Founded in 2003, the Undergraduate Research Council (URC) provides leadership and direction for the UCF undergraduate research community. Each department is invited to send a faculty representative, and the council is also attended by staff from supporting offices. This council is organized through the Office of Undergraduate Research. If you notice a department is missing from the Council, would simply like to attend council meetings, or have any questions about the Council, please alert our@ucf.edu.
The URC serves as a conduit of information to ensure that the campus community is aware of programs, opportunities, and updates pertinent to students and faculty engaged in undergraduate research activity. Members also serve a critical function by serving as reviewers for program applications and poster conferences.
We are committed to supporting researchers across campus through these core goals:
- Preparing timely programmatic updates to departmental representatives through 6 meetings per academic year
- Offering leadership to advance equitable undergraduate research opportunities across campus
- Guiding successful campus-wide implementation of undergraduate research programs and opportunities
- Identifying needs and trends in undergraduate research across campus
- Providing feedback on existing programs and proposed changes
Mission:
The URC convenes three times each fall and spring semester to provide support and leadership to the University of Central Florida (UCF) undergraduate research community. The Council serves in an advisory role to the UCF Office of Undergraduate Research and UCF administration in matters of policy and procedure related to undergraduate research. The Council members also serve as ambassadors of undergraduate research in their home departments and units, ensuring that the campus community is informed of opportunities and updates.
2025-2026 Academic Year Representatives:
Rocio Tonos Academic Advancement Programs
Steve Seay Athletics
Linda Walters Biology
Ratna Chakrabarti Biomedical Sciences
Kenneth Teter Biomedical Sciences
Swadeshmukul Santra Chemistry and Nanoscience
Andrew Randall Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering
Manoj Chopra College of Engineering and Computer Science
Julie Feuerstein Communication Sciences & Disorders
Damian Dechev Computer Science
Jill Viglione Criminal Justice
Erica Hutton Dixon Career Center
Melanie Guldi Economics
Mike Borowczak Electrical & Computer Engineering
Tison Pugh English
Sarah Evans EXCEL Program
Qianxia Jiang Health Sciences
Sarah Davenport High Impact Practices
Kim Schneider High Impact Practices
Edward Dandrow History
Sharon Woodill Interdisciplinary Studies
Anna Valdes Kinesiology
Abby Milon Legal Studies
John Venecek Libraries
Jasmine George Libraries
Albert Manero Limbitless Solutions
Karen Ehrhart Management
Kausik Mukhopadhyay Materials Science and Engineering
Joseph Brennan Mathematics Department
Robert Steward, Jr. Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Martha Garcia Modern Languages and Literatures
Nora Lee Garcia Music
Quynh Dang Office of Experiential Learning
Padmini Coopamah Waldron Office of Honors Research
Morgan Bauer Office of Prestigious Awards
Joshua Roney Office of Research
Stephen Kuebler Optics and the Center for Ethics
Michael Jablonski Performing Arts
Kristina Tollefson Performing Arts
Lanlan Kuang Philosophy
Vyacheslav Kokooulin Physics
Aubrey Jewett Politics, Security, and International Affairs
Matt Chin Psychology
Maritza Concha Public Affairs
Kayode Aleshinloye Rosen College
Crystal Maraj School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training
Jackie Woerner Sociology
Mengyu Xu Statistics
Soyoung Park Teacher Education
Renea Carver UCF IRB
Ilenia Colon Mendoza Visual Arts and Design
Anne Bubriski Women’s and Gender Studies
Pamela Baker Writing and Rhetoric
The Student Undergraduate Research Council meets to discuss and promote the involvement of undergraduates in the ongoing activities of the UCF research community.