Undergraduate Research Assistant – Dr. Hooman Saeli, Department of English, Intersection of GenAI and IMRaD in Academic Writing

Position information: 

Dr. Hooman Saeli is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented undergraduate student to join his research team as a Research Assistant (RA). This position offers an exciting opportunity to assist with a project exploring the intersection of Generative AI (GenAI) tools—such as ChatGPT—and academic writing, with a specific focus on the IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion) genre. The result of this collaboration may lead to several coauthored scholarly publications and conference presentations. 

The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in both artificial intelligence and academic writing, with familiarity in using GenAI tools like ChatGPT. The RA will support the project by conducting literature reviews, summarizing scholarly articles, synthesizing existing research, assisting with data collection, and helping recruit student participants for studies, among others. Note that the funding for this RAship is provided by the Faculty Research Assistants Funding Award (FRAF). 

Key responsibilities: 

• Conduct literature reviews on Generative AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) and their impact on academic writing, particularly the IMRaD genre
• Summarize and synthesize key findings from scholarly articles
• Assist in identifying gaps in current research and contribute to developing research questions
• Help recruit student participants for surveys and other data collection methods
• Support the preparation of research presentations, papers, and reports
• Collaborate with the research team to ensure project deadlines are met

Requirements: 

• FRAF funded students are required to present their research at either Discovery Day (fall) or EUReCA (spring) within a year of completing their FRAF position.
• FRAF students must fully participate in the Canvas course hosted by our office during the term(s) of the award.
• FRAF students must attend at least one research workshop of their choice offered by the Office of Undergraduate Research & Fellowships https://studentsuccess.utk.edu/urf/getting-started/helpful-resources/seminar-series/
• FRAF students funded by this program are required to meet with URF staff to discuss future undergraduate research and fellowships opportunities.  
  Students may not hold multiple grants from our office simultaneously (your FRAF student is not eligible for AURA or DRA within the same semester as their FRAF; they are eligible before or after the FRAF semester).

Qualifications: 

• Current undergraduate student (for AY 2025-2026) in English, Linguistics, or any related field
• Familiarity with GenAI tools, such as ChatGPT, and how they are used in academic contexts.
• Understanding of and experience in academic writing, particularly the IMRaD structure, is preferred
• Experience with academic research, literature reviews, or data collection is a plus but not required.

Compensation: 

• Up to $1500.00 per semester ($3000 total and a rate of $15.00 per hour, approximately 200 hours total) in direct payroll pay and cover fringe benefits
• Part-time employment for the Fall of 2025 and the Spring of 2026: August 18 and December 12 for Fall and January 20 and May 15 for Spring
• While students can hold more than one campus job simultaneously, students cannot work more than 20 hours per week combined. We also do not allow students to hold multiple grants from our office simultaneously (FRAF student is not eligible for AURA or DRA within the same semester as their FRAF; they are eligible before or after the FRAF semester).

Application process: 

Interested and qualified students must submit a 1-2 page letter of interest discussing their interest in the topic and qualifications for this position. Please email your letters to Dr. Hooman Saeli at hsaeli@utk.edu by Friday, August 15, 2025.