CUREs

Hui Ye, Mo Tu We Th 11:00AM - 1:30PM, 05/18/2026-06/12/2026 (Early Session)

How does the nervous system organize and function in order to control animal behaviors such as locomotion, escaping and feeding? What are the ionic bases that control the single neuron’s excitability? How can one control neural activity by electric and magnetic stimulation? As a senior level neuroscience lab class, BIOL 373 provides a unique training opportunity to students to learn various techniques in the field of cellular neurobiology. Students will gain hands-on experience in biomedical instrumentation, signal processing, micro dissection of nervous system, extracellular and intracellular recording techniques from nerves, axons, and single neurons. Students will also be trained to simulate neural activity using the computational neuroscience platforms such as Neurons in Actions (NIA) and NEURON.

To appreciate the complexity of neural control of animal behavior, the model system Aplysia californica will be used for the study. Scientific publications related to the class will be introduced in the class. 

Alexander Kula, Tu Th, 12:00PM - 3:00PM, 05/18/2026-06/26/2026 (Session A)

Noah Butler, Mo We Fr 1:40PM - 2:30PM

This course takes an Anthropological perspective on Chicago. It weaves together historical, social, and cultural perspectives, with attention to communities and neighborhoods as important parts of everyday life.

A central question orients the course: What makes a city “global”? The history, multi-culturalism, diversity, and inequality in Chicago present instructive opportunities to unwind themes of community, power, and social change. The course involves direct engagement with Chicago, including through a series of self-guided trips to different neighborhoods and discussions with community organizations, which culminate in a final poster presentation.

This is an Engaged Learning (Undergraduate Research) and Writing Intensive course.

Catherine Nichols, Mo We Fri 1:40PM - 2:30PM

Museum and Material Culture Research invites students to learn and practice a variety of anthropological research methods with objects and archives in the May Weber Ethnographic Study Collection, located in Mundelein Center.

Each student contributes to the Collection’s ongoing curation by producing an in-depth research report for an object, which is added to the Collection’s permanent documentation files. Students are encouraged to disseminate their research through eCommons and the Undergraduate Research Symposium.

This is an Engaged Learning (Undergraduate Research) and Writing Intensive course.

Emma Feeney, Mo 8:15AM - 11:00AM

This course introduces students to techniques commonly used to address questions of cellular physiology from a biochemical perspective.  Our class is part of a national network of undergraduate labs participating in a research project headed by the Seigel lab at University of California – Davis called Design to Data (D2D).  The “big picture” goal of this project is to generate a dataset that will be used to train artificial intelligence algorithms to make protein function predictions based on amino acid sequence and/or protein structure. You will be working on a semester-long primary research project where you will be generating mutant enzymes, characterizing their function, and uploading your data to a national database. 

Over the course of this project, we will discuss specific laboratory methods and the types of data collected by each, along with learning how to calculate useful results from the data and to interpret the results with reference to molecular models and mechanisms.  Finally, you will learn how to communicate novel research data in either written and oral formats.  Laboratory techniques used in the lab are commonly used in a variety of research fields (medical, pharmaceutical, etc). 

Emma Feeney, Mo 11:30AM - 2:15PM

This course introduces students to techniques commonly used to address questions of cellular physiology from a biochemical perspective.  Our class is part of a national network of undergraduate labs participating in a research project headed by the Seigel lab at University of California – Davis called Design to Data (D2D).  The “big picture” goal of this project is to generate a dataset that will be used to train artificial intelligence algorithms to make protein function predictions based on amino acid sequence and/or protein structure. You will be working on a semester-long primary research project where you will be generating mutant enzymes, characterizing their function, and uploading your data to a national database. 

Over the course of this project, we will discuss specific laboratory methods and the types of data collected by each, along with learning how to calculate useful results from the data and to interpret the results with reference to molecular models and mechanisms.  Finally, you will learn how to communicate novel research data in either written and oral formats.  Laboratory techniques used in the lab are commonly used in a variety of research fields (medical, pharmaceutical, etc). 

Hui Ye, Tu Th 1:00PM - 4:00PM

How does the nervous system organize and function in order to control animal behaviors such as locomotion, escaping and feeding? What are the ionic bases that control the single neuron’s excitability? How can one control neural activity by electric and magnetic stimulation? As a senior level neuroscience lab class, BIOL 373 provides a unique training opportunity to students to learn various techniques in the field of cellular neurobiology. Students will gain hands-on experience in biomedical instrumentation, signal processing, micro dissection of nervous system, extracellular and intracellular recording techniques from nerves, axons, and single neurons. Students will also be trained to simulate neural activity using the computational neuroscience platforms such as Neurons in Actions (NIA) and NEURON.

