Faculty and Staff Grants From September–November 2020

Congratulations to the following faculty and staff members who received grants and awards in September, October and November 2020.

Apryl Alexander, associate professor at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology

• Grant from the National Institute of Justice/Department of Justice for "GSPP Reducing Risk for Juvenile Girls in the Juvenile Justice System Project"
• Project abstract: The Denver FIRST Juvenile Justice Project aims to provide gender sensitive and culturally competent evidence-based intervention and prevention services to juvenile justice-involved girls in the Denver metro area. Additionally, the proposed project will provide trauma-informed care trainings to key community stakeholders who work with juvenile justice involved girls.

Lyneé Alves, PhD student, and Kimberly Chiew, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and director of the DU Motivation, Affect & Cognition (MAC) Lab

• Grant from the National Science Foundation for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Project abstract: The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time, research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education.

Gary Bishop, senior research engineer in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics

• Grant from the Coordinating Research Council for "Move FEAT Website to a University of Denver Library Server"
• Project abstract: Since 2000, the Stedman group has maintained a data repository on a web server in room 115 in the S.G. Mudd building. The site currently includes emission measurements from planes, trains, automobiles, heavy-duty trucks, snowmobiles, snow coaches and ocean-going ships. There are more than 100 emission databases for light-duty cars and trucks from the U.S. and around the world, and 23 databases for heavy-duty trucks. These data sets have provided important information for researchers outside the University of Denver and the data have featured in their publications. This proposal is to fund some of the time required to move the data and publications to a web server that will be maintained by the University of Denver Library. This will allow the repository to continue to exist into the future.

Charmaine Brittain, director of organizational development at the Butler Institute for Families at the Graduate School of Social Work

• Grant from Casey Family Programs for "Training System Assessment for Oregon DHS"

• Grant from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for "Foster Parent Training System Assessment"
• Project abstract: The Butler Institute will conduct an assessment of Idaho's foster parent training system and provide recommendations based upon those findings. The Training System Assessment Tool was developed by Butler using best practices and has been used in nine states. The assessment will include focus groups and interviews as well as a review of existing curriculum to gain a deeper understanding of training strategies and effectiveness and provide recommendations for addressing system gaps.

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 — Task Order 2"
• Project abstract: This project seeks to develop the NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox (a.k.a. the “NIH Baby Toolbox” [NBT]) as an efficient, comprehensive neurodevelopmental battery of measures for both research and clinical use and derived from evidence-based neurocognitive research. It will be specific for use in the neuropsychological, cognitive and social assessment of infants and toddlers ages 1–42 months.

Clements, Sarama and Crystal Day-Hess, assistant director at the Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy

• Grant from the board of trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, subaward from the Heising-Simons Foundation, for "EFT — DREME"
• Project abstract: DU will contribute to two subprojects as part of the DREME Network: Math Plus Executive Function (referred to as the Math+ Project) and Preschool-Elementary Coherence (referred to as the COHERE Project). The main goal of the Math+ project is to increase the quantity and quality of math experiences for children ages 3 to 5 years in preschool settings. The main goals of the COHERE project is to document efforts to create policy alignment and continuity and measure how these efforts influence students' learning opportunities, experiences and ultimately math proficiencies from pre-K to grade 2.

Brian Gearity, associate professor at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology and director of the MA Coach and Sports Education Program

• Grant from the Association for Applied Sports Psychology for "Enhancing Youth Sport Through Diversity and Inclusivity Education: A Critical Participatory Action Research Approach"
• Project abstract: Coaches work to develop individual athletes, teams, schools and communities, but there are few educational requirements to enter the field, which can leave coaches feeling underprepared. Our study addresses the issues present regarding diversity and inclusion within youth (ages 13-19, specifically high school students) sport through Critical Participatory Action Research.

