High Impact Practice Grants

Laura Habegger | Department of Biology

Grant Bevill | School of Engineering

Anatomy in 3D: An Interdisciplinary Course for Biologists and Engineers

This interdisciplinary course is designed to train biology and engineering students in the innovative field of medical 3D modeling and printing. In collaboration with the 3D Anatomic Modeling Unit (AMU) at the Mayo Clinic, students will work on real clinical cases using medical imaging, rendering software, and a variety of 3D printers. As a rapidly growing field within the health industry— including surgery, prosthetics, and medical training — 3D medical modeling offers students at UNF a unique skill set that can unlock future opportunities in medical sciences.

Chitra L.K. Balasubramanian | Department of Physical Therapy

Hanadi Hamadi | Department of Health Administration

Global Health Immersion: Exploring Physical Therapy and Health Administration Practices in India

Drs. Balasubramanian and Hamadi propose to travel to India to plan a two-week study abroad program that offers graduate Doctor of Physical Therapy students and undergraduate healthcare administration students an intensive experiential learning opportunity, immersed in a different cultural context. This innovative program will provide students the opportunity to explore healthcare practices through a holistic approach that includes comparative health systems, physical therapy practices, public health administration, and community-based health initiatives. Students will engage with the rich cultural heritage of Karnataka, India, visiting key sites such as the globally recognized Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), local hospitals and clinics, and experiencing the vibrant mix of tradition and modernity in cities like Manipal, Udupi, and Mysore. This interdisciplinary program aims to foster global competencies, cultural awareness, and a deep understanding of healthcare delivery in diverse settings, preparing students for the challenges of an interconnected world.

Vanessa Cruz | Department of Art, Art History, and Design

Reality Reimagined: 3D World Building and Design

This project focuses on using VR in a creative environment and encourages collaboration between students from different disciplines. It promotes cross-pollination of ideas and skills, which can lead to more innovative and unique VR experiences. Students will gain practical experience in VR design and development through the hands-on creation of their individual elements. They will collaboratively create a piece that will be “open to the public” in a VR space.

Quincy Gibson | Department of Biology

Dolphin Behavioral Ecology: Field-based Research Experiences for Students

UNF's Dolphin Research Program provides year-round opportunities for students to gain valuable, hands-on experience conducting field-based research. This project will support research opportunities for Directed Independent Study (DIS; BSC4905) students during Spring 2025 as well as the Dolphin Behavioral Ecology Field Course (ZOO4551C) in Summer 2025. In both semesters undergraduate students will be introduced to the behavioral ecology of local estuarine dolphins as they work alongside faculty and graduate students onboard the research boat in the St. Johns River. This course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) offers students a rare and potentially transformative opportunity to engage in the research process while directly contributing to the conservation of local animals and habitats. 

Jessica Chandras | Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Digital Humanities Digital Tools Learning Community

This Digital Humanities learning community opportunity at UNF is designed to formalize and enhance faculty collaboration across colleges and departments for integrating DH into teaching and research in part to enhance High Impact Practices that can be offered to students. Five faculty members with interest in gaining hands-on experience with new digital tools will collaborate during the Spring semester to learn, develop insights, and create resources related to an array of selected DH tools and methodologies. The goal and outcome for this opportunity include promoting pedagogical development for faculty and building a repository of instructional materials that improve experiential learning for students. 

Will Pewitt | Department of English

Crossing Currents: Early Modern Research in Atlantic Transculturality

This initiative engages students in the creation of Crossing Currents, a collaborative student/faculty research anthology exploring the Atlantic World’s Early Modern period (~1500-1800) through transcultural lenses. Students will uncover overlooked perspectives—from Indigenous foundation narratives to early petitions for Abolition to poems from marginalized voices—in order to broaden our perspective on discrete but intertwined communities during this tumultuous and formative era. Relying on primary sources such as letters, pamphlets, folktales, and various literary genres, the project aims to bring less familiar viewpoints to light in order not only to expand the historical narrative through experiential learning but also to enhance student editorial, analytical, and curatorial skills regarding academic practice in the Humanities.

Anne Pfister | Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Andrea Gaytán Cuesta | Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

México Here and There: An Interdisciplinary and Multimedia Study of Mexican Peoples and Cultures

Dr. Pfister (Anthropology) and Dr. Gaytán (English and LLC) will travel to Oaxaca, Mexico in Spring 2025 to plan an interdisciplinary Study Abroad aimed at offering students from a range of different backgrounds the opportunity to explore a richness of topics including transnationalism, immigration, colonialism, language communities, literature and film, current events, education, economics, health, cuisine, folklore, and biodiversity. They will also network with Mexican communities here in Jacksonville to provide students from our classes with local opportunities for language immersion and ethnographic investitation at Mexican cultural events close to home.

