SPARK Projects

Faculty Mentor: Zachary Bishop, Museum Studies, zbishop@aurora.edu

George Williams College had historical archives documenting the college’s Lake Geneva campus, as well as its former campuses in Hyde Park and Downers Grove. This project involves researching and evaluating the existing GWC document collections and making recommendations to the President’s Office on which materials should be added to the AU archives, which ones should be donated to other archives/museums, and which ones should be given to GWC alumni. I am also sifting through a great deal of unsorted materials and adding them to existing collections. In addition, many of the GWC collections need to be rehoused in archival folders and boxes or digitized.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Researching people, organizations, events, and programs associated with the history of George Williams College to understand materials and collections
• Cataloging materials and collections using Excel spreadsheets
• Creating archival finding aids for collections to help facilitate access
• Rehousing collections in archival folders and boxes
• Digitizing materials using an archival scanner

This project is a good fit for students who are:

• Detail-oriented
• Interested in history
• Motivated by hands-on, experiential learning

Faculty Mentor: Richard Boniak, Biology, rboniak@aurora.edu

As success rates of the growth of Leafy Prairie Clover in the greenhouse have been poor by both our partners and in past AU research, we will be developing better techniques for seedling establishment in the greenhouse. Students will conduct research on multiple ways to be successful in growing the plant in the greenhouse so they can be transferred to the field. In field establishment, we will try to determine what physical or chemicals properties of the soil, landscape formation, or seed dispersal allows Leafy Prairie Clover to be successful in establishment outside the current population.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Grow seed plugs in the greenhouse using a variety of methods
• Collect and analyze data
• Conduct soil analysis of established and non-established sites
• Determine and analyze seed dispersal in the field

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Have an interest in plants and soil research
• Have an interest in field, greenhouse, and lab analysis
• Enjoy the natural world
• Like to combine knowledge and data to come up with an analysis of the challenge

Faculty Mentor: Christina Bruhn, Social Work, cbruhn@aurora.edu

Students may contribute to several ongoing projects. The largest is an evaluation of an after-school program, which produced a longitudinal dataset spanning approximately 14 years that remains only partially analyzed. Students may help explore these de-identified data to answer new questions and generate findings. Students may also contribute to an active evaluation of an arrest deflection program, where data collection could still be in progress. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Brandon Kooi and students working with him. In addition, students may engage in research for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), supporting report development, reviewing findings, and attending selected meetings. These projects provide opportunities to gain hands-on experience with both qualitative and quantitative research methods in multiple social science contexts.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Obtain and read scientific literature to write and edit literature reviews
• Attend and observe interviews with research subjects
• Analyze and visually represent quantitative data using SPSS and/or Excel (with help!)
• Assist with coding and summary of qualitative data
• Program surveys into SurveyMonkey
• Contribute to writing sections of reports or presentations
• Attend and present at the Student Research Symposium

This project is a great fit for students who:

• Are interested in conducting social science research
• Interested in learning to expand existing research initiatives
• Want to understand basic research design and contribute to the process

Faculty Mentor: Gerald Butters, History, gbutters@aurora.edu

I have written a book entitled "Censoring the City: Chicago, Morality, and the Politics of Cinema, 1895-1920" which will be published by Wayne State University Press in 2026. I am working on a follow-up book which will cover the period 1920-1983. Chicago had the first governmental film censorship board in the nation, originating in 1907, and one of the longest, finally dissolving in 1983. I am specifically working on a chapter now that concerns three categories of film from 1940-1960: Spanish-language films, foreign films (usually European), and exploitation films. I need to figure out if they were banned or censored by the Chicago Board of Censorship, whether there were legal issues with their exhibition, where they were exhibited, what the reaction was from fans and the press, and the impact that they had on the community.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Research online newspaper archives
• Translate Spanish film titles and publicity, if proficient in Spanish

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Enjoy historical research
• Are interested in movies
• Work well with detail

