The University of North Georgia's (UNG) Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (CURCA) awarded a fall-semester-record 48 travel grants to support students presenting their research at conferences. These students are in 11 different academic departments, which was also a fall semester record.

Provost Chaudron Gille's office supports the CURCA travel grants.

"The provost's office has consistently supported our efforts to get more students involved in undergraduate research, which shows how much they care about the experiences our students have," Dr. Diogo Pinheiro, CURCA assistant director and associate professor of sociology, said. "It is only because of their generosity that we are able to keep breaking records like this and support as many students as we do. We at CURCA feel like we have true partners in the provost's office."

For Michael Guerrero, a senior from Flowery Branch, Georgia, pursuing a degree in chemistry, the grant made the difference in him being able to participate in the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference (GURC), hosted Nov. 8-9 by Emory University.

Guerrero was able to share his organic synthesis research on polymers at GURC. He had worked on this project with Dr. Brynna Quarles, assistant professor of chemistry and director of the Honors Program at UNG's Gainesville Campus.

In addition to being able to put his research in front of a wider audience, Guerrero also appreciated the chance to network at GURC.

"It gave me more direction for graduate school," he said.

The 27-year-old Guerrero began his time at UNG pursuing a degree in music before switching to nursing. While taking his prerequisites for nursing, he discovered a love for a chemistry before switching into his current degree path.

His CURCA travel grant is the latest funding he has secured to support his education. Guerrero has also earned scholarships from the American Chemical Society, McNair Scholars Program, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholars (STEMS) Program funded by the National Science Foundation.

Guerrero previously thought graduate school was unattainable, but now he is preparing to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry.

"I've been extremely well-supported by the chemistry faculty here," he said.

Lillie Hayes, a senior from Johns Creek, Georgia, pursuing a degree in biology, and her fellow student Laura Kate Gleaton each received a CURCA travel grant to present their research at The Wildlife Society's Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, held Oct. 19-23.

Hayes and Gleaton's research was a trail camera study testing which bait were attractive to animals. Hayes, who is a member of the Honors Program and served as a CURCA ambassador for 2023-24, has also taken part in CURCA's Faculty Undergraduate Summer Engagement program in 2023 and the Fulbright Canada Mitacs Globalink program in summer 2024.

"CURCA has been instrumental in my process of getting involved in research," Hayes said. "I've had so many great research experiences at UNG."

Hayes has been accepted to Mercer University School of Medicine, where she will enroll in August. Her main medical interests are in hematology and oncology, which involve blood and cancer disorders. Volunteer experiences at Good News Clinics in Gainesville, Georgia, and the Community Helping Place's Anne Green Free Clinic in Dahlonega, Georgia, and volunteer stints alongside hospice and oncology professionals have helped her realize her passions.

"I enjoyed that clinical experience and interacting with patients," Hayes said. "It's so interesting and fits my personality type."