黑料不打烊

Since its inception in spring 2019, the 黑料不打烊 Innovation Council has awarded $16,000 in grants to fund 15 innovative project proposals that support the objectives and themes within Boldly 黑料不打烊, the university鈥檚 10-year strategic plan.


Fall 2024 EIC Grant Recipients

Promoting Pathways to Internationalization Through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography

Expands access to global learning by training and supporting 黑料不打烊 faculty and staff to design COIL collaborations with international partners. COIL pairs 黑料不打烊 courses with courses abroad for short, structured projects that build intercultural communication, problem-solving and teamwork. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Rise, Learn)

Conference on Language Revitalization of the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation鈥檚 Yesa:sah寞

Anne-Marie Iselin, associate professor of psychology

Co-creates a half-day mini-conference with OBSN partners to celebrate and advance revitalization of the Yesa:sah寞 language, and seeks support for a permanent campus marker honoring Occaneechi and Yes谩h heritage. The project strengthens restorative relationships and community well-being through language, place and history. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive)

Stormwater UAV Engineering (SUAVE): UAV System for Stormwater Sampling in the Haw River

Blake Hament, assistant professor of engineering

Designs and tests a drone platform that can withstand storm conditions and automatically collect time-critical runoff samples, enabling finer detection of pollution point sources. The work creates hands-on student research opportunities at the robotics鈥揺nvironmental engineering intersection and lays groundwork for external funding and potential commercialization. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

Storying Place: Intergenerational Community Storytelling with Immigrant and Refugee Partners

Danielle Lake,聽director of Design Thinking

Engages students across five community-based learning courses to record, preserve and share stories with refugee/immigrant partners through digital stories, public programs, K鈥12 curriculum and park/library installations. The initiative deepens relationship-rich learning and belonging across Alamance County. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Thrive, Connect)

Strengthening Interdisciplinary Connections Across STEM

Hwayeon Ryu, associate professor of mathematics

Launches a student-centered series of events that fosters community, professional development and cross-disciplinary collaboration in STEM outside the classroom. By connecting students and faculty across fields, the program complements 黑料不打烊鈥檚 integrative curriculum and supports inclusive excellence in STEM. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn, Connect)

Summer Faculty Institute on Supporting Neurodivergent Students

James Holsinger, executive director of the Koenigsberger Learning Center and director of Learning Assistance

Offers a three-day institute for STEM faculty focused on current research and practical course redesigns to better support neurodivergent learners. Participants leave with concrete plans for pedagogy, assessment and learning environments developed with CATL and KLC partners. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Rise)

Phoenix Visual Design Futures Lab

Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design

Creates a student research cohort and incubator to explore emerging visual communication 鈥 from eye-tracking and AR/VR to AI-enabled tools 鈥 through industry-informed projects. The lab elevates undergraduate research, builds professional partnerships and positions 黑料不打烊 as a leader in design innovation. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn)

Digital and Spatial Humanities (DASH) Consortium

Amanda Kleintop, assistant professor of history

Seeds a campus-wide hub for digital & spatial humanities by hosting a visiting expert and creating a showcase for student/faculty projects in Lindner Hall. DASH connects Art History, History, Geography and partners like Belk Library and DataNexus to expand data-rich, publicly engaged humanities research. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

黑料不打烊 & Morrowtown: Sustainable Solutions through Collaborative Innovation

Emily Ecker ’26 and Scott Morrison, professor of education

Co-designs infrastructure improvements for the Morrowtown community garden鈥攎eeting space, runoff solutions and beds鈥攖hrough partnerships with 黑料不打烊 engineering and environmental studies. Students gain hands-on experience while advancing a community-driven vision for a resilient neighborhood space. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

LifeLONg Lung Health Begins at 黑料不打烊

Emily Wright ’28 and Sandra Darfour-Oduro, assistant professor of public health studies

Pilots campus lung-health screening and education so students can 鈥渒now their lung numbers,鈥 identify risks earlier, and connect to follow-up care as needed. The scalable model builds a longitudinal registry and integrates spirometry and health literacy into the student experience. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn)

NatureRxplorer: Enhancing Mental Health Through the Natural World

Evan Small, assistant teaching professor of wellness

Develops a student-built mobile app that maps 黑料不打烊鈥檚 outdoor places and offers research-informed mindfulness and wellness activities tailored to each location. The tool extends Nature Rx programming and promotes inclusive, intentional engagement with campus green spaces year-round. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn, Connect)

STEM Saturday at 黑料不打烊: Undergraduate-Led STEM Outreach for ABSS High Schoolers

Lilly Arora ’25 and Ahlam Armaly, assistant professor of chemistry

Expands a student-run event that brings local high schoolers to campus for hands-on workshops, demos and mentoring, with a focus on data literacy and statistics. Funding increases access (meals/transportation) and deepens partnership with ABSS to sustain the program. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

