The Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) program is designed to facilitate long-term
research involving large teams of faculty/staff members and students. The students
gain valuable research skills and academic credit through their participation, and
faculty are able to scale up their research through the framework provided by VIP.
VIP is an established program with sites at universities all around the world.
Key Characteristics of VIP Teams Include the Following
They are large, often involving multiple faculty and staff members, 10-20 undergraduates, multiple graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, community or organizational partners, etc. Beginning projects may start smaller than this and scale up over time.
They are interdisciplinary, involving multiple perspectives to solve big problems. The interdisciplinary perspective
often comes from the recruitment of students from diverse majors. The interdisciplinarity
may also come from having faculty investigators from diverse disciplines.
They are based in faculty research interests, which allows teams to thrive for several years and helps advance the scholarly agendas
of KSU's faculty members. Faculty bring their expertise and enthusiasm to their VIP
teams.
They are aimed at big issues in the discipline(s). Consider just a few examples from VIP programs at other institutions:
A team at Georgia Institute of Technology conducts research on thesafety of autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. They recruit students from nine different majors, including computer science, mechanical
engineering, electrical engineering, psychology, and more.
A team at Boise State University conducts research onhow to support students with disabilities. They recruit any students who are interested in the topic, with special emphasis on education, social work, sociology, psychology, and others.
We are excited to be a part of this initiative, and we invite you explore more at
this website. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact the Office
of Undergraduate Research atour@kennesaw.edu.
Explore the Possibilities
In this video, Amy Budde from KSU's Office of Undergraduate Research discusses the
resources available for students interested in research, emphasizing inclusivity and
support across disciplines. Get to know the various avenues for involvement, including
finding faculty mentors, utilizing an online listing portal, and joining the Undergraduate
Research Club. Funding options like the First Year Scholars Program and support for
conferences and materials are also available. We are dedicated to helping students
showcase their work through publications, presentations, and an annual symposium opportunities.
We encourage all students to explore further through the website or email for more
information!