Research Opportunities
Undergraduate students are welcomed to engage in Research with CURes through a variety of avenues.
Independent Research Projects
LMU undergraduates can join a team of fellow students to perform hands-on research in an area of urban ecology, guided by a CURes faculty or staff member. Some on-going and past projects include:
- Ballona Wetlands mosquito vector control
- Coyote behavioral assessment in Long Beach
- Hummingbird torpor
- Baldwin Hills park user survey
- Rain garden pollutant runoff monitoring
- Tern nest interactions
Students may apply for 1-3 research course credits with CURes. Students are expected to put in 60 hours of work per credit. Visit our Students page to meet our current research team and learn more about their projects.
Students are able to apply to work with CURes during the Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP). Contact CURes@lmu.edu for more information.
Work Study
Students with work study funds from LMU are encouraged to inquire about positions available at CURes. Contact Dr. Romolini (Michele.Romolini@lmu.edu) for more information or look for CURes postings in Lion Jobs.
Courses Offered at LMU
CURes faculty, staff, and fellows teach a range of courses at LMU. Some past examples of courses include:
-
The Environmental Scholars course is intended to offer students in Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, and related disciplines direct, hands-on participation in an on-going environmental research project. Small, interdisciplinary student teams will have the opportunity to choose their research focus from a number of potential projects. Within the scope of these projects, students will be able to develop research questions around a particular topic.
Instructor: Dr. Michele Romolini
-
The course is an overview of issues in environmental studies from the perspective of the humanities and social science. Topics may include philosophical, theological, historical, economic, and/or political analyses of environmental issues.
Instructor: Dr. Michele Romolini
-
This course addresses fundamental concepts and language of biology. Topics include cell biology, organ systems, genetics, ecosystems, organisms, and engineering applications.
Instructor: Dr. Eric Strauss
-
Lecture Course: An analysis of the dynamic and integrated nature of urbanized landscapes. Using active inquiry and the original literature, the course will engage the current theories and practice of the research being conducted on the patterns and processes of urban ecosystems – ranging from biodiversity and trophic dynamics, to public health and environmental justice.
Lab Course: An inquiry-based investigation into the biophysical and human social dimensions of a local urban ecosystem, with a focus on group project development.
Instructors: Dr. Pete Auger, Dr. Eric Strauss, Dr. Isaac Brown, Dr. Michele Romolini