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The Department of Political Science Honors Program

Overview of the program.

The Departmental Honors Program is a yearlong process. It commences in the spring of a student’s Junior Year and culminates the following winter in the production of an honors thesis . Outstanding undergraduates majoring in political science are invited to apply in the winter of their Junior Year to participate in the program.  Each student admitted to the program will conduct original research on a question of their own choosing, under the guidance of a faculty mentor.  A successful thesis will be roughly 50 pages in length. In addition, it must be judged to do justice to its topic and meet the standards of the student’s faculty mentor.

Each completed thesis will be assigned a letter grade, the determination of which will be made by the mentoring professor, acting in conjunction with the Honors Program Director.  The level of honors to be awarded (“Honors,” “Highest Honors”) will be determined on the basis of 1) the strength of a student’s honors thesis and 2) that student’s overall academic performance in the major.  Level of honors will be noted on the student’s official transcript and diploma.  In the case that “No Honors” is awarded, there will be no such designation on the transcript or diploma.

GRADUATING WITH DEPARTMENTAL HONORS OR HIGHEST HONORS

To graduate with “Honors” in the major , a student must meet each of the following requirements:

• A GPA in the major of at least 3.5
• An overall UCLA GPA of at least 3.5
• Completion of Political Science 191H with a letter grade of at least A-
• Completion the Honors Thesis with a minimum letter grade of “B+”

  To graduate with “Highest Honors” in the major, a student must additionally :  

• Graduate with a final GPA in the major of at least 3.85
• Complete the Senior Honors Thesis with a letter grade of “A+”

ADMISSION INTO THE DEPARTMENTAL HONORS PROGRAM

An application for preliminary admission to the honors program is available here . Applications must be submitted in the winter of a student’s Junior Year.  The application submission deadline for the next honors cycle is  Friday of 9 th  week, Winter Quarter (March 8, 2024).  Late submissions will not be accepted. Admission to the honors program is competitive (we aim for a target of 20-22 students each cohort-year) and all decisions are final. Successful applicants will receive a PTE number to enroll in 191H .   Final decisions regarding admission to the departmental honors program will be made at the conclusion of PS 191H.

Submission: Click HERE to submit your departmental honors application.

Note: If you would like your completed thesis to be e-published on our departments repository , please be aware that you will need to give written consent to have your thesis added.

To complete the application process , students must submit the follow materials:

• A typed, one-page statement explaining why you wish to participate in the honors program and why you possess the qualifications necessary to complete a large research project.
• A typed, one-page description of your research topic and preliminary research question.
• A completed copy of the departmental honors application signed by the student’s faculty mentor. Please note : Your mentor must be a member of the Department of Political Science permanent ladder faculty or hold a joint/courtesy appointment with our department.  A list of eligible faculty is available on the Political Science website or at the Undergraduate Counseling Office in 4269 Bunche Hall.
• Most recent UCLA transcript (including winter course enrollments)

THE DEPARTMENTAL HONORS SEQUENCE

A. SPRING QUARTER . The yearlong honors sequence begins with PS191H , a four-unit course that eligible students will take in the spring of their Junior Year.  PS191H is a prerequisite for final entry into the honors program. No student will be admitted to the research and writing phase of the honors sequence without having first completed 191H with a grade of A- or better.

• 191H culminates with each student designing their own research prospectus —i.e., a detailed plan of action for asking and answering an original research question of interest to political scientists.
• During the quarter, 191H students will learn to craft effective literature reviews, develop productive research questions, propose preliminary hypotheses to answer these questions, select suitable research methods, and determine appropriate sources of information. In weeks 9 and 10, each student will give a well-organized, in-class oral presentation based on their research prospectus. Other weekly sessions will introduce students to topics, methods, and problems in social science research.

B. SUMMER . Immediately upon the completion of 191H, students will begin the research process.  In conjunction with their faculty mentor, students will develop a detailed plan of action covering the summer period.  This may include additional reading, data collection, or any other activity recommended by the faculty mentor to facilitate the start of empirical investigation. Students will submit a progress report both to their faculty mentor and to the program director by the start of the fall quarter.  (There is no summer-class enrollment requirement).

C. FALL AND WINTER QUARTERS . The Senior Year component of the honors program will consist of PS 198 (Fall Quarter) and PS 198 (Winter Quarter). PS 198 are contract courses to be taken with your faculty mentors.

• In PS 198, students will continue researching their thesis projects and, at some point in the quarter, begin the process of writing up their results.
• In PS 198 , (Winter Quarter) students will complete their thesis under the supervision of their faculty mentor.
• Honors students will also meet as a group with the Honors Program Director once or twice during the fall and winter quarters, to report progress, solve problems, and exchange ideas. These meetings are mandatory.

D. THE COMPLETED THESIS is due at the end of Winter Quarter . Students will submit printed copies of their thesis both to their faculty mentor and to the program director.

• The Distinguished Undergraduate Scholar Award . This award will be given annually to one or more outstanding honors students judged to have produced the most scholarly contributions to the discipline of political science.

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UCLA Graduate Programs

Thesis & Dissertation Filing Requirements

This is the official UCLA manuscript preparation guide that contains established criteria for uniformity in the format of theses and dissertations. The regulations included in it supersede any style manual instructions regarding format. Also includes information on filing dates and procedures, registration of copyright, and guidelines for submission.

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Honors Program

Are you a sociology major who would like to study aspect of social life that is of interest to you in depth? Maybe you would like to examine the impact that punk rock has had on the political views of people who joined punk rock collectives, using in-depth interviewing. Or perhaps you are interested in conducting original research on Hong Kong’s socio-political and economic relations with China? Maybe you would like to analyze videotaped verbal interactions between children and adults in an experimental after-school program, or conduct an ethnographic study of a homeless clinic or domestic violence intervention program. Maybe you would like to examine the life trajectories and social networks of undocumented workers in a Los Angeles factory or explore beauty- and plastic surgery practices among Vietnamese-American women. These are all examples of research that UCLA students have conducted in the Departmental Honors Thesis Seminar. If you are interested in designing and carrying out your own research, the  UCLA Sociology Departmental Honors Thesis Seminar  is for you!

This four-quarter sequence provides a unique opportunity to use sociological concepts and methodology to answer your own questions about an aspect of social life that is of interest to you. While enrolled in the honors program, students often choose to take other classes that help them learn more about the topic they are researching. Their involvement in the honors program makes these other classes more meaningful and relevant. Honors students enjoy the benefits of priority enrollment, so they are able to get into the classes they chose more easily. In the Honors Seminar helps students learn to formulate interesting and relevant questions that are answerable using empirical research. They learn how to draw conclusions from their findings and fine-tune their arguments, skills that are essential for many professional occupations. The senior thesis itself serves as an impressive writing sample for those students applying to graduate or professional schools.

A printer-friendly handout and the department honors application are available  here .

Applications due Thursday, February 9th.

Requirements:

• 3.5 GPA overall
• (prior to or concurrent with Honors)

The program begins in the Spring of third year with a regular seminar (Soc191H) that meets twice a week. In addition to readings and discussions about research-related issues, you will complete several hand-on exercises, including field observations and life-history interviews. This first quarter is also when you define your own project and match your research questions with appropriate research methods. In the following Fall, you would be enrolled in Soc198A and would collect data and read more of the relevant literature. (In some cases, when a student has already a defined research question and has begun data collection, they may be permitted to enter the program during the Fall quarter.) The Fall seminar only meets a few times as a group, but you will meet regularly with Professor Berend in one-on-one tutorials. You are expected to have completed your data collection by the beginning of the Winter Quarter, in order to leave ample time for organizing the data, reading, and writing (Soc198B). You would finish the Thesis in the Spring Quarter (Soc198C) and present your work at the Departmental Honors Thesis Conference. Every year, the Leo Kuper Prize is given to the best thesis.

You will receive help and guidance at each and every stage of the process from both Prof. Berend and also from a graduate student mentor, who will help with literature searches, methodology and writing. You will learn about how to compete for stipends for undergraduate research that range from $1000 to $5000. Each year, the program nominates interested and deserving students for the American Sociological Association (ASA) Honors section, which provides a wonderful opportunity to attend the largest sociological association in the country, hear talks, and participate in workshops with honors students across the country.

Course credit and letter grades are awarded on a quarter-by-quarter basis. If you complete the entire sequence of course work and submit an acceptable thesis, you will graduate with Departmental Honors and be recognized during culmination.

Past students rave about the program:

“The sociology honors program truly was one of my greatest UCLA experiences. It gave me the opportunity to not just be a consumer of knowledge, but actually ask and pursue my own questions. I was able to turn my interest in Zen Buddhism into a well-defined research project. My experience in the field conducting interviews and participating in a Zen Sangha as well as my exploration of the relevant literature, gave me an in depth perspective that I would have otherwise never attained. The one on one long-term attention you receive, creating and refining your unique research thesis, is an invaluable and extremely rare opportunity for an undergraduate. With Professor Berend I was challenged to become a better writer, thinker, and researcher. All of the academic skills and intellectual growth I gained during the honors program has helped me in my current work with at-risk youth at Orange County Dept. of Ed.’s Title One program.”

“The Honors program was the most challenging and rewarding experience as an undergrad at UCLA!  It allowed me to do research in a subject that was dear to my heart, and appreciate the hard work of researchers. The skills that I learned during the Honors Program continue to help me now that I am pursuing a Masters in School Counseling. As future professionals we will always be doing or learning from research.”

“Though I didn’t quite know what to expect when I joined the Honors program, the knowledge I gained during that time has served as a foundation for my academic career. I learned then what it means to do good ethnography, capturing the feel of a place and the people that inhabit it. I also learned how to talk to people about their lives through in-depth interviewing. Some of my most poignant learning experiences at UCLA were during my Honors year, such as conducting observations at the Westwood farmer’s market, and doing a life-history interview. But the Honors program did more than teach me methods: it fostered a rich intellectual community that enabled me to discover my passion for research. I am in the process of completing my dissertation at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, examining psychotherapeutic expertise with the ethnographic sensibility I acquired during my time as an Honors student.”

“The Honors Program in Sociology at UCLA provided me with my first opportunity to do truly original research. This in and of itself was eye opening. I actually had the chance to pick a topic of interest and spend over a year developing a novel piece of scholarship.  Now, after practicing law for several years, I find myself back in an academic environment – this time working on a PhD. I’m constantly using the toolkit I developed in the Honors Program in Sociology in my current program. With a small cohort and the dedicated attention from Prof. Berend, I was able to learn qualitative method research techniques and I was given constant feedback during the entire process. I have to say that without this experience I probably would not be on the path I am on today.”

