University Of New Haven

CARES ACT HEERF UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN INSTITUTIONAL

CARES ACT HEERF UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN CYBERCORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE (SFS): SUPER CYBER OPERATIVES (SCOS)

DATA AGGREGATION AND VISUALIZATION FOR VIOLENT NON STSTE ACTOR NETWORKS

€œRESTORING CONNECTICUT YOUTH IN AND OUT OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM

THE FY 2023 COPS OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT PROGRAM (TEP) IS AN INVITATION-ONLY GRANT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AND ACQUIRE EFFECTIVE EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGIES, AND INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS THAT ASSIST IN RESPONDING TO AND PREVENTING CRIME. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PROJECTS WHICH IMPROVE POLICE EFFECTIVENESS AND THE FLOW OF INFORMATION AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. FUNDING SHALL BE USED FOR THE PROJECTS, AND IN THE AMOUNTS, SPECIFIED UNDER THE HEADING COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SERVICES, TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT COMMUNITY PROJECTS/ COPS LAW ENFORCEMENT TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT DIVISION B, WHICH IS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO PUBLIC LAW 117-328.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN IN WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT AND ITS NORTHEAST REGIONAL DE-ESCALATION TRAINING CENTER OF THE NATIONAL DE-ESCALATION TRAINING CENTER (NDTC), WILL TRAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN EIGHT OF ELEVEN STATES IN THE NORTHEAST REGION IN DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES EFFECTIVELY IN TWO MODALITIES, IN-PERSON TO OFFICERS AND IN-PERSON TO TRAIN-THE-TRAINERS.

TAS::89 0321::TAS UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN SOLAR TESTING AND TRAINING LABORATORY

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN WILL USE FY24 SAFER OUTCOMES FUNDING TO SUPPORT TRAINING EFFORTS THROUGH THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL DE-ESCALATION TRAINING CENTER OF THE NATIONAL DE-ESCALATION TRAINING CENTER (NDTC), WHICH INCLUDE TRAINING FIFTEEN STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THROUGHOUT THE EAST COAST IN DE-ESCALATION TECHNIQUES. THIS AREA IS THE LARGEST AND MOST DENSELY POPULATED REGION OF THE REGIONAL TRAINING CENTERS THAT BELONG TO THE NATIONAL DE-ESCALATION TRAINING CENTER NATIONAL NETWORK. THIS TRAINING WILL INCLUDE A PROPRIETARY DE-ESCALATION PROGRAM OFFERED IN TWO MODALITIES, IN-PERSON TO INDIVIDUALS AND IN-PERSON TO TRAIN-THE-TRAINERS. THE TRAINING, WHICH INCORPORATES DISC ESOTERICA, BUILDS ON SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, BODY LANGUAGE AND APPROPRIATE APPROACHES AND DISTANCING BASED UPON ACTIVE AND PASSIVE THREATS. THE TRAINING INCLUDES VERBAL TECHNIQUES AND PROCEDURAL JUSTICE-BASED DE-ESCALATION AND CRISIS INTERVENTION BY INCORPORATING RAPID PERSONALITY AND THREAT ASSESSMENT TOOLS TO THE OFFICERS. THE NDTC IS THE ONLY PROVIDER IN THE COUNTRY THAT DELIVERS IADLEST LEVEL THREE DE-ESCALATION TRAINING. TO EVALUATE THIS TRAINING, THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN'S NORTHEAST REGIONAL DE-ESCALATION TRAINING CENTER WILL WORK WITH THE NATIONAL RESEARCH COORDINATOR OF THE NDTC TO CONDUCT QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENTS, POLICY REVIEWS AND IMPACT EVALUATIONS TO IDENTIFY ISSUES AND ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF THE TRAINING ON OFFICER BEHAVIOR PATTERNS AND PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE NDTC NATIONAL NETWORK.