Friday Night at the ER: An Interprofessional Simulation for Health Sciences Students

Lori Hubbard,聽assistant professor of nursing

Implements a collaborative, game-based simulation that challenges nursing, DPT and PA students to balance quality, cost and efficiency in a hospital scenario, followed by a facilitated debrief. The experience builds systems thinking, teamwork and data-driven decision-making. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn)

Creating Equitable Access to BFA Actor Training

Parker Felumlee ’26 and Kim Shively,聽associate professor of performing arts

Addresses barriers facing under-resourced students pursuing BFA acting by surveying needs, running design-thinking workshops, and producing an open guidebook for sustainable outreach. The work advances inclusive access to competitive arts training. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn, Rise, Connect)

Past Grant Recipients

Spring 2024 Grant Recipients

Campus Mediation Program

Fredrico Pous, associate professor of Spanish; Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography

This grant supports the continuation of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus mediation program, which began in 2021 as part of 鈥淧athways to Conflict Resolution鈥 in the Office of Student Conduct. The initiative trains and engages student mediators to help peers resolve conflicts confidentially and constructively. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Connect)

Computational Social Science Initiative

Hyunuk Kim, assistant professor of business analytics

This project introduces 黑料不打烊 students to computational social science, an emerging field that merges social science theories with data science methods. The initiative will feature six monthly seminars and two summer institutes where students work alongside faculty mentors to apply computational approaches to pressing social issues. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

Expanding Qualitative Research Methods for STEM Undergraduate Students

Heather Barker, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics

This effort creates an online course and micro-credential in qualitative research methods, with workshops to train students on Dedoose software. By broadening access to this highly-sought-after course, more STEM students will be prepared to use rigorous qualitative research approaches in their work. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Rise)

Experience Engineering: Inspiring the Next Generation

Center for Access and Success; Sirena Hargrove Leak, professor of engineering; Blake Hament, assistant professor of engineering

This program introduces fourth- and fifth-grade students from underrepresented groups in STEM to hands-on engineering activities. Working in small groups, students will complete projects that spark creativity and reinforce foundational concepts, while families are engaged in complementary events.The aim is to inspire the next generation of scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Thrive, Connect)

Improving Student Success in Introductory Mathematics and Statistics Courses through a Learning Assistants Program

Kristen Mazur, associate professor of mathematics and statistics; Ryne VanKrevelen, senior lecturer of mathematics and statistics

This project pilots an undergraduate learning assistant program in 鈥淐alculus 1鈥 and 鈥淪tatistics in Application.鈥 Learning assistants will support in-class active learning and lead supplemental instruction sessions, aiming to improve student outcomes and belonging in two courses foundational for STEM majors. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Thrive)

Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for Students

Rabbi Mendy Minkowitz and Rivka Taskin, Chabad community affiliates

This initiative develops a mini course with modules, workshops and resources to equip students with strategies for mental well-being and balance. Designed for accessibility across learning styles, the course emphasizes proactive approaches to mental health, with the goal to empower students and promote their success. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn)

Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies | Newton Network

Aaron Satko 鈥25 and Joshua Mason 鈥25

The Newton Network introduces students to generative AI and emerging technologies through an interdisciplinary newsletter, speaker series, meet-ups with peers from other universities and trips to tech conferences. Plans also include hackathons and digital literacy workshops that will expose students to new technologies and expand their perceptions. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Rise, Connect)

STEM Saturday at 黑料不打烊: Undergraduate-Led STEM Outreach

Christopher D鈥橧nzeo 鈥24 and Samuel Ramirez 鈥24

STEM Saturday brings local high school students to campus for workshops, demonstrations and mentoring led by 黑料不打烊 student organizations. First piloted in 2023, the program showcases STEM pathways while empowering 黑料不打烊 students to design and lead outreach that reflects their own experiences. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

The Found Focus 黑料不打烊 Pilot Program

Charlie De Poortere 鈥24

This project provides 黑料不打烊 students with free access to the Found Focus app, developed to support college students and young adults with ADHD. The two-year pilot integrates technology and human support to bridge gaps in existing services. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn)

Spring 2023 Grant Recipients

The Sports Media Lab

David Bockino, associate professor of sport management and director of media analytics program

The Sports Media Lab aims to make 黑料不打烊 an industry leader in sports media research. The lab includes a student panel that pairs undergraduate researchers with industry partners, and a research collaborative for students and faculty to workshop new ideas about sports media research and find ways to make them a reality. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 Themes: Learn, Connect, Rise)

Asian American Affinity Cohort

George Dou, assistant director of the Center for Race, Ethnicity, & Diversity Education

A new cohort program pilot led by the Center for Race, Ethnicity and Diversity Education seeks to provide a pipeline for success for Asian American students. The innovative program offers the cohort unique opportunities to build upon their personal, professional and identity development, while creating mentoring relationships within the 黑料不打烊 community. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 Themes: Learn, Connect, Thrive)