Pat Garriott, associate professor of counseling psychology at the Morgridge College of Education 

• Grant from the University of North Dakota, subaward from the National Science Foundation, for "Collaborative Research: Should I Stay or Should I Go? Understanding the Retention of Latinx in Engineering Jobs"
• Project abstract: This project will examine the school-to-work transitions of women and Latinxs in engineering to identify factors that promote their persistence in the field. The objectives and specific aims of the study are to increase the number of women and Latinxs in the engineering workforce, identify inclusive workplace conditions, policies, and practices for women and Latinxs in engineering, and reduce systemic barriers to the persistence of women and Latinxs in engineering.

Mark George, director of the University of Denver/Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD in the Study of Religion, and Albert Hernández, associate professor of the history of Christianity at the Iliff School of Theology

• Grant from the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning for "A Part Yet Apart: Teaching and Learning About Race/Ethnicity With International Students in a U.S. Doctoral Program"
• Project abstract: This project seeks to: (1) promote, as an ultimate goal, the raising of not only race/ethnicity but also interlocking consciousness for all students in JDP; (2) learn from and teach international students of color how they may become familiar with, comfortable with, and contribute to reflections and conversations about race/ethnicity in their studies and the community life of the JDP; (3) help build a supportive network among international students; (4) facilitate cross-cultural conversations about race/ethnicity between international students of color and U.S. students of color; and (5) produce a brief document of best practices for JDP and its faculty members to better integrate international students in general and in discussions of race/ethnicity in particular.

Ryan Gildersleeve, associate dean and professor at the Morgridge College of Education

• Grant from the Spencer Foundation for "Income-Share Agreements in Higher Education: An Exploratory Multiple Case Study"
• Project abstract: The costs of higher education continue to rise and college affordability is an acute concern for broad swaths of U.S. families. Furthermore, traditional financial aid policy seems increasingly inadequate to deal with families’ ability to pay for college. One approach some institutions have adopted is a new financial aid tool in order to provide additional options in crafting institutional financial aid strategy — the income share agreement. This tool provides students funds to pay for college expenses in exchange for a percentage of their future earnings after a set period of time. This will be the first-ever empirical study of income-share agreements in higher education.

Norma Hafenstein, clinical professor and Ritchie Endowed Chair for Gifted Education at the Morgridge College of Education

• Grant from the Department of Education for "IREECH — JAVITS"
• Project abstract: Location should not determine the quality of identification practices, programming or access to services. Project I-REECCH (Impacting Rural Education through Expanding Culturally responsive curriculum, Computer science training and Higher order thinking skill development) will accomplish the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program Application Requirements (1), (2), (3), (4)(c) and (4)(d) and all three Competitive Preference Priorities.

Kelsie Hunnicutt, PhD student, and 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 the Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Project abstract: The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time, research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education.

Kristine Huskey, visiting professor, and Ann Vessels, adjunct professor, at the Sturm College of Law

• Grant from the May and Stanley Smith Charitable Trust for "The Veterans Advocacy Project"
• Project abstract: The Veterans Advocacy Project (VAP) is an educational program at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law that provides pro bono legal assistance to U.S. military veterans. Law students and local attorneys work together to represent veterans on VA disability compensation cases at different levels. The VAP's primary goals are to provide free legal assistance to veterans and to provide law students a clinical or experiential legal education that enables them to learn how to practice law.

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

• Grant from Pew Charitable Trusts for "Declining Civil Filings"
• Project abstract: This project seeks to publish a research report that analyzes the extent to which civil cases in state courts have changed over the past decade, how changes in filings vary across case types, and the potential explanatory factors that have contributed to the change. The report will fill an important knowledge gap about civil justice modernization in the states. Pew is contributing a portion of the funding in support of Kauffman’s work in this space.

Aurélie Ledreux, research assistant professor at the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging

• Grant from the National Institutes of Health for "Noradrenergic Dysfunction in Down Syndrome"
• Project abstract: Down syndrome (DS) is a genetic condition that occurs in 1 out of 700 births with more than 350,000 Americans affected. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) occurs with high penetrance in DS and few treatment options are available. Data obtained from this project can translate to treatment potentials in AD in the general population and are focused on noradrenergic systems and inflammation.