“In such a large, public university, it can be difficult to receive the faculty and staff support you want. The honors program helped me by providing the personal support structure I needed to write a senior thesis. My own thesis was qualitative, and even though I am currently doing quantitative work, having done a highly qualitative study gave me the experience to appreciate a mixed methods approach to conducting sociological inquiry. Upon completing the honors program at UCLA, I applied to graduate schools and am now a first-year graduate student at the University of Washington in Seattle.”

“If you are considering graduate school in sociology (or in the related social sciences), participating in the honors program is essential. The rigorous process of doing background work, devising a research project, carrying it out and then analyzing the data was certainly challenging, but it reaffirmed my passion for sociology and desire to continue to graduate school. Professor Berend offers crucial guidance throughout the process and is very committed to being there when you need her, but the program is ultimately about conducting independent research. In the end, you will certainly feel accomplished and glad you participated.”

“Professor Berend’s honors seminar provided the ideal space for me to write my honors thesis. Writing an honors thesis was a very challenging albeit rewarding experience for me. The seminar provided a supportive and academically stimulating environment where I was able to receive invaluable written and verbal feedback on the development of my project. As a result, the seminar enabled me to strengthen and refine my oral and written analytical skills; skills, which are applicable to graduates pursuing any line of work or future graduate study.”

“The departmental honors program presented me a rare opportunity to pursue a research project that was truly interesting to me as an undergraduate. It provided me the necessary training and guidance to develop my own original ideas and eventually write an award winning honors thesis. Most importantly, this program gave me a solid foundation in empirical research which has helped me further my academic career as an aspiring sociologist now in graduate school. For anyone interested in pursuing Sociology as a discipline, this program is a great way to start.”

“I can say this this program and Prof. Berend leading it were what helped shape me into the sociologist that I am today.”

To find out more, contact Professor Berend at  [email protected]

2017 Honors Cohort

264 Haines Hall 375 Portola Plaza Los Angeles, CA 90095-1551

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Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship

The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program information and selection criteria was updated on Thursday, October 19, 2023.

The  Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF)  is a two-year program designed for outstanding students in Mellon-designated humanities, arts, and social science fields who intend to pursue a PhD and a career in academia. Mellon Mays Fellows work closely with faculty advisers and graduate mentors to design and carry out an independent research project. They are encouraged to complete an honors thesis in their home departments, where available.

Established in 1988 to address the barriers that result in the problem of underrepresentation in the faculty ranks of higher education, the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) is committed to supporting a diverse professoriate and to promoting the value of multivocality in the humanities and related disciplines, elevating accounts, interpretations, and narratives that expand present understandings. Its name honors Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, the noted African American educator, statesman, minister, and former president of Morehouse College.

For more information about the MMUF program, go to  http://www.mmuf.org/ .

MMUF SELECTION CRITERIA

The Mellon Foundation is dedicated to elevating the knowledge that informs more complete and accurate narratives of the human experience and lays the foundation for more just and equitable futures.

Student applicants to MMUF will be evaluated on the basis of their prior coursework, their plans for a major, and their potential to bring historically marginalized or underrepresented perspectives to the academy, including by producing scholarly research that reflects the Mellon Foundation’s goal to create more complete and accurate narratives of the human experience.

Some research themes and rubrics that may satisfy this goal include, but are not limited to, the following: historical and contemporary treatments of race, racialization, and racial formation; intersectional experience and analysis; gender and sexuality; Indigenous history and culture; questions about diaspora; coloniality and decolonization; the carceral state; migration and immigration; urban inequalities; social movements and mass mobilizations; the transatlantic slave trade; settler colonial societies; and literary accounts of agency, subjectivity, and community. While it is not required that student applicants work within the above or related rubrics, preference may be given to applicants who do.

UCLA MMUF PROGRAM

Fellows enroll in the Research Practice 194A: Mellon Mays Research Seminar and independent research courses each quarter, and they conduct summer research their junior and senior years (junior year in an MMUF program at another campus and senior year at UCLA). In winter quarter of their junior years, Fellows enroll in Research Practice 120: Research Today. Fellows must apply to and participate in a Departmental Honors Program if it is offered by their department. Fellows receive Graduate Record Exam (GRE) preparation, assistance in completing graduate school applications, and professional development.

Fellows receive quarterly research stipends totaling $4,000 junior year and $4,000 senior year, as well as $4,500 each summer (please see the Program Details tab for more information on summer enrollment requirements). Fellows must maintain full-time status during fall, winter, and spring quarters to remain eligible for funding and the program. Fellows enrolling in PhD programs in Mellon-designated fields within a defined time period after graduation are eligible for repayment of up to $10,000 of their undergraduate loans.

Additionally, Mellon Mays faculty mentors receive a $500 Faculty Mentor Service Award each academic year.

Click here to download a copy of the MMUF program overview.

ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS

The UCLA MMUF program includes intensive undergraduate research, completion of a senior thesis project, and preparation for graduate school. Students interested in applying for the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship must meet the following criteria:

• Junior level standing (at least 90 units), and a spring or summer 2025 degree expected date
• Minimum 3.25 GPA (transfer students without an established UCLA GPA are exempt from this requirement)
• US citizens, permanent residents, AB 540, DACA, and undocumented students are eligible to apply
• Commitment to research and intention to enroll in a PhD program
• Cannot be a  concurrent recipient of a research program scholarship while participating , including those through the Undergraduate Research Centers, AAP, College Honors, the Center for Community Learning, Education Abroad Programs, or academic departments
• Anthropology and Archaeology
• Area/Cultural/Ethnic/Gender Studies
• Art History
• Geography and Population Studies
• English/Comparative Literature
• Film, Cinema, and Media Studies (theoretical focus)
• Musicology and Ethnomusicology
• Foreign Languages and Literatures
• Linguistics
• Performance Studies (theoretical focus)
• Philosophy and Political Theory
• Religion and Theology
• Theater (non-performance focus)
• Interdisciplinary Studies: Interdisciplinary areas of study may be  eligible if they have one or more Mellon field at their core.

HOW TO APPLY

Application Deadline : November 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.

Click here for detailed application instructions:  MMUF Application Instructions .

The application opens in early to mid-October. Visit MyUCLA, click on “Campus Life,” and select “Survey” to access the “Undergraduate Research Fellows Program (URFP), Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF), and McNair Research Scholars Program” application, and check the “Mellon Mays” box. Applicants may also apply to URFP and McNair.

The application includes 4 components:

• Research proposal
• Personal statement
• Short MMUF prompt
• Letter of recommendation from your faculty mentor. Be sure to ask your faculty mentor  early  and provide them with the  MMUF Letter of Recommendation Form .

If you would like help or feedback on your application materials, you can schedule an  advising appointment  with a Graduate Research Mentor to discuss your project. The Undergraduate Research Center also hosts MMUF info sessions and workshops on how to write a research proposal.  Click here  for a list of current workshops and info sessions.

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. All materials must be submitted by the November 15 deadline.

Undergraduate Research Center – Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences A334 Murphy Hall Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (310) 825-2935 [email protected]

STUDENT PROFILES

view Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellows

Please see below for additional details about the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF).

CONDUCTING RESEARCH

MMUF prepares students for an academic career by beginning research now. Many students have never formally conducted research before entering the program. Applicants should show superb scholarly promise in a Mellon-designated field and a proposed research project that can be pursued with the close guidance of a faculty mentor. 

GRADUATE STUDY

MMUF is committed to supporting a diverse professoriate and to promoting the value of multivocality in the humanities and related disciplines, elevating accounts, interpretations, and narratives that expand present understandings. To accomplish this goal, MMUF prepares undergraduates for graduate school in  Mellon-designated fields  and provides benefits for fellows during their time as undergraduates, graduate students, and junior faculty. Applicants should have a strong interest in entering a PhD program and a career in the professoriate. The MMUF program provides GRE preparation and other professional development opportunities.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Transfer students are eligible and encouraged to apply. All applicants must have a letter of recommendation from the UCLA faculty member who has agreed to mentor their MMUF project. However, transfer students (and all applicants) may also submit additional letters of recommendation, including those from community colleges. Similar to  all applicants, transfer students apply for the program in November, receive a decision in December, and begin as fellows in January. As the program is a two-year program, only first-year transfer students and transfer students who plan to stay for the duration of the two-year program are eligible.

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Review eligibility, program requirements, and application instructions . Contact the Undergraduate Research Center if you would like to discuss your project and any questions with a Graduate Research Mentor.
• Complete the application by November 15. Please ask your faculty mentor to submit a letter of recommendation for you by November 15 as well. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
• The UCLA MMUF committee will contact you in late December regarding your application to the program.

APPLICANT SELECTION

The MMUF incoming cohort size is five undergraduate students (for a total of ten undergraduate students participating in the program each academic year). Please do not let this number discourage you from applying! If you do not apply, you won’t have the chance to participate in the program. Because the program is competitive, however, we strongly encourage you to apply for other undergraduate research programs as well, including the Undergraduate Research Fellows Program , the McNair Research Scholars program, the Undergraduate Research Scholars Program , and the UCLA/Keck Humanistic Inquiry Undergraduate Research Award .

SUMMER RESEARCH

The summer after their first year of the fellowship, all MMUF fellows are required to participate in a summer research program (such as Leadership Alliance , the Summer Research Opportunities Program , the University of Chicago MMUF program )  at another college or university, unless there are extenuating circumstances. In addition to providing research training and graduate school preparation, these summer research programs allow you to make valuable connections with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates at other institutions. We encourage new fellows to look at summer program opportunities soon after beginning the fellowship, as application deadlines often occur in late January to early February.  Fellows are also required to conduct research during their second summer in the program and must complete an SRP 99 or departmental 199 to be eligible for the summer stipend. 

GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

MMUF students automatically receive fee waivers to apply to UCLA for graduate study. Fee waivers and reductions are available at many other institutions by advanced request. Contact the school(s) to which you are applying to inquire. MMUF students may also receive up to $300 in reimbursements for PhD program applications during their senior year.

POST-GRADUATION BENEFITS

Mellon Mays Gap Assistance : Fellows who do not apply to graduate school during their second year of the fellowship can apply for assistance in the gap year(s) between undergraduate education and graduate education. Click here  for more information.

Loan repayment : Fellows entering PhD programs in Mellon-designated fields within 39 months of graduation from their undergraduate institutions are eligible for repayment for their undergraduate loans up to a maximum of $10,000.

