Research | Center for Undergraduate Research
Research | Center for Undergraduate Research
Center for Undergraduate Research
A student is presenting a poster to an audience.

Saint Joseph's University Center for Undergraduate Research

The Center for Undergraduate Research promotes investigations in all academic disciplines and cultivates a passion for independent discovery by equipping students for the challenges of the future in any career or educational situation. The Center supports high-quality research and creative activities that engages students through inquiry-based learning to advance the Saint Joseph’s University's educational mission.

The SJU Images of Research & Scholarship Contest Is Now Open for 2025-2026

The SJU Images of Research & Scholarship Exhibit is a multidisciplinary, exhibit/competition celebrating the diversity and breadth of undergraduate student research. Undergraduates in any major or discipline and at any stage of research are invited to submit abstract entries consisting of a high-resolution image (graph, photograph, schematic, microscope image), or 3D form (sculpture/3D printout) that relates to their research or creative/scholarly work. Research work need not be fully completed. Freshmen and sophomores beginning research with a faculty mentor are encouraged to present! 

Submissions are automatically posted on the SJU CUR website and on social media later in the spring. Entries are entered in competition for the Most Popular Choice (based on Instagram votes to start in March 2026) and for Best Images (based on SJU Faculty votes).

Submit images

Images of Research and Scholarship 2025-2026 Entries

Circular image of confluent cells
A viral protein unit is a membrane protein produced by HIV that helps virus replicate and spread by targeting CD4 receptors for degradationand also enhance newly formed virus particles in the cell.
An illustration of the author, with his brain coming out of his head and pulling itself apart with hand-like appendages.
Fluorescent microscopy image of a retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cell with actin filaments stained in bright red, radiating outward in branching, star-like patterns against a black background.
Blue field lines surround a simulated parallel plate capacitor with a dielectric in the middle.
Display of various orders of resolutions for 2 different objects-- a horse and a chair--, increasing in quality and complexity proportional to an increase in order.
A red light pattern with a solid glowing circle of light in the center. It is surrounded by thinner, uniform rings that gradually lose their intensity going outwards.
Planet of Cells

Overgrown Melanoma cancer cells

John Butler

Mentor: Dr. Piotr Habdas, Department of Physics

Simulation of Viral Protein Unit using Molecular Dynamics

Computational visualization of the viral protein found in HIV, important for viral reproduction, and contains red markings that indicates mutations that may decrease viral activity. 

Artiom Butuc

Mentor: Dr. Preston Moore, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

My brain in crisis

I published this in The Hawk as a reaction to the passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill, which cut Medicaid for millions of Americans.

Luke Sanelli

Mentors: Dr. Jenny Spinner, Department of English and Dr. Ian Sampson, Department of Communications and Media Studies

Actin Filaments in Isolated Retinal Pigment (RPE) Cell

Isolated RPE cell from fish eyes fluorescently labeled to display actin filaments, a cytoskeletal protein.

Abbey Chan, Allie Gesztesi, and Dominic Zaffino

Mentor: Dr. Christina King Smith, Department of Biology

Electric Field of the Dielectric Capacitor

Finite-size capacitor partially showing electric field lines. The dielectric (light green) will be pulled inside the capacitor.

Molly Sowers and Theresa Talbot

Mentor: Dr. Sergio Freire, Department of Physics

3D Image Reconstructions Using Fractional Zernike Moments of Different Orders

Example 3D images and their reconstructions using fractional Zernike moments. As the order of moments increases, reconstruction quality improves, allowing more details to be captured.

Madeline Ashton

Mentor: Dr. Atilla Seth, Department of Mathematics

Ripples in Red: Diffraction Through a Pinhole

Diffraction: When light from a laser pointer hits a small hole, light waves interfere, creating an unexpected pattern of light and darkness.

Max Stoltzmann

Mentor: Dr. Roberto Ramos, Department of Physics

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Images of Research & Scholarship Previous Exhibits

Tenaya Darlington teaches English classroom

Get Involved

Expand research opportunities for students by making a gift, provide research internship and experience opportunities and volunteer as a guest speaker for students to learn about the industry. 

Get Involved with CUR
Student presenting research following Jesuit learning

CUR Festival

In celebration of undergraduate research and scholarship, the SJU CUR (Center for Undergraduate Research) enjoins the university community in celebrating the Undergraduate Research Festival.

Explore the CUR Festival
Saint Joseph University students writing and researching on laptop

What is Undergraduate Research and Why is it Important ?

From the Council of Undergraduate Research: Undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry is fundamentally a pedagogical approach to teaching and learning. With an emphasis on process, the Council defines undergraduate research as: A mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seeks to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge. 

Undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry enriches undergraduate education and helps students achieve their academic and career goals through the critical skills they gain and sharpen through these experiences.

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