Greg Ciesielski | Department of Biology

UNF Students at the International Congress of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB)

UNF students will get the opportunity to attend the International Congress of the American Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Society in Chicago. Participating students will present the outcomes of their research to the international scientific community, in the field they foresee their future careers in. Moreso, students will interact and exchange ideas with their peers from different institutions, get the first-hand experience in contact with the world-class scientists, and will have the opportunity to discuss their career with recruiters for professional and graduate schools. This meeting provides particularly valuable experience to undergraduate and early career scientists, as it includes events dedicated to this group, such as "Undergraduate student orientation", "Undergraduate poster competition", "Undergraduate student careers workshop", and others. Such authentic scientific experience is one of the most effective approaches to enhance retention and learning outcomes of participating students.

Will Jones | Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Enabling One-on-One Mentorship for Cutting Edge Research in Analytical Chemistry

Hands on research in chemistry is by far the best way to form lasting connections between theoretical concepts learned in lecture to real world applications and problems. Unfortunately, analytical chemistry in particular suffers in its traditional introduction to undergraduate students, as the delicate glassware manipulation and solution preparation required for chemical analysis “scares off” a large number of promising scientists before they even begin their formal careers. Research in the Jones lab is focused on the development of novel, matrix-matched analytical calibration methods that improve analyte determinations in a general sense, making chemical analysis simpler and easier to understand with techniques that are widely applicable across many disciplines. This proposal provides the opportunity for undergraduate researchers to lead their own research projects under the guidance of Dr. Jones in Spring 2025 that culminate in a high-intensity, high-impact, five week one-on-one research experience at the conclusion of the semester, which is not possible under the traditional undergraduate academic calendar.

Jacqueline Meier | Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work

Zooarchaeology Methods: Connecting Ancient Animals and Past People

Students will gain hands-on experience in the ongoing archaeological investigation of a 1,000-year-old site in the Timucuan Preserve in ANT 4931 Zooarchaeology Methods. Funding will support student research in the field of zooarchaeology, or the study of the remains of animals from archaeological sites. The course will teach foundational methods, and students will apply this to collective research of remains from the site of Ceder Point North (recently excavated by the UNF Summer Field School directed by Dr. Keith Ashley). Students will also travel to UF to tour the Environmental Archaeology facilities and help create a faunal curation plan for the UNF Archaeology Lab.

Caroline Guardino | Department of Exceptional, Deaf, & Interpreter Education

Building a Repository of Instructional Strategies for Pre- and In-Service Teachers to use with Diverse Learners who are d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Dr. Guardino and undergraduate research assistants will work with in-service and pre-service teachers to collect video vignettes of classroom models of high impact culturally linguistically responsive teaching and differentiated instructional strategies with d/Dhh students. These videos will be made available via a designated website to allow faculty, in-service teachers, and teacher candidates to refer to on a regular basis for ongoing professional development.

Szymon Ciesielski | Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Protein Structure and Function: from Virtual Reality to Laboratory Experience

In this project, undergraduate students will be immersed in two worlds, laboratory research experience and virtual reality - both focused on investigating protein structure and function. Students will participate in designing and conducting experiments focused on molecular chaperon proteins, utilizing state-of-the-art instrumentation in the field of protein biochemistry. Furthermore, students will also utilize resources at the Virtual Learning Center in our UNF Library to better understand the structure of studied proteins through 3D visualization in a virtual reality setup. After the data has been analyzed, students will have the opportunity to present their findings at one of the national scientific conferences. This comprehensive experience will expose our talented UNF students to rigorous biomedical research, technological advances, and a research environment at the national level.

Chris Baynard | Department of Economics and Geography

Robert Richardson | Research Technology

Developing a UNF Drone Program: Training Students for Geospatial Research and Careers

The use of aerial drones is now widespread across various sectors and disciplines and continues to grow rapidly. Military, industrial, real estate and land development, conservation, biology, crime monitoring, firefighting, emergency rescue and building construction are some of the fields that have adopted drone technology. The need for pilots to fly drones and analysts who know how to create actionable data are skills that are in demand across North Florida. Funding from this grant will help purchase drones, pilot training equipment and software to grow UNF's nascent drone program. 