Access to MMUF graduate student resources : MMUF partners with the Social Science Resource Council (SSRC) to provide the SSRC-Mellon Mays Graduate Initiatives Program . Grants include:

• Dissertation Completion Grants (up to $2,500 once during PhD)
• Predoctoral Research Development Grants (up to $3,000 once during PhD)
• Graduate Studies Enhancement Grants (up to $1,500 annually during PhD)

Each fellow may receive a maximum of $5,000 in Graduate Studies Enhancement and Predoctoral Research Development funds. Dissertation Completion Grant funds do not apply toward this total. Learn more here .

The SSRC-Mellon Mays Graduate Initiatives Program also offers additional resources, including:

• Gradate Student Summer Conferences
• Proposal Writing and Dissertation Development Seminars
• Dissertation Writing Retreats
• Regional Lecture Series
• Ph.D. Professional Development Conferences
• Seminars on preparing for the professoriate

Departmental Honors Program

The application for the 2023-24 Departmental Honors Program has closed. The application for the 2024-25 academic year will open in mid-May 2024.

The 2023-2024 program faculty coordinator is  Dr. Matthew Lieberman . For additional information about the program, please watch the 2021 information session .

Psychology Departmental Honors Program

Departmental Honors is a year-long program with two components:

• Individual research under the guidance of a Psychology faculty advisor, culminating in a full thesis.
• Weekly seminars (Wednesdays from 3:00 to 5:00pm, every quarter) with the Program Faculty Coordinator, which serve as support for the research and writing processes and introduce students to graduate school options, research presentation methods, and career paths.

Students who successfully complete the program will earn an “Honors” or “Highest Honors” notation on their diploma. Departmental Honors Students will earn 12 units of credit toward graduation for completing this program. If the entire series is completed, the last of these 4-unit courses can count as a Psychology Elective. Psychobiology and Cognitive Science majors may petition for elective credit if their research aligns with their major. Cognitive Science majors may alternatively use the last of the 4-unit courses towards the fieldwork/research requirement.

The Departmental Honors program is designed for students in their final year at UCLA. Students who are not seniors will not be admitted to the program, and are encouraged to instead apply during their senior year. If you are a student graduating early (e.g. after 3 years), you can apply to the program for your third (and final) year at UCLA. Please note this on your application.

Please contact the Psych Advising office with any specific questions about the honors program.

Eligibility

• Applicants must have an overall  minimum UCLA GPA of 3.50 as of Winter 2023 .
• Applicants must be Psychology, Psychobiology, or Cognitive Science majors and  must have all of the preparation courses for their majors completed by the end of Summer 2023 . Accepted participants must begin their projects during Summer 2023, with the assistance of a faculty advisor (however, there is no summer class enrollment).
• Applicants must earn a B or higher in PSYCH 100A and 100B. Note that eligible students may have these courses in progress during Spring and Summer 2023 — list “IP” for your grade if that is the case. Applicants who took these courses P/NP from Winter 2020 through Summer 2021 must have earned a Pass grade to be eligible and can list “P” to reference this.
• Applicants must be regularly enrolled UCLA students for the entirety of the 2023-24 academic year and be available to attend the departmental honors seminar in-person on UCLA’s campus during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. Students who will be away from UCLA for one or more quarters during the regular academic year (due to studying abroad, UCDC, etc.) are not eligible to participate in the program.

Preparing to Apply

• Find a Psychology Faculty Advisor who will sponsor your research project for the 2023-2024 year. They must be Psychology Department Faculty . Faculty not listed on this document will not be eligible to serve as advisors for this program. Your sponsor needs to be available during Summer 2023 to provide assistance with the IRB process. You must secure a Faculty Advisor prior to submitting your application.
• You do not need to have a full project organized when applying, but you should have a general topic in mind, a tentative plan, and you should select a faculty member in an area related to your topic. The following list can help you get started:  Psychology Faculty . Please make sure to note who is eligible to serve as an advisor by using this  list .
• Part of the application includes a projected time line for the completion of your project and thesis paper. Your advisor will help you estimate these dates before you submit your application.
• You will also provide an (approximately) 500-word statement of purpose describing why you want to participate in this program, what you hope to study and accomplish, and why you feel that you are qualified to complete a research thesis project, including detailed descriptions of any previous research experience.

Selection Process

Applicants are selected based on their research experience and their overall GPAs. Probability for selection depends on the competitive level of the applicant pool, which varies each year. We will select about 25 students for each cohort annually.

Decisions will be emailed to applicants in mid-June.

Psychology Departmental Honors Awards*

Timothy Chheang Memorial Award: Each Spring, one student receiving Highest Honors for his or her Psychology honors thesis project will be presented with the Timothy Chheang Memorial Award.  The recipient will receive an approx. $1k award.

Nissim and Arlyne Levy Endowed Award: Each Spring, one student receiving Highest Honors for his or her Psychology honors thesis project will be presented with the Nissim and Arlyne Levy Endowed Award.  The recipient will receive an approx. $1k award.

*Students are not eligible to receive both awards.

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Thesis and Dissertation Writing Programs

In addition to one-on-one writing appointments, the Graduate Writing Center has a number of programs and workshops that offer support to dissertators and thesis writers.

During the academic year, the GWC offers single-session overview workshops on master's theses, dissertation proposals, and dissertation writing. Click our current schedule or browse past workshops to see when these topics may be offered. We also encourage you to look at relevant workshop videos .

Writing Groups

The Graduate Writing Center sometimes organizes writing groups of various types (online writing groups, facilitated writing groups, or independent writing groups). We are also happy to help groups of graduate students self-organize into writing groups. For best practices on setting up writing groups, see our writing groups resource page . For information about writing groups currently being offered or organized by the GWC, see our writing groups web page.

Master's Thesis Mentoring Program

The Graduate Writing Center offers a program to support graduate students who are working on master's theses (or other master's capstone projects) and doctoral qualifying papers. The program provides workshops and one-on-one writing appointments. For more information, read Master's Thesis Mentoring Program .

Spring Break Writing Retreats

The Graduate Writing Center offers writing retreats for graduate students who are working on master's theses, dissertation proposals, dissertations, and other writing projects. These programs are usually offered in spring break and summer. Retreats are open to all graduate and professional students. For more information and registration instructions for spring break writing retreats, scroll to the bottom of this web page and click on the relevant program. For programs offered during to the summer, go to the summer boot camp and thesis retreat page.

Summer Dissertation Boot Camps and Thesis Retreats

The Graduate Writing Center holds a number of programs during the summer to help graduate students who are at the dissertation and dissertation proposal stages. We also offer dissertation/thesis retreats during the summer. See our most current summer dissertation boot camp and program offerings for more information.

Spring Break Writing Retreat (All Fields) with Online and In Person Options

This program is for graduate or professional students who are writing large-scale projects like master's theses or capstones, doctoral dissertations or proposals, or manuscripts for publication. The program provides dedicated time to focus on your writing and has online and in-person options. For STEM students, it additionally offers workshops related to scientific writing issues. To read more and register, please see the program description below. Deadline to register is Monday, March 18th.

CLICK HERE for application and program details for spring break writing retreat.

SCHEDULE, March 25th – 27th (in person); March 25th – March 28th (online):

Daily Schedule: 9:00-10:00: Online productivity workshops & discussion 10:00-12:00: Online writing groups or individual work (in person) 12:00-1:00: Lunch break 1:00-2:00: Online Workshops or individual work 2:00-4:00: Online writing groups or individual work (in person)

Morning Online Productivity Workshops (9-10 am) Morning workshops will address project organization, time management, and productivity tips.

Online Writing Group or Individual Work If you are doing the retreat online, you will join online writing groups via Zoom at the designated times. If you are at the in-person location, you may work independently or join the online writing groups via Zoom.

How to Sign Up for the Writing Retreat : Fill out the web form (linked here) by Monday, March 18th . We don't anticipate any capacity issues, but if we have any, we will accept registrants on a first-come, first-served basis.

Morning Productivity Writing Workshops (9-10 am)

Monday, March 25th, 9:00–10:00 AM — Project Organization for Writing In this workshop, we will discuss how to set up an organized system for a large-scale research and writing project, especially the writing components.

Tuesday, March 26th, 9:00–10:00 AM—Time Management and Productivity Tips for Writing In this workshop, we will discuss effective strategies for time management, goal setting, and productivity when conducting large-scale research and writing projects, especially for the writing components.

Wednesday, March 27th, 9:00–10:00 AM — Demos of Tools Writing consultants will demo a couple of organizational tools and how they use these tools to support writing.

Afternoon Scientific Writing Workshops (1-2 pm)

Monday, March 25th, 1:00–2:00 PM — Strategies for Writing Effective Scientific Papers This workshop will address basic principles for writing scientific papers and offer strategies for avoiding common pitfalls. We will also introduce key points from Joshua Schimel's book Writing Science on developing good narrative structure and clarity to make writing engaging and impactful.

Tuesday, March 26th, 1:00–2:00 PM — Creating Effective Figures and Visual Aids This workshop focuses on strategies for designing effective figures and visual materials. The workshop will also introduce different software packages that can be used to create high-quality figures and offer further resources for learning these programs.

Wednesday, March 27th, 1:00–2:00 PM — Thesis and Dissertation Writing in STEM Fields (Final Stages) This workshop will give an overview of the final components and writing stages of a STEM thesis or dissertation.

Further Resources

Advice for Thesis Writing If you haven’t seen a final thesis or dissertation in your field, we recommend looking one from your department in the ProQuest Dissertation database available through the UCLA Library. This database allows you to search by institution, advisor, and manuscript type (master's thesis versus dissertation).

Optional Reading: Joan Bolker. Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes A Day . 1998. Paul Silvia. How to Write a Lot . 2007.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]

General Catalog

Directed research or senior thesis in social thought i, soc tht 199a.

• Capstone Courses & Research Expectations

The Capstone experience is a senior-level sequence of two courses integrating the discipline via mathematical modeling, simulation, and active research and report writing. Before and while taking the Capstone courses, students are expected to engage in research or similar internship project experience, overseen by a UCLA ladder faculty member. The Capstone experience culminates with the completion of a senior thesis. 

Capstone Requirements

Effective Fall 2021, there are three options for completing the Capstone courses * :

• Option 1:   C&S BIO 199 (4 Units) AND C&S BIO M187 (4 Units)
• Option 2: C&S BIO 198A (4 Units) AND C&S BIO 198B (4 Units)
• Option 3: C&S BIO 195 (4 Units) AND C&S BIO M187 (4 Units)

While taking these Capstone courses, students are required to complete, at minimum, 2 quarters of research or similar internship project experience supervised by a UCLA faculty member. Students are advised, however, to start early, ideally by their junior year. It is recommended that students complete at least a year (or more) of research/project experience by the time they complete their second Capstone course. This helps ensure that students have sufficient material for their senior thesis. Students are expected to reach out to faculty and find their own project prior to taking the Capstone courses. More information can be found in the Expectations section below.