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN WILL CONDUCT A 5-YEAR MIXED METHODS EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION INITIATIVES (CVIPI) OPERATING IN NEW HAVEN, CT, AND YORK, PA. THESE CITIES EXPERIENCED DRAMATIC INCREASES IN VIOLENT CRIME AND VICTIMIZATION IN 2020, AND CURRENT LEVELS REMAIN ELEVATED COMPARED TO 2019. FOR BOTH PROJECTS, DEVELOPMENTAL, PROCESS, AND IMPACT EVALUATION WILL EXAMINE WHETHER STRONGER COLLABORATIONS AMONG COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS HAVE BEEN BUILT, IF ENHANCED PROGRAMMING IS BEING OFFERED TO THOSE AT GREATER RISK FOR VIOLENT CRIME INVOLVEMENT AND VICTIMIZATION, WHETHER DATA COLLECTION AND USE OF DATA HAVE BEEN IMPROVED, AND IF VIOLENT CRIME AND VICTIMIZATION HAVE BEEN REDUCED. NEW HAVEN, CT, RECEIVED FY 2023 BJA CVIPI FUNDING TO CREATE A VIOLENCE REDUCTION WORKING GROUP, DEVELOP A CVI STRATEGIC PLAN, ADDRESS GAPS IN THE CITYS COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION LANDSCAPE, DEVELOP A COORDINATED DATA COLLECTION AND SHARING SYSTEM, AND ENSURE CONTINUAL PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROJECT, TITLED PRESS FORWARD, TARGETS YOUNG ADULTS AGED 18-34 WHO ARE HIGH-RISK DUE TO THEIR IMMEDIATE SOCIAL NETWORKS, INVOLVEMENT IN GUN-RELATED OFFENSES, GANG AND GROUP CONNECTIONS, AND/OR BEING A VICTIM OF VIOLENCE. LOGOWORKS PARTNERS OF YORK, PA, APPLIED FOR FY 2024 BJA CVIPI FUNDING TO CREATE A COLLABORATIVE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION SYSTEM, THE YORK SAFER TOGETHER NETWORK (YSTN). THIS NETWORK SEEKS TO LINK MULTIPLE VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES AND CREATE PATHWAYS FOR YOUTH TO BUILD TRUST AND LEGITIMACY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AVAILABLE IN THE COMMUNITY. YSTN AIMS TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AMONG THOSE 24 YEARS OLD AND YOUNGER. THE EVALUATION WILL INCLUDE USE OF MULTIPLE TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA: SERVICE RECORD AND OFFICIAL CRIME DATA, COLLECTED AND MAINTAINED BY PARTICIPATING AGENCIES; SERVICE PROVIDER DATA, COLLECTED FROM STAFF OF PARTICIPATING AGENCIES; PARTICIPANT DATA, COLLECTED FROM INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN CVIPI PROGRAMMING; AND OBSERVATIONAL DATA, COLLECTED ON-SITE BY THE RESEARCH PARTNERS AND TRAINED OBSERVERS. THE EVALUATION WILL INVOLVE ONGOING PARTICIPATION AND COLLABORATION WITH CVIPI STAKEHOLDERS IN BOTH LOCATIONS, TO ENSURE THE EVALUATION NEEDS OF PARTICIPATING AGENCIES ARE MET AND THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS OF GREATEST INTEREST ARE ANSWERED. INTERIM AND FINAL REPORTS WILL BE SUBMITTED AS REQUIRED BY NIJ, AND QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA RESULTING FROM THE RESEARCH WILL BE DEPOSITED WITH THE NATIONAL ARCHIVE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE DATA. RESEARCH BRIEFS AND MULTIPLE MANUSCRIPTS APPROPRIATE FOR PUBLICATION IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS AND ACADEMIC BOOKS WILL BE PRODUCED, ALONG WITH NATIONAL AND REGIONAL PRESENTATIONS AT BOTH ACADEMIC AND PRACTITIONER-ORIENTED CONFERENCES. CA/NCF

CAREER: COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF CRITICAL PROPERTIES OF AMINE SALTS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON AMBIENT AEROSOL

APPLICATION OF MORPHOLOGICALLY-DIRECTED RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY (MDRS) FOR THE FORENSIC EXAMINATION OF SOILS

