UTC electrical engineering major Colin Keeter explains his research, titled “Leveraging software-defined radio and adversarial learning to circumvent specific emitter identification-based security.” Photo courtesy of Colin Keeter.
For Dr. Lisa Piazza, director of the Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, undergraduate research extends far beyond simply reading articles and analyzing information.
“Research skills are life and job skills,” Piazza said. “You’re problem-solving. You’re thinking critically. You’re building leadership and communication skills.”
At UTC, undergraduate research allows students in any major to join existing projects or design their own. They develop research questions, investigate answers and often present or publish their findings. But Piazza says the real transformation happens internally.
“In the beginning, there’s that question: ‘Can I do this?’ By the time they finish a project, they see what they’re capable of,” she said.
That confidence, she explained, becomes a powerful advantage. Strong grades alone are no longer enough in today’s competitive job market. Students need experiences that help them stand out.
“It’s not enough anymore just to do really great in your classes and have that degree in hand,” Piazza said. “You really need to bring more to the table.”
Research experience helps students build a portfolio for graduate school, medical school or their first career step. Many projects are also community-based, allowing students to work with local nonprofits and businesses.
Still, Piazza said one of the biggest misconceptions is that research “isn’t for me.”
“We hear that often—‘I’m not ready,’” she said. “But this is for anybody who wants to build those skills.”
Through workshops, consultations and new programming, her office works to make research more accessible.
“These are the ways that you can stand apart and get to that next step,” Piazza said.
A look at some of the undergraduate research being conducted by UTC students.
Gracie Crooks has shared her research work at conferences across the country, including the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, D.C. Photo by Angela Foster.
“Research really teaches you how to ask questions”
Gracie Crooks, a junior double majoring in mathematics and physics, began her undergraduate journey with a simple email and a willingness to step into something new.
“I sent an email saying I didn’t know anything about research,” said Crooks, who is also a member of the Innovations in Honors program in the UTC Honors College. “I just wanted to get involved.”
At the time, Crooks had completed only Calculus II, yet she joined a research project focused on differential equations. Unfamiliar with the subject, the Chattanooga native leaned on mentors who encouraged curiosity and communication.
“They don’t expect you to already know everything,” she said. “Research really teaches you how to ask questions and admit when you don’t understand something yet.”
That experience changed the way she approached learning. Crooks began to see education as an ongoing process of exploration rather than focusing too much on grades and memorizing formulas.
“You learn how to teach yourself,” she said. “You’re reading papers, figuring out what’s useful and learning entirely new topics on your own. That independence is something you don’t always get in a classroom.”
Crooks said research has helped her connect ideas she has learned in her different classes and coursework. She also learned how to communicate complex ideas clearly to different audiences.
“Not everyone shares your background,” she said. “Research forces you to explain what you’re doing and why it matters.”
Crooks has shared her work at conferences across the country, including the Joint Mathematics Meetings in Washington, D.C., which became one of the most meaningful parts of her college experience.
“Research has probably been my favorite part of college,” Crooks said. “It opened doors I didn’t even know existed.”
She emphasized that research is not reserved for experts.
“You don’t have to feel ready,” she said. “Research is where you grow your confidence.”
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“What happens when the student who needs support is also the person others go to for help?”
For Katherine “Kat” Kahne, a junior double majoring in professional writing and pre-professional biology, undergraduate research became meaningful through personal experience rather than external ideas.
Kahne, who grew up near Memphis, noticed that while working as a peer tutor, there was a gap in conversations regarding disability support in academic spaces.
“I noticed there was a lot of material about supporting students with disabilities,” Kahne said, “but not much about how student tutors or peers were supported in the same way.”
Her research focuses on disabilities and neurodivergence within writing centers, exploring how students who need accommodations themselves navigate positions of academic leadership. Drawing on her own experience with ADHD and dyslexia, Kahne became interested in how language and academic culture shape perceptions of ability.
“What happens when the student who needs support is also the person others go to for help?” she asked.
Through her research, Kahne examines how discussions about disability are often framed in binary terms, labeling individuals as either “normal” or “other.” She believes reframing the language and mindset can help create more inclusive learning environments.
One way her research has influenced her is how she approaches tutoring. Instead of focusing only on assignments and tests, Kahne asks students what worries them about their writing, often discussing past experiences that affect confidence rather than determining one’s skill level.
