Undergraduate Research Program
Undergraduate research at Montevallo is a strong component of the educational process.
The overarching goals of the University of Montevallo’s Undergraduate Research Program are to facilitate the undergraduate research experience between students and faculty mentors and to enhance the liberal arts experience, which will help prepare students for graduate or professional schools.
The mission of the Undergraduate Research Program is to provide opportunities for undergraduate students to foster their academic knowledge and understanding through collaborative research efforts, scholarly activity, and creative endeavor.
All students, from freshman to seniors, are encouraged to participate in a wide variety of research projects. Students who participate in research are given the opportunity to travel to national conferences all over the United States to present their work. Research at Montevallo not only prepares students for the future but instills confidence in all who participate. Special events are held each year to enable students to celebrate their research, scholarship, and creative activity with the broader academic community, even if they have not enrolled for or completed an UR project for academic credit. One such event is our Annual Undergraduate Research Day in the spring semester of each year.
The major events sponsored by the Undergraduate Research Program are: Undergraduate Research Day and the Southeastern Regional COPLAC Undergraduate Research Conference. The Undergraduate Research Program offers travel awards for student research presentations.
Undergraduate Research Program Dates for the Academic Calendar 2023-2024
| UR Applications needing IRB approval for Spring 2024 Projects due to HASRC HASRC website |
October 9, 2023 | |
| Online Registration for Undergraduate Research Day Opens | November 1, 2023 | |
| First day to submit applications for Regional COPLAC Conference | November 1, 2023 | |
| Undergraduate Research Proposal for Spring 2024 Projects due by 5:00 pm | November 10, 2023 | |
| Online Registration for Undergraduate Research Day Closes | February 2, 2024 | |
| Last day to submit application for consideration as a UM Student Undergraduate Research Representative for COPLAC Conference | February 2, 2024 | |
| UR Applications needing IRB approval for Summer and Fall 2024 Projects due to HASRC HASRC website |
March 11, 2024 | |
| Undergraduate Research Day in Harman Hall | March 13, 2024 | |
| Undergraduate Research Proposal for Summer 2024 Projects due by 5:00 pm (with completed HASRC IRB Approval as needed) | April 12, 2024 | |
| Undergraduate Research Proposal for Fall 2024 Projects not requiring HASRC approval due by 5:00 pm | August 2, 2024 | |
Undergraduate Research Program Advisory Committee
Dr. Kelley DeVane-Hart, Assistant Professor of Dietetics, College of Education and Human Development
Dr. Bruce Finklea, Associate Professor of Mass Communication, College of Fine Arts
Mr. Carey Heatherly, Professor, Archivist and Special Collections Librarian, Carmichael Library
Dr. Gary Johnson, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Stephens College of Business
Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Associate Professor of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Ruth Truss, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Consulting: Dr. Tiffany Wang, Chair of Human and Animal Subjects Research Committee