To appreciate the complexity of neural control of animal behavior, the model system Aplysia californica will be used for the study. Scientific publications related to the class will be introduced in the class. In the 2^nd half of the semester, students will work in the lab to acquire data, and generate final research papers. Research projects will be in the field of neural modulation using electromagnetic stimulation. More information can be found here: https://www.luc.edu/biology/aboutus/facultyresearch/huiye/”

James Lodolce, Mo We 1:40PM - 4:25PM

This course is an intensive laboratory course in the basic principles and techniques of molecular biology, including bacterial cloning, polymerase chain reaction, restriction mapping, agarose gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing. 

The goal of this intensive laboratory course is to introduce you to the basic principles and techniques of molecular biology. During the first half of the semester, you will be introduced to and learn the basic techniques of molecular biology including bacterial cloning, polymerase chain reaction, restriction mapping, agarose gel electrophoresis, and DNA sequencing. In the second half of the course, you will apply these techniques to your own independent cloning projects. This is an Engaged Learning course, approved for the Undergraduate Research category, and thus satisfies Loyola’s Engaged Learning requirement. This course is also Writing Intensive; thus, we will be spending considerable time learning formal science writing skills. 

Michael Burns, Mo We 2:45PM - 4:00PM

Students will gain practical skills in metagenomic data analysis, utilizing R for processing, interpreting, and visualizing metagenomic datasets. The course emphasizes collaborative research projects and effective presentation of findings. This course provides valuable skills to contribute to metagenomic research, as well as a strong foundation for future work in data analysis.

Jeremy Ritzert, Th 8:30AM - 11:15AM

This course is designed to expose students to aspects of Microbiology as it pertains to food production and preparation. General concepts of microbiology are covered but are focused specifically on how microbial-derived food products are produced and how production of food is prepared to limit contamination. Students will choose and adapt projects to address questions around key aspects or common myths of Food Microbiology. These research projects are intended to be student-designed with assistance of the instructor as they pertain to food production, preservation, and prevention. Students will be required to access the laboratory outside of classroom hours to work on their projects. Projects will be presented in class and outside of class to fulfill the engaged learning requirements.

Christine Beatty, Tu Th 2:30PM - 3:45PM

In this class students will work with in teams to develop a novel research question in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster.   The starting point for this work will be a set of DNA repair mutants.  Previous students have investigated a wide range of topics including fertility, mutagen sensitivity, and longevity using classical and molecular genetic techniques.  Over the course of the semester students will learn how to develop a viable research question, design experiments to address that question and communicate their results both orally and in writing through informal lab meetings and presentations

Eric Chan-Tin, TBA

In this hands-on course, you’ll dive into how systems are protected (and how they can be broken into), explore real cybersecurity challenges, and even take part in friendly (and competitive) competitions that put your skills to the test. Whether you're curious about hacking, digital safety, or just love solving puzzles, this class is for you!

Along the way, you’ll engage in research activities that introduce you to how cybersecurity questions are studied, tested, and verified - giving you a taste of what it’s like to contribute to an evolving field.

Alice Weinreb, Th 2:30PM - 5:00PM

Jennifer Forestal, Tu Th 10:00AM - 11:15AM

This is a special topics course; for Fall 2026, the topic is "Democratic Institutions in Chicago."

In recent years, many have expressed renewed concerns over the dangers that centralized power pose for the practices of freedom, democratic self-governance, and general human flourishing. There have been renewed calls to disperse power more broadly in society, including the use of decentralized technologies (e.g. federated social media, crypto) and participatory institutions (e.g. citizens’ assemblies) as ways of developing sources of countervailing power and facilitating local self-governance.

But even as empowering associational life can create new centers of power, these groups may also pursue—sometimes recklessly—supremacist goals at odds with a liberal democratic society. Federalism and other devolved state structures can serve as “laboratories for democracy,” but they also enable bad actors to perfect authoritarian politics or implement oppressive policies. Devolving power to local neighborhoods can facilitate feelings of autonomy and belonging within those spaces, but it can also generate unjust claims of “turf” as those same groups lock others out. Clearly, while arguments that equate the broad distribution of power with democratic ends may be correct, they are incomplete. So, under what conditions is local decision-making democratic?

In this CURE course, students will collect and analyze ethnographic data from local democratic institutions—specifically, Local School Councils (LSCs) in the wards surrounding Loyola—in order to answer this question. We will frame these empirical investigations by reading a variety of thinkers and texts who give us resources to think about the structure and design of democratic institutions, the kinds of outcomes they produce, and the ways these intentions can be thwarted.

Elizabeth Wakefield, Mo We Fr 8:15AM - 9:05AM

The PSYC 369/370 course sequence gives majors in Psychology the opportunity to complete an honors thesis project with a faculty mentor in the department. This fulfills the Capstone requirement for the Psychology Major, and is a great option for students who have been working in a research lab during their undergraduate career at Loyola and are looking to gain more experience designing, conducting and writing about a study of their own.

For more information about eligibility and the course, please reach out to Dr. Wakefield (ewakefield1@luc.edu).