JB Scott | School of Music

University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble 1 Performance at the 16th Annual Jazz Educators National Conference and Presentation of Two Outreach High School Clinic/performances in Atlanta, Georgia

The UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 will attend and perform at the 16th Annual Jazz Educators National Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. This performance will feature UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 students celebrating the musical legacy of Benedetto Guitars, featuring Benedetto signature guitar artists Jack Peterson (founder of UNF guitar program), Barry Green (UNF Professor), Corey Christiansen (USU professor, international artist), and Howard Paul (Benedetto President/CEO. This performance will also feature two commissioned compositions for jazz ensemble by UNF School of Music faculty Barry Greene, and International renowned trombonist Jennifer Wharton. An additional part of this project will be the presentation of two outreach clinic/performances at Atlanta area high schools by the Students of UNF JE1.

Wendy Baker | Education & Human Services Dean's Office

Raven Robinson-Wilson | Department of Teaching, Learning & Curriculum

Kerri Bell | Urban Internship

 Partnering with the Museum of Science & History to Enhance Teacher Preparation Programs Through Educative Experiences 

Clinical experiences are instrumental in teacher candidates learning to teach. Traditionally clinical experiences occur in classroom settings. Our approach to providing teacher candidates clinical experiences expands beyond the typical classroom setting. Prior to entering the early clinical experiences teacher candidates met with their supervisors in a different classroom setting, a museum. During these first few weeks, teacher candidates are exploring and developing their skills as a teacher through connections to the museum exhibits, state standards, lesson preparation, and implementation in a developmentally appropriate learning experience. The core of the experience relies on content and pedagogy to be woven around and throughout clinical experiences (NCATE, 2010). The museum experience generates a space for teacher candidates to discover the preparation and act of teaching through a developmental approach of learning. According to the Association of Teacher Educators (2023), clinical experiences need to meet teacher candidates' developmental needs.

C. Dominik Guess | Department of Psychology

F. Dan Richard | Department of Psychology

Culture and Cognition: Transformative Teaching of Statistics and Meta-Analysis

The goal of this project is to conduct a meta-analysis on the influence of culture on cognition and to teach students research methodology and advanced statistics in psychological research. The project leads will work together weekly with a team of undergraduate and graduate students to advance their research methodology and statistics skills, including identifying relevant statistical results, estimating effect size across a variety of statistical techniques, interpreting statistical findings, and generating power analyses. These advanced research skills can be generalized to all fields of psychology. Through this lab-based research experience, students will prepare for advanced topics in their related coursework and will advance their skills toward graduate program placement. 

Eric Johnson | Department of Biology

Ecology of the American eel: From basic research to sustainable management

The project will support the American eel recruitment survey, a multi-decade collaborative research partnership between UNF, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission and the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve.  Students will gain hands-on field and laboratory research experience, attend research seminars by scientists, state biologists and federal fishery managers, and develop independent research projects using the nearly 25 year data set. The project will culminate in a capstone experience when the team travels to the 5th American Eel Symposium hosted by the American Fisheries Society, which brings together eel researchers, biologists, and managers from across the United States and broader Caribbean.  Students will present research posters, attend research talks, and participate in symposium discussions.  The experience will allow the students to see how their scientific research efforts help to inform sustainable management for this important coastal resource.

Chris Kelso | Department of Physics

Daniel Santavicca | Department of Physics

Improving Student Engagement in the Department of Physics

This project will move forward several efforts focused on increasing student engagement within the Department of Physics.  The grant will fund the work of a student representative selected from amongst the physics majors and tasked with helping the Physics Department move towards increasing shared leadership.  The grant will also fund peer mentors to provide advice and support while modeling a successful pathway through a challenging major such as physics.  Dr.  Santavicca will coordinate a program titled Summer Opportunity for Learning About Research (SOLAR) that features hour-long weekly group meetings over a 10-week period during the summer to discuss various topics relevant to undergraduate research and professional development.  SOLAR will culminate with student participants presenting a poster at the Office for Undergraduate Research (OUR) summer student poster session. 