CAREER: BIOMECHANICAL REGULATION OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION -THIS FACULTY EARLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (CAREER) AWARD WILL SUPPORT RESEARCH TO STUDY THE HOW MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION IS REGULATED. MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS HAVE SELF-RENEWAL PROPERTIES. THESE CELLS HAVE GREAT POTENTIAL IN CELL-BASED THERAPIES FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE. HOWEVER, THE FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS OF HOW MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS DIFFERENTIATE INTO CELLS THAT MAKE FORMATION REMAINS POORLY UNDERSTOOD. THIS PROJECT WILL SYSTEMATICALLY STUDY THE INTERACTIONS OF BIOPHYSICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT DIFFERENTIATION. THIS WORK WILL USE A NOVEL MICRO-ENGINEERED PLATFORM TO IDENTIFY THE FUNCTIONS AND MECHANISMS THAT INFLUENCE MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION. THE EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE A GOAL-ORIENTED, PROJECT-BASED, HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE TO A BROAD AUDIENCE, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES. UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS WILL BE TRAINED THROUGH PROJECT-BASED COURSES AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES. IN ADDITION, SUMMER OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WILL INCREASE TEACHERS' AWARENESS OF STEM CAREERS AND ENHANCE THE ENGAGEMENT OF K-12 STUDENTS INTO STEM EDUCATION. BY IMPROVING THE FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION, THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOMANUFACTURING AND TISSUE ENGINEERING SYSTEMS TO PRODUCE SPECIFIC STEM CELL LINEAGE THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR NORMAL ORGAN FUNCTION. THE SPECIFIC RESEARCH GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO IDENTIFY THE FUNCTION AND MECHANISMS OF MECHANOSENSITIVE NON-CODING RNAS IN REGULATING OSTEOGENIC DIFFERENTIATION. THE OVERARCHING FOCUS IS TO INVESTIGATE HOW STIFFNESS, GEOMETRIC GUIDANCE, AND TRACTION FORCE REGULATE NON-CODING RNAS DURING MESENCHYMAL STEM CELL DIFFERENTIATION, USING A NOVEL MULTIPLEX NANOBIOSENSOR, 2D AND 3D CULTURE SYSTEMS. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THREE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES. THE FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP AND CHARACTERIZE A NOVEL MULTIPLEX NANOBIOSENSOR FOR NON-CODING RNAS DETECTION AT THE SINGLE CELL LEVEL. THE SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO ELUCIDATE THE MECHANOSENSITIVE ROLE OF NON-CODING RNAS AND THEIR CROSSTALK WITH BIOPHYSICAL FACTORS AT THE TISSUE, CELL, AND MOLECULAR LEVEL. THE FINAL OBJECTIVE IS TO INVESTIGATE THE MECHANOREGULATION OF NON-CODING RNAS DURING OSTEOGENIC DIFFERENTIATION IN 3D MICROENVIRONMENTS. COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE NOVEL INFORMATION AND INSIGHTS REGARDING THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING NON-CODING RNAS IN RESPONSE TO BIOPHYSICAL FACTORS. THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THESE EXPERIMENTS WILL PROVIDE NEW INSIGHTS INTO THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MECHANOREGULATION OF OSTEOGENIC DIFFERENTIATION FOR THE APPLICATION OF CELL-BASED THERAPIES, WHICH WILL SUPPORT THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE BIOMANUFACTURING AND TISSUE ENGINEERING SYSTEMS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

EVIDENCE RESPONSE TRAINING CENTER PROJECT

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN WILL IMPLEMENT THE IMPROVING THE LIVES OF YOUTH IN CONNECTICUT TO CONTINUE ITS WORK TO ADDRESS RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITIES AND INCREASE DIVERSION. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM, IN COLLABORATION WITH THREE SUB-AWARDEES, IS TO PROVIDE EVERY OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO BE SUCCESSFUL BY FOCUSING ON REDUCING RED IN YOUTH IN DIVERSION AND PLACEMENT, PROVIDING RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO ADDRESS EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE, AND ADDRESSING GENDER RESPONSIVITY IN THE HANDLING OF YOUTH IN THE SYSTEM. THIS GOAL ALIGNS WITH THE WORK OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUTS JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (JJPOC) AND ITS COMMITMENT TO INTEGRATING AND SUSTAINING MEANINGFUL YOUTH AND FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS.