Undergraduate research, she said, allows students to explore interests they may never have considered otherwise.
“Getting into research gives you a window into what you want to do with your life or what you absolutely never want to do again,” Kahne said.
She described research as a way to advocate for others.
“Even if you’re scared or unsure,” she said, “research might lead you somewhere you never expected.”
Dr. Andrew Bailey, left, students Chloe Wesson and Caroline Jacobs and Dr. Ryan Zwart recently presented research titled “Balancing Place, Preservation, and Public Benefit: A Recreation Feasibility Study of Public Land.” Photo courtesy of Chloe Wesson.
“I think research can sound intimidating or boring, but it’s actually really fun, creative and a great way to connect with your community”
Chattanooga native Chloe Wesson, a senior majoring in sport, outdoor recreation and tourism management, became involved with undergraduate research after a professor invited her to assist with a research project examining the future of McDonald Farm—a large property in Hamilton County originally intended to become an industrial park.
“I thought it was really interesting because it had to do with a public piece of land in Chattanooga,” Wesson said. “Research kind of felt like the practical application to my major.”
Wesson worked alongside professors, fellow students, and community members to study how the land might be used most effectively. The team toured the property to better understand the landscape and then created surveys to gather feedback from residents.
The responses revealed that the public was interested in preserving the space for recreation rather than development.
Since the research began, the McDonald Farm is planned to become Tennessee’s newest state park.
“Seeing how involved the community was and how much people care about their public spaces was really inspiring,” she said.
Wesson said research helped her develop skills that extend beyond the classroom, including communication and confidence.
“Approaching people and asking them to take a survey really helped me become more comfortable talking with others,” she said.
She described that research ultimately deepened her appreciation for her field and its impact on others.
“I think research can sound intimidating or boring,” she said. “But it’s actually really fun, creative and a great way to connect with your community.”
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“It’s taught me how to ask questions, network for participants and step out of my comfort zone”
For Daniela Salas Lopez, a senior social work major from Mexico, undergraduate research was a way to better understand her personal experience and that of others going through similar situations.
“I moved here four years ago and didn’t speak English,” she said. “I know there are a lot of people who go through that and there’s not enough awareness.”
Salas Lopez, a member of the Innovations in Honors program, focused her honors thesis on researching how bilingual individuals can experience emotional detachment when using a second language. An observation she made was that when speaking English, she is more inclined to be reserved and academic, while Spanish connects more to her emotions.
“I can argue in English for hours,” she said, “but if I were to argue in Spanish, I would start crying immediately.”
As her first research project, Salas Lopez faced some challenges reading academic literature in her second language but found guidance through her thesis committee.
“It’s taught me how to ask questions, network for participants and step out of my comfort zone,” she said.
Her research adds insight into how language can shape personality and one’s emotional experience.
“It’s not in my head,” she said. “You do change personalities, and the way you process emotions is different.”
Electrical engineering major Colin Keeter (photo courtesy of Colin Keeter).
“You’re going to fail a lot, and that’s OK. Most researchers before us did the same thing. You just have to keep pushing, keep asking questions and see where it takes you”
For senior electrical engineering major Colin Keeter, research was something very new at first.
“I originally didn’t know much about research or how I could make a difference,” said the Hendersonville, Tennessee, native.
He got connected to UTC’s undergraduate research program, which led him to Dr. Donald Reising, and that is where things took off. Together, they worked on software-defined radios, examining how signal features change under experimental or degrading conditions.
Their work eventually led to new publications. Last summer, Keeter analyzed data from a partnering department in Indiana, applying the concepts he had been exploring in the lab.
He describes research as “the closest thing to actually proving something that nobody has ever seen or explained before.”
Keeter explained there were some challenges faced as well.
“You’re going to fail a lot, and that’s OK,” he said. “Most researchers before us did the same thing. You just have to keep pushing, keep asking questions and see where it takes you.”
Some of the best parts of research, Keeter said, are that it has helped him gain professional skills, develop problem-solving skills and understand the importance of preparing future engineers and innovators.“Not to mention the countless contacts and relationships that I have achieved through most events granted to me by doing research.”
“Even if you don’t plan to stay in research, it shapes you in ways you don’t expect,” he said. “It helps with imposter syndrome and opens doors you might not even know exist. Honestly, if you’re thinking about doing research, just do it. Hands down.”
Learn more
UTC Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE)
UTC Spring Research and Arts Conference webpage
