PURSUE LAS is a program at the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences with the goal of expanding access to transformative undergraduate research experiences. It supports both established programs and new initiatives that connect students with faculty-led discoveries.
The program helps to meet the growing demand in LAS and sustain high-impact programs that build intellectual curiosity, academic confidence, and a strong foundation for students’ future paths.
Proposals can be submitted by LAS departments, schools, units, faculty, and campus partner units. Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are also encouraged. This year, 17 projects received more than $250,000 in total.
This year, the Econ Data Lab was one of the projects selected:
Econ Data Lab
Daniela Alonso Fontes (economics) submitted a lab that would provide hands-on, team-based research experiences in applied economic data analysis, where undergraduates work collaboratively to develop and answer original research questions using real-world datasets. Students build technical, analytical, and leadership skills while gaining experience across the full research process—from data cleaning and modeling to presenting findings—preparing them for careers and advanced study.