A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TO INCREASE RETENTION IN ENGINEERING (ASPIRE): IMPROVING WORK-STUDY-LIFE BALANCE

BRINGING FAULT DETECTION & DIAGNOSIS (FDD) TOOLS INTO THE MAINSTREAM: RETRO COMMISSIONING & CONTINUOUS COMMISSIONING OF HVAC & REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS

ACHIEVING POSITIVE YOUTH OUTCOMES CREATING SAFER AND HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

ADDRESSING RACIAL AND ETHNIC DISPARITY THROUGH LOCAL AND STATEWIDE STRATEGIES

EXPLORING OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN LOW READMISSION FROM SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS (EXPLORE-SNF) - FOLLOWING AN ACUTE HOSPITAL STAY, 1 IN 4 OLDER PATIENTS IS TRANSFERRED TO A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY (SNF). MEANWHILE, 25% OF THESE PATIENTS ARE READMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITHIN 30 DAYS. TO ADDRESS THE STAGGERING FINANCIAL AND QUALITY OF LIFE LOSS, THE PROTECTING ACCESS TO MEDICARE ACT (PAMA) OF 2014 INCLUDED READMISSION PENALTIES FOR SNFS THAT WERE IMPLEMENTED INTO PRACTICE IN 2019. DESPITE SNFS FACING FINANCIAL PENALTIES FOR HIGHER THAN EXPECTED HOSPITAL READMISSIONS, THERE IS SURPRISINGLY LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT DIVERSE FACTORS ARE RELATED TO READMISSION FOR OLDER ADULTS AND HOW SOME SNFS PERFORM WELL IN ACHIEVING LOW READMISSIONS WHILE OTHERS FALTER. IN THE FACE OF THE NEW FINANCIAL AND PUBLIC-REPORTING INCENTIVES, STRONGER EVIDENCE TO INFORM SNF EFFORTS TO REDUCE READMISSION IS NEEDED. WE PROPOSE TO IDENTIFY THE DRIVERS OF READMISSION IN SNFS USING A POSITIVE DEVIANCE APPROACH, NAMELY “EXPLORING OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN LOW READMISSION FROM SKILLED NURSING FACILITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS (EXPLORE-SNF)”. POSITIVE DEVIANCE IS AN INDUCTIVE ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUE THAT USES IN-DEPTH QUALITATIVE METHODS FOR GENERATING HYPOTHESES WITH REGARD TO THE ORGANIZATIONAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH PERFORMANCE OF HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS. THE LACK OF SIGNAL FROM TRADITIONAL PREDICTORS OF READMISSION SUGGESTS THAT THERE MAY BE IMPORTANT LESSONS TO LEARN FROM SNFS THAT ARE “POSITIVE DEVIANTS” OR HAVE EXTREMELY LOW READMISSION RATES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM SNFS ABOUT STRATEGIES TO OPTIMIZE OUTCOMES IN THE GROWING POPULATION OF OLDER ADULT PATIENTS ADMITTED TO SNFS FOLLOWING HOSPITALIZATION. IN AIM 1, WE WILL CONDUCT QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WITH HIGH- AND LOW-PERFORMING SNFS TO GENERATE HYPOTHESES REGARDING WHICH SNF STRATEGIES ARE LIKELY TO EXPLAIN EXCEPTIONALLY LOW 30-DAY READMISSION RATES AMONG PATIENTS DISCHARGED TO SNFS FOLLOWING HOSPITALIZATION. SNF PERFORMANCE WILL BE CALCULATED USING MEDICARE READMISSIONS DATA ACCESSIBLE VIA NURSING HOME COMPARE. WE WILL SAMPLE HIGH- AND LOW-PERFORMING SNFS UNTIL WE REACH THEORETICAL SATURATION. NEXT, IN AIM 2, WE WILL ENGAGE WITH EXPERTS AND STAKEHOLDERS TO BEGIN TO DEVELOP INTERVENTIONS USING DESIGN THINKING METHODOLOGY THAT COULD BE PILOTED TO ADDRESS THE MOST PROMISING SNF STRATEGIES TO REDUCE READMISSION RATES. IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS, WE HAVE ASSEMBLED A DYNAMIC AND MULTI-DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIVE TEAM, WITH EXPERTISE IN HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, NURSING, PUBLIC HEALTH, QUALITATIVE METHODOLOGY, GERIATRICS, BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS, DESIGN THINKING, AS WELL AS IN THE CONDUCT OF MULTI-SITE OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES. EXPLORE-SNF IS IMPORTANT FOUNDATIONAL WORK BECAUSE OF RECENT FEDERAL CHANGES TO SNF PAYMENTS AND PUBLIC REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. WHILE WELL-INTENTIONED, THESE INCENTIVES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO WORSEN CARE IF NOT ACCOMPANIED BY EVIDENCE TO GUIDE PRACTICES TO AVOID READMISSION AND OPTIMIZE PATIENT CARE. IMPORTANTLY, THIS STUDY WILL EXPOSE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO RESEARCH THAT WILL SPUR INTEREST IN RESEARCH CAREERS IN BIOMEDICAL OR BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, AS WELL AS STRENGTHEN THE RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN.

