URCC Peer Research Mentors

What is a peer research mentoring group?

A peer research mentoring group is of a small group of undergraduates who want to get involved in research or are already involved. Each group is facilitated by experienced undergraduate peer research mentors.

  1. Attend a Peer Mentor workshop. Featuring sessions on Finding a Research Mentor & Developing a Research Question and Balancing Research with Other Commitments & Time Management.
  2. Complete the 2024-2025 URCC Peer Research Mentoring Group Interest Form to join a group in Fall 2024.
  3. View the URCC Peer Research Mentoring video (see above).

What are the areas that I can get help with?

  • Identify your research interests
  • Learn to approach potential mentors about research opportunities
  • Start strong in your research or creative project
  • Secure funding or academic credit for your research, and more!

What research support is provided?

  • Regular group meetings with your mentors and other undergraduates interested in research
  • Weekly drop-in advising hour with your mentors to ask questions
  • Workshops and interactive discussions on undergraduate research opportunities, skills, funding, and strategies

Sign up for the URCC newsletter and weekly mailing to receive updates about the program.

2024-2025 Undergraduate Peer Research Mentors

Ava Towle
Ava Towle
Undergraduate Peer Research Mentor

Major: Biology, Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP)

Ava (class of '26) is double majoring in Biology and Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP).  She is a member of the Garrity lab, where she studies how fruit flies and mosquitoes detect and respond to changes in temperature and other sensory stimuli.

Maya Katz
Maya Katz
Undergraduate Peer Research Mentor

Major: Neuroscience 

Maya is from New Jersey and a junior majoring in Neuroscience and Biology. She currently works in the Sengupta Lab, where she is studying olfactory behavior in C. elegans

Annetta Venford
Annetta Venford
Undergraduate Peer Research Mentor

Major: Neuroscience and Health: Science, Society, and Policy (HSSP), English

Annetta is currently an undergraduate junior pursuing neuroscience, with minors in English and HSSP. She is interested in memory and early development, and specifically how those areas relate to depression and emotional regulation, and is currently working as an undergraduate research assistant in the CoPE Lab.

Male figure looking to his right, standing in front of rocks
Danny DeMilia
Undergraduate Peer Research Mentor

Major: Environmental Studies, Health: Science, Society, and Policy

Minor: Anthropology

Danny is a senior from New Jersey, double-majoring in Environmental Studies and Health: Science, Society, and Policy. His research interests focus on how the Earth's ecosystems and human health are impacted by anthropogenic activities. He also has experience conducting marine chemistry research outside of Brandeis for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

female smile at camera
Sunan Sun
Undergraduate Peer Research Mentor

 Major: Psychology and Education Studies

Sunan is a senior double-majoring in Psychology and Education Studies. She currently works in the CoPE Lab, focusing her research on metacognitive beliefs and internalizing symptoms. Sunan is experienced with research funding applications, project pre-registration, and data analysis using R.

Girl smile to camera, wearing sunglasses and with short hair
Aviva Gornick 
Undergraduate Peer Research Mentor

Major: Sociology, Politics