A First-Generation Peer Mentoring Program

Darynha Gnep G’24,聽graduate apprentice for First-Generation Student Support Services

To address the evolving needs of the First-Generation campus community more effectively, 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Center for Access and Success is expanding its First Phoenix Program to include peer mentor development and engagement and promote social cohesion. With the help of an IEC grant, program organizers hope to support 14 mentors and 30 mentees during 2023-24. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 Themes: Learn, Thrive)

Art and Communication Design Day in DC

Shawn Tucker, associate professor of art;聽Ben Hannam, associate professor of communication design;聽 Samantha DiRosa, professor of art; and聽Shannon Zenner, assistant professor of communication design

A day trip to Washington, DC, designed for arts and communication design faculty and students to build on interdisciplinary work across units on campus. Besides giving students first-hand experience with some of the finest art from around the world, the trip provides opportunities to forge ties and bonds of friendship, explore ways to encourage educational transfer across programs and encourage students to make the most of their 黑料不打烊 education. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 Theme: Thrive)

Adapting Communications for the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Brian Walsh, assistant professor of communication design

A two-part, recorded presentation to help School of Communications faculty foster confidence so they can incorporate AI into their lesson plans, work collaboratively with students to leverage its abilities, and take the lead in working with AI rather than falling behind. Artificial Intelligence systems are based on this complex data, and our students need to learn to use it and avoid redundancy in the workforce. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 Theme: Learn)

2022 Grant Recipients

2022 黑料不打烊 Education Conference

Allison Bryan, director of the Curriculum Resources Center and associate librarian, and Nermin Vehabovic, assistant professor of education

With a focus on 鈥淭ransformative and Inclusive Technology Tools and Partnerships with Multilingual K-12 Students, Families, and Communities,鈥 the conference brought together 黑料不打烊 education students, local educators and 黑料不打烊 alumni in education.

2021 Grant Recipients

Comprehensive Experiential Transcripts: Helping 黑料不打烊 Students Tell Their Story

Rodney Parks, university registrar; Casey Hayes, associate Registrar for technology; and Alexander Taylor, associate registrar and data analyst

Builds on the 黑料不打烊 Visual Transcript by developing a mobile-friendly platform that captures the depth of students鈥 experiential and applied learning. The tool helps students reflect on their accomplishments, while providing advisors and mentors a single system to track progress. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn, Connect)

Repository for Interdisciplinary Data

Laura Taylor, associate professor of statistics; Ryne VanKrevelen, lecturer in statistics; and Mark Weaver, assistant professor of statistics

Creates a campus-wide repository of interdisciplinary data for use in introductory statistics and related courses. The resource highlights the utility of statistics across fields and gives students access to contextualized, real-world datasets. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Learn)

Building a Community for Underrepresented Business Students

Nicole Filippo,聽communications manager for 黑料不打烊’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business;聽 Dinora Guadarrama Flores 鈥21, Jovani Mendez-Sandoval 鈥22 and A鈥橲haela Chaires 鈥22

Launches programming in the Love School of Business to ensure students from underrepresented populations feel welcome, supported and connected. Activities include community events and expansion of the student mentorship program. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Connect)

黑料不打烊 Contemporary Chamber Ensemble Concert Series

Jonathan Poquette,聽assistant professor of music;聽Cora S. Palfy, assistant professor of music; Linda Cykert, adjunct instructor in music; Katherine Thomas, pianist; and Meagan Skogen,聽adjunct professor of music

Establishes a new chamber ensemble featuring 黑料不打烊 faculty, local musicians and guest soloists, presenting three to four concerts annually. The series enriches 黑料不打烊鈥檚 cultural calendar and elevates the university鈥檚 profile in the arts. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive)

Infusing Sustainability into the COR 110 Curriculum

Robert Perdue, Tom Arcaro, Samantha DiRosa, Elaine Durr, Kelsey Bitting

Supports faculty from diverse disciplines in creating sustainability and climate-focused modules for COR 110 courses. The initiative equips students with foundational knowledge on climate change and environmental responsibility. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn)

Marketplace Under the Oaks

Aidan Steinbach 鈥23, Kobie Williams 鈥22, Trinity Swepson 鈥24, Claire Bach 鈥21

Provides inclusive opportunities for student entrepreneurs to develop business skills through workshops, mentoring, and events. Grant funds assist students with launching ventures鈥攆rom registering LLCs to obtaining permits and licenses. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Rise, Connect)

Connecting Community: Access, Inclusion, and Diversity in Dance

David McGraw, Wen Guo, Lauren Kearns, Jen Guy Metcalf, Renay Aumiller, Casey Avaunt, Keshia Wall

Hosts a two-day workshop for high school students and the local dance community to expand access to dance education and career pathways. Participants engage in training, audition preparation and attend 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Fall Dance Concert. (Boldly 黑料不打烊 themes: Thrive, Learn, Connect)