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN/ UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD AND INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS COLLABORATIVE NUCLEAR FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM APPLIED RESEARCH IN FABRICATION, TESTING AND SIMULATION OF NUCLEAR POWER SYSTEMS.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EPIIC: BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR GROWTH IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES (BRIDGE-TECH) -THE BRIDGE-TECH (BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT FOR GROWTH IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES) PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER A COHORT OF FIVE PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS (PUIS) COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING REGIONAL INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS BY REMOVING BARRIERS TO RESEARCH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION. THESE INSTITUTIONS EACH SERVE REGIONS WITH UNTAPPED ECONOMIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL POTENTIAL BUT FACE COMMON CHALLENGES SUCH AS LIMITED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE, FRAGMENTED PARTNERSHIPS, AND UNDERDEVELOPED SUPPORT FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. THROUGH A COORDINATED, COHORT-BASED APPROACH, THE PROJECT WILL EMPOWER FACULTY AND COMMUNITIES BY DEVELOPING SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS, SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAMMING, AND EXPANDING ACCESS TO EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. ULTIMATELY, BRIDGE-TECH SEEKS TO BUILD ECOSYSTEMS WHERE INNOVATION THRIVES AND CONTRIBUTES TO LONG-TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS. TECHNICALLY, BRIDGE-TECH PROPOSES A SCALABLE MODEL TO INCREASE INNOVATION CAPACITY AT PUIS THROUGH STRATEGIC CAPACITY-BUILDING AND SHARED INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON FIVE INTERRELATED GOALS: (1) INCREASE INDUSTRY-SPONSORED RESEARCH, (2) ENHANCE INNOVATION CULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER, (3) DEVELOP DESIGN THINKING AND INNOVATION ACCELERATOR, (4) DRIVE AND EXPAND INNOVATION IN RAPID MANUFACTURING, AND (5) CREATE SYNERGISTIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACADEMIC RESEARCH. EACH INSTITUTION WILL IMPLEMENT CUSTOMIZED, LOCALLY GROUNDED ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS CREATING INNOVATION CENTERS, FORMING REGIONAL COUNCILS, CONDUCTING ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENTS, AND LAUNCHING FACULTY FELLOWS PROGRAMS, WHILE LEVERAGING COHORT-WIDE TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND SHARED RESOURCES. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES INCLUDE INCREASED RESEARCH FUNDING, EXPANDED PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDUSTRY ENTITIES, IMPROVED IP AND COMMERCIALIZATION PROCESSES, AND THE TRAINING OF OVER 40 FACULTY MEMBERS. THE COLLABORATION ULTIMATELY AIMS TO ELEVATE THE ROLE OF PUIS IN NATIONAL INNOVATION NETWORKS WHILE SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

