Who We Are

Located on the Russell Sage College campus, the Kathleen A. Donnelly Center for Undergraduate Research (DCUR) opened in September 2008.

Named for Dr. Kathleen Donnelly, Professor Emerita Chemistry, the DCUR aims to support the pursuits of undergraduate research at Russell Sage College in a variety of ways. Dr. Donnelly was a major force in supporting undergraduate research and was responsible for the College’s participation in the National Conferences on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) from 1990 until her retirement in 2008. During that time, several dozen students travelled to NCUR to present their research. The DCUR is located on the bottom level of the Shea Learning Center.

What We Do

Students are encouraged to use the Center’s resources to assist in research on papers and presentations. Center staff are available to assist students with presentation skills, posters, technical support, and publication and conference possibilities. Students can use DCUR to find on- and off-campus research or academic opportunities that best match their skills. The Center also encourages students in the WORLD Program at Russell Sage College to make use of the resources available to them in preparation for the bi-annual WORLD Conference.

The Center oversees the annual Undergraduate Research Day. This day represents an opportunity for our students to showcase their academic achievements and to talk with professors, peers, staff, and college administrators about their scholarship. It is a wonderful occasion for us to celebrate our students’ academic endeavors.

Traditionally, on the morning of Undergraduate Research Day, students present class-based or capstone projects on their home campus. The community then comes together in the afternoon for lunch and to listen to students present their scholarship that has been accepted into the “Symposium.” Student scholarship submitted for the Symposium is reviewed by a panel of faculty; generally, these are oral presentations but there are some poster presentations as well. This year, the Symposium will be held at Russell Sage College.

Sage at NCUR

Students attending NCUR 2019 at Kennesaw State University (Kennesaw, Georgia)

  • Derek Larson, ’19 — “Adults may bite larvae to correct for the overproduction of queen-potential larvae in the ant Temnothorax longispinosis.” (Dr. Ken Howard, BIO advisor)
  • Gabriela Cardona, ’19 — “Examining the Bystander Effect and Sexual Violence: Do Middle School Prevention Programs Work?” (Dr. Michelle Napierski-Prancl, SOC advisor)

Have Questions?

Assistant Professor of the Practice of Writing; Co-Director of the Honors Program