Faculty and Staff Grants from April and May 2020

Congratulations to the following faculty and staff members who received grants and awards in April and May 2020:

Daphne Brydon, doctoral student in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology

• Grant from the Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation for "Doctoral Dissertation Grant Program"
• Project abstract: This quantitative section will explore re-entry needs using standardized measures representing multiple life domains. The qualitative section will explore participant ideas of their re-entry needs and relevant points of intervention using an innovative qualitative life events review.

Michael Caston, professor of the practice at the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, and executive director of the Innovation Floor

Matt Gordon, professor and chair of the Department of Materials and Mechanical Engineering at the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science 

Breigh Roszelle, teaching associate professor and associate dean of undergraduate studies

at the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. 

• Grant from the Florida Institute of Technology for "Development of 'tools' for fostering entrepreneurial mindset through making"

Douglas Clements, professor and Kennedy Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Learning at the Morgridge College of Education; and co-executive director of the Marsico Institute of Early Learning and Literacy

Julie Sarama, professor and Kennedy Endowed Chair in Innovative Learning Technologies at the Morgridge College of Education and co-executive director of the Marsico Institute of Early Learning and Literacy

• Grant from Northwestern University, subaward from the National Institutes of Health for "NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox"
• Project abstract: The NIH Baby Toolbox will be a valid, normed battery of tablet-based (or scored) measures of cognition, social functioning, language (receptive and expressive), numeracy, self-regulation, executive function and potentially motor development of infants and toddlers ages 1–42 months. The Marsico Institute will confirm domains, select and/or adapt measures, and implement the final measures into a digital platform and will pilot and validate the measures. Following this, the Institute will norm the measures in a national sample.

Bradley Davidson, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical & Materials Engineering at the Ritchie School of Engineering & Computer Science and director of the Human Dynamics Laboratory

Kevin Shelburne, research professor at the Ritchie School of Engineering & Computer Science

• Grant for "Running/Endurance Performance project"

Anne DePrince, chair of the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Grant for "University of Denver Grand Challenges Initiative"

Elizabeth Escobedo, associate professor in the Department of History at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Carol Helstosky, associate professor and chair of the Department of History at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Esteban Gomez, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Megan Whitman, grants and contracts administrator in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

• Grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for "NCA's Veterans Legacy Program"
• Project abstract: The project has a number of plans in mind to continue work with the Veterans Legacy Program, with specific focus on undergraduate students, who will offer fresh perspectives in researching veterans and writing about their lives, and sharing their work with the larger community through the More Than a Headstone website and app.

Cullen Hendrix, associate professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, affiliated with the Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security & Diplomacy

• Grant from NORC at the University of Chicago, subaward from the U.S. Agency for International Development for "Promoting Agricultural Development and Food Security Amidst Conflict"
• Project abstract: This work will seek to answer the following questions: What is at stake and what is different for RFS programming as it operates in fragile and conflict affected places? What are relevant toplines on the state of knowledge on the relationship between conflict, fragility and food systems? How can the Bureau's investments be most effective in preventing conflict, working in the midst of conflict, or accelerating recovery? Include examples and food system scenarios that directly relate with RFS programming (i.e., Feed the Future, ResilienceLinks, Agrilinks)?

Nicole Herzog, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, subaward from the National Endowment for the Humanities for "Chinese Mining Heritage and History Exhibit at the Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology"
• Project abstract: This project seeks to provide this much-needed content in a format that is engaging, dynamic and links Chinese history and culture to the broader history of mining and geological exploration in Idaho. The rich and varied experiences of these intrepid people are central to the history and fabric of Idaho life. The proposed exhibit will present their stories using interactive touchscreens that highlight the lives and activities of notable figures in the Chinese mining community, by displaying archaeological objects related to the Chinese mining experience, and contextualizing the role of these communities in supporting and structuring the experiences of all in the budding frontier-towns of pre- and post-statehood Idaho.