RUI: MECHANOREGULATION OF COLLECTIVE CELL MIGRATION IN BIOMIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENTS -THIS FACILITATING RESEARCH AT PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS (RUI) PROJECT SUPPORTS FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH TO STUDY COLLECTIVE CELL MIGRATION, A CRUCIAL PROCESS IN EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT, WOUND HEALING, TISSUE REGENERATION, AND CANCER METASTASIS. THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN MECHANICAL FORCE AND BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS DURING THIS MIGRATION IS NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD. THIS PROJECT WILL STUDY THE CORRELATION BETWEEN MECHANICAL FORCE AND BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS IN ENGINEERED BIOMIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENTS. THE RESULTS FROM THIS RESEARCH WILL ENHANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CELL MIGRATION, A KEY BIOLOGICAL PROCESS. THE METHODS DEVELOPED WILL ASSIST IN DESIGNING MOLECULAR BIOSENSORS AND THREE-DIMENSIONAL CELL CULTURES FOR DISEASE MODELING AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. THIS RESEARCH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COURSE CURRICULA, SUMMER RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES, AND K-12 OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. TO WIDEN THE PROJECT'S PARTICIPATION, HIGH SCHOOL AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WILL BE RECRUITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT BY OFFERING THEM HANDS-ON TRAINING AND MENTORING PROGRAMS. SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL BE PLACED ON WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY (URM) GROUPS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INVESTIGATE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN MECHANICAL FORCE AND BIOCHEMICAL FACTORS DURING COLLECTIVE CELL MIGRATION USING A MICRO-ENGINEERED PLATFORM, INCLUDING NOVEL MULTIPLEX NANOBIOSENSING TECHNIQUES AND ENGINEERED 3D BIOMIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENT. THE OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO ELUCIDATE HOW COMPRESSIVE STRESS AND MATRIX STIFFNESS INTERACT WITH NON-CODING RNAS (OR NCRNAS) DURING COLLECTIVE CELL MIGRATION. THIS RESEARCH WILL ACHIEVE THREE OBJECTIVES: DEVELOPING A NOVEL MULTIPLEX NANOBIOSENSOR FOR DETECTING NON-CODING RNAS AT A SINGLE-CELL LEVEL, ELUCIDATING THE MECHANOSENSITIVE ROLE OF NCRNAS AND THEIR INTERACTION WITH BIOPHYSICAL FACTORS, AND INVESTIGATING HOW THESE NCRNAS REGULATE COLLECTIVE CELL MIGRATION IN 3D BIOMIMETIC MICROENVIRONMENTS. COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT WILL ADVANCE THE UNDERSTANDING OF FUNDAMENTAL MECHANISMS BY WHICH NCRNAS RESPOND TO BIOPHYSICAL FACTORS. THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED FROM THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE NOVEL INFORMATION AND NEW INSIGHTS OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MECHANO-REGULATION IN COLLECTIVE CELL MIGRATION AND ESTABLISH AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION FOR ADVANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EMERGING ROLE OF NCRNAS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

REU SITE: BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE: SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH FOR EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES -THIS THREE-YEAR REU SITE: BUILDING A GREENER FUTURE: SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION RESEARCH FOR EMPOWERING STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IS HOSTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN. THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR RAPIDLY CONSTRUCTING SUSTAINABLE NETZERO HOMES AND SHELTERS TO ADDRESS HOUSING NEEDS AFTER NATURAL AND MANMADE DISASTERS IS THE FOCUS OF THIS PROGRAM. TEN UNDERGRADUATES WILL BE RECRUITED EACH YEAR, WITH A SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON RECRUITING PARTICIPANTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES. THESE OPPORTUNITIES WILL ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS IN IMPACTFUL RESEARCH FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION AND ECO-FRIENDLY HOMES FOR POST-DISASTER RECOVERY IN A SUPPORTIVE, LOW-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENT. GUIDED BY EXPERIENCED FACULTY MENTORS, PARTICIPANTS WILL COLLABORATE ON INNOVATIVE PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE TEAMWORK AND PROBLEM-SOLVING FOCUSING ON REAL-LIFE ENGINEERING PROBLEMS. THIS REU SITE EMPHASIZES A STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH, BUILDING CONFIDENCE WHILE OFFERING CAREER DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS ON R?SUM? WRITING, NETWORKING, AND PUBLIC SPEAKING. PARTICIPANTS WILL ALSO INTERACT WITH ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, TO INSPIRE THEIR CAREER PATHS. THIS INITIATIVE AIMS TO INCREASE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES, FOSTERING THEIR GROWTH AS ENGINEERS AND ROLE MODELS, WHILE CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE INCLUSIVE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES OFF-GRID, DURABLE, AND EFFICIENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR DISPLACED POPULATIONS, ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY AND ADAPTABILITY IN CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENTS. THE FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF NATURAL DISASTERS, SUCH AS CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES AND FLORIDA HURRICANES, ARE INCREASING. SPECIAL SHELTERS ARE DESIGNED TO FUNCTION INDEPENDENTLY OF DISRUPTED INFRASTRUCTURE, OFFERING IMMEDIATE AND SUSTAINABLE HOUSING. CUTTING-EDGE METHODS LIKE 3D CONCRETE PRINTING, BUILDING INFORMATION MODELS (BIM) FOR ADVANCED PLANNING, SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS FOR OFF-GRID ENERGY, AND RAINWATER COLLECTION FOR SUSTAINABLE WATER USE ARE EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH PROJECTS. THESE APPROACHES AIM TO PROVIDE SCALABLE SOLUTIONS FOR HOUSING CRISES IN DISASTER-STRICKEN AREAS. BY ADVANCING RAPID CONSTRUCTION AND FOSTERING EMPATHY IN ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS, THE PROGRAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REVOLUTIONIZE POST-DISASTER RECOVERY AND GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN RESPONSES, MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE. REU PARTICIPANTS CAN DEVELOP SKILLS IN ENGINEERING AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH HANDS-ON AND COMPUTATIONAL TASKS. THIS INCLUSIVE APPROACH ENSURES PARTICIPANTS CAN EXCEL IN TACKLING INTERDISCIPLINARY ENGINEERING CHALLENGES FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABILITY AND HUMANITARIAN DESIGN. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

