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Active Learning

The Active Learning Program

Are you an undergraduate student looking to have a positive impact during your time at UF while developing crucial professional and research skills that can strengthen your competitiveness in the job market and future graduate level education?

Are you a faculty  or staff member engaged in research or a community-based project that could benefit from a team of well-trained undergraduate interns?

Then consider the Active Learning Program!

The Active Learning Program partners with UF faculty/staff and local organizations to better serve our communities and help undergraduate students develop into skilled early-career professionals.

The goals of the Active Learning Program are to:

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  • Advance UF research and community-based projects.
  • Develop students’ academic potential and professional skillsets while helping them define their personal and professional mission, values, and strengths.
  • Foster effective campus and community partnerships that build resilience and sustainability.

Interested students apply to internship and research projects; if accepted, students enroll in a semester–long 3–credit internship course (IDS 4940) to receive instruction, training, and mentorship on community engagement and personal–professional development, including research, leadership, collaboration, and communication skills. The Active Learning Program runs Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Classes are typically scheduled for Classes are  typically scheduled for Tuesday, periods 5-6 and Thursday period 6, Tuesday periods 9-10 and Thursday period 10, or Thursday, periods 7-8 and Tuesdays period 8. Internship hours vary based on the project.

Are you a UF faculty member or community organization who could benefit from student interns?  Please let us know about your project so we can recruit the best students for you.   For more information, contact Angela Melidosian at:  a.melidosian@ufl.edu

Are you a student interested in this experiential learning?  Learn about our Summer and Fall 2024 internship and research positions, and then apply here.

 

Here is a list of our past projects and internship sites:

