Future Researchers

The College of Graduate Studies installed a program in the summer of 2015 that developed access to knowledge and resources. The Preparing Future Researchers program created a unique opportunity for students to conduct research in their field with professors’, in their disciplines, guidance at UCF.

The program offered an immersive research experience, networking opportunities, and workshops for its seven undergraduate student participants. The students represented five different disciplines: Chemistry, Criminal Justice, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Optics and Photonics, and Security Studies.

Thomas Dolan, PhD represented the Security Studies discipline with his research. Preparing Future Researchers allowed Dr. Dolan, “To turn archival notes into a dataset, and add important information to that dataset that would have otherwise taken a lot longer. The joint project with Joseph Butler, at the end of the program, allowed us to try out, for the first time, an argument that we have been able to refine and is forthcoming in the Journal of Conflict Resolution, widely viewed as one of the ten best journals in political science.”

When asked about his favorite part of the program, Dr. Dolan expressed, “Getting to work with a talented, energetic undergraduate interested in becoming a researcher.”

Congratulations to Dr. Dolan and Butler on their collaboration, soon to appear in the Journal of Conflict Resolution.

Preparing Future Researchers provided its participants with access to innovative opportunities for research, impacting their academic world.