One of the most prominent research institutions in the country, NYU is known for its extensive body of scholarly work across disciplines. While lab assistant jobs and summer research positions are highly sought after, the university’s dozens of student research journals — many of which are run by undergraduate students — offer a unique opportunity to get your essays peer-reviewed, edited and published in an academic setting. These four journals, spanning from art history to neuroscience, are just a few examples of the many student-focused, academic publications at NYU bringing professional experiences and valuable research opportunities to the student body.
Ink & Image
Department of Art History, College of Arts & Science
As the official student-run journal of the Department of Art History, Ink & Image’s research is centered around art history and theory, architecture and urban design. The journal, founded in 2008, publishes a digital and print issue every spring — this year’s issue, which is the publication’s 17th edition and will be released later this week, explores “change as a constant yet evolving force in artistic practice” throughout global history. The issue’s long-form academic papers discuss a range of topics, from modern public transportation and urban planning policies to medieval literature and its relationship to nature. Like many student research journals, Ink & Image aims to engage students in scholarly discussion and cultivate new perspectives, particularly based in art history research. In past issues, the journal has highlighted critiques and analyses of the evolution of art history, along with its role in contemporary issues. Ink & Image’s editorial board applications close tonight, but all undergraduate students are welcome to apply and submit their papers for upcoming issues.
Grey Matters Journal
Center of Neural Science, CAS
First created by University of Washington students in 2015, Grey Matters is a national neuroscience organization with student journals across seven universities. Threading together both STEM and humanities disciplines, Grey Matters seeks to explore neural topics in broader cultural contexts. Its NYU chapter, which publishes online and physical issues every fall and spring, employs student writers, editors and artists. Each position strengthens students’ skills while enhancing their knowledge in neuroscience, as they receive mentoring from other undergraduate students. Its latest fall issue features detailed student artwork alongside research on topics ranging from the science behind laughter, the neural impacts of childhood trauma and much more.
Esferas
Department of Spanish and Portuguese, CAS
Esferas, which means “sphere” in Spanish and Portuguese, is an annual peer-reviewed student publication highlighting Hispanic and Luso life in New York City and beyond. From photography and artwork to essays and creative writing, the journal utilizes different forms of multimedia and prose to explore different cultural themes. Its current issue — “Cuerpos en la historia: habitar espacios,” or “Bodies in History: Inhabiting Spaces” — features papers in both English and Spanish and dives into concepts of social geography and displacement and our relationships with the places we inhabit. Esferas accepts submissions from May to January for each of its annual publications. Past issues have centered around themes of climate change, social injustice, immigration, race and identity.
Journal of Public Health Disasters
School of Global Public Health
Focused on publishing current research on issues related to public health disasters, the Journal of Public Health Disasters aims to create awareness and scholarly discussions within the field of public health. The journal, founded in 2021, opens space for students to present their academic work and discussions on public health crises, focusing on evidence-based practices within public health disaster management. The journal has published various student essays, case studies, summaries of research development, reports and interviews from faculty, staff and alumni from GPH. While its physical copies mostly contain student research and reports, its website updates every month with journal articles related to updates on current news in public health, resources for students regarding career development and lab publications on present-day case studies. Students can join by applying to their editorial team, where they get hands-on training from GPH faculty.
Contact Mariana Arboleda at [email protected].