* Students who were admitted to the major (not the pre-major) prior to Fall 2020 are required to complete just one course: C&S BIO M187 (4 Units), however, they are still expected to have at least a year of research experience by the time they complete M187.

Differences Between the Capstone Options

All three Capstone options are designed to be parallel to one another. In all three series, students will be expected to complete a research or internship project supervised by a ladder faculty member and complete the following deliverables:

• Give a 10-minute presentation.
• Complete a poster for presentation at CaSB’s Poster Session/Research Symposium in Spring quarter.
• Complete an approximately 10-page or longer research/project paper.

Option 1: C&S BIO 199 (4 Units) AND C&S BIO M187 (4 Units)

• Students will secure a research project in a UCLA faculty member’s lab.
• Students will enroll in C&S BIO 199 by submitting a 199 contract, signed by the faculty mentor, to the CaSB Undergraduate Office by Wednesday Week 2 of the quarter. Students will turn in tangible evidence of work completed (as specified in the contract) to the faculty mentor and CaSB Undergrad Office by Friday of Finals Week.
• Students will enroll in C&S BIO M187 via MyUCLA during regular enrollment passes and complete Capstone deliverables (paper, poster, presentation) as part of class.

More info on Option 1 can be found here .

Option 2: C&S BIO 198A (4 Units) and C&S BIO 198B (4 Units)

• Students will enroll in C&S BIO 198A by submitting a 198A contract, signed by the faculty mentor, to the CaSB Undergraduate Office by Wednesday Week 2 of the quarter. Students will turn in a partial draft of their thesis paper to the faculty mentor and CaSB Undergraduate Office by Friday of Finals Week.
• Students will enroll in C&S BIO 198B by submitting a 198B contract, signed by the faculty mentor, to the CaSB Undergraduate Office by Wednesday Week 2 of the quarter. Students will turn in their Capstone deliverables (paper, poster, presentation) to the faculty mentor and CaSB Undergraduate Office by Friday of Finals Week.

More info on Option 2 can be found here .

Option 3: C&S BIO 195 (4 Units) and C&S BIO M187 (4 Units)

• Students will secure an internship related to a computational biology project and identify both a UCLA faculty member and on-site supervisor who will oversee the internship experience.
• Students will enroll in C&S BIO 195 by submitting a 195 contract (signed by the faculty mentor), copy of their internship offer letter, and On-Site Supervisor Contact Sheet , to the CaSB Undergraduate Office by Wednesday Week 1 of the quarter. Students will turn in a 2-3 page write-up of their internship project to the faculty mentor and CaSB Undergraduate Office by Friday of Finals Week. The on-site supervisor will also submit an evaluation form .
• Students will enroll in C&S BIO M187 via MyUCLA during regular enrollment passes and complete Capstone deliverables (paper, poster, presentation) based on their internship project as part of class.

More info on Option 3 can be found here .

Choosing a Capstone Option

Students will gain research/project experience and complete a thesis paper, presentation, and poster, regardless of the Capstone series they choose. The three series are designed to mirror each other. Students are encouraged to meet with the CaSB Departmental Counselor to discuss which option is best for them.

Options 1 & 2: These options are designed for students who are doing research in a UCLA faculty member’s lab. Students who desire a more structured research communications course where students get significant, individual feedback on their writing and presentation skills may want to consider Option 1 . Students who foresee continuing research in graduate school or their careers, and want to build their research communication skills, may particularly benefit from taking C&S BIO M187.

On the other hand, students who feel comfortable completing their thesis without taking a separate research communications course (like C&S BIO M187), want more of the feedback to come directly from their primary investigator, or need to complete their thesis over different quarters (M187 is typically only offered in the Spring), may want to consider Option 2 .

Option 3: This option is designed for students who are doing research outside of UCLA or a computational biology project via a corporate internship.  Note, not all internships may be suitable for use towards the Capstone. Please see the Capstone Option 3 page for more details on internship expectations.

Students can take any Capstone option and be eligible for Departmental Honors. Students with a grade-point average of 3.5 or better in required major courses and a 3.0 cumulative GPA may apply for Departmental Honors during their graduating term. Eligible students will need to submit a copy of their senior thesis and will need to be recommended by their senior thesis advisor/primary investigator.

Research/Project Expectations for the Capstone Courses

Students are expected to find their own research or internship project prior to starting the Capstone courses. Students are required to complete, at minimum, two quarters of research or equivalent internship experience supervised by a UCLA ladder faculty member while they are enrolled in the Capstone courses. Students are advised, however, to start early, ideally finding a project in their junior year. Some research labs will not accept senior students due to the amount of time it takes to train and onboard a new student into the lab. Therefore, starting in the junior year is recommended.

Detailed instructions on what to look for in a project can be found on the pages for each Capstone option:

• Option 1: C&S BIO 199 & M187
• Option 2: C&S BIO 198A & 198B
• Option 3: C&S BIO 195 & M187

For the purposes of the Capstone classes, the research/project needs to be enough for a coherent story: a 10-minute presentation, a poster, and an approximately 10 pages or longer paper.

Presentation – The presentation should consist of approximately 10 slides that cover the following topics: Title, Background, Question that is being addressed by the research/project, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Future Directions, Acknowledgements. The presentation should be presented at the lab meeting of your host lab and recorded or in the C&S BIO M187 class.

Poster – The poster should be printed on a large (48”x 36”) sheet. The poster should contain a title, authors, abstract, figures of all results, conclusions, and references. A PowerPoint template will be provided in C&S BIO M187.

Research Thesis  – The research thesis should follow standard guidelines for a scientific publication. The paper should be at least 10 pages single-spaced. It should include the following sections: Title, Authors, Affiliation, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Conclusions, Acknowledgements, and References. The references should follow the guidelines of a journal that is relevant to the research topic and there should be at least 10 references.  The paper should also include at least four figures. Each of figure can contain multiple panels and should include a caption. Figures should be embedded within the text of the thesis rather than added to the end of the report. The final report should be submitted in PDF format.

Students will complete the above deliverables as part of their Capstone Courses.

Finding Research or Internships

Most students find research by directly emailing faculty members and asking about opportunities. The Undergraduate Research Center  has a checklist on how to identify and contact faculty members, which students can find  here . Many students use the  CaSB Affiliated Faculty List  to identify professors with similar research interests. Students can also look at the faculty lists of other departments that align with their interests and see if any of those professors are doing computational biology research.

There are also portals and pages where research opportunities are posted, including the  Undergraduate Research Center Portal , the  Computational Biosciences Undergraduate Research Portal , and the Bioinformatics Graduate Program’s  Undergraduate Research page .

The UCLA Career Center is the primary resource on campus for finding internship opportunities, refining resumes and cover letters, and connecting with recruiters and alumni. The Career Center uses Handshake to post internship opportunities. It is also where students can find upcoming career-related events and info sessions and schedule career counseling appointments.

If students identify a research/internship project and have any concerns about whether the project would be appropriate for the senior thesis, students are encouraged to write a brief project description (about half a page to a page) outlining the research question(s)/goals and planned project activities and submit it via Message Center to have it reviewed by the CaSB faculty.

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UCLA History Department Senior Honors Thesis Workshop

February 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm.

Interested in carrying out a year-long independent research project that will culminate in an honors thesis?

Our department will be hosting a workshop for interested students on Thursday, February 1st at 1pm via Zoom.

Please RSVP via  https://forms.gle/vaoaE2sd9wh2PVqp8 .

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Ashley Chiu; MS, 2021

Joy Chen; MAS, 2023

Thomas Abram Jacobson; MS, 2023

Anders Seth Ward; MAS, 2023

John DuChateau Baierl; MS, 2023

Fernando Barros de Mello; MS, 2023

Dylan Kinach Jorling; MAS, 2023

Emily Frances Wong; MS, 2023

Haoyi Cheng; MAS, 2023

Lan Tao; MS, 2023

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Christopher Thomas Bowne; MAS, 2023

