UNF: Undergraduate Research

Welcome to the Office of Undergraduate Research

The Office of Undergraduate Research (O.U.R.) at the University of North Florida (UNF) is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., or email us anytime at OUR@unf.edu.

The O.U.R. provides services and support to UNF undergraduates who are interested in conducting research or creative research projects in any discipline and across all colleges, departments, and majors. Studies and experience show that actively engaging in undergraduate research or special projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor will expand your intellect, strengthen your resume or curriculum vitae (CV), and enhance your marketable skills.

O.U.R. SPRING 2025 EVENTS

Congratulations to the April Undergraduate Researcher of the Month, Omar Elfayoumy!

Omar standing in front of his research poster. Omar Elfayoumy, a senior majoring in computer science, works with Drs. Indika Kahanda and Anirban Ghosh from the UNF School of Computing. His current project focuses on protein function prediction, using machine learning and graph-based techniques to analyze patterns in biological data. The team he is working with specifically studies cliques, groups of proteins that frequently appear together, to better understand their roles in protein function. They are currently preparing a paper on their findings, with the goal of publishing by May 2025.

After graduating this spring, Omar plans to pursue a Master of Science in Computer Science at Georgia Tech while simultaneously working in the tech industry and launching his own business. Through his research experiences, he has sharpened his problem-solving skills, learned how to pivot when needed, and how to effectively communicate complex ideas to diverse audiences. Omar’s advice to aspiring researchers is to follow your curiosity. "Research is significantly easier when you’re genuinely curious about the topic," he says. "Take some time to explore different fields and see what excites you."

The 2025 Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year

Jackie Meier standing and smiling with her students in front of a photo backdrop. Congratulations to Dr. Jacqueline Meier, Assistant Professor of Anthropology at the University of North Florida, on being named the SOARS 2025 Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year! One of Dr. Meier’s students who nominated her wrote, “Dr. Meier’s mentorship has profoundly shaped my academic and professional journey … She has impacted many students through both her courses and her research lab, doing everything in her power to help her students succeed. Because of her, I have found a field of research that I wish to engage with for the rest of my career.”

Dr. Meier’s award was presented as part of the 2025 Showcase of Osprey Achievements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS), which was held on Friday, April 11 in the John A. Delaney Student Union.

Congratulations, Dr. Jacqueline Meier, on this well-deserved honor and achievement!