CSU Research Grants

2025-2026 Award Cycle

Request for Proposals, Guidelines and Application for 2025-26 Award Cycle

We are pleased to announce that proposals are now welcome for submission for the 2025-2026 CSU-AAUP Faculty Research Grant Competition.

Please be advised that there is a different submission process unique to our campus. Rather than submit in the manner described in Item #6 under “Proposal Components and Rules for Submission” (p.4 of the Guidelines posted above), you are asked to submit via the Kuali Build portal. Please read the instructions on how to submit via Kuali carefully and should you have any questions on submitting through Kuali or need troubleshooting, please contact Sponsored Programs and Research at spar@southernct.edu

Deadline is Friday, January 24, 2025, no later than 5:00 p.m. 

 

Please note that spending AAUP funds in any way that goes against state, university, or solicitation-specific guidelines may jeopardize a faculty member's eligibility for future funding. 

 

As of 2018, Southern Connecticut State University is a subscriber to the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program. CITI offers free educational training to all SCSU faculty, staff and students in the areas of best practices for responsible conduct of research, ethics, conflict of interest and regulatory oversight.  

The Office of the Provost, in conjunction with the Office of Research Integrity and in light of our institution’s continued adherence to the Federal Research Misconduct Policy, highly recommends that all institutional members conducting any type of research establish an account with CITI and complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course(s) that are best suited to their discipline.  

 The options currently available are:  

  • Biomedical Responsible Conduct of Research  
  • Responsible Conduct of Research for Engineers 
  • Humanities Responsible Conduct of Research  
  • Physical Science Responsible Conduct of Research  
  • Social and Behavioral Responsible Conduct of Research  

All educational courses in RCR contain modules on authorship, collaboration, conflicts of interest, data management, mentoring, peer review, research misconduct and plagiarism. CITI Certifications are valid for three years. Faculty are also encouraged to use CITI training materials with students in relevant classroom instruction and for mentoring.  

It is required that all faculty members with research funding from both external and internal sources will maintain RCR training (including AAUP-CSU Research and Creative Activity Grants). We strongly encourage faculty members to familiarize themselves with CITI and the SCSU ORI Policies and Procedures and to contact the SCSU Office of Research Integrity at ORI@southernct.edu or 392-5243 with any questions or concerns.   Information on these policies can be found here:    https://inside.southernct.edu/rpp/educational-resource 

 Information on the SPAR website (including information on the CITI login procedures) is located here:   https://inside.southernct.edu/spar/citi  

Researchers engaged in activities involving human subjects, vertebrate animals, or bio-hazardous materials are required to complete additional CITI training per requirements established by the IRBIACUC or IBC Committees, respectively. 

Submission of Grant Reports

A final report describing the results of the research along with a detailed account of fund expenditures must be filed with Faculty Development no later than June 30, 2025, for the 2024-25 award cycle. The Project Report Form should be used as the template for all final reports. The Request for an Extension Form should be used as the template in the event extenuating circumstances hinder progress on the project. All extensions are subject to administrative approval. Please Note: Any funds unaccounted for shall be returned to the university and be added to the allocation for the competition in the following year.

2025-26 CSU-AAUP Faculty Research Grant Award Recommendations

The following projects have been recommended and approved by the BOR-ASA for funding for the 2025-26 award cycle. 

Please Note:  Final approval by the BOR is to take place at their May 28, 2025, meeting. Work on these projects may not begin until July 1, 2025.  

(If any information is incorrect, please notify Faculty Development at facultydevel@southernct.edu.

Abe, JoAnn A. Psychology. Using AI to Illuminate Transformative Aesthetic Experiences.

Arafeh, Sousan. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. Initial Survey Scale Development for the "Opportunity to Teach" And "Opportunity to Lead" Constructs.

Barnes, Ericka C. Chemistry and Biochemistry. Characterization Of the Adsorptive Properties of Biochar for Direct Air Capture of Carbon Dioxide.

Bordner, Kelly B. (Psychology) & Jeffrey, Rachael A. (Biology). Effects Of Early Prenatal THC Exposure on Subsequent Addiction, Anxiety and Social Behaviors in the Rat Model.

Bower-Phipps, Laura R. Curriculum and Learning. Repurposing Teacher Evaluation as a Tool in Pursuit of Teacher Retention.

Brady, Steven P. Biology. Understanding Adaptive Trade-Offs in Amphibians Facing Road Salt Pollution.

Brownell, Mia. Art And Design. Bacchanalia: The Imagined Still Lives of Food, Wine, Excess and Ecstasy.