Paul Horn and Mei Yin, associate professors in the Department of Mathematics at the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, and Mario Lopez, professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science

• Grant from the National Science Foundation for "Collaborative Research: Graduate Research Workshops in Combinatorics"
• Project abstract: This is in support of a series of annual research workshops in combinatorics, which are organized as a joint venture

  

  between the University of Denver, UC Denver, Iowa State University, the University of Wyoming, the University of Kansas and the University of Nebraska. The next three planned workshops, which this collaborative proposal aims to support, are planned for the IMA in Minneapolis (2020), Denver (jointly held at DU and UC Denver, 2021) and Iowa State University (2022). This series of workshops has been run since 2014; the first workshop was held at DU. It brings together graduate students, postdocs and established faculty researchers in combinatorics to work together on a number of combinatorial problems and has led to more than 40 publications since its inception in 2014.

Brittany Kauffman, senior director at the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System

• Grant for "Civil Justice Initiative"

Suzanne Kerns, research associate professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and executive director of the Center for Effective Interventions

• Grant from the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department for "New Mexico MST Expansion – Bridge Funding" 
• Project abstract: The purpose of this project is to engage in the readiness activities in preparation of expanding Multisystemic Therapy (MST) to under-served regions of New Mexico. MST is an evidence-based intervention for youth ages 12–17 who are at high risk for out-of-home placement due to delinquent or antisocial behaviors and/or substance use. The parent project will aim to implement up to five new MST teams across New Mexico.

Erica Larson, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

• Grant from the National Science Foundation for "Multimodal Signaling in Rhinoceros Beetles"
• Project abstract: Traditional views of animal mating systems separate species into male-male competition, often leading to the evolution of elaborate weapons, and female choice, resulting in ornaments and courtship displays. Despite this species being the best studied of any rhinoceros beetle, fundamental aspects of their behavior and biology remain unexplored. Thus, after more than a century of interest in homed beetles overwhelmingly focused on the weapons of the males, this proposal focuses on the females.

Erica Larson, assistant professor; Robin Tinghitella, assistant professor; and Julie Morris, teaching associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

• Grant from the National Science Foundation for "RoL: The Evolution and Maintenance of Variable Species Boundaries"
• Project abstract: The objective of this proposal is to test the hypothesis that species boundaries are an emergent property of multiple variable barriers. 

  

  The proposed research will integrate field-based and common garden studies of barrier phenotypes (temporal, habitat, behavioral, fertilization and postzygotic isolation) with patterns of spatial variation in recombination, hybridization and selection. Hybrid zones of North American field crickets will be replicated to understand variation in reproductive barriers across different scales of biological diversity.  

Kateri McRae, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and director of the AACT Lab

• Grant from the National Institutes of Health for "Investigating the Neural Systems That Support the Beneficial Effects of Positive Emotion on Stress Regulation"
• Project abstract: The proposed studies continue to test a novel distinction in our neurocognitive model of the effect of positive emotion on stress regulation. Study 1 will replicate and extend an initial finding examining the effects of an incidental (unrelated) positive emotion induction on cognitive reappraisal using virtual reality. Then we will use fMRI to test the hypothesis that future-focused reappraisals are facilitated through enhanced prefrontal connectivity (Study 2) and test the hypothesis that vmPFC engagement during reappraisal planning predicts greater down-regulation following implementation (Study 3).

Jonathan Moyer, assistant professor at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies and director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures

• Grant for "Economic Impact Analysis"

• Grant from QED Inc., subaward from the U.S. Agency for International Development for "The Learning Contract"
• Project abstract: The Pardee Center will provide services as needed under the USAID/Uganda Learning Activity. The Pardee Center has worked in the technical areas relevant to the Learning Activity. This experience includes quantitative forecasting using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting system, which is developed and maintained by the Pardee Center. IFs has been used to inform development planning for several USAID country and regional missions; training and capacity development on IFs, quantitative analysis, scenario planning and data management for dozens of organizations; data management and visualization to enhance understanding of development trends.

• Grant for "Global Trends 2040"

Carole Wilcox, director of organizational development and capacity building, at the Butler Institute for Families

• Grant from the Research Foundation of State University of New York for "ACS WI Microvideos"
• Project abstract: This project will support the New York City Administration for Children's Services, Workforce Institute, in their implementation of the Family Assessment Response Initiative through development of the following products: (a) Revise six FAR microvideos to include storyboard development, production, project coordination, professional narration, stock photo updates, volume, logo, and branding adjustments; (b) develop one 30-minute eLearn with FAR webinar and racial equity content; and (c) develop and produce one microvideo under 10 minutes.