  1. Adaptive Health Information Technology for Patients and Caregivers
  2. Advancing Information Strategies for the School of Physician Assistant Studies Internship
  3. Adverse Childhood Experiences and Family Economic Resource Management
  4. Advocating Awareness of Chagas Disease Internship & Research Project
  5. Aedes Aegypti and Aedes Albopictus Surveillance in Pleasant Street, Gainesville Research
  6. AfCultivating Healthy Communities through Faith and Agriculturerican & African American Presence in Alachua County Research
  7. Aging and Functional Ability Lab
  8. AI-Based Marker less Biomechanical Analysis
  9. All of Us Research Program
  10. App-Based Student Mindfulness
  11. ARTSPEAKS
  12. Assembly for Action
  13. Assessing Student Performance in a Collaborative Environment in an Undergraduate Bio-History Course by Using Two-Stage Exam
  14. Assessing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Different Audiences Across the Southeast U.S.
  15. Bard & Broadside Poetry Festival
  16. Biological Control of Invasive Invertebrates
  17. Biomedical Workforce Development
  18. BLAAC2BASICS Internship
  19. Bold Inclusion
  20. Building a Volunteer Development Framework for the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services
  21. Building Brighter Futures Monthly Pledge Campaign
  22. Building Infrastructure Through Evidence Internship & Research Project
  23. Building Resource Capacity for Underserved Youth (18-25) Internship & Research Project
  24. Burden or Lifeblood of the Voluntary Sector
  25. Care2 Health Equity Center Internship & Research Project
  26. Catalyzing a Career in Research Administration Internship
  27. Center for Precollegiate Education & Training Internship
  28. Children Beyond Our Borders: Marketing and Development Plan
  29. Cinema Verde
  30. College PASS Internship
  31. Community Engagement & Non-Profit Support
  32. Community Outreach for Engineering Service Learning Collaboration
  33. Community Resources Educational Tools Campaign
  34. Community Weatherization Coalition-Saving Money and Resources for Neighbors in Need
  35. Continuing Education for Certified Pesticide Applicators
  36. Consider Herbs Community Engagement
  37. Control your Cancer Diagnosis
  38. Conversations in the Neighborhood
  39. COVID-19 Mitigation Effects Research
  40. Ceating Content for Pest Management Education Internship
  41. Cross-Linguistic Low-Resource Dependency Parsing
  42. Crossing Borders through Conversation Volunteer Recruitment
  43. Cultivating Healthy Communities through Faith and Agriculture
  44. Cultivating Rural-Urban Community Connections
  45. Data Management in Multi-Scaling Modelling Efforts
  46. Design and Expand Children’s Garden
  47. Developing Curriculum for an Online Insect Toxicology Course
  48. Developing Honeybee & Beekeeping Extension Books
  49. Developing Intervention Manual for Home Health Rehabilitation Therapists
  50. Developing and Evaluating Gender and Age Needs Assessment Response to Horticulture Programs
  51. Developing Water Quality/Quantity Extension Educational Program
  52. Diaper Distribution Program
  53. Discovering the Glades: School-Based 4-H Programming
  54. Disparities in Diagnosis and Diagnostics in Autism Spectrum Disorder
  55. Douglass Center Oral History Project
  56. Economic Disparities in Oncology
  57. Economic Value of Water: Evidence from Housing Markets
  58. Engaging Farmers in Climate-smart Agriculture through Virtual Extension Programs
  59. Environmental Economics Online
  60. Environmental Persistence of Viruses
  61. Establishing the Psychometric Properties of a Novel Toe Strength Measurement Device Research
  62. Ethics in the Public Sphere
  63. Ethnoecology Garden
  64. Evaluation of Mobility Assistive Devices, Such as Canes, Crutches, and Walkers
  65. Evaluation of Vegetable and Fruit Freshness Via Machine Learning
  66. Evaluation Program of the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
  67. Evaluation Study of Mental Health Services for Expecting Mothers
  68. Eye-Tracking Driving and Vulnerable Road Users
  69. Extension Agriculture Research & Publication
  70. Extension Food Preservation
  71. Family Resource Management
  72. First Time Homebuyer Education and Research
  73. Family Resource Management
  74. Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Livestock Systems
  75. Feeding Youth & Families through Agriculture & Outreach Internship
  76. Florida AgrAbility: Disabilities in Rural Communities
  77. Florida Farmworker Health Screening and Education Program
  78. Florida Saves
  79. Florida Well Owner Network
  80. Foodborne Viruses in Food and Environment
  81. Founderbridge Accelerator Mastermind
  82. Gator Hatchery
  83. Gene Therapy Treatments in Rare Genetic Diseases
  84. Genetic Testing Done Equitably and Sustainably
  85. Graham Civic Scholars
  86. GNV Bridge Literacy Program
  87. Health Education and Training Center
  88. Health Extension and Community Focused Research
  89. Health Promotion and Cancer Risk Reduction via Extension
  90. Healthstreet
  91. Healthy Brain and Child Development Study
  92. Healthy Habits
  93. Hibiscus Sabdariffa, An Alternative Crop for
  94. History of the Black Experience in Alachua County
  95. Honeybee Education and Outreach
  96. Household Level Food Waste: A Citizen Science and Modeling Approach
  97. How Motivations, Values, and Success Impact International Service-Learning
  98. Human Milk Metabolomics & Microbe-Host Interactions Associated with Pediatric Obesity
  99. Human Systems Interactions in Health Information Technology
  100. Identify Genetic Basis of Quality Traits Through Gene Editing and Machine Learning Approaches
  101. I Gotcha Back (IGB): Mentoring Programming, Evaluation, and Accounting
  102. Impact of Habitat Fragmentation on Mosquito Composition and Functional Traits
  103. Impact of Microbiome on Insect Behavior and Response to Xenobiotics
  104. Impact of In2Care Traps on Mosquito Populations
  105. Improving Cervical Cancer Outcomes Globally
  106. Improving Survival for Children with Cancer in Latin America
  107. Improving The Safety and Quality of Healthcare that Patient’s Receive
  108. Insightful Analysis Solutions
  109. Innovative Education
  110. InSciStemify Internship
  111. Integration of AI & CRISPR Approaches in Postharvest Biology of Vegetables & Fruits
  112. Integrated Food Waste Management through Agent-Based Modeling
  113. International Youth Development Service-Learning Study Abroad Program
  114. Investigating Support Interventions for Patients at Home Research
