Congratulations to CU Geography undergraduate Anila Narayana! She was awarded an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) Individual Grant for the Summer 2021 term to work on the project “Food for Thought: Examining Intersections between Urban Gardening, Mental Health, and Food Insecurity During the COVID-19 Pandemic” under the mentorship of Azita Ranjbar. Anila will receive a stipend to support her work.
The aim of this research is to determine how participation in urban gardens impacts food insecurity and mental health in underserved Denver communities, as well as understand spatial patterns between food deserts and mental health services in the area.
CU Boulder has a rich culture for cultivating undergraduates as emerging scholars, artists and practicing researchers. UROP provides consultation services, workshops, and grants to promote undergraduate research as a high-impact learning practice for student success. Each year UROP funds hundreds of students who produce new knowledge and creative work with CU's world-class faculty. For more information see the CU Boulder Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program page.