Minwoo Jung,  Tu Th 2:30PM - 3:45PM

This course offers an engaged learning and research-centered exploration of globalization, emphasizing the connection between sociological theory and real-world application. In the first part of the semester, students are introduced to key concepts and theoretical approaches that frame globalization’s political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions. Building on this foundation, the course then shifts toward applied learning, where students actively investigate how globalization unfolds across diverse contexts, including global media, migration, climate change, human rights, and transnational social movements, with particular attention to global Asia.

A central feature of the course is its emphasis on student-driven research and creative inquiry. Through workshops, in-class presentations, and iterative feedback, students develop original projects that apply course concepts to topics of their choice. These projects encourage students to think critically and creatively about how to communicate complex ideas to broader audiences.

By selecting from a range of multimedia formats (such as podcasts, short films, digital exhibits, or written narratives) students engage in hands-on research that integrates analytical rigor with innovative expression. This approach fosters not only a deeper understanding of globalization but also practical skills in research design, critical analysis, and public-facing scholarship.

Maria Akchurin, Tu Th 1:00PM - 2:15PM

This course allows students to practice major qualitative methods of social inquiry. We will cover historical analysis, interviewing, and ethnographic observation, as well as discussing ethical and practical issues of field research. Students will work on a semester-long Public Sociology Interviewing Project, applying lessons from the course to study a sociological question through in-depth interviewing. We will also read recent qualitative sociological works for insight and inspiration.

In Fall 2026, we will continue the class interviewing project on Mutual Aid Networks, Community Organizations, and Social Infrastructure for Recently Arrived Immigrants. Depending on class size, we may add another sociological topic alongside this one.

This is a hands-on course that combines elements of seminar-style teaching with applied methods exercises and collaborative discussion that treats students as part of a research team.

For more information, please contact Dr. Maria Akchurin at makchurin@luc.edu.

Ana Rodríguez Navas, Tu Th 11:30AM - 12:45PM

This section of Spanish 272 is conducted as a collaborative workshop and research group with the aim of creating a common project: a public-facing website focusing on Gabriel García Márquez’s short story collection, Doce cuentos peregrinos.

The website will be entirely in Spanish, and will introduce the collection to the general public. It will consist of several sections or modules, each discussing and analyzing key features or aspects of the stories, elucidating their contexts, developing close readings of key passages, etc. This class is taught fully in Spanish and, through its emphasis on literary research, meets Loyola’s Engaged Learning requirement.

Hans Svebakken, Mo We Fri 9:20AM - 10:10AM

Science denial threatens the common good by undermining public confidence in the ability of science to comprehend our world and create effective solutions for urgent social problems. This course explores the threat of science denial through a series of three questions. First, what exactly is science denial? Second, what motivates science denial? Third, what mitigates science denial?

Insofar as some science denial stems from the presumption of an inevitable conflict between faith and science (e.g., a presumed conflict between faith and evolutionary science), this course considers the merits of models that instead envision a peaceful co-existence between faith and science.

Josefrayn Sanchez-Perry, Mo We Fr 10:25AM - 11:15AM

Welcome to Religion, Alchemy, and the History of Science!! THEO 280 fulfills the Theological & Religious Knowledge and Inquiry Tier II core requirement. This course will will introduce you to the category religion and its historical encounter in materia medica (medicinal properties of plants, animals, and materials). You will learn the entangled histories of these domains in the late medieval and early modern periods, including the rise of Islamic medicine, European herbals, and the extraction of Indigenous and African knowledge in the Americas and Caribbean. These histories are entangled through the circulation of ideas and practices that intellectuals and practitioners assessed, compared, appropriated, and distorted across time and space.

Your research project will involve recreating an experiment based on a late medieval and early modern recipe. To this end, you will research original historical texts and material culture from archives and museums, such as the Rare Books Collection and the Weber Ethnographic Collection on campus, and the Newberry Library and Art Institute of Chicago in the downtown Chicago area.

Colby Dickinson, Tu Th 1:00PM - 2:15PM

This course will focus on the study and personal development of spiritualities focused on the human being as a spiritual being immersed in the natural world. Through exploring readings and activities centered on hiking, camping, the natural environment and ecology, this course investigates what exactly a holistically and naturally conceived spirituality might look like today, especially as formed in dialogue with various Christian traditions (e.g. the Desert Fathers, mystical theologies, feminist and eco-spiritual theologies) and Native American spiritualities. In addition, we will be focusing on how these aforementioned topics relate to other concepts, such as technology, wilderness/wild-ness, landscape, mysticism, Gaia, prayer, solitude and spiritual retreat.

The course is an Engaged Learning (EL) course and will culminate with a semester-long research project presented or uploaded to the digital archive for the 2027 Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium.

In general, students will have ample opportunity to immerse themselves in nature and to write about their experiences, reflecting on the role of non-technologically based learning and humanity's direct relationship to nature in the forming of the self and our innate spirituality.

Dance (DANC)

Music (MUSC)

Theatre (THTR)