Shana McClain, doctoral student at the Graduate School of Social Work

• Grant from the Council on Social Work Education for "Minority Fellowship Program"
• Project abstract: The Minority Fellowship Program targets, but is not limited to, racial/ethnic minority individuals pursuing a doctoral degree in social work. The purpose of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve health-care outcomes of racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals with doctoral degrees available to underserved populations in the public and private nonprofit sectors.

Drew McGee, PhD student in the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Grant from the Society for Research in Child Development for the U.S. State Policy Pre-Doctoral Fellow program
• Project abstract: This fellowship will provide practical research-to-policy experience through the Colorado state Office of Early Childhood, which is committed to making data-informed decisions. There is an ongoing need for an early childhood research specialist who can serve as a resource to inform discussions about evaluation, data collection and research.

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

• Grant from NORC at the University of Chicago, subaward from the U.S. Agency for International Development, for "Long-term forecasting of COVID-related impacts on food security"
• Project abstract: The USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food Security seeks "to develop a quantitative modeling tool that will allow long-term (10-15 year) forecasts of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on food security at a country level." We will use the International Futures global, integrated, forecasting platform to one scenario simulating the current path of development and another counterfactual scenario simulating a world in which the pandemic did not occur. We will compare the results of these two scenarios across a wide range of human and economic development outcomes related to agricultural supply and demand, hunger and child malnutrition and poverty.

• Grant from the New Partnership for Africa's Development Agency for "The Study on the Foresight Analytical Study on Economic Implications of COVID-19 on Africa's Economic Growth and Development Trajectory"
• Project abstract: Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, African countries' response followed the global trend of imposing economic shutdowns and limiting human movements to mitigate the effects of the virus on the population. There is therefore need to use a modeling to examine the effects of COVID-19 on long-term development trends in Africa. The purpose of the assignment is to make accessible to AU Member States local data based forecasting analysis and simulation of scenarios taking in the impacts and implications of COVID19 on the continent’s economic growth and development trajectory.

Rachel Nielsen, director of the Colorado Resilience Collaborative, and Maria Vukovich, researcher and adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology

• Grant from the Department of Homeland Security for "Advancing Prevention of Targeted Violence in Underserved Communities: Building Capacity Through the Colorado Model"
• Project abstract: Colorado has been at the forefront in developing a model for preventing targeted domestic violence that coordinates outreach, training and intervention across community, first responders, direct service organizations and state agencies. This project will build on the existing Colorado model by expanding access to innovative training and educational resources on threat assessment and prevention of targeted violence, facilitating expert consultation and networking events for professionals and organizations, and developing an online resource library to promote sustainable training and technical assistance materials for the prevention of targeted violence.

Daniel Paredes, research assistant professor at the Knoebel School for Healthy Aging

• Grant from the National Institutes of Health for "Polyamines in Down Syndrome-Alzheimer's Disease"
• Project abstract: Early onset Alzheimer’s disease occurs in 80% of individuals with Down syndrome with few therapeutic options available. This study provides the opportunity to use the polyamine pathway as a potential drug target that could be a contributing factor in the development of neuropathology underlying dementia in Down syndrome.

Galena Rhoades, research associate professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 

• Grant from the Administration for Children and Families for "Decreasing Repeat Pregnancy among Pregnant and Parenting Teens"
• Project abstract: The aim of the proposed project is targeted prevention with the goal of increasing optimal health and reducing STIs and repeat pregnancies among teen mothers. The overarching goal of this program is to empower and guide adolescent mothers to choose less risky sexual behavior, ultimately reducing repeat teen pregnancies and STIs, and increasing optimal health.

• Grant from the Administration for Children and Families for "Relationship Education for Pregnant and Parenting Teens and Young Adults"
• The aim of the proposed project is to counteract the risks of having a baby as a teen. Teens and young women (14 to 19 years of age; 200 per year) who are pregnant or who have already had a baby will be recruited from Denver’s largest hospital system, Denver Health, as well as local organizations, agencies and high schools to participate.

