Faculty and Undergraduate Student Research Database

The Laboratory for Human-Environmental Interactions Modeling and Analysis (HEIMA; https://heima.ua.edu/) is seeking a motivated undergraduate student to support an ongoing National Science Foundation-funded project on Disrupting Illicit Supply Networks. The undergraduate research assistant will support efforts to detect unidentified or unregulated boats (UUBs) from high resolution satellite imagery. This will contribute to a larger study about the routes that cocaine traffickers use to move shipments through Central America to the United States and European Union. Responsibilities: • Downloading satellite images from designated sources based on predefined criteria. • Processing downloaded images through an existing object-detection m...

Students interested in brain-to-brain coordination during coversation (as well as development of it in children and clinical populations) are invited to train in my lab (https://malaia.people.ua.edu/opportunities.html) as volunteers. Class credit available in CD 350 or CD 360 Honors; training in Good Laboratory Practices and experiment administration provided. Since the training is fairly involved, 1-year commitment (Fall-Spring, or Spring-Fall) is required. You'd be working in a small group (3-4 student researchers), and comfortable coordinating/scheduling flexibly. The hours (3-5/week) are calculated based on 2-3 experimental recordings a week, which, depending on participant availability, might take place evenings or weekends. Any ma...

The primary goal of this research is to conceptualize, design, fabricate, and deploy a robotic arm driven by the principles of tensegrity structures, providing a unique approach to robotic movement, flexibility, and adaptability. Tensegrity, a portmanteau of "tension" and "integrity", refers to structural systems that derive their stability from a balance between tension and compression components. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in applying the principles of tensegrity to the realm of robotics, primarily due to its potential advantages such as lightweight structures, increased flexibility, and adaptive resilience. Scope: Literature Review: Investigation of existing research related to tensegrity robotics, its prin...

The SPAIR Lab is currently focused on studying how close relationships impact suicidal ideation in adult populations. The SPAIR Lab uses both primary and secondary data, most of which consists of online surveys. The goal of the SPAIR Lab is to identify both risk and protective factors associated with close relationships to be incorporated into suicide prevention efforts. Close relationships studied include romantic relationships, family members, pets/animal companions, and greater sense of belonging in larger contexts. This is an unpaid position with an expectation of approximately 3-5 hours per week. A minimum of one academic year is required for participation in the lab. Common tasks for undergraduate research assistants include: ...