  115. Just Income Gainesville
  116. Justice League Internship
  117. Kokomo Farms Sustainability
  118. Latin American and Caribbean Specials Collections
  119. Launching A VIBE – KidzHack
  120. Learning Support Services for Graduate Students
  121. Livestock Innovation Lab Feed the Future
  122. Machine Learning and Geospatial Analysis of Quantifying Benefits to Health and Wellbeing Research
  123. Machine Learning for Physical Activity and Stress Recognition Using Wearable Devices
  124. Making It Your Own and Disadvantages Citizens
  125. Meeting the People Where They are: Social Media Campaign
  126. Metabolic Mechanisms of Neurotransmitter Dysregulation in Cognitive Aging
  127. Microbiome Discovery Research in Insects
  128. Mosquitos and Community Health Research in Gainesville, Florida
  129. MusicGNV
  130. Nature and Nurture
  131. Natural Hair Headquarters Internship & Research Project
  132. Natural Resources Extension & Outreach to Hispanic Communities
  133. Nicotinamide Riboside to Enhance Exercise Therapy in Hypertensive Older Adults
  134. Nurses’ Current Use of Electronic Health Records & Documentation Burden in Acute and Critical Care
  135. One Health
  136. Ordway-Swisher Biological Station User Experience Design
  137. Oncologiucal Outcomes of Robotic Pancreatic Surgery
  138. Pathogenesis Research Insect Infection and Climate Change
  139. Parasites, Behavior and Community Ecology
  140. Partner Violence, Substance Abuse, and Use of HIV Preventative Healthcare Services among Women in Florida
  141. Peace and Self Empowerment with M.A.M.A.’s Club
  142. Perinatal Outcomes – Breastfeeding and Maternal Health Disparities
  143. Pharmacological Characterization of Kratom Alkaloids in Vivo and in Vitro
  144. Plastic Surgery Post-Operative Outcomes Based on Surgical Facility Type
  145. Pleasant Street Historical Research
  146. Predictors of Heart Failure Rehospitalization using One Florida and Artificial Intelligence for Nuclear Stress Correlation
  147. Predicting Soil Health Properties with Infrared Spectroscopy
  148. Program for Resource Efficient Flood Resilient Communities
  149. Project CONTINUITY
  150. Promoting Cost-Share Programs for Land Conservation
  151. Psychometric Properties of a Portable Toe Strength Measurement Device
  152. Rainbow Kids in Red America
  153. Read a Recipe for Literacy and Food Safety
  154. Reading Pals
  155. Reanimating African American Oral Histories
  156. Rare Genetic Disease Gene Therapy
  157. Reducing the Post-Harvest Loss of Quinoa
  158. Renal Snack Development and Dietary Intake
  159. Research in Improving the Active Learning Program
  160. Respect my Life: Exploring Qualities, Abilities and Achievements throught the Use of Mind Mapping
  161. Riding a Virtual Horse
  162. Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery
  163. Pre-Clinical Efficacy Assessment of Kratom Alkaloids as a Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
  164. Prevalence of Chagas Disease and Other Comorbidities among Individuals from Latin America in Florida
  165. Renal Snack Development and Dietary Intake
  166. Respect Me Project Internship & Research Project
  167. Riding a Virtual Horse
  168. Role of Sleep in Alzheimer’s Disease
  169. Sarcoidosis and ILD Registry/Clinical Trials Research
  170. Seminole County 4-H Volunteer Engagement
  171. Social Influence Strategies during a Web-based Tobacco Prevention Program for Adolescents
  172. Social-Economic Impacts of a Novel Unregulated Contaminant Research
  173. Soil Color as an Indicator of Soil Health
  174. Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
  175. Southern Legal Council Public Relations Development & Social Media
  176. Respect Me Project Internship & Research Project
  177. Social-Economic Impacts of a Novel Unregulated Contaminant Research
  178. Spatial Data Science for Quantifying Environmental Benefits to Human Society Research
  179. Sports, Business and the Environment
  180. Strategic Collaboration for Engagement and Outreach
  181. Studying Alcohol’s Effects on Antecedents of Sexual Aggression via Remote Alcohol Administration
  182. Spreading Awareness of Chagas Disease
  183. Studying the Salinity Stress Effect in Common Beans
  184. Supporting Environmental Education
  185. Sustainability and Sports
  186. SWAG Neighborhood and Connections
  187. SwampBots Community-Driven Robotics Pilot
  188. Symbiosis and Agricultural Sustainability
  189. The Circular Nature of COVID-19
  190. Thrive 25: Help a Gator Intervention to Test the Connections between Diet, Mental Health, and Saliva Microbiomes
  191. Trauma, Resilience, Research, and Education Lab 
  192. UF Center for the Humanities and the Public Sphere
  193. UF Center of Excellence for Lactation and Breastfeeding
  194. UF Green Sports Internship
  195. UFHealth Cancer Center Office of Community Outreach & Engagement Internship
  196. UF/IFAS Extension Central District Water Matters Project
  197. UF/IFAS Extension Demonstration Garden
  198. UF/IFAS Health Extension Program
  199. UF IFAS Extension Waste Reduction
  200. UF IFAS Extension Horticulture Program
  201. Uncovering Parasite Biodiversity
  202. Understanding Barriers and Facilitators of Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment from Rural Kenyan Women Research
  203. Understanding Barriers to Lactation among Black and African American
  204. Understanding Obesity and Hypertension During Pregnancy using Electronic Health Records
  205. Understanding the Transmission, Control, and Impact of COVID-19 from a Mathematical/Dynamical Systems and Economic Perspective
  206. Understanding the Value of Self Care Using Social Media
  207. Urban Greenspace Exploration: Mapping, Policy Analysis, and Biodiversity
  208. Usability of a Robotic Companion to Promote Mobility and Independence of Older Adults
  209. Using Extended Reality in Healthcare Nontechnical Skills Training
  210. Vena Cava
  211. Visual Dysfunction in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease
  212. Walls Public Art Project
  213. Wearable Devices for Sleep and Activity Tracking Research
  214. Web Development and Social Media
  215. Web Development for Non-Profits
  216. When Conservation Meets Housing Affordability: The Socio-Economic Impacts of Wetland Regulation
  217. Why We Walk
  218. Wilmot Botanical Gardens Research
  219. Women’s Networking Conference
  220. Woodland Park Boys and Girls Club
  221. Xtraordinary JOY! Masquerade Ball
  222. Youth Financial Literacy Google Site
  223. Zinc Reearch in Human Nutrition