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 served as the Faculty Director from 2024 until 2025. Dr. Mitchell P. Croatt served as the Faculty Director from 2025 until 2026.
Our Staff
Eric S. Drollette
Director of the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creativity Office
135 Shaw Residence Hall
esdrolle@uncg.edu
336.334.3886
Eric S. Drollette, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at UNC Greensboro, where he serves as Graduate Program Director. He also directs the Exercise and Neurocognitive Health Laboratory, which examines how physical activity and exercise influence cognition and brain function in children and young adults. Using electroencephalography (EEG), event-related potentials (ERPs), and behavioral methods, his research investigates executive function, attention, memory, academic performance, and the individual differences that shape how individuals respond to exercise. His recent work showing that nine minutes of classroom-friendly interval exercise can improve children’s verbal performance and brain function has received national science and education media attention. Dr. Drollette is deeply committed to creating meaningful, accessible research experiences for students. Since joining UNCG in 2017, he has mentored numerous undergraduate students, engaging undergraduate and graduate researchers throughout the full research process, from developing questions and collecting data to analyzing findings, presenting at conferences, and contributing to publications. He received UNCG’s 2026 Thomas Undergraduate Research Mentor Award in the tenure-track faculty category. In his work with URSCO, he supports students and faculty across disciplines in building collaborative opportunities for undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry.
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. Traci has been a vital part of the UNCG URSCO team. Her responsibilities include teaching the Research Fellows Program classes, 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. Traci looks forward to continuing to support the UNCG community.
Mikhaila Lambert
Graduate Assistant
132 Shaw Residence Hall
Mikhaila Lambert is a graduate student at UNCG getting her Master’s in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology. Returning to UNCG, Mikhaila is eager to be involved on campus and make as many connections as possible during her time here. Lastly, Mikhaila’s hobbies include riding horses, serving the community and watching many documentaries. She is also a prominent activist and uses research as her vessel for change.
Hayden Yancey
Undergraduate Assistant
132 Shaw Residence Hall
Hayden Yancey is a junior 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.