EARMARKS

CPD

UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN CENTER FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION AND CYBERSECURITY PROJECT

MRI TRACK 1: ACQUISITION OF A PLATFORM FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN RISK AWARE ROBOTIC EXPLORATION OF UNKNOWN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS -THIS MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION (MRI) GRANT IS FOR THE ACQUISITION OF A LEGGED ROBOTIC PLATFORM AT UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN. THE RESEARCH TOPICS TO BE PURSUED USING THIS PLATFORM ARE AIMED TOWARDS AUTOMATED SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS IN SETTINGS THAT MAY BE HAZARDOUS FOR HUMANS. THIS WILL HELP DEVELOP NEW KNOWLEDGE RELATED TO RISK-AWARE AUTOMATED EXPLORATION OF UNKNOWN HAZARDOUS ENVIRONMENTS, WHICH PROMOTES THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE, HELPS ADVANCE PRESERVATION OF NATIONAL HEALTH AND HELPS WITH NATIONAL WELFARE DURING DISASTER SCENARIOS. THE TASK OF LETTING A ROBOT AUTONOMOUSLY NAVIGATE AND EXPLORE AN UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENT IS CHALLENGING. TO HANDLE THIS CHALLENGE, PREVIOUS EFFORTS HAVE DIRECTED THE ROBOT TO ACQUIRE A SENSE OF WHERE IT IS, WHERE OTHER OBJECTS ARE, SOMETIMES TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT THESE OTHER OBJECTS AROUND IT ARE, AND ASSESS IF SUCH OBJECTS ARE MOVING AND MAY COLLIDE WITH THE ROBOT. WHILE SUCH AN APPROACH MAY WORK IN CERTAIN SETTINGS, IT DOES NOT WORK IN ALL, ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN AIDING POST-DISASTER SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS, BECAUSE A ROBOT MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH ABILITIES TO UNDERSTAND ALL INFORMATION ITS SENSORS RECEIVE. CURRENT RESULTS IN ROBOTICS LACKS A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONSEQUENCES THAT THE ACTION OF A ROBOT CAN HAVE ON THE OVERALL SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION, ON OTHER HUMANS WHO ARE SUPPORTING SUCH AN OPERATION, OR ON THOSE NEEDING HELP IN SUCH A SITUATION. THE EQUIPMENT SUPPORTED BY THIS AWARD WILL PROMOTE MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH RELATED TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AUTONOMOUS CONTROL, ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING. IT WILL ALSO AID IN EDUCATING THE NEXT GENERATION ON ADVANCEMENT ROBOTIC EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES. SUCH TALENT DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE NATIONAL INTERESTS BY DEVELOPING A WORKFORCE TRAINED TO CREATE, HANDLE, AND MAINTAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOPHISTICATED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENABLED ROBOTICS TECHNOLOGY. THE EQUIPMENT ACQUIRED WITH THIS GRANT WILL HELP DEVELOPING FUNDAMENTAL RESULTS RELATED TO COLLABORATIVE RISK-AWARE HUMAN-ROBOT OPERATIONS IN AN EVER-CHANGING, NON-STATIONARY DISASTER-STRICKEN SCENARIO. THE FOLLOWING TECHNIQUES ARE PLANNED: THEORETICAL GUARANTEES FROM UNIVERSAL ADAPTIVE STABILIZATION FOR NEAR REAL-TIME IN-SCENE OBJECT DYNAMICS ESTIMATION; NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING BASED ACTION SEQUENCE GENERATION INCORPORATING THE EVOLVING TEMPORAL STATUS OF TASK EXECUTION; ENABLING AGILE COORDINATION AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IN HETEROGENEOUS MULTI-ROBOT SETTINGS VIA COMMUNICATING MULTI-AGENT REINFORCEMENT LEARNING ALGORITHMS; UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION AND RISK-AWARE LEARNING FOR SAFE AND ROBUST INTER-ROBOT COMMUNICATIONS VIA THEORY OF MIND AND ADVERSARIAL REGULARIZATION APPROACHES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

