models to make genotype-to-phenotype predictions using multi-omics data sets.
Interested? Contact Our Faculty Lead
Dr. Naveep Gill, PhD.
https://nova.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/navdeep-gill
Recommended Majors
Biology, Computer Sciences
Preferred Experience
Experience with bioinformatics methods is desirable
Possibility of Coauthorship
Yes
Position Type
Paid
Time Commitment
15-20 hours per week
Semesters
Fall 2025
Contact the Office of Undergraduate Research
If you have any questions, please email Jeff Hartman at jhartman2@nova.edu or call (954) 892-0351.
Current Students
Get in touch with your academic and career adviser if you have questions about coursework
or to chat about future career goals.
Connect With Your Adviser
Faculty
If you are looking for undergraduate student assistance on a research project, please
submit an NSU Undergraduate Research Opportunities form.
Complete the Form