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Minglu Zhao; MS, 2023

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Nicklaus Kim; MS, 2023

Hector Escandon Vanegas; MS, 2023

Angel Sierra; MAS, 2023

Pedro Eduardo De La Cueva; MS, 2023

Derek Edward Holliday; MS, 2023

Seungyeon Lee; MAS, 2023

Jacob Michael Swoveland; MS, 2023

Haibo Fan; MS, 2023

Xufan Zhai; MS, 2022

Tianshu Fan; MAS, 2022

Xinyuan Zhang; MS, 2022

Francisco Avalos; MAS, 2022

Tyler Gyeongsu Chun; MAS, 2022

Ryan H Cheong; MS, 2022

Heather J Zhou; MS, 2022

Moody Billah; MAS, 2022

Saeed Ghodsi; MS, 2022

Mojtaba Sahraee Ardakan; MS, 2022

Zhe Zhang; MS, 2022

Henry Burton; MS, 2022

Michelle Nhu-y Trinh; MAS, 2022

Livingston Arthur Albritten; MAS, 2022

Yu Miao; MAS, 2022

Yon Soo Suh; MS, 2022

Shelly Chopra; MAS, 2022

Kaixin Wang; MS, 2022

Surabhi Agrawal; MS, 2022

Gregory John Leslie; MS, 2022

Brandon Fu Thoma; MS, 2021

Jiaming Guo; MS, 2021

Jingwu Fang; MAS, 2021

Meredith Langi; MS, 2021

Prakul Asthana; MAS, 2021

Joon Won Suh; MAS, 2021

Yasuhiro Yamaba; MAS, 2021

Diana L Zhang; MS, 2021

Garrett Blake Hoffman; MAS, 2021

Deqian Kong; MS, 2021

Anthony Lutz; MAS, 2021

Dehong Xu; MS, 2021

Max Harris Belasco; MAS, 2021

Sijia Huang; MS, 2021

Ryan A Kupyn; MAS, 2021

Juan Piao; MS, 2021

Parthe Pandit; MS, 2021

Greg Eastman; MAS, 2021

Asa Wilks; MAS, 2021

Ruodi Huang; MAS, 2021

Shuyang Cui; MAS, 2021

Andrew Chang; MS, 2021

Sarah Louise Kaunitz; MAS, 2021

Henan Mao; MS, 2021

Sixuan Li; MS, 2021

Jie He; MS, 2021

Caleb Ziolkowski; MS, 2021

Grace Yang; MAS, 2021

Dale Kim; MS, 2020

Haorui Zhang; MAS, 2020

Daehyun Kim; MAS, 2020

Shaohua Xiao; MAS, 2020

Yi Chen; MAS, 2020

Guy Dotan; MAS, 2020

Yike Xu; MS, 2020

Yue Fei; MS, 2020

Janella Shu; MAS, 2020

Peichen Wu; MS, 2020

Alexandar Chan; MS, 2020

Ziqi Zhu; MS, 2020

Henry Cheng; MAS, 2020

Bang Quan Zheng; MS, 2020

Georgina Garcia-Obledo; MS, 2020

Pengfei Wang; MS,2020

Shu Jiang; MAS, 2020

Zihao Huang; MAS, 2020

Yichen Zhou; MAS, 2020

Yingqi Li; MS, 2020

Natalia Lamberova; MS, 2020

Suoyi Yang; MS, 2020

Jiancong Sun; MAS, 2020

Lu Xu; MS, 2020

Annie Jiali Zhang; MS, 2020

Andrew Minkyu Sang; MAS, 2020

Ritvik Kharkar; MS, 2020

Colleen Pinkelman; MAS, 2020

Xiaoru Zheng; MS, 2020

Ruize Zhang; MS, 2020

Dong Wang; MS, 2020

Sophie Lellis-Petrie; MAS, 2020

Lumeng Chen; MAS, 2020

Austin Haynesworth; MAS, 2020

Henry Poole; MAS, 2020

Seungwon Chung; MS, 2019

Lihui Mao; MAS, 2019

Zheqi Wu; MS, 2019

Yueyan Gao; MAS, 2019

Muxin Shang; MAS, 2019

Liyu Gui; MAS, 2019

Yi Hu; MAS, 2019

Paul Beeman; MAS, 2019

Jinshu Li; MS, 2019

Ruoxuan Jia; MS, 2019

Shuai Zhu; MS, 2019

Yongkai Zhu; MS, 2019

Liangke Gou; MS, 2019

Tianyi Xia; MS, 2019

Wenyu Zhou; MS, 2019

Yingzhu Liu; MS, 2019

Ziyi Jiang; MS, 2019

Christopher Thomas Meade; MAS, 2019

Nan Ji; MS, 2019

Jiayu Wu; MS, 2019

Chang Han; MAS, 2019

Anton Sobolev; MS, 2019

Victor Wong; MAS, 2019

Wesley Cheng; MS, 2019

Tianyu Ye; MS, 2019

Feng Yang; MS, 2019

Ah Sung Yang; MAS, 2019

Zijun Zhang; MS, 2019

Jiajia Wang; MAS, 2019

Kjell Sawyer;

Yu Zhang; MS, 2019

Leon Zhu; MAS, 2019

Kaleb Julian Erickson; MAS, 2019

Jason Shiego Osajima; MAS, 2019

Terri Anna Johnson; MS, 2019

Matthew Rudolph Larriva; MAS, 2019

Biancheng Wang; MS, 2019

Ryan Christopher Arellano; MS, 2019

David Amichai Wulf; MS, 2019

Yu Huang; MAS, 2019

Lei Fang; MS, 2019

Yunfan Shi; MAS, 2019

Boyu Zhang; MS, 2019

Jingyi Fang; MAS, 2019

Tanner Michael Koscinski; MAS, 2019

Cole Sanders; MAS, 2019

Rui Qiao; MAS, 2019

Erik Nijkamp; MS, 2018

Mehrdad Shokrabadi; MS, 2018

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Lucy Marie Baden; MAS, 2018

Ruifu Jiang; MAS, 2018

Anshu Wang; MS, 2018

Minxuan Xu; MS, 2018

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Huanchen Wang; MS, 2018

Zhenli Jiang; MS, 2018

Yujia Hao; MAS, 2018

Christian Siyao Gao; MAS, 2018

Fan Ding; MAS, 2018

Ablaikhan Akhazhanov; MS, 2018

Jeffrey Chao; MS, 2018

Jixuan Li; MAS, 2018

Jordan Berninger; MAS, 2018

Yuan-Yi Chen; MAS, 2018

Hui Zhang; MAS, 2018

George Derpanopoulos; MS, 2018

Laura Kim; MS, 2018

Han Sun; MS, 2018

Luxi Li; MAS, 2018

Maxim Ananyev; MS, 2018

Ayobami Laniyonu; MS, 2018

Hua Kang; MS, 2018

Kanghong Shao; MS, 2018

Yuan Song; MAS, 2018

Jeremy John Guinta; MAS, 2018

Qin Peng; MAS, 2018

James Francis Lepore; MAS, 2018

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Elliot Kang; M.S., 2017

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Tristan Gardner Wisner; M.S., 2017

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Yiwei Xu; MS, 2017

Sibo Yang; MS, 2017

Brice Charles Randolph; MS, 2017

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Fabrício Mendes Fialho; MS, 2017

Bronwyn Lewis Friscia; MS, 2017

Alexandar Joshua Krebs; MS, 2017

Shihao Gu; MS, 2017

Fan Zhang; MS, 2017

Xiaolu Yu; MS, 2017

Rafael Porsani Amaral; MS, 2017

Yucheng Yang; M.S., 2017

Zsuzsanna Blanka Magyar; MS, 2017

Dacheng Zhang; M.S., 2016

Marika Danielle Csapo; MS, 2016

Xinyue Wang; M.S., 2015

Alex Whitworth; M.S., 2015

Jia He; Ph.D., 2015

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Albert Wong; M.S., 2013

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Victor Ying; M.S., 2013

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Yu-Ching Chen; M.S., 2013

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Shek Yiu Wong; M.S., 2012

Ian Fellows; M.S., 2012

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Patrick Baghdasarian; M.S. 2012

Yuyan Hu; M.S., 2012

Kyle Andrew Hasenstab; M.S., 2012

Francesco Macchia; M.S., 2012

Victor Louie; M.S., 2011

Ran Hao; M.S., 2011

Brian Jonathan Verbaken; M.S., 2011

Li Huang; M.S., 2011

Yuxin Liu; M.S., 2011

Yan Fing; M.S., 2011

Ye Gao; M.S., 2011

Ran Guo; M.S., 2010

Jung In Kim; M.S., 2010

Jia Chen; M.S., 2010

Xiaoyang Yang; M.S., 2010

Lin Nie; M.S., 2010

Charles Ronen Blum; M.S., 2010

Jean Qian Wang; M.S., 2009

Shang Gao; M.S., 2009

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Hui Tang; M.S., 2009

Matthew Ryan Kugizaki; M.S., 2009

Angela Hei-Yan Leung; M.S., 2009

Rui Liu; M.S., 2009

Nokang Myung; M.S., 2009

Paul Jinwook Lee; M.S., 2009

Wei Xie; M.S., 2008

Nicholas S. Nairn-Birch; M.S., 2008

Yan Chen; M.S., 2008

Ting Zhou; M.S., 2008

Courtney Eve Engel; M.S., 2008

Esa A. Eslami; M.S., 2008

Kuei-yu Chien; M.S., 2008

Xiaofei Yan; M.S., 2008

Xiao Han Cai; M.S., 2008

Judy Yang Hee Kong; M.S., 2008

Chuanqi Li; M.S., 2008

Angela Chang; M.S., 2007

Yong Fu; M.S., 2007

Jason Monroe; M.S., 2007

Joshua Chang; M.S., 2007

Jacquelina DaCosta; M.S., 2007

Shuojun Wang; M.S., 2007

Jung Ju Seo; M.S., 2006

Taknobu Fujita; M.S., 2006

Haiming Zhao; M.S., 2006

Weizhi Mo; M.S., 2006

Kirsten Ann Jonhson; M.S., 2006

Kathy Kam; M.S., 2006

Kimberly B. Duke; M.S., 2005

Dushyanth Krishnamurthy; M.S., 2005

Min Seong Kim; M.S., 2005

Chia-Ho Lin; M.S., 2005

Yang Wen; M.S., 2005

Alan Yuen Hsin Wong; M.S., 2005

Ivan O. Asensio; M.S., 2004

Kaiding Zhu; M.S., 2004

Kwan Yi Kwong; M.S., 2004

Demetria Gianopoulos; M.S., 2004

Yung-Ai Alice Chuang; M.S., 2003

Kwun Yee Trudy Poon; M.S., 2002

Jinrui Cui; M.S., 2002

Sarah E. Rothenberg; M.S., 2002

Eunice Kim; M.S., 2000

Susan Stockdale; M.S., 1995

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Outstanding Global Studies Theses

Minh-E Lau, Class of 2023

Winner - Steiner Scholarship from the Asia Pacific Center

Vanessa Young, Class of 2019

Winner - 2019 Global Studies Senior Thesis Award

Thesis: Evaluating the Impact of Economic Globalization on Political Polarization: The Electoral Consequences of the Global Financial Crisis in Latin America

Madeleine Ainslie, Class of 2019

Honorable Mention - 2019 Global Studies Senior Thesis Award

Thesis: Migration and Terrorism in Contemporary Europe

Brittany Eshelman, Class of 2019

Thesis: From College Campuses to Twitter: An Analysis of Consumer Pressure on the Apparel Industry

Jenny Argueta, Class of 2018

Thesis: The Central African Republic Integration to the Global Economy: Globalism or Neocolonialism?

Susan Bean, Class of 2018

Thesis: Urban Agriculture: Greening the City and Combating the Food Insecurity

Paniz Arab, Class of 2017

Thesis: The Iranian Tourism Market and the Impact of Global Visual Social Media

Kimberly Grano, Class of 2015

Thesis:  Friends of the Court: An Analysis of the Impact of Non-Governmental Organizations at the International Criminal Court 

Kaitlin Highstreet, Class of 2015

Thesis:  Transboundary Protected Areas: Promise and Peril

Caley moffatt, class of 2014.

Thesis:  A State of  Double Unbelonging : French Film and the Question of  Beur  Integration in France 

Jennifer Patton, Class of 2011

Thesis: Insecurity for the Underdeveloped World: Monopolization of Violence and the New Wars in an Era of Globalization

Mustafa Abudl-Hamid, Class of 2010

Thesis: The Kryptonite of Soft Power: Evaluating Soft Power as an Adjust to National Security Strategy Through the Lens of Public Diplomacy

Andrew Bertolli, Class of 2009 

Thesis:  Globalization of the Wine Industry 

Aviva Altmann, Class of 2007  

Thesis: An Institutional Approach to Human Rights: Comparing the United Nations and Amnesty International

Download file: Final-URSP-Global-Studies-Thesis-al-c0f.pdf

Published: Thursday, May 16, 2019

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Optimization-based Planning and Control for Robust and Dexterous Locomotion and Manipulation through Contact

• Shirai, Yuki
• Advisor(s): Hong, Dennis W.