UNH CAMPUS PROGRAM TO REDUCE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: IMPACTS OF PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE ON ADULT, NON-TRADITIONAL, ENGINEERING STUDENTS

MRI: ACQUISITION OF LASER INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROMETER (LIBS)

SATC: EDU: EXPANDING DIGITAL FORENSICS EDUCATION WITH ARTIFACT CURATION AND SCALABLE, ACCESSIBLE ARTIFACT EXERCISES

CAREER: SURFACE ENGINEERING BY PREDICTIVE LASER DEPOSITION OF MULTI-PRINCIPAL ELEMENT ALLOYS -THIS FACULTY EARLY CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (CAREER) AWARD SUPPORTS A TRANSFORMATIVE, EXPERIMENTALLY-VALIDATED PREDICTIVE FRAMEWORK TO MANUFACTURE MULTI-PRINCIPAL ELEMENT ALLOYS (MPEAS). THESE ALLOYS REPRESENT A NEW CLASS OF MATERIALS THAT, UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL ALLOYS SUCH AS STEELS, GENERALLY CONSIST OF FIVE OR MORE PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS IN SIGNIFICANT PROPORTIONS. PROMISING STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES, SUCH AS SUPERIOR MECHANICAL STRENGTH AND HARDNESS, ENCOURAGE THEIR USE AS COATINGS FOR ADDITIVELY ENGINEERED SURFACES. THE PROCESSING OF THESE MATERIALS PRESENTS SOME CHALLENGES, HOWEVER, INCLUDING UNEVEN MIXING AND MICROSTRUCTURE CHANGES DURING RAPID COOLING THAT CONTRIBUTE TO FORMATION OF CRACKS WHEN THESE MATERIALS ARE DEPOSITED AS COATINGS. THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WILL BUILD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE CORRELATION OF ATOMISTIC PROPERTIES TO SYSTEM-SCALE PROCESSING PARAMETERS THROUGH THE SYNERGISTIC USE OF COMPUTATIONAL PREDICTIONS, QUANTIFICATION OF UNCERTAINTIES IN THE PROCESSING CONDITIONS AND MATERIAL PROPERTIES, AND EXPERIMENTAL CHARACTERIZATION. THE OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT WILL ADVANCE THE MANUFACTURABILITY OF THESE ALLOYS AND THEIR SURFACE COATINGS, WHICH WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON MANY TECHNOLOGICAL AREAS INCLUDING PROPULSION, MACHINERY, TRANSPORTATION, AND MEDICAL DEVICES. THE PREDICTIVE PROCESSING PARADIGM DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL BE WIDELY APPLICABLE TO AN ARRAY OF MATERIALS SYSTEMS, AND CAN BOLSTER ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESSES WITH OPTIMIZATION CAPABILITIES. THE TIGHTLY INTEGRATED EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ARE TARGETED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES TO PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM FIELDS, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS CAREER PROJECT IS TO GENERATE NEW KNOWLEDGE ON HOW THE DIFFUSION OF MULTIPLE PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS IN AN ALLOY MELT UNDER RAPID COOLING AFFECTS THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF THEIR LASER DEPOSITED CLADS. TO REALIZE THIS OBJECTIVE, AN INTEGRATED COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORK WILL BE ESTABLISHED THAT (1) MARRIES TOGETