University Research Week 2023
In 2023, University Research Week (URW) highlighted the exceptional achievements of Carolina researchers across many disciplines addressing a changing climate. The week of events engaged students in research and showcased the impact Carolina makes in North Carolina and beyond as the world around us changes.
UNC-Chapel Hill researchers and students are making discoveries, providing context for leaders and policymakers, and inspiring collaboration among communities.
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research’s featured event highlighted the role of communication in research. Investigation and discovery are key to protecting our planet’s natural resources and advancing society — but understanding, inspiration, and progress stem from successfully communicating those discoveries.
WRAL Weather Executive Producer Aimee Wilmoth served as panel emcee, with opening remarks from James W.C. White, inaugural Craver Family Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Panelists included:
- Matt Turner, National Parks Service, Public Affairs Specialist
- Michelle Jewel, Communications & Engagement Manager at Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
- Kerry Irish, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Director of Communications and Marketing
The panel of science communicators discussed how they explain complex topics through engaging content across a variety of media, and how their efforts connect with audiences in ways that inspire action and change.
Other featured events included “Measuring Water from Space,” a conversation with UNC-Chapel Hill hydrologist Tamlin Pavelsky and his research team, who traveled to New Zealand in April 2023 to verify the data accuracy of SWOT, a new NASA satellite recording the first global survey of Earth’s water cycle.
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research also hosted the Lunch & Learn series, bringing together Carolina researchers to share their work addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change in North Carolina. Each session featured a distinct theme and panel of experts presenting their latest research:
- Flooding and Our Future: The Impact of Flooding on Coastal Ecosystems
- Health and Heat: The Impact of Rising Temperatures and Environmental Exposures on Public Health
- Economics and Environment: The Economic Impact of Climate Change
- Communities and Climate: Populations Impacted by Climate Change
- Climate Change and Global Health
The Office for Undergraduate Research (OUR) held its annual workshop, “Getting Involved in Research,” offering a practical and welcoming introduction to finding research opportunities on campus. Participants learned how to connect with faculty mentors, navigate available resources, and understand the support OUR provides throughout the research journey.
The session featured student and faculty panels, giving attendees an honest and encouraging look at how undergraduates get started in research, what faculty look for in mentees, and how to chart a successful research path at UNC.
OUR also welcomed UNC alumna Marley Parker for “OFF THE MAP: Documenting Research at the Edge of the Earth,” where she shared how her unique career path has taken her from UNC to the South Pacific, the Antarctic Peninsula, the North Atlantic, and many places in between.
URW also provides an opportunity for campus partners to host events that reflect their unique research missions. In 2023, more than 60 additional sessions offered workshops, lectures, demonstrations, and conversations that broadened the week’s reach. A complete list of these events is included below.
- 2023 CMAS Conference
- From Trash to Treasure: Plastics and Sustainability
- 2023 Art in Science Competition Winners
- 2023 UNC Water and Health Conference
- Orthopaedic Research Showcase
- Renewable Energy Research Symposium
- Core Facilities Open House Tours
- Introduction to PubMed
- Measuring Water from Space
- Lunch & Learn: Flooding and Our Future
- School of Medicine Innovation Roundtable
- Psych & Neuro Fest Session 1
- The Many Roles of Health Equity Research Staff: Perspectives and Experiences
- AHRQ NRSA Seminar: How to move from problems highlighted by indices to impactful interventions
- OFF THE MAP: Documenting Research at the Edge of the Earth
- Campus Green Roofs: Islands in the Sky
- Getting Started in Undergraduate Research
- Make It Fit: Designing Inter-Connecting Parts for 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
- Exploring Research-Adjacent Careers in Academia
- Psych & Neuro Fest Session 2
- Research Insights from the UNC School of Education’s Leaders of Tomorrow
- Introduction to Covidence
- Lunch & Learn: Health and Heat
- Innovation in the Changing Technology Landscape
- Galapagos Seed Grant Program 2023-2024 Q&A
- Hettleman Talks
- Dimensions Analytics: Introductory Training
- Design for Multiple Materials: Adobe Illustrator Across the Makerspace
- Getting Started in Undergraduate Research in Biology
- Undergraduate Research in Earth and Marine Sciences
- From Lab to Laptop: Data Acquisition and Analysis using LabView software
- World Anti-Bullying Forum
- Engagement in Research Nuts & Bolts
- Introduction to Systematic Review Methods
- Lunch & Learn: Economics and Environment
- Research at Carolina Nursing: Advancing Health for All
- Snapshot: Climate Exhibition Open House
- Psych & Neuro Fest Session 3
- Spotlighting Equity Approaches and Practices to Health Research
- Exercise and Sport Science Research Exhibition
- Altmetric Explorer: Introductory Trainings
- The Importance of Language
- Three Minute Thesis (3MT)
- Writing Research Abstracts
- Break the Mold: Connections Between 3D Printing and Vacuum Forming
- Fluids Must Flow: Identifying and Selecting of Liquid and Gas Fittings
- Mentorship 101: Insider Tips for Success
- Psych & Neuro Fest Session 4
- [Merrimon Lecture] Integrating A.I. Into Health Care: Ethical & Legal Challenges
- Advancing Indigenous Health at Carolina: Multi-Disciplinary Approaches
- Lunch & Learn: Communities and Climate
- Systematic Reviews from a Researcher Perspective
- Critical climate impacts on transportation
- Thinking of Doing a Ph.D. in Math?
- Communicating in a Climate of Change
- Putting It Together: Selecting and Using Fasteners and Adhesives
- Undergraduate Research and Study Abroad
- Psych & Neuro Fest Session 5
- GSLL Undergraduate Research Event
- Applied Mathematics Labs Tour
- Lunch & Learn: Climate Change and Global Health
- Maximizing your Research Impact
- Blogging and Belonging
- Medieval and Early Modern Studies Undergraduate Research Symposium
- PARE Talks
- UNC Music Research Forum
- Sacred Nine Project: The Mending Sampler
- Energy Debate: Is ‘Net Zero by 2050’ Achievable?