Chandler, Jeremy N. Art and Design. Terra Incognita: Creating and Exhibiting Lens-Based Artwork.

Chen, Qu. Counselor Education. Geriatric Counseling Readiness Assisting Families Cope with Chronic Pain: A Mixed-Method Study.

Chung, Hanyong. Accounting. Regulatory Fragmentation and Operational Efficiency.

Coca, Adiel. Chemistry and Biochemistry. Anticancer And Antibacterial Study of Tetramic Acid Derivatives.

Coleman, Kelly Ann A. Health and Movement Sciences. Investigating Occupational Prestige from the Allied Health Student's Perspective.

Crawford, Sarah C. Biology. Regulation Of Cell Differentiation Versus Its Abnormal Counterpart, Malignant Tumor Formation in Brain Tumor Model, Drosophila Melanogaster.

Cross, Emma L. Environment, Geography, and Marine Studies. Impacts Of Fish Farm Installation on Zooplankton Abundance and Diversity in an East Icelandic Fjord.

Dunbar, Miranda. Biology. Using Thermal Cameras to Explore Vampire Bat Thermoregulation.

Fedorchuk, Nicholas D. Earth Science. Impact Of Sea Level Changes and Terrestrial Sediment Flux on Mud Mound Reef Distribution and Diversity During the Early Ordovician.

Ferraro, Marisa E. Curriculum and Learning. Creating Access Across Contexts for Multilingual Students: Identifying Supports for All Educators.

Garrison, Brianna V. Social Work. Examining The Impact of Ageism and Loneliness on Social Connection.

Graves, Scott M. Environment, Geography, and Marine Studies. Development Threats to Iceland’s Iconic Surf Locale: A Stakeholder Engagement Opportunity to Find Common Ground Compromise.

Groffman, Joshua B. Music. Book Project: Home Is a Fire: Music, Sound, And Environmental Ideology In New York’s Hudson Valley.

Hardenberg, Wendeline A. Library Services. Support for Translation Residencies during Sabbatical.

Heidkamp, Christian P. Environment, Geography, and Marine Studies. A Blue Economy Agenda for Northern Norway? Challenges and Opportunities.

Hossain, Shafaeat. Computer Science. AI-Powered Fusion Models for Improving the Performance of Age Group Detection.

Islam, Mohammad T. Computer Science. RETGEN: A Multi-Component Generative Framework for Synthesizing Retinal Images with Multiple Disease Manifestations. 

Jegede, Joy O. Social Work. Expanding SCSU Pedagogy in Consideration of African Immigrants & Refugees.

Kearns, James. Chemistry and Biochemistry. Can Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Be Used to Identify New Natural Products/Antibiotic Molecules for the Treatment of Borrelia Burgdorferi (The Lyme Infection)?

Kim, Hyoseok. Marketing. Sacred Values Frames Lead to Greater Intractability Than Consequentialist Frames.

Kim, Young K. (Marketing) & Prince, Melvin (Marketing). GAP Analysis of Soft Skills in the Transition from College to the Workplace.

Kim, Younjun. (Economics) & Yoon, Sang W (Economics). New Firm Location Choices Before and after COVID-19 Pandemic.

Kulkarni, Atul A. (Marketing) & Singh, Amitkumar. (Marketing). The Influence of Product Packaging Characteristics on Consumers’ Sustainability Judgments.

Larkin, Erin K. World Languages and Literature. The Italian Colony of New Haven: A Digital Exhibition of A 1921 Immigrant's Survival Guide to Life in New Haven.

Lavin, Terrence. Art And Design. Digital/Traditional: Adapting Current 3D Resin Printing Technology to Jewelry & Metal Design and Production.

Lesley, Melvin J. Chemistry and Biochemistry. Exploring The Synthesis and Reactivity of Novel Tamoxifen Derivatives Via the Multi-Component Petasis Reaction.

Liu, Yan Q. (Information and Library Science) & Brown, Mary E. (English). A Gestural Pathway Platform For K-12 Students to Support Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Marsoobian, Armen T. Philosophy. Armenians Of Greece: Exile, Assimilation, and Community Building.

McCullagh, Jennifer A. Communication Disorders. Central Auditory Processing and Perception of Auditory Difficulty in Younger and Older Adults.

Milone, Joseph P. (Recreation, Tourism, and Sports Management) & Risisky, Debra S. (Public Health). Beyond The Rails: How Trail Access Can Shape a Healthier, More Inclusive Connecticut.

Muthuraj, Birasnav. (Management/IB), Han, Seungmin (Management/IB), & Awoyinka, Oluwatoyin, C. (Management/IB). Implementation Of Green Supply Chain Management Practices: The Roles of Stakeholder Pressure and Leadership.

