Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity

Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) is hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences and is open to all students of Ashland University. The main goal of URCA is to promote collaboration among faculty and students to create projects that extend beyond the classroom.

URCA's banner event, the annual URCA Symposium, is held each spring. The symposium provides students with an exclusive opportunity to share their work with peers, professors and members of the community. Symposium projects showcase a wide range of scholarly and creative experiences, as participants present projects from the fine arts, the humanities, the social sciences and the natural sciences. Examples of past projects include:

• “Birth Order, Family Size and Anxiety in Adolescents” (psychology)
• “An Anti-Myth for Immigration: Revelation, Embrace, Love” (religion)
• “Application to Assist the Visually Impaired and Hearing Impaired” (computer science)
• “The Utility of NATO as an Instrument of Peace” (political science)
• “Spin to Win – A Statistical Approach to Roulette Wheels” (computer science)
• “Predatory Mites: Eco-Friend or Foe?” (biology)
• “Brand Identity and Product Package Design” (art)
• “Substituted Imidazoles as Potential Anti-Cancer Agents” (chemistry)

Stay informed on URCA’s latest research by following the URCA Blog or by viewing the pages linked below:

• 2025 URCA Symposium Call for Abstracts
• 2025 URCA Schedule
• Printable 2025 Abstract Booklet