Andrea Arikawa | Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Sarah Mattice | Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Intercollegiate study abroad planning: Japan in context: Philosophy, Religion, and Lifestyle Lessons for Longevity

Drs. Mattice and Arikawa will travel to Japan to plan a three-week study abroad program that offers students an intensive experiential learning opportunity, immersed in a different cultural context, which is directly relevant to their majors in health and humanities. This collaborative program will provide students the opportunity to learn about dietary and lifestyle practices related to longevity through a holistic approach that includes lessons from the Blue Zones (a term coined by the National Geographic journalist Dan Buettner to refer to the communities in the word with the highest longevity), learning about Buddhist history and culture in Kyoto, walking the Kumano Kodo Shinto Shrine trail (one of only two UNESCO World Heritage Walks in the world), and experiencing the dizzying modernity of Tokyo.

Marc Dickman | School of Music

UNF Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble Performance

Twelve UNF students from the UNF Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble will attend and perform at the Southeast Regional Tuba/Euphonium Conference at Middle Tennessee State University in Murphreesboro, Tennessee on May 9-12, 2024. The students will also participate in masterclasses, clinics, and recitals conducted by the region’s foremost performers and educators. The ensemble commissioned a composition by UNF School of Music faculty, Dr. Joshua Tomlinson, entitled Peace and Plenty. They will be performing the world premiere of this composition at the conference.

Jim Gelsleichter | Department of Biology

Shark Ecology: A course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE)

This project provides valuable, hands-on research experiences in marine science to undergraduates by directly involving them in a federally-supported, long-running (2009 – present) scientific survey of coastal shark populations in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia waters. Every week over the 12-week Summer C period, undergraduates enrolled in the UNF Shark Ecology CURE will participate directly in field-based research on sharks, conducting longline surveys to estimate local trends in shark abundance and performing tag-and-release fishing to examine long-term patterns in shark movement and migrations. Students will also learn how to ethically and humanely obtain biological samples (e.g., blood, fin and muscle biopsies) from living sharks, as well as how to use these samples to conduct laboratory assessments of animal health and reproduction and present the results of this work in professional settings. This project builds on over 10 years of success in using the Shark Ecology CURE to provide UNF students with high-impact learning experiences.

Stephen Heywood | Department of Art, Art History, and Design

Primitive Pottery Techniques and the Fremont Aesthetic

Students will make an in-depth look at the Fremont people and their pottery making processes and culture. This field research type class will be held on site in central and South Eastern Utah. Students will sample and process local clays, visit museums, speak with archeologists, view Fremont artifacts and make and fire pottery in a primitive style pit kiln.

Maitri Warusawithana | Department of Physics

Text, Graphics and Interactive Content Creation for a Textbook on Electricity & Magnetism

Undergraduate students are engaged beyond the classroom in this collaborative and creative endeavor to design and formulate content for a physics textbook. Aimed at a sophomore level class required of most STEM majors, the side-by-side treatment of electricity and magnetism in this unique text fills an obvious yet overlooked void in the approach taken by available textbooks for this course. Incorporating student perspectives from a multitude of backgrounds enhances this creative effort – participating students include Physics, History, and English majors, adding further diversity to the group of student contributors spanning Biology, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Math, and Philosophy.

Debbie Wang | Department of Psychology

Olutola Akindipe | Department of Psychology

The role of culture in behavior and cognition: Study abroad exploration in Africa

This is an exploratory project for a study abroad course to Africa. This study abroad course will be cross listed in the Africana Studies program and the Department of Psychology. The goal of the course is to provide our students a first-hand experiential awareness and knowledge of different sociocultural environments and exposure to the cultural similarities and differences between Africa and the United States. Also, students will be able to examine and reflect on the role of culture in behavior and cognition and relate the cultural experiences to the understanding of major psychological concepts, principles, and theories. There will be organized lectures and meetings with faculty and students at a local university, visits to historical and cultural attractions sites, and engagement with civic and community leaders, among others.

Amy Keagy | Department of Biology

Creating a Bridge to Undergraduate Research in Biology

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) extend research experiences to all students within the framework of a traditional teaching lab. This grant will support efforts to redesign a traditional biology course into a CURE, connecting foundational biological concepts to contemporary applications in biology research. Infusing the course with primary literature, research methods, and scientific skills will increase critical thinking and stdents' self-efficacy in science. Underrepresented students in STEM benefit from research opportunities when they are given the opportunity to participate. Students who feel a sense of identity as a scientist are more likely to complete a program, envision new career pathways, and see the long-term value in their experience. Students who experience this type of growth as undergraduate scholars are positioned for success in their future STEM careers.

