The Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity Office (URSCO) at the UNC Greensboro is dedicated to promoting and supporting student success through mentored undergraduate research, creative inquiry and other scholarly experiences for the UNCG community. URSCO is also dedicated to helping faculty become increasingly effective with mentoring undergraduate research and integrating research skills into courses and curricula.
The office seeks to highlight the diversity of disciplinary scholarship for and through our students in order to help cultivate inquiry outside the classroom. Toward this end, URSCO hosts a variety of workshops for students and faculty.
Student workshop topics include: what to expect from a research experience, how to create an effective poster, how to identify the right research program and mentor, and students talking with each other about their research.
Faculty workshop topics include: how to mentor undergraduate students in research/creative inquiry and integrating research skills into the curriculum.
URSCO seeks to:
- Provide opportunities for UNCG students to engage in an undergraduate research experience.
- Provide opportunities for UNCG students to learn about the benefits of undergraduate research or scholarly experience.
- Provide opportunities for UNCG students to disseminate the results of their research.
- Develop additional programs that support undergraduate research experiences.
- Develop an assessment program for the undergraduate research experience.
- Participate in local, state, and national dialogues or meetings devoted to promoting undergraduate research.
Prior to 2006, the Office of Research and Public/Private Sector Partnership at the UNCG administered the Undergraduate Research Assistantship (now URCA) program, the Scholars Travel program, and an annual undergraduate research poster show.
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) was created in 2006 to fulfill the vision of Associate Provost Rosemary Wander. In spring of 2014, the OUR became the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creativity Office (URSCO) in an effort to embrace and promote the diversity of disciplinary scholarship represented by the university. Dr. Mary Crowe was the first director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and served in that capacity from 2005 – 2012. Dr. Jan Rychtář served as the Interim Director of the OUR in 2012-2013. Dr. Lee Phillips served as the Director of the URSCO from 2013 until 2024. Dr. Kimberly S. Petersen assumed the Director role in the fall of 2024.
Our Staff
Mitchell P. Croatt, Ph.D.
Interim Director of the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creativity Office
135 Shaw Residence Hall
mpcroatt@uncg.edu
Mitch went to the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and earned his B.S. in Chemistry in 2002 after doing undergraduate research in the group of Professor George A. O’Doherty. His undergraduate research experience was life-changing and inspired him to pursue graduate studies and eventually become a faculty member himself. In 2008, Mitch earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University while doing research in the group of Professor Paul A. Wender. Mitch did postdoctoral research in Zurich, Switzerland in the group of Professor Erick M. Carreira at ETH-Zurich.
In 2010, Mitch started his independent academic career at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and in 2022, Mitch was named the Marie Foscue Rourk Distinguished Professor based on the many successes of his research group, including the accomplishments of more than 60 undergraduates. From the Fall of 2017 until the Summer of 2024, Mitch served as the Department Head of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and from May 2024 until August of 2025 Mitch was the Interim Dean of the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, a joint school between UNCG and NCA&T. In August of 2025, Mitch was named as the Interim Director of URSCO and is excited to lead a team to champion the research, scholarship, and creative activities of undergraduate students at UNCG.
Traci Miller
Assistant Director of the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creativity Office
130 Shaw Residence Hall
trmille2@uncg.edu
336.334.4114
Traci Miller, with over two decades of experience as an educational leader, has been a part of UNCG since 2019. In her role as Assistant Director of the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Office (URSCO), she has assisted the URSCO in supporting undergraduate student opportunities, and she has served as the Academic Enhancement Coordinator for the prestigious NIH-supported MARC U-STAR and U-RISE programs. She started as a high school Biology teacher and later became a Professional Development Coach in Guilford County Schools. After earning her K-12 school administrator license, she spent four enriching years as a middle school administrator. In the past four and a half years, Traci has been a vital part of the UNCG URSCO team. Her responsibilities have included organizing professional development opportunities, coordinating conference participation, facilitating external and internal student research opportunities, and playing a key role in coordinating the annual Thomas Undergraduate Research and Creativity Expo. In her new role as Assistant Director of URSCO, Traci looks forward to continuing to support the UNCG community.
Lee Cotton
Graduate Assistant
132 Shaw Residence Hall
Lee Cotton is a Graduate student at UNCG getting his Master’s in Information Technology & Mangement with a concentration in Cybersecurity. Coming from a town and school in Mississippi, Lee is eager to be involved on campus and make as many connections as possible during his time here. Lastly, Lee’s hobbies include catching flights, spending time with family and friends, lifting weights, and playing basketball. He is also looking forward to exploring new hobbies such as golf and martial arts.
Hayden Yancey
Undergraduate Assistant
132 Shaw Residence Hall
Hayden Yancey is a sophomore at UNCG majoring in political science with a pre-law concentration. Being a Greensboro resident since birth, he has a very strong sense of community within not only the university, but the city as a whole. He loves to get involved with events and organizations with the hopes of providing a positive impact on his community and being a great role model for his three younger siblings. His hobbies include playing the guitar, writing, exercising, and drawing.