Although robotic locomotion and manipulation have shown some remarkable progress in the real world, the current locomotion and manipulation algorithms are inefficient in performance. They often only work for relatively simple tasks such as walking and running for locomotion and pick-and-place in structured environments (e.g., factory) for manipulation. In contrast, humans can perform quite dexterous tasks through contact as contacts provide additional dexterity to interact with environments. Hence, understanding the underlying contact mechanics plays a key role in designing contact-aware planners, controllers, and estimators for locomotion and manipulation.

However, design for planners, controllers, and estimators is extremely challenging. First, the number of contact states such as making and breaking contact with environments increases dramatically as the number of contacts increases. Thus, the underlying contact dynamics become large-scale non-smooth dynamics. As a result, optimization solvers have difficulties converging due to the non-convexity of the optimization problem.

Second, it is desirable that a robot should be able to interact in unknown environments during operation, leading to generalizable locomotion and manipulation. However, robust planning with frictional interaction with uncertain physical properties is very tough as the robot might cause undesired unexpected contact events. As a result, a robot might not be able to complete its desired task.

Third, once uncertainty is quite large, it is indispensable for closed-loop controllers to stabilize locomotion and manipulation. However, the design of manipulation is quite challenging as most manipulation systems are underactuated and unobservable with potential changes in contact states and modes.

In this dissertation, we present a methodology for contact-rich locomotion and planning using trajectory optimization. We first show that the planner using graph-search planners with trajectory optimization can be beneficial for decreasing the computation complexity. Second, we describe our contact-implicit trajectory optimization for planning of multi-limbed systems for running and climbing. We use decomposition-based optimization techniques to efficiently design a trajectory for a robot subject to various complicated contact constraints such as mixed-integer constraints. Then, we present our robust and stochastic trajectory optimization algorithms for multi-contact systems. We show that our chance-constrained optimization is applicable for planning multi-limbed robots. We also propose covariance steering algorithm for contact-rich systems using a particle filter to approximate a distribution of underlying contact dynamics. Our covariance steering is able to regulate robots' states and contact states simultaneously with probabilistic guarantees. Furthermore, utilizing the underlying structure of contact-rich manipulation, we present robust bilevel trajectory optimization for pivoting manipulation under uncertain physical parameters such as friction coefficients. Our proposed framework is able to design optimal control sequences while improving the worst-case stability margin along the manipulation. Finally, we present our closed-loop controller framework for tool manipulation using visuo-tactile feedback. Our approach enables the robot to achieve tool manipulation under unexpected contact events in closed-loop control fashion with no visual feedback for partially unknown objects.

The perspectives gained from this dissertation provide better insight into developing a contact-rich planning, estimation, and control framework for dexterous locomotion and manipulation in highly unstructured environments.

Energetic Electron Losses Driven by Whistler-Mode Waves in the Inner Magnetosphere: ELFIN observations and theoretical models

• Tsai, Ethan
• Advisor(s): Angelopoulos, Vassilis

Resonant interactions between energetic radiation belt electrons and equatorially-generated whistler-mode waves are widely studied because they yield either electron acceleration or precipitation -- where electrons are scattered and lost into the Earth's atmosphere -- both of which are fundamental to space weather forecasting, which is an increasingly relevant challenge as society scales up its reliance on space technologies. This dissertation investigates the mechanisms that govern the effectiveness of electron losses from Earth's radiation belts driven by whistler-mode waves using novel electron precipitation measurements from the ELFIN CubeSats. A culmination of innovative engineering efforts and a refactored satellite operations program has allowed ELFIN to obtain over 12,500 high-quality, low-altitude electron measurements of the radiation belts. These measurements are uniquely capable of resolving the bounce loss cone, allowing us to probe the physics that drive electron precipitation in great detail. We first present a test particle simulation that directly compares ELFIN-measured electron precipitation with equatorial electron and wave measurements by the THEMIS and MMS spacecraft during magnetic conjunctions, confirming the importance of mid-high latitude wave-power. Next, we demonstrate that test particle simulations combined with an empirical wave amplitude model adequately approximate statistical ELFIN observations at the dawn, day, and dusk MLT sectors, but they significantly underestimate relativistic (>500$keV) electron losses on the nightside. To resolve this discrepancy, we additionally use quasi-linear diffusion simulation methods to find that considering wave obliquity, wave frequency, and plasma density together are required to recover the energetic portion (>100 keV) of precipitating electron spectra without overestimating the loss contributions from the quasi-linear regime (~100 keV). We conclude by presenting the ranges of wave and plasma characteristics necessary for the incorporation of accurately modeled electron loss rates into modern radiation belt models. This unlocks the potential to remotely sense equatorial wave properties using electron precipitation measurements, but also calls for future \textit{in situ} satellite experiments to more deeply understand the interconnected role of energetic electron losses in atmospheric, ionospheric, and magnetospheric dynamics.

Organic Semiconductor Aggregates: from Molecular Designs to Device Applications

• Advisor(s): Yang, Yang

Organic semiconductors built on π-conjugated structures have attracted significant attention due to their distinctive optical, electronic, and mechanical properties. These characteristics position them as ideal materials for various electronic devices. Notably, their strong light absorption and efficient charge transport capabilities mark organic semiconductors as promising solutions for addressing the global energy crisis through solar energy conversion. However, precise control of “soft” nanostructures formed by the noncovalently aggregated organic semiconductors for achieving desired optoelectronic properties is challenging, compared to covalently or ionically inorganic semiconductors with rigid architectures. In Chapter 1, I will introduce basic structures and properties of organic semiconductors, especially on their molecular packing behavior. The structure-property relationship of organic semiconductors will be discussed in terms of device applications, such as the development of near-infrared donor and acceptor materials for organic photovoltaics. From molecular designs to device applications, in the following chapters, I will introduce the chemistry of several organic semiconductor aggregates constructed from twisted and nonplanar π-systems and their performances in various solar energy fields, such as photocatalytic hydrogen reaction, organic photovoltaics and perovskite solar cells. In Chapter 2, I will show the self-assembly of noncovalent π-stacked organic frameworks that shows a higher activity for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. I will first introduce the background of noncovalent π-stacked organic frameworks, which are a subclass of porous materials that consist of crystalline networks formed by self-assembly of organic building blocks through π-π interactions. π-stacked organic frameworks based on spirofluorene as central units and 3-(dicyanomethylidene)indan-1-one as end groups demonstrate strong visible light absorption from 500 nm to 700 nm and high surface area (248 m2 g–1) with 1.8 nm hydrophilic micropores, rendering them well-suited for applications in photocatalysis. The fabricated π-stacked organic frameworks nanoparticles exhibit hydrogen evolution rate up to 152 mmol h-1g-1 at room temperature and 618 mmol h-1g-1 at 70 °C. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy further reveal the native morphology of these nanoparticles and the cocatalyst Pt loading status on them. In Chapter 3, I will discuss the singlet fission property of pentacene polymer and its application in organic photovoltaics. Singlet fission is a process that converts one singlet exciton into two triplet excitons while conserving spin. This exciton multiplication process has the potential to overcome the Shockley-Queisser limit of solar power conversion efficiency. Pentacene with high mobility has proved to be ideal organic semiconductors for singlet fission organic photovoltaics. Nevertheless, the cost-intensive vacuum deposition process and the propensity of molecular aggregation in the solid state to prematurely quench triplet excitons pose challenges for their application in photovoltaics. To address these issues, a pentacene polymer is engineered with pentacene units arranged orthogonally to the polymer backbone. This design facilitates the use of pentacene-based materials in organic photovoltaics as donor materials through solution processing. Rapid conversion of photoexcited singlets into triplet pairs, occurring on a picosecond time scale (495 ps) and further dissociate into two “free” triplet excitons in 9.8 µs are observed in the pentacene polymer via transient absorption spectroscopy. The resulting photovoltaic devices based on pentacene polymer and nonfullerene acceptors demonstrate 1.92% power conversion efficiency. In Chapter 4, I will focus on a helicene-based organic semiconductor and its application as electron transport layer in inverted perovskite solar cells. Electron transport layer materials based on fullerene tend to form large clusters and undergo dimerization when exposed to light, leading to a deterioration in electron transport capability and device degradation. The nonplanar geometry of helicenes proves effective in preventing such aggregation issues, thereby enhancing device stability. We have successfully synthesized a small-molecule n-type organic semiconductor utilizing [6]helicene. This compound was employed as the electron transport layer, n-doped by organic amines, in an inverted perovskite solar cell, achieving an impressive power conversion efficiency of over 16%.

Scalable and Efficient Material Point Methods on Modern Computational Platforms

• Qiu, Yuxing
• Advisor(s): Terzopoulos, Demetri

The challenge of efficiently and plausibly simulating deformable solids and fluids remains significant in the domains of Computer Graphics and Scientific Computing. This dissertation presents an in-depth exploration of physics-based simulation, with an emphasis on the Material Point Method (MPM) --- a dominant technique in this arena. Our research aims to extend the capabilities of MPM, focusing on enhancing its performance, scalability, range of applications, and integration with emerging AI technologies. We first summarize our development of optimized MPM leveraging GPU architectures. This advancement accelerates scenarios involving hundreds of millions of particles in multi-GPU computational environments. Furthermore, the thesis introduces a device-agnostic and distributed MPM framework. This system is adept at dynamically allocating workloads across multiple computing ranks, thus enabling simulations at unprecedented particle-count scales. Additionally, the dissertation examines the application of physics-based simulation, specifically MPM, in real-time contexts. It also integrates simulation with generative AI tasks. This exploration includes developing unified frameworks for simulations, image rendering, and natural language processing, showcasing the versatile applicability of MPM in tackling contemporary computational challenges.

Discourse Networks: Dynamic network modeling of the Brexit negotiations

• Kappos, Cybele
• Advisor(s): Hazlett, Chad J.

