For 20 years, Clemson University’s Creative Inquiry Program has given tens of thousands of students the opportunity to work alongside faculty in conducting research and solving problems. CI provides a unique combination of experiential learning and cross-disciplinary interactions in student-driven, team-based research projects. More than 4,000 students across Clemson’s colleges participate in CI every year in a variety of projects. Here are just a few examples.
Camera Traps in Animal Ecology
DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
Students design, implement and report on investigations into animal ecology while minimizing their impact on those animals by using camera traps. The cameras collect data on the locations and habits of animals, including deer, black bears and bobcats in the Carolinas. Students then work with mentors to analyze the data and report their findings.
Enhancing Quality of Life in Assisted-Living Facilities
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
How can the landscape enhance quality of life? Students work with the Institute for Engaged Aging and arborists from Trees Upstate to create a master tree planting plan for senior living facilities to enhance residents’ quality of life through exposure to nature, interior planting and “daylighting” of interior living spaces.
Bringing Public Art to Campus
DEPARTMENT OF ART
This long-running project seeks to bring the work of nationally recognized artists to Clemson’s main campus. Students administrate, and the community selects artwork that is intellectually engaging and will prompt discourse in a variety of locations, from “wind trees” located outside of McAlister Hall to going “all in” with a football-shaped sculpture outside of the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex.
Working with Global Consulting Firms on Industry Problems
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT
Students from a variety of majors get real-world experience in business consulting by working under the mentorship of representatives from global consulting firms Deloitte, Grant Thornton, PwC and Thought Logic. Students take on a business problem posed by a local company, such as implementing a new enterprise resource planning system in a merger or analyzing growth and financial constraints for a lumber business.
Using Wearable Devices to Enhance Driver Safety
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY
How can wearable devices such as smartwatches and smart glasses be safely integrated into driving to enhance driver experience? Students design user interfaces for wearable devices and conduct human subjects research using a driving simulator to test whether these devices can positively impact driving performance and user experience.
Exploring the Impact of Place-Based Outdoor Education
DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
How much does getting outside of the classroom help K-12 learners? In this project, future teachers are looking at the impact of educational experiences outside of the classroom, exploring the ways nature can elevate curricula and investigating effective practices in implementing outdoor learning through the lens of place.
Health Care Logistics, Data and Decision-Making in Hospitals
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING
Students work with doctors, nurses and other staff at Prisma Health in Greenville, South Carolina, on collecting data and developing models to improve processes in areas such as capacity planning, staff well-being and decision-making in health care delivery.
Microbes All Around Us
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
They’re everywhere, and they can greatly affect our health. Microbes are in the water we drink and the food we eat, and they even live on and inside of us. This team investigates the ways bacteria can affect humans through a variety of experiments, from looking at how microbes manipulate bile composition in the host to understanding how artificial sweeteners impact the microbes in the gut.