Andrew Kozlowski | Department of Art, Art History, and Design

Community Based Art Practice: Zines and Comics Courses

Funding will support students enrolled in ART3271 Comics and Narrative and ART3930 Zines and Community.These courses incorporate community-based learning into their structure, helping students learn to connect their talents as makers with their community. Students in Comics and Narrative will participate in the Duval Comics and Zines fest, assisting with a live printing event at the Jacksonville Public Library Main Branch, assisting DCAZ attendees as they learn about self publishing by making their own prints on site during the event with our Risograph printer. The Zines and Community class has students team up with community partners to help them tell their stories through creative publications. 

Will Pewitt | Department of English

Jessica Stark | Department of English

Community Through Curation: The Transformational Learning of Editorial Professionalization

Publishing each Spring and Fall, The Talon Review provides students hands-on involvement in publishing by working with experienced mentors to put into practice real-world applications of their literary, design, marketing, and curatorial skill sets. Having begun over a decade ago to highlight student writing, this literary venture has broadened its publication network to generate a larger national presence, putting UNF students in conversation with wider communities beyond campus while strengthening students’ engagement with the arts on campus.

Judith Ochrietor | Office of Undergraduate Research and Department of Biology

Inquiry and Investigation: Institutionalizing Research-Intensive Courses at UNF

Participating Faculty: Andres Gallo, Dominik Guess, Scott Jones, Jennifer Lindemann, Hannah Malcolm, Jonathan Matheson, Nilufer Ozdemir, Fatima Rehman, Dan Richard, Debbie Wang

Through this High Impact Practice (HIP) grant, ten faculty were supported in the development of research-intensive courses at UNF.  These courses had been previously tagged as undergraduate research intensive (URES) by their home departments.  Working with guidelines and a rubric developed to be comparable to similar designations used throughout the State University System of Florida, these courses now meet the standards for designation as “research intensive” at the course or section level.  This project plays a major role in achieving Goal 1.C. of the UNF Strategic Plan, which is to establish initiatives to ensure that all students have access to coordinated and scaled high-impact practices (e.g., student research) to strengthen the academic experience.

Marie Smith-East | School of Nursing

HelpMindMeNow: A Community-Based Participatory Geographic Information Systems (GIS) support & referral tool for improving access to mental healthcare

During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals experiencing mental health issues and given concerns over receiving services in person, often turned to telemental health for assistance in finding mental health resources, group support, and providers. With the benefits of ease of use, schedule flexibility, increased adherence to care, ability to receive services across geographic areas (particularly for those seeking care in rural areas and/or specialized care such as women, children, elderly, LGBTQ+, minorities, and individuals with serious mental illness), the use of telehealth continues. However, individuals may struggle to find specific mental health services from reputable sources and if located, they may not be able to pay or find someone who takes their insurance. HelpMindMeNow™ is a proposed pilot community-based participatory web-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) application designed to utilize community members (individuals seeking care, agencies, and mental health clinicians) in the state of Florida, and University of North Florida graduate students studying mental health, in creating a web-based support and referral tool for improving access to telemental healthcare.

Amber Barnes | Department of Public Health

Primed for Research: Fieldwork and Laboratory Training for Students

As our university continues to strive for research excellence, it is imperative that we find ways to engage students in this process. This grant will allow the Coastal One Health and Zoonoses (COHZ) lab in the Department of Public Health to build up the necessary laboratory materials to support several studies with regional, national, and international One Health partners. These multi-year projects will allow interdisciplinary students the chance to partake in fieldwork to collect samples and spatial data, conduct laboratory and statistical analysis for the presence of zoonotic pathogens and related risk factors, and prepare scientific works such as peer-reviewed journal articles and conference to disseminate relevant findings to larger human and veterinary public health audiences around the globe.

Rebecca West Burns, Megan Lynch & Wendy Baker | College of Education and Human Services

Integrating Inquiry into Student Teaching Internship Experiences through a Collaborative Summer Inquiry Community

For teacher candidates in the College of Education and Human Services who are learning to teach, practitioner inquiry, as a high impact practice, provides a framework for teacher candidates to use now and in their future classrooms to be re-positioned as knowledge-generators, active participants in classroom research, and agents of change. Faculty and students in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum will form an inquiry community that will engage in a summer-long inquiry cycle into how inquiry can be systematically and developmentally appropriately integrated into student teaching and clinical field experiences.