Political discourse is constantly in flux: the key issues, the actors that define the discourseare changing from moment to moment. Quantitative approaches to discourse are an impor- tant methodological tool that can help researchers measure the structure of and changes in discourse. However, existing approaches are often time-consuming and not scalable to large datasets. In this thesis, I apply a fully automated approach to discourse analysis that combines Structural Topic Modeling and Network Analysis. I apply the model to a novel dataset of the Brexit negotiations in British parliament. I find that the method captures the state of relations between actors and the progress in the negotiation process.

Structural determinants of health access and sexual and reproductive health in new immigrant populations in California

• Khan, Angubeen Gul
• Advisor(s): Gipson, Jessica D.

Immigrants have been entering the U.S. since its inception; however, predominant immigration flows have changed over time. Following the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, which repealed national quotas for immigration, two pan-ethnic communities that grew significantly include the Middle Eastern North African (MENA) and South Asian immigrant communities (Bhandari, 2022; Harjanto & Batalova, 2022). MENA and South Asian Americans have established themselves as prominent pan-ethnic communities in the U.S. with a large immigrant network throughout the country (Basu, 2016; Cainkar, 2018; Hashad, 2003; Sekhon, 2003). However, following 9/11 they have also experienced record levels of hate crimes, violence, and discrimination, which have been shown to adversely affected their health and health access (Budiman, 2020; Martin, 2015; Reitmanova & Gustafson, 2008; Samuels et al., 2021; Samari et al., 2020). Other groups of immigrants have also suffered from government policies and practices that were enacted in response to 9/11; debates related to illegal immigration and visa overstays intensified over the following few decades and greatly impacted immigrants from Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and all over Asia (Passel & Cohn, 2014). These events have had a “chilling effect” on the psyche of immigrants from MENA and South Asian backgrounds, as well as Latin and Asian immigrants Quesada et al., 2011). In the studies of this dissertation, I examined how factors pertaining to the migration process have shaped health access and sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH) of immigrant groups in a post-9/11 world—an era in which immigrants of various race/ethnicities have been vilified in a prevailing anti-immigrant sociopolitical climate. In the first two studies of this dissertation, I explored the neighborhood context that MENA and South Asian immigrants resettle into (Aim 1; Chapter 6) and how these environments shape their health access (Aim 2; Chapter 7). In the third study, I focus on the role of citizenship status on contraception use among reproductive-aged (18-44 years) immigrant women (Aim 3; Chapter 8). This dissertation used secondary data from large demographic surveys including the 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (Aims 1 and 2) and pooled data from 2017 to 2020 waves of the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). Data from the first study indicated that MENA and South Asian Americans in California are spread across different metropolitan areas of Northern and Southern California and that they have formed four different types of ethnic neighborhoods that follow a few different social and economic pattern, in terms of the density of these specific immigrant groups, their overall foreign-born concentration, and socioeconomic status. The second study indicated that diversity within these groups, including in terms of their health insurance status, can be observed through the distinct type of neighborhoods in which they resettle. For example, among MENA Americans, socioeconomic advantage in a neighborhood was associated with health insurance status. For South Asians, health insurance status was associated with co-ethnic density and foreign-born density. Finally, in the third study of this dissertation I found that nativity and citizenship status were not significantly associated with contraception use, however, there were notable bivariate differences in type of contraception method used by citizenship status. The findings of this dissertation are important for understanding how different aspects of migration shape health of underrepresented immigrant groups, including MENA and South Asian Americans and non-citizen immigrant groups including legal permanent residents (LPRs) and those without a green card. Researchers and policy makers should use the findings of this dissertation to work toward reducing barriers to health access and SRH in immigrant populations.

On robust estimation in causal machine learning

• Jiang, Jeffrey
• Advisor(s): Pottie, Gregory

This thesis presents three significant contributions to the field of machine learning, with a focus on Variational Autoencoders (VAEs), energy-based models, and education simulations. Firstly, we demonstrate the ability to impose substantial structure on the latent space of VAEs, enabling out-of-distribution data generation, structural hypothesis testing, and the production of augmentations in the latent space. These findings give us new ways to structure and interpret the latent space, creating robustness and explainability. Secondly, we identify a state-of-the-art defense technique using the unsupervised learning approach of energy-based models. This technique effectively defends against several poisoning techniques without requiring excessive additional training time or significantly reducing test accuracy. Lastly, we have developed a simulation for educational purposes that aims to model and comprehend the interactions between humans and machines. This simulation, built on causal information, provides insights into the design of practical educational experiments and highlights the challenges associated with implementing a dynamic Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS) in an educational context. Interestingly, our simulation reveals that heuristic methods continue to perform on par with deep learning techniques in the presence of unknown subpopulation distributions and hidden student states. This suggests that despite the rapid advancements in deep learning, heuristic methods retain their effectiveness in certain scenarios.These findings open new avenues for the application of machine learning techniques and provide a solid foundation for future research in these areas.

Wirelessly Powered Localization Systems for Biomedical and Environmental Applications

• Ray, Arkaprova
• Advisor(s): Babakhani, Aydin

The recent emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) has coincided with the popularity of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which transmit and receive data to and from IoT devices. Wirelessly powered WSNs offer significant advantages over battery-powered WSNs since they do not suffer from issues regarding battery leakage and limited battery life.

This thesis presents two miniaturized wireless and battery-less localization systems for use in WSNs. Both systems comprise a printed circuit board (PCB) having a microchip, on-PCB coils, and resonating capacitors. The microchip, fabricated in the TSMC 180 nm process, is wirelessly powered by an RF signal and transmits back a locked sub-harmonic signal generated from the powering signal, eliminating the need for a power-hungry oscillator. The PCB has a form factor of 17 mm × 12 mm × 0.2 mm. The first system, having a 6 µW power consumption, has been proposed to be used for wireless capsule endoscopy and demonstrates an accuracy of less than 5 mm in ex vivo measurements. Additionally, the system has been verified to detect a motion as small as 50 µm, as well as rates of motion up to 10 bpm. The second system, having a 1.5 µW power consumption, has been proposed to be used for fracture mapping at temperatures up to 250 °C and pressures up to 24 MPa.

Study of Dynamic Flash Evaporation and Vapor Separation System and its Application to Desalination

• Chandramouli, Vasudevan
• Advisor(s): Dhir, Vijay

Water scarcity is identified as one of the global issues by the United Nations. As per WHO,2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water. Over 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress. Almost 80% of wastewater (UNESCO, 2017) flows back into the ecosystem without being treated or reused. Fresh water demand is expected to increase drastically in the upcoming decade. Fresh water production from unconventional water sources such as seawater, brackish water, and ultra-saline water becomes crucial to achieve self-sufficiency. Desalination provides a favorable solution for coastal places like California due to easy access to seawater. Thermal desalination is suitable for treating water with high salinity due to its robustness and can directly utilize renewable sources like solar energy to adhere to sustainability. This study developed and investigated a novel thermal desalination system which encompasses the primary objective of this work. The novel system combines dynamic flash evaporation, a pressure-driven phase change phenomenon to produce vapor from liquid, along with a vapor separation process initiated through tangential injection. The inlet feed water to be treated passes through injection tubes which are connected to injection passages installed tangentially onto a separator tube. Dynamic flashing is initiated by pressure drop due to friction and acceleration in the injection tubes creating a two-phase mixture. Subsequent tangential injection separates the two-phase mixture through centrifugal force. This approach offers a compact system with vapor production and separation processes occurring on the order of several milliseconds. Tap water and seawater were tested with the system. Performance parameters of thermal conversion efficiency to analyze vapor production efficacy and phase separation efficiency to evaluate the purity of the condensate were investigated. Single-stage system was able to achieve up to 98% for thermal and phase separation efficiencies. Further improvement in the purity of the condensate was achieved through a two-stage system, where the entrained droplets along with vapor captured from the first stage undergoes a second round of separation in a stage connected in series. This resulted in condensate with over 99.9% purity. With seawater of 2.5% salt concentration by mass, the condensate obtained achieved salt concentrations lower than 0.02% by mass comparable to that of potable water. With the goal of optimizing the system for varying operating conditions, the dynamic flashing in one of the injection tubes was studied. A visualization study was performed in the injection tubes. Pressure and temperature measurements along the tube were analyzed for different inlet flowrates and liquid temperatures. The pressure and temperature values showed increasing gradients along the tube indicating an increase in vapor production for increasing flowrates and liquid temperatures. The flow regime development due to the vapor production was tracked through high-speed imagery. Visual observations informed complex flow regimes for flashing flow with numerous bubble nucleations and growth throughout the tube. Bulk nucleation showed dominance over wall nucleation. Distinctive flow regimes were observed for tap water and saltwater. Volumetric void fraction measurements were performed using the capacitance impedance technique. Measurements showed an increasing void fraction along the tube supporting visual identification of the flow regimes. Variation of local superheat along the tube showed dependence on the flow regime. The results provide experimental data to aid modeling efforts on flashing flows.

Topological Spintronics Based on Magnetic Skyrmions and Magnetic Topological Insulators

• Tai, Lixuan
• Advisor(s): Wang, Kang L

Spintronics harnesses spin degrees of freedom for information storage and processing, offering notable advantages of non-volatility, low power consumption, and fast speed. Topology, as invariant geometric and physical properties under continuous deformation, endows spintronics with higher efficiency and robustness against external perturbations. Protected by real-space topology, magnetic skyrmions are swirling topological spin structures with particle-like properties and potential candidates for high-density, non-volatile storages. As an electrical readout of magnetic skyrmions, the topological Hall effect (THE) is a non-monotonic feature in the Hall signal. However, in the presence of an anomalous Hall effect (AHE), the THE can be easily confused with the non-monotonic co-existence of two AHEs, or artifact of “THE”. Here, we develop systematic methodologies for distinguishing between the two. Genuine THE occurs in the transition region of the AHE, while artifact of “THE” may occur well beyond the saturation of the “AHE component”. Minor loops of genuine THE with AHE are always within the full loop, while minor loops of artifact of “THE” may reveal a single loop that cannot fit into the “AHE component”. The temperature or gate dependence of artifact of “THE” may also be accompanied by a polarity change of the “AHE component”. Our methods may help future researchers ascertain genuine THE for applications of magnetic skyrmions. Protected by k-space topology, magnetic topological insulators (MTI) can apply highly efficient spin-orbit torque (SOT) and manipulate the magnetization with their unique topological surface states. Here, we demonstrate efficient SOT switching of a hard MTI, V-doped (Bi,Sb)2Te3 (VBST) with a large coercive field that can prevent the influence of an external magnetic field. A giant switched anomalous Hall resistance of 9.2 kΩ is realized, among the largest of all SOT systems. The SOT switching current density can be reduced to 2.8×105 A/cm2. Moreover, as the Fermi level is moved away from the Dirac point by both gate and composition tuning, VBST exhibits a transition from edge-state-mediated to surface-state-mediated transport, thus enhancing the SOT effective field to 1.56±0.12 T/(106 A/cm2) and the interfacial charge-to-spin conversion efficiency to 3.9±0.3 nm-1. The findings establish VBST as an extraordinary candidate for energy-efficient magnetic memory devices.