Amy Roberts, director of early childhood initiatives at the Butler Institute for Families

• Grant from the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation, subaward from the Idado Department of Health and Welfare, for "Early Care and Education Workforce Retention"
• Project abstract: This project will work under a task order contract to support the Administration for Children and Families, states and localities in understanding what drives workforce turnover in the early care and education (ECE) field and to evaluate promising strategies to support recruitment and retention of the ECE workforce.

Breigh Roszelle, teaching associate professor and associate dean of undergraduate studies at the Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science. 

• Grant from Ortho Haus, LLC for "Pre- and Post-Op TKA Mechanics"
• Project abstract: Twelve osteoarthritic adults will have measurement in the gait lab, including biplane radiography images of the knee during a weight-bearing, deep flexion activity, such as a lunge, and during an open-chain, unloaded knee extension exercise. After total knee arthroplasty and at least a 6-month rehabilitation period, subjects will repeat the prior lab-based testing, and joint kinematics will again be evaluated, including implant alignment and transformation between anatomical frames on the tibia, femur and patella.

Kevin Summers, graduate student, and Paige Lloyd, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Grant from the National Science Foundation for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Project abstract: The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time, research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education.

Philip Tedeschi, clinical professor at the Graduate School of Social Work and executive director of the Institute for Human-Animal Connection (IHAC); and Courtney Brown, senior community projects manager at IHAC

• Grant from the Animal Legal Defense Fund for "Evaluating Animal Cruelty Professional Development Certificate"
• Project abstract: The Institute for Human-Animal Connection at the University of Denver proposes a partnership with the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) to develop a state of the art continuing education program for professionals regarding evaluation, risk assessment and treatment of individuals engaging in animal cruelty behaviors. This project will integrate the animal law expertise of ALDF with the expertise of DU faculty (law, professional psychology and social work) and leading social science consultants in the fields of psychological forensic evaluation and risk assessment, the development of evidence-based psychosocial interventions, psychometrics and psychological instrumentation development, trauma informed care and link violence.

Tedeschi and Brown with Lavita Nadkarni, professor and associate dean at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology; and Laura Meyer, clinical associate professor at the Graduate School of Professional Psychology

• Grant from the Kirkpatrick Foundation for "Dimensions of Humane Communities: Responding to Animal Cruelty"
• Project abstract: Creating safer and more humane communities for both humans and animals means addressing the complex, intersectional issues impacting the welfare of both. In response to these issues, the Institute for Human-Animal Connection has developed an approach for responding to animal cruelty that is grounded in research and best practices. The main purpose of the project is to develop an online, asynchronous professional development certificate program with two separate tracks — one for legal professionals and one for mental health clinicians/clinical behavioral health professionals.

Sarah Enos Watamura, co-director of the Stress Early Experience & Development Research Center, associate professor and chair of the Department of Psychology at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

• Grant from the Colorado Health Foundation for "Branches-FFN: Friend, Family, and Neighborhood Trauma Responsive Care Leadership Cohort"
• Project abstract: Through the University of Denver's Stress, Early Experience and Development (SEED) Research Center, we propose to develop and deliver the Branches-FFN(C) curriculum to a cohort of Family Friend and Neighbor providers and leaders in the Denver Metro area. The Branches-FFN curriculum will build an FFN cohort and provide intensive training and support around creating a safe environment for trauma processing and stress management.

• Grant from the Administration for Children and Families for "Enhancing Head Start Outcomes via Improved Referral Decisions for Family Support Programs: Leveraging Administrative Data and Capturing Family and Practitioner Voice"
• Project abstract: Efforts to effectively engage at-risk families and promote strong family development outcomes is a priority for Head Start and Early Head Start providers. However, it is unclear whether family characteristics uniformly diminish engagement and outcomes or if certain programs more effectively engage some subpopulations. This proposal seeks to examine these issues.