The shift to online in March didn’t just affect classroom instruction or student activities. Faculty research – much of which involves community partners, human subjects, labwork, focus groups, and interviews – also shifted in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some researchers were able to continue their work online, while others had to press pause on their projects.
With North Carolina now in Phase 2: Safer at Home, some research projects have been able to slowly and safely resume data collection – complete with masks, social distance, and a variety of other safety procedures. But for many faculty, research has become a primarily online, remote practice, requiring more creativity and flexibility than ever before.