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Senior Thesis

Sharing tools, upcoming events, hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women in korea: excessive concern.. is it justified, what is possible when israelis and palestinians work together, us-china in africa, monuments and identities in the caucasus: karabagh, nakhichevan and azerbaijan in contemporary geopolitical conflict, recent news, veteran broadcast journalist david ono receives irene hirano inouye award, tokyo trial: a window onto the forces that shaped post-world war ii asia, in focus: arab american heritage month, repression is working, says russian journalist.

DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START? 

The library offers great online and in-person research workshops/tutorials to assist you with the process or narrowing down your topic, finding sources, organizing information, etc.

THESIS GUIDELINES

Senior Thesis Booklet: Guidelines, requirements, enrollment procedures, and more.   

Senior Thesis Guidelines and Regulations:   A more detailed description of procedures.

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE  

Global Studies Library Resource Guide : find library sources and journals for Global Studies

Make an appointment with our Global Studies Libarian: Joseph Yue, (310) 825-6151, [email protected] to discuss your topic and sources.

WRITING ASSISTANCE

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• Undergraduate Research Center

GLOBAL STUDIES THESES

For examples of outstanding scholarship, please review students' profiles on the   International Institute IDP Alumni & Current Student Directory

SENIOR THESIS AWARD

Eligibility:

• Global Studies Majors who have completed their senior thesis (Glbl St 199B) in 16F, 17W, 17S. 
• The amount of the award is $500.00 and will be given to a Global Studies major who shows exceptional scholarship in the production of their senior thesis (Glbl St 199B).

Deadline to Apply: 11:59PM Monday May 22, 2017    Instructions to Apply

Download file: Global-Studies-Thesis-Booklet-WEB-2019-2m-asv.pdf

Published: Monday, July 24, 2006

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The UCLA McNair Research Scholars Program was established in 2003 as a two-year research-based program that prepares undergraduate students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. to not only apply to but also excel in the best graduate school programs in the country.  During their second year in the program, McNair scholars apply to graduate school and complete, present, and publish their research project and senior thesis.

Join us in the CSRC Library for a day of senior presentations by graduating McNair scholars!

For more information about the McNair Scholars Program, visit: https://www.aap.ucla.edu/programs/mcnair-research-scholars/

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• Senior Theses

Doing a senior thesis is an exciting enterprise. It’s often the first time students are engaging in truly original research and trying to develop a significant contribution to a field of inquiry. But as joyful as an independent research process can be, you don’t have to go it alone. It’s important to have support as you navigate such a large endeavor, and the ARC is here to offer one of those layers of support.

Whether or not to write a senior thesis is just the first in a long line of questions thesis writers need to consider. In addition to questions about the topic and scope of your thesis, there are questions about timing, schedule, and support. For example, if you are collecting data, when should data collection start and when should it be completed? What kind of schedule will you write on? How will you work with your adviser? Do you want to meet with your adviser about your progress once a month? Once a week? What other resources can you turn to for information, feedback, and support?

Even though there is a lot to think about and a lot to do, doing a thesis really can be an enjoyable experience! Keep reminding yourself why you chose this topic and why you care about it.

Tips for Tackling Big Projects:

Break the process down into manageable chunks.

• When you’re approaching a big project, it can seem overwhelming to look at the whole thing at once, so it’s essential to identify the smaller steps that will move you towards the completed project.
• Your adviser is best suited to help you break down the thesis process with field-specific advice.
• If you need to refine the breakdown further so it makes sense for you, schedule an appointment with an  Academic Coach . An academic coach can help you think through the steps in a way that works for you.

Schedule brief writing sessions at regular times.

• Pre-determine the time, place, and duration.
• Keep it short (15 to 60 minutes).
• Have a clear and reasonable goal for each writing session.
• Make it a regular event (every day, every other day, MWF).
• time is not wasted deciding to write if it’s already in your calendar;
• keeping sessions short reduces the competition from other tasks that are not getting done;
• having an achievable goal for each session provides a sense of accomplishment (a reward for your work);
• writing regularly can turn into a productive habit.

Create accountability structures.

• In addition to having a clear goal for each writing session, it's important to have clear goals for each week and to find someone to communicate these goals to, such as your adviser, a “thesis buddy,” your roommate, etc. Communicating your goals and progress to someone else creates a useful sense of accountability.
• If your adviser is not the person you are communicating your progress to on a weekly basis, then request to set up a structure with your adviser that requires you to check in at less frequent but regular intervals.
• Commit to attending Accountability Hours  at the ARC on the same day every week. Making that commitment will add both social support and structure to your week. Use the ARC Scheduler to register for Accountability Hours.
• Set up an accountability group in your department or with thesis writers from different departments.

Create feedback structures.

• It’s important to have a means for getting consistent feedback on your work and to get that feedback early. Work on large projects often lacks the feeling of completeness, so don’t wait for a whole section (and certainly not the whole thesis) to feel “done” before you get feedback on it!
• Your thesis adviser is typically the person best positioned to give you feedback on your research and writing, so communicate with your adviser about how and how often you would like to get feedback.
• If your adviser isn’t able to give you feedback with the frequency you’d like, then fill in the gaps by creating a thesis writing group or exploring if there is already a writing group in your department or lab.
• The Harvard College Writing Center is a great resource for thesis feedback. Writing Center Senior Thesis Tutors can provide feedback on the structure, argument, and clarity of your writing and help with mapping out your writing plan. Visit the Writing Center website to schedule an appointment with a thesis tutor .

Accept that there will be some anxious moments.

• To reduce this source of anxiety, try keeping a separate document where you jot down ideas on how your research questions or central argument might be clarifying or changing as you research and write. Doing this will enable you to stay focused on the section you are working on and to stop worrying about forgetting the new ideas that are emerging.
• You might feel anxious when you realize that you need to update your argument in response to the evidence you have gathered or the new thinking your writing has unleashed. Know that that is OK. Research and writing are iterative processes – new ideas and new ways of thinking are what makes progress possible.
• Breaking down big projects into manageable chunks and mapping out a schedule for working through each chunk is one way to reduce this source of anxiety. It’s reassuring to know you are working towards the end even if you cannot quite see how it will turn out.
• It may be that your thesis or dissertation never truly feels “done” to you, but that’s okay. Academic inquiry is an ongoing endeavor.

Focus on what works for you.

• Just because your roommate wrote 10 pages in a day doesn’t mean that’s the right pace or strategy for you.
• If you are having trouble figuring out what works for you, use the  ARC Scheduler  to make an appointment with an  Academic Coach , who can help you come up with daily, weekly, and semester-long plans.

Use your resources.

• There’s a lot of the thesis writing process that has to be done independently, but there are also a lot of free resources at Harvard to help you do the work.
• If you’re having trouble finding a source, email your question or set up a research consult via Ask a Librarian .
• If you’re looking for additional feedback or help with any aspect of writing, contact the Harvard College Writing Center . The Writing Center has Senior Thesis Tutors who will read drafts of your thesis (more typically, parts of your thesis) in advance and meet with you individually to talk about structure, argument, clear writing, and mapping out your writing plan.
• If you need help with breaking down your project or setting up a schedule for the week, the semester, or until the deadline, use the  ARC Scheduler  to make an appointment with an  Academic Coach .
• If you would like an accountability structure for social support and to keep yourself on track, come to Accountability Hours at the ARC.

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Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP)

The  Undergraduate Research Scholars Program (URSP)  is a three-quarter scholarship program that supports students who are conducting a life science, physical science, or engineering research project with a UCLA faculty during the 2024-2025 academic year.

The URSP is open to undergraduates who will have junior or senior class standing in Fall 2024. Juniors are eligible to receive scholarships up to $4,500, and seniors are eligible to receive scholarships up to $6,000. Applications are accepted in Spring 2024.

This program does not place students into labs or research opportunities. Students must already be working in a UCLA faculty’s lab at the time of application.

Students conducting research projects in the humanities, arts, or social sciences should apply to the URSP administered by the Undergraduate Research Center – Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences .

ELIGIBILITY FOR 2023-2024

• 3.25 GPA minimum
• Must have a current life science, physical science, or engineering research project with a UCLA faculty
• Junior or Senior class standing at the start of Fall 2024
• Expected graduation date of Spring 2025 or later
• Cannot have completed the URSP more than two times
• No citizenship requirement – undocumented and international students are eligible to apply
• Visiting students are not eligible for this program
• Note: Students who will 1) be employed by their research lab/group or 2) be receiving scholarship support for their research during the 2024-2025 academic year are not eligible for this program.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

• Maintain full-time student status during the 2024-2025 academic year (enrolled in 12 units minimum each quarter)
• Conduct your proposed research project during fall, winter, and spring quarters with your UCLA Faculty Research Mentor
• Enroll in an SRP-99 or departmental 196, 198, or 199 research course with your UCLA Faculty Research Mentor for at least two quarters during the 2024-2025 academic year
• Complete an honors thesis, departmental thesis, or a comprehensive research paper by the end of Spring 2025
• Present your research at the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Showcase in May 2025
• Submit a thank you letter to the donor(s) who supported your scholarship
• Complete the exit survey in Spring 2025

SCHOLARSHIP/FUNDING

Juniors qualify for academic scholarships up to $4,500. Seniors qualify for academic scholarships up to $6,000. Scholarships are disbursed through the UCLA Financial Aid Office in three equal payments, once at the beginning of each quarter. Scholarship payments are applied to BruinBill.

* Important Financial Aid Implications : If you are receiving financial aid, your package may be adjusted so you do not exceed your financial need or cost of attendance. Check with the Financial Aid Office to see if you can accept this scholarship. Applicants do not need to qualify for or be receiving financial aid to be eligible for the URSP scholarship.

APPLICATION

• The application for 2024-2025 will be open May 13, 2024 – June 24, 2024.
• The application can be accessed as a Survey on MyUCLA under the “Campus Life” tab. Visit the Application page for more information.

[email protected] Abby Warner Program Representative

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The senior thesis is typically the most challenging writing project undertaken by undergraduate students. The writing guides below aim to introduce students both to the specific methods and conventions of writing original research in their area of concentration and to effective writing process.

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