Project and Position Details: This undergraduate research fellowship offers a student the opportunity to work with University Housing & Dining staff on a project focused on improving food allergy safety in campus dining. The Fellow will help evaluate allergy swab kits used to detect allergens on food and food-contact surfaces, examining how effective and practical these tools are in a large-scale dining environment. Through hands-on testing, review of documentation, and a brief literature review, the student will assess ease of use, testing outcomes, and potential benefits for student health and safety, while contributing to data-informed decision-making around dining operations.

The first semester will include a literature review and comparison of different allergen testing methods through hands-on testing and data collection. The second semester will focus on selecting a testing method, collecting data, and developing an allergen testing protocol for use in the residence hall Market Places.