Faculty Mentor: Heather Crapo, Physical Science/Chemistry, hcrapo@aurora.edu

This project involves developing a dataset to train AI systems that can assist students and instructors in chemistry lab settings. The training data will include clear, practical guidance on the use, setup, and maintenance of common laboratory equipment and instrumentation, as well as strategies for troubleshooting problems that frequently arise during experiments. By anticipating the types of questions students typically encounter, the dataset will allow an AI assistant to provide timely and accurate support, reducing lab downtime and improving the learning experience. The ultimate goal is to create a resource that strengthens student confidence and independence in the lab, while also serving as a helpful tool for instructors managing multiple groups and complex experiments.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Reviewing lab manuals and compiling common equipment use and troubleshooting steps
• Drafting clear question-and-answer pairs for AI training
• Organizing data into structured formats like spreadsheets
• Testing existing AI responses for accuracy and clarity
• Gathering feedback from peers on lab challenges
• Creating simple troubleshooting flowcharts
• Identifying gaps in current instructional materials

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Have great attention to detail
• Have clear communication skills
• Are curious
• Have a problem-solving mindset

Faculty Mentor: Greg Goalwin, Sociology, ggoalwin@aurora.edu

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the US. Its popularity has encouraged countless people to pick up the game, many of whom have never played sports before. Yet for every enthusiast, it seems there is an equal amount of controversy. Pickleballers have clashed with tennis players over court space, with neighbors over disruptive behavior and the game’s noise, and with each other as the pickleball industry gets off the ground. This project will explore the rapid rise of pickleball and its impact on social life. We’ll study why and how the game has grown so swiftly. What can the game’s popularity tell us about our society? We’ll also dig into the many controversies pickleball has sparked: why have some sectors of society been so hostile to the game’s rise? Ultimately, we’ll explore how something as seemingly insignificant as a game can shape our social understandings of aging, gender, health, politics, property values, land use, and what we want our neighborhoods to look like.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Researching the history of sports organizations
• Interviewing players, homeowners, and local officials
• Analyzing interview data
• Constructing hypotheses about the social impact of sports and recreation

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Are curious about the world around them
• Are interested in sports, recreation, local governance, health, aging, gender, or social problems
• Are excited to learn about new things

Faculty Mentor: Meredith Harvey and Bridgitte Barclay, English and First Year Experience, mharvey@aurora.edu and bbarclay@aurora.edu

The first-year curriculum involves both curricular (IDS 1***) and co-curricular (SOAR, Welcome Weekend, and Spartan Connections) components. This project will involve researching and developing best practices, activities, assignments, delivery modes of content, and access to/representation of associated campus resources (Crouse Center, Academic Resource Center, Wellness Center, Schingoethe Center, Wackerlin Center, and Career Services). The development of content for Brightspace shared instructor pages, as well as shared content for sections will be part of the process.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Assist with creating, gathering, and analyzing surveys and focus group feedback
• Research first year curriculum models
• Help develop shared course content
• Collaborate with individuals and organizations on campus and in the community

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Are interested in curriculum development
• Have strong organizational skills
• Are creative thinkers
• Are comfortable using Brightspace or other classroom technologies
• Like interacting with other people

Faculty Mentor: Brandon Kooi, Criminal Justice, bkooi@aurora.edu

Students may have the opportunity to contribute to several ongoing research projects. Students will be asked to contribute to an active evaluation of a Kane County arrest diversion program, where data collection could still be in progress. This project is in collaboration with Dr. Christina Bruhn (Social Work) and students working with her. Students will be asked to assist in a book publication that is in progress, analyzing historical murder cases and crime data locally. Students will be asked to assist in researching Kane County initiatives to institutionalize mediation within its problem-solving court programs.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Obtain and read social science literature to write and edit literature reviews
• Conduct archival research
• Attend and observe interviews with research subjects
• Analyze and visually represent quantitative data using SPSS and/or Excel
• Assist with coding and summary of qualitative data
• Program surveys into SurveyMonkey
• Contribute to writing sections of reports or presentations
• Attend and present at Student Research Symposium

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Are interested in conducting social science research
• Are interested in learning to expand existing research initiatives
• Want to understand basic research design and contribute to the process

