As an undergraduate, Katherine Smock was able to participate in valuable research experiences, first as an intern studying reproductive health access programs and then throughout her senior thesis examining expat communities in Cuenca, Ecuador. These early opportunities to conduct ethnographic research ultimately shaped her graduate school plans.
“Experiencing what it’s like to ask useful questions and create new knowledge inspired me to get a Ph.D. and offer course-based research opportunities in the courses I teach at UCLA,” noted Smock, a current Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology.
Now she is supporting current undergraduates preparing for advanced study and future careers by teaching a research-based course for the Collegium of University Teaching Fellows (CUTF). Hosted by the UCLA Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), the annual program offers advanced doctoral students an opportunity to propose, design, and teach a unique research-based undergraduate course. Smock’s Winter 2026 course, “Researching Los Angeles’s Housing Crisis,” will guide students as they learn how to connect academic texts with public policy debates.
“Students will see and experience how the work we do here on campus — reading, research, and writing — can impact the future of our city,” she said.
In addition to expanding undergraduate access to innovative opportunities for course-based research and creative work, the CUTF program also prepares graduate students for careers in education. The courses offered by the nine fellows in 2026 will provide a valuable learning experience to their graduate student instructors as they prepare for jobs as both educators and subject-matter experts in their research fields.
“For over thirty years, this competitive program has prepared fellows to succeed in high-impact teaching careers, particularly at research-intensive institutions,” noted Beth Goodhue, Director of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Scholar Engagement at the TLC. “CUTF plays a critical role, perhaps now more than ever, in helping UCLA graduate students develop the skills to lead the universities of the future.”
Winter 2026 Collegium of University Teaching Fellows Courses
Learn more about the Winter CUTF instructors and the CUTF program
Scientific Writing for the Geosciences (English Composition 98TW)
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10–11:50 a.m. | LaKretz 101
Scientific writing is a foundational skill for success in research and academia. This course covers effective strategies for conducting literature searches, critically reviewing scientific literature, and systematically organizing research findings. Students will engage in reflective writing practices as inquiry to deepen their understanding of scientific content and research methodologies. Essential digital tools, including LaTeX, citation management, and figure/table integration, will also be introduced. Students will apply these skills to create a literature review and research proposal.
Researching Los Angeles’s Housing Crisis (Research Practice 98T)
Tuesdays and Thursdays 2–3:50 p.m., | Math Sciences 5217
Los Angeles is facing a severe housing crisis, with more than 75,000 people experiencing homelessness countywide on a given night in 2023. Why is this the case? And what can be done to fix it? This course is intended for students who are eager to explore how social science research can be applied to real-world problems. We will introduce the issues contributing to the housing crisis in Los Angeles, the conceptual tools and theories in sociology for understanding these issues, and how researchers develop studies to answer emerging questions. By the end of the quarter, students will submit a research proposal that examines a housing-related topic, including a literature review, an exploration of potential data sources, and the results of preliminary data collection.
Undergraduate enrollment opens for the Winter 2026 CUTF course offerings starting November 3 (MyUCLA priority pass enrollment appointments) and November 6 (MyUCLA first pass enrollment appointments). Please review the Registrar’s Office for additional details on course enrollment.