Zhiping Yu | Department of Nutrition and Dietetics

Experience and the Impact of Tele-health Counseling Program on Dietetic Students

A tele-health nutrition counseling program has been providing nutrition interventions by supervised dietetic graduate students to uninsured low-income patients in Northeast Florida from 2019-2022. This project aims to assess the perspectives of dietetics students on the effectiveness of providing nutritional counseling via tele-health to patients and the impact of program on students themselves. In this project, past and current dietetic students who have participated the tele-health counseling program will be interviewed via Zoom on their experience and opinions regarding the program. The findings will help us advance the understanding the implication of tele-health in nutrition counseling and education of dietetic students.

Shyam Paryani | Department of Health Administration

Personal Health Monitoring of Athletes

To analyze physical performance, physiological status and mental alertness, UNF athletes will be asked to wear a wearable activity monitor, the Fitbit5, during the day excluding when they are playing official games or training for the academic year. The goal of this study is to collect physiological data on a continuous basis and correlate it with sports team performance to further the use of this technology to assist in the return-to-play for UNF athletes. This study will also help determine whether continuous monitoring allows for decreased injury frequency and duration. We plan to study basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, track and field and volleyball athletes.

Scott Jones | Department of Biology

Field-based research experiences are a powerful teaching tool in Biology, imparting a lasting understanding of natural systems and skills that are highly sought after on the job market. However, field-based experiences are often offered to students on an individual basis in faculty labs or over the summer, limiting the number of students who can participate. This project leverages UNF’s unique location by offering a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in coastal ecosystem ecology. This field-based CURE will give students the opportunity to conduct authentic place-based research at UNF, enhancing their scientific understanding of ecosystems in northeast Florida, gaining skills in research communication and writing, and expanding their network by interacting with professionals from federal and state agencies.

Ramin Shabanpour | College of Computing, Engineering & Construction

Integrating Community-based Service Learning and Civil Engineering Capstone Design to Enhance Infrastructure Resilience in Northeast Florida

This project aims to enhance the structure of the civil engineering capstone design by integrating community engagement, and more specifically, community-based service learning (CBSL), into the course curriculum. CBSL is a form of experiential education in which students engage in real-world projects that address local community needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development. Such a program allows students to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problems, thereby enhancing their learning outcomes and providing a valuable service to the community at the same time. Particular preference will be given to multidisciplinary projects that aim to enhance the resilience of community infrastructure against extreme weather events in Northeast Florida.

John Hatle | Department of Biology

Research in Biology

Many excellent UNF Biology students do not get to participate in on-campus research (i.e., a science internship) due to limited financial means. This is inequitable for students, and it creates a barrier to training the best next generation of scientists. This project creates research opportunities for exceptional students who have not participated in research because of finances. Selected students will be paid to conduct research at UNF.

Mike Binder | Department of Political Science and Public Administration

Florida Survey Spring 2023

Our goal is to cultivate and facilitate interest in evidence-based practice, quantitative analysis, data science, political and public policy polling. Students from diverse backgrounds, including PORL student employees, directly participate in the data collection process, learn about social science and public opinion research methodologies, and have the opportunity to see the results of their efforts in local, state, and national news media publications. Students will collect survey data at the PORL facility with its 27-station Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) system. The project will include upwards of 300 students from a variety of classes across the university.

Sarah Young | School of Music

Flute Choir Day

Flute Choir Day is a one-day festival hosted by the University of North Florida Flute Studio, with Ensemble 126, an award-winning professional flute ensemble. Our goal is to grow and engage the flute community not only within the university, but within the Jacksonville community, by inviting our studio alumni, professional flutists, as well as developing flutists and amateurs to participate. As the student ensemble receives feedback from professional ensemble members, the students will have a clearer understanding as to how they can improve in their own chamber music making, as well as how to teach their own future students in this capacity. They will also have the rare opportunity not only to perform for such a prestigious ensemble, but also hear them live at their own university as hosts. The day will consist of lectures, masterclasses, and performances from the Ensemble 126 that will directly engage and challenge our own students, and will include a world premiere from our UNF faculty composer Dr. Joshua Tomlinson.

Suzanne Ehrlich & Amanda Pascale | Department of Leadership, School Counseling, & Sport Management

Inclusive Design in STEM Online Courses to Improve Student Success

In our recent study at UNF examining inclusive design as a predictor of course pass, our research suggested that higher inclusive design scores were significantly correlated with higher pass rates in online courses. We found that for every one-point increase in inclusive design we could expect to see a .23 percent increase in course pass rate. In this project, we will deliver training aligned with the inclusive design work used in the study to promote inclusive design in STEM online courses. Faculty will benefit from a community of practice around strategies and implementation for increasing inclusiveness in their online courses.

