Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Committee

The URCI Committee works collaboratively to identify resources, programs and strategies to support and strengthen a culture that advances scholarly inquiry at Towson University. The 2026-2027 committee members who may serve as points of contact for students and faculty in their respective colleges, are listed below. URCI Committee Bylaws

Committee Chairs:

Miranda Phair  – Publishing & Open Scholarship Librarian, Library and URCI Committee Chair

Erin Lehman, Ph.D. – Lecturer, Department of Art + Design, Art History, Art Education and Director for Holtzman & Center for the Arts Galleries and URCI Committee Vice Chair

Committee Members:

Tosin Adebayo, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Studies and Coordinator of Community Studies Undergraduate Research

Robert Blake Jr, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Elementary Education

Maria Brown, MD, EdM – Assistant Professor, Honors College

Gilbert (Zhe) Chen, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Department of History and Director of Asian Studies

Chris Chulos, Ph.D. – Dean, College of Liberal Arts 

Mary Sajini Devadas, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Chemistry & Forensic Science and Director of Competitive Fellowships and Awards

Joseph Dietrich, Ph.D – Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science

Seth Gitter, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Economics and Assistant Director of Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry

Laura Gough, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Biological Sciences and Director of Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry

Melissa Groves, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Department of Economics 

Nicolas Knuth, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Department of Kinesiology 

Ming Li, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Department of Health Sciences 

Qing Li, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Learning Technologies, Design & School Library Media

Neda Saeedloei, Ph.D. –  Associate Professor, Department of Computer & Information Sciences

Yingying Shao, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Finance

Jeffrey Simpson, Ph.D. – Professor, Department of Physics, Astronomy, & Geosciences

Jasmine Thomas – Research & Instruction Librarian, Library