Faculty Mentor: Zebuline Koran, Nursing, zkoran@aurora.edu

I am researching the level of resilience nursing students have from semester to semester and after their first year. I am also very interested in the concept of impostor syndrome in students, particularly first generation. I would love help to investigate it and see if there is merit to do a study on it. If so, students will help with the IRB (Institutional Review Board) proposal.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Conduct a literature review for relevant research
• Look for a tool for assessing impostor syndrome
• Assist with the IRB proposal
• Develop the survey

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Are interested in health sciences
• Have great attention to detail
• Like to learn

Faculty Mentor: David Lash, Computer Science, dlash@aurora.edu

Students will develop WordPress websites for AU clubs and external clients, learning technical implementation alongside professional client management. AU clubs serve as initial clients since they need professional websites but often lack technical resources. Students gain realistic project experience while clubs receive valuable services. External clients like nonprofits can provide additional complexity. Each partnership requires formal agreements outlining scope, deliverables, and timelines. Students learn requirement gathering and expectation management while clients understand educational constraints. Students handle complete lifecycles: planning, development, testing, and deployment. They work with hosting environments, manage databases, and troubleshoot server issues. Weekly status meetings develop professional communication skills. Students practice explaining technical concepts, estimate timelines, and address scope changes, mirroring real project management.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Learn Wordpress
• Develop needs statements
• Meet with clients
• Summarize results
• Deploy code

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Are interested in web development
• Want to work with clients
• Are interested in computer science
• Are interested in coding in html

Faculty Mentor: Natasha Ritsma, Museum Studies, nritsma@aurora.edu

In the Spring of 2026, the Schingoethe Center will be hosting "Mapping Terriotories," a Mexican print exhibition. Students will work on developing educational materials, tours, workshops, and programs for AU students and the broader Fox Valley community, including elementary school students.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Research and develop educational materials and activities for a variety of audiences
• Design printmaking workshops and projects
• Create marketing materials to publicize the exhibition to the broader community
• Translate materials into Spanish and give Spanish language tours, if proficient in Spanish

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Are interested in art
• Enjoy interacting with people
• Are interested in education, marketing, or museum studies

Faculty Mentor: Mark Soderstrom, History, msoderst@aurora.edu

This book project explores how Russia’s place in Asia was refashioned in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as Russia’s rulers and their servitors worked to bring “enlightenment” to Siberia while its writers incorporated Siberia into the narratives they wrote for Russia’s nascent reading public. The book uses a teacher-student friendship as a window on topics of space and place, education, imperial rule, interethnic relations, and the development of national narratives. The teacher, Peter Slovtsov (1767-1843), and student, Ivan Kalashnikov (1797-1863), were respectively Siberia’s first native-born historian and novelist. They were also imperial officials whose rich archival trail—decades of correspondence, official papers, childhood sketches, dream logs, and more—is a fascinating prism through which key topics in Eurasian history take on unexpected hues.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Reading chapters for clarity
• Discussing feedback
• Suggesting revisions

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Read for fun
• Are interested in writing
• Are interested in Russian history

Faculty Mentor: Chris Wells, Parks and Recreation Leadership, cwells@aurora.edu

I am using a drone and a 360-degree camera to document the progress being made on environmental restoration and park improvement projects. The aerial and 360-degree photos are useful for providing progress updates to project funders and they help facilitate recruiting project funders and volunteers. This interdisciplinary project aligns with the National Recreation and Park Association’s goal of stewarding and expanding healthier parks and natural spaces for current and future generations.

Possible tasks for SPARK fellows:

• Use a drone and 360-degree camera to take weekly photos of changes taking place at the site
• Upload drone and 360-degree photos to a cloud drive
• Log drone and 360-degree photo characteristics (file name, date, location, subject) in a spreadsheet
• Write short weekly reports about which areas and subjects were photographed

This project is a good fit for students who:

• Enjoy spending time outdoors
• Are interested in learning about ways that technology can be used to understand the natural environment
• Are interested in doing field-based research