Departmental Research Assistantship Program
Student Application for Geography and Sustainability Majors
The Office of Undergraduate Research & Fellowships would like to announce our newest program to increase undergraduate research, URF
Departmental Research Assistants Program. URF
Departmental Research Assistants Program will begin this January and run to May 2022. The program will provide direct funding for
one eligible undergraduate student per UTK/UTIA undergraduate-major serving academic department. The
new program will provide funding ($1500.00) for departments to hire one undergraduate
student researcher in their unit during spring 2022. Assistance will be distributed by the department
to the selected student as an employee and taxes will be deducted. Please be aware that this is an entry-level position, and not for students who are already conducting research with faculty. (Please
see eligibility below)
Application due by Friday: November 6th, 2021.
Project Descriptions:
Project #1: Dr. Luke: Appalachian Voices and the Closure of coal-fired plants in the
TVA footprint
This project brings together an interdisciplinary research team to use mixed methods to evaluate the economic effects of proposed pathways to replace coal-fired generation
in the TVA region. We have a need for research assistance with archival review of regulatory
documents and contracts for energy efficiency and natural gas construction at regional utilities to identify project costs to include in our quantitative analysis. In addition, there will also be opportunities for an undergraduate researcher to work with me
to carry out and code interviews as part of qualitative data collection to include customer and worker testimony about the effects of energy transition in impacted communities. If this project is supported, I would work closely with this student to develop
their interview and archival research skills as well as encourage them to participate in writing and publication opportunities. In addition, this request has the full support of the project team and could provide connections for an interested student to work
with regional energy and environmental justice advocates at and beyond Appalachian Voices. Students are expected to present their research in at least one event/conference on UTK’s
campus and we encourage them to also present at other local and/or regional conferences/events.
Project #2: Dr. Román-Rivera: Changing coastal management perspectives: Comparing transverse sand bars to man-made hardened structures
The nearshore is a transition zone between the land and continental shelf that is significantly influenced by waves during normal and extreme conditions. Nearshore zones are constantly changing, and their
bathymetry varies both temporally and spatially. This project investigates the impact of transverse bars on erosion rates in nearshore zones. We will compare those dynamics to beaches that contain hard- engineered structures. The expected outcome of this work
is a greater understanding of transverse bar impact on beach and dune erosion processes, which will be used to aid further research on the topic. The Research Assistant will aid in various aspects of this project including data collection and organization
of aerial/satellite photography and weather data. The student may also be able to help with the digitization of coastal features. Through this project, the student will be able to learn or further develop skills in GIS and remote sensing techniques, as well
as in spatial analysis. Students are also required to present portions of this research in at least one event/conference on UTK’s campus and we encourage them to also present at other local and/or regional conferences/events.