The Honors College, the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy support teams of undergraduate research students in the arts, social sciences or humanities (ASH) disciplines, who collaboratively work as members of a faculty-led research or design team.
Each ASH project consists of six students who work closely with a faculty team on an established research project. Students DO NOT have to be part of the Honors College to be an ASH Scholar. ASH Scholars are awarded a scholarship of $3,000 for the year.
These are the current ASH projects taking applications (applications open in late May):
- Debora Verniz (Architectural Studies, Digital Fabrication, Immersive Visualization)
- Jayedi Aman (Architectural Studies, Sustainable Design, Artificial Intelligence)
- This interdisciplinary project focuses on developing building envelope components using bio-digital materials (e.g., mycelium [fungal networks], bioluminescent bacteria and soil-calcifying microbes), supported by Mixed Reality (XR) visualization to simulate material behavior, performance, and potential design applications. ASH students will actively participate in concept development, digital modeling, fabrication and material testing, working in collaboration with faculty in the Fabrication Lab and Spatial Intelligence Lab. Through XR experimentation, students will examine how these materials respond within architectural settings, improving their understanding of structural adaptability, energy performance and integration into the built environment.
- Jay Sexton (Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
- Kyle Jackson (Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
- This project researches the Kansas-Missouri border region during the days of the crisis over slavery and the Civil War. Treating the Kansas-Missouri borderlands as a single historical space, the project considers both the local and global implications of events in this region over a wide span of time: studies range from the indigenous presence in the region before European settlement all the way to how the Border War impacted America’s military in World War II and the post-war era. Aside from its global significance, this project also offers students experience in local historical research. The history of these two states informs and shapes students’ understanding of the region and the university which they attend. Archival work and digital research further provide students with the tools necessary to bring the past to life wherever their historical journey takes them.
- Anne Stanton (Visual Studies)
- Marian Toledo Candelaria (Mizzou Libraries)
- Kristy Wilson (History)
- This project investigates a large group of manuscripts known as cartas ejecutorias de hidalguías, or certificates of nobility, that are currently on loan to Mizzou Libraries. These beautifully hand-written and decorated books are presentation copies of legal hearings held in early modern Spain to confirm status as hidalgo, or membership in a minor rank of nobility that included certain privileges. Researchers will explore the scope and composition of these manuscripts and will augment the information for each book to ensure an accessible archive of accurate information for future researchers. Students will work directly with 400-year-old books that draw upon and support interdisciplinary approaches: historical exploration of the family and community relationships revealed by the transcribed testimonies; art-historical investigation of the portraits, biblical scenes, and heraldic shields that form the decorations; and accurate analysis of their luxurious material qualities that may include leather or velvet bindings, silk guards that protect the illuminations, and heavy seals that emphasize the authority of the King of Spain. Students will also have the opportunity to present their primary research findings in a variety of forms.
- Jared Roll (History)
- This project examines the creation and development of the Lake of the Ozarks. Built for private electricity generation in the depths of the Great Depression, the Lake of the Ozarks was at once the largest man-made lake in the world and since has become an (in)famous regional center of recreation and tourism with national cultural cache. Student research ranges widely from the 18th century to the present day, encompassing the world of the Osage River Valley prior to inundation, including the Osage people who lived there before Missouri existed; the ideas that led to the lake’s construction; the lake’s impact on local farming communities; and its later emergence as a site of relaxation, sport and excess consumption. Themes of study include: the politics of energy markets and economic modernization, rural social and cultural change, the relationship between private interests and public policy, and the environmental costs of development.
- Aída R. Guhlincozzi (Geography)
- Kaleea R. Lewis (Health Sciences)
- Students in the PLACE Lab will examine healthcare access, disability and policy through interdisciplinary research mixed methods. This interdisciplinary project explores how caregivers of disabled children navigate healthcare access while engaging students in qualitative spatial inquiry research. This research experience will provide students with the opportunity to develop research and practical skills applicable to healthcare and research settings, through learning spatial mapping, focus groups and digital storytelling.
- Lily Santoro (Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
- Jay Sexton (Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
- This project explores the variety of ways in which the United States’ 250th anniversary is being commemorated at home and abroad and how our current experiences compare with the American experience of previous milestones in history of our democracy.
- Scott LaCombe (Government and Public Affairs, Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
- Jay Sexton (Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy)
- This project examines how U.S. states act as “laboratories of democracy” by exploring the ways in which states are responding to the political, social and economic challenges facing the nation today. With a particular focus on Missouri, students will track how policies move from state to state, investigate why some states adopt certain policies while others do not and analyze the impact of those decisions. Through hands-on work with real-world data, students will gain an understanding of the forces shaping state policy today, as well as learn the ins and outs of the research process.
- Bill Horner (Government and Public Affairs)
- Heather Carver (Theater and Performance Studies)
- “Weekend Update” is an interdisciplinary political science and arts project that contextualizes five decades worth of political and cultural satire and parody on the most enduring feature of Saturday Night Live (SNL), its news segment, “Weekend Update.” Students will research the real events that inspired each episode – and then develop, edit, and create corresponding podcast episodes and written materials describing historical events and comedic responses to these events.
Other ASH projects:
- Rob Walker (Anthropology)
- Fang Wang (Engineering)
- Students in the Amazonian Geoglyphs project will work together to uncover the full geographic distribution of Amazonian geoglyphs, explore various interpretations of their significance, and develop interactive teaching tools with Virtual Reality to share results and promote preserving these important archaeological sites. Developing and using computer and technical engineering skills and knowledge – in combination with applying humanities and social science perspectives – will help students and project leaders exchange new ideas and ways to share information about these impressive earthworks.
- Nicole Campione-Barr (Psychological Sciences)
- Sarah Killoren (Human Development and Family Science)
- Megan Gilligan (Human Development and Family Science)
- This project focuses on parent-child relationships, sibling relationships, friendships and romantic relationships during adolescence, as well as relationship challenges that are important for positive youth and relational outcomes. This project provides students with relevant training, research experiences and opportunities for authorship on conference presentations.
- Kerri McBee-Black (Textile and Apparel Management)
- Alisha Johnson (Nursing)
- Students in the Human-Centered Design project will work together with an interdisciplinary team of faculty and industry mentors to advance inclusive design and accessibility research, ensuring the needs of individuals with disabilities and aging are met. As part of the research team, students will play an integral role in all phases of interdisciplinary research, gaining valuable experience in research design, data collection, participant engagement and dissemination. Building upon the teams’ expertise in design, person-centered health care and technology, the project aims to co-create adaptive solutions that address the needs of individuals as informed by lived experiences and grounded in evidence-based practices.
How to Apply
To apply for this scholarship, log into ScholarshipUniverse – using your Mizzou assigned username and password – and search “ASH Scholarship.”
Applications for the 2026-27 academic year open in late May.