Neverow, Vara S. English. Resisting Patriarchy: Virginia Woolf, Feminism and Sexual Politics.

Nguyen, Khoa H. Finance and Real Estate. How Do Geopolitical Risks and Uncertainty Shape New Business Activities in the U.S.?

Njoku, Anuli. Public Health. Climate Justice, Safe Drinking Water and Health: Challenges and Solutions.

Palma, Giuseppina. World Languages and Literature. Pontano and the Renaissance at the Court of Aragon.

Pang, Jiong Dong. Chemistry and Biochemistry. Molecular Dynamic and Kinetic Studies on the Inhibition of Secondary Metabolites to Cholinesterase Enzymes in Neurotransmission and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases. 

Pang, Yulei. Mathematics. AI-Driven Solutions for Predicting and Controlling Stem Cell Differentiation Pathways.

Patalinghug, Jason C. Economics. The Relationship Between Exchange Rates, Trade and Economic Growth in the Philippine Context.

Perumbilly, Sebastian A. Marriage and Family Therapy. Ethical Navigation Through Professional Boundaries in the Digital Age: A Mixed Methods Study on Social Media Use Among Licensed Psychotherapists.

Powell, Jessica S. (Education) & Travis, Marn M. (Curriculum and Learning). Queer Spaces of Belonging and Possible Futures: A Critical Ethnographic Case Study of a School Community.

Richmond, Andrew M. English. Digitally Mediating Medieval Literary Environments.

Rogers, Dana L. Communication Media and Screen Studies. Examining The Effectiveness of Persuasive Communication Interventions at Reducing the Community-Level Stigma of Abortion.

Rogers, Michael J. Anthropology. Late Pleistocene and Holocene Archaeological Excavations at Gona, Ethiopia: A Continuation.

Roe, Sarah M. History. The History of Female Medicine and the Rise of Technology: How Norms and Values Have Shaped the Way We Understand Women.

Rupp, Kristie L. (Health and Movement Sciences) & Strong, Amanda L. (Healthcare Systems and innovation). Weight Bias and Implications for Pedagogy Among Professors Teaching Future Healthcare Professionals.

Ryder, Todd R. Chemistry and Biochemistry. Petasis Reactions of Acetol.

Schmitt, Elena G. World Languages and Literature. Exploring The Role of COIL in Developing the Understanding of Bilingualism Among US And Colombian Students Of TESOL.

Serchuk, Camille. Art And Design. The Empty Ocean: Mapping And Blank Space in European Early Modernity.

Slomba, Jeffrey T. Art and Design. Asàrotos Òikos "The Unswept Floor”: 3D Printing a Sculpture Installation in Color.

Smith, Julian B. Communication Disorders. Effect Of Swallow Exercise on Mealtime Oral Efficiency.

Smyth, Andrew J. English. Education, Equity, and Dual Enrollment English Programs.

Sorokina, Anastasia. World Languages and Literature. English Learners in Postsecondary Education.

Stiver, Kelly A. Psychology. Use Of Visual Cues in Spatial Navigation by Symphodus Ocellatus.

Vu, Thuan Q. Art Design. Translating Vietnamese Travel Imagery.

Wang, Emma J. Marketing. AI, Big Data, And Consumer Wellbeing: Navigating Ethical and Sustainability Challenges.

Wang, Mengchuan. Finance And Real Estate. Household Investors in the Age Of AI.

Wang, Peiwen. Curriculum And Learning. Why Stay?: A Community Cultural Wealth Perspective of Teachers of Color’s Retention In K-12 Schools.

Wang, Zheni. Management/IB. The Cross-Cultural Comparison in China and the US as Part of a Cross-National Study on Democracy, Basic Psychological Needs, and Well-Being across the World.

Weinbaum, Jonathan C. Biology. Excavation and Interpretation of a Late Triassic Fossil Site in the Southwestern United States. 

Weir, Joan C. (Special Education) & Terpstra, Judith E. (Special Education). Study Of Student Support System in a Teacher Preparation Program Phase 2.

Weng, Miaowei. World Languages and Literature. In-Between Worlds: Exploring Chiñol Identity Through Clothing, Body, And Space.

Wu, Binlin. Physics. A Pilot Study to Develop a Novel Characterization Technique Based on Terahertz Raman Spectroscopy. 

Yu, Han. Finance And Real Estate. Regulatory Shifts and Their Impact on the Pharmaceutical and Bio-Tech Industry.

Yu, Jia. Economics. The Integration of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Homes.