Sheila Goloborotko | Department of Art and Design

Moving the Margins: Many Small Gestures

This funding will support the research, development, collaboration, and production of a responsive solo art exhibition titled Many Small Gestures for The Corner Gallery at the Jessie Ball DuPont Center. This solo exhibition is part of Moving the Margins, a residency program developed by curator Shawana Brooks that matches artists with nonprofits and grassroots organizations, current tenants of the Jessie Ball DuPont Center. Together, artist, students, and nonprofit organizations become a Cohort of Change-makers hosting community conversations to address intersectional themes and shared interests. Such conversations are the seeds of the creative process that materializes in artwork for an exhibition that transforms the vacant retail space at The Jessie, on the corner of Ocean and Adams Streets in Downtown, The Corner Gallery. Once installation is complete, students will serve as facilitators, walking the public through the installation during special events. This service and community-based learning experience will bring students a unique opportunity to engage with the diverse public presenting the work they were involved in creating.

Will Pewitt, M.F.A. | Department of English

The Shadow Company: Spotlighting Gender in Much Ado

Student will be convening a Writers Room to adapt one of Shakespeare’s most complex comedies, Much Ado About Nothing—a play thematized by stigmatic gendering and its dynamics with the problematic potency of class—in order to give students a space to not just deconstruct this inherited drama but to reconstruct it more inclusively. Through this grant, our cooperative student/faculty project will not only remunerate students for their creative work but will also fund collaboration with experts from the world-renowned Globe Theatre in London before the production can ultimately be toured to various local community partners. The first steps in this theatrical process are writerly choices regarding setting, pacing, and aesthetic revisioning that are all encompassed within script work—a task that, though vital, is often underappreciated since it is done off stage and behind the scenes. Yet by funding this crucial creative component, this company of young writers can be recognized for their work done in the “shadows”—a colloquial term in Shakespeare’s day for members of theatrical companies.

Jelena Brezjanović | Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work

Immersive Classroom: Using Virtual Reality (VR) to Teach Diversity Appreciation

The continual human rights abuses faced by underrepresented and marginalized groups in the United States are an urgent indication that finding broader and more innovative ways to teach diversity appreciation is crucial to creating a more just society. As more disciplines make positive steps to expand their curriculum and incorporate diversity topics, barriers (e.g. student apprehension, lack of adequate resources, low department support; heightened tensions; lack of empathy, etc.) tend to dilute positive learning outcomes. This project will address the aforementioned barriers of teaching diversity in the classroom by developing a course that combines virtual reality (VR) technology and anthropological methods to create space, adequate resources and immersive experiences to help enhance student empathy and improve learning outcomes.

Kally Malcom, MFA | Department of Art, Art History, and Design

19th Century Photography Revisited: Wet Plate Collodion Workshop and Visiting Artist Lecture

In photography, wet plate collodion was one of the earliest processes used widely since its advent in 1851. Though firmly tethered to the 19th century, it remains a popular and relevant form of image-making in contemporary times. This grant will allow students and the community to attend a public lecture with visiting artist and wet plate collodion expert, Euphus Ruth. In addition, photography students will be a part of an intensive workshop where they will make images utilizing this process, which will then be exhibited in The Union Gallery on UNF’s campus.

James P. Beasley, Ph.D. | Department of English

Writing as Social Action: The Lincolnville Green Book

The Writing as Social Action course has again partnered with the Lincolnville Museum to conduct research and create a “Green Book” project. This project takes as its object of study how writing technologies can be used to address injustices, collaborate with community groups, and advocate for social change. Throughout the segregated South, it was dangerous to be an African-American traveler. This was addressed by The Negro Motorist Green Book, an annual listing of lodging, diners, gas stations, and other businesses. The G​reen Book acted in similar ways as some social media platforms, collecting participation and then directing customers to locations of safety. Students will work with the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center and the St. Augustine Historical Society to create an updated St. Augustine “Green Book” utilizing curation technologies.

Erin Largo-Wight | Department of Public Health

The Community Partner Project

The Community Partner Project is a community-based learning opportunity that is a structured assignment within a course. Students need opportunities to expand learning and put classroom concepts to practice in the real world. The general goal of the Community Partner Project is to strengthen students’ course learning outcomes through community involvement. Specifically, through the Community Partner Project, students will develop health communication skills, interact and network with public health professionals, and increase their knowledge of the breadth of public health in the local community, as well as support our local public health community and efforts.

Linda K. Connelly | School of Nursing

Brooks Health Happy Hour

Falls in Brooks Rehab pose a significant problem for both the patient who falls and the health care system. In the rehab setting the goal is to restore function including ambulation. Patients with brain injury (stroke), spinal cord injury, and neurological disorders, so the patients when the patients are not being observed they attempt to walk and fall. On between their therapy sessions a staff member and the 2nd semester nursing students interact with these patients during Brooks Happy Hour and have decreased the fall rate. An education tool is being developed by myself, Brooks staff and the students on fall prevention and the Brooks Happy Hour Fall Prevention Program.

Terri N. Ellis | Department of Biology

Hands-on Student Training in Microbiology Research

Over the past 18 months, the pandemic forced most UNF Biology courses to develop remote lab exercises. While these exercises were developed with care and quality learning objectives, students from these remote labs are lacking in hands-on familiarity with basic molecular techniques and equipment that are necessary for jobs in these fields. One of the best ways for students to rapidly develop these hands-on skills is though participation in an authentic, immersive research project. This proposal aims to give students the opportunity to gain hands-on lab experience by joining my research lab. Priority will be given to those students without hands-on lab experience, allowing for direct training in these necessary tactile skills. . In the research lab environment students can rapidly master the hands-on skills fundamental to these investigations while also making connections between concepts across the biology curriculum. This experience will also broaden students understanding of the process of scientific research, improve their ability to communicate complex scientific ideas, and expose them to possible careers and employment opportunities.

Erin Bodnar | School of Music

Banda Sinfonica de Arroyito: A Service-Learning and Community-Based Immersion Music Experience

Our project combines service-learning and community-based immersion with music education and music performance. Undergraduate students will travel to Arroyito, Argentina to teach and perform music within the community. Students will bring with us donations of instruments and other musical materials that are desperately needed by the Banda Sinfonica de Arroyito and give instruction on instruments and music, sharing our knowledge with the community musicians. Further, we will learn about traditional Argentinian music and dance as well popular music in Argentina today.

Katryne Lukens Bull, MPH, Ron Lukens Bull, Ph.D., Maria Schedin, MPH | Department of Public Health

Culture, Religion and Wellness in Bali, Indonesia

For this study abroad journey to Bali, Indonesia, students will enroll in two courses, one in public health and one in anthropology, and gain multi-disciplinary insights and skills to address “Big Questions” such as how to end health, economic, and social disparities. Student will examine relationships between national government/culture and local culture including the relationships between religious minorities and religious majorities. As both a way to reflect and to express their intellectual journey, students will document the entire travel experience through faculty guided social media posts.

Nuria Ibáñez Quintana, Ph.D | Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Spanish Spain Languages and Cultures in Contact Program

The Spanish Spain Languages and Cultures in Contact program offers students a language and culture immersion experience. The experience serves as a channel for reflection upon intercultural and multilingual communication. Students live with host families and take classes at the Universidad de Burgos. The program includes visits to Segovia, Granada, Toledo (the three multilingual and multicultural centers during the Middle Ages in Spain), Madrid, Bilbao and other historic sites in Burgos and in the Basque Country.

Katrina W. Hall, Ph.D, Tara Rowe, Ed.D., Adel ElSafty, Ph.D. | Department of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum

UNF Engineers and Educators in Italy: Synergistic Learning and Inclusivity in a Global Community

Expanding on the “Whole Child” concept, this holistic study abroad spans 16 days in beautiful Italy, with visits to Rome, Assisi, Florence, the International Montessori Centre, and University of Perugia. With Corciano’s beautiful Villa Pieve Country House as homebase, activities include touring ancient sites, participating in historic restoration, exploring a medieval castle, leading a STEM Camp for children with autism, visiting schools and universities, and creating a digital guide to making university study abroad accessible to those are neurodivergent or have exceptionalities.

Lauri Wright, Ph.D., RDN, LD/N, FADA | Department of Nutrition & Dietetics

International Connections: Dietetic Interns Treating Malnutrition in Ghana

Malnutrition is a serious issue in children and hospitalized patients in Ghana. Identifying and treating malnutrition is one of the primary skills that dietetic interns must achieve competence to be successful in practice. Additionally, cultural competence healthcare providers improve health outcomes and quality of care. This project is a short-term cultural immersion to Accra, Ghana focused on improving dietetic interns’ cultural competence, nutrition skill and self-efficacy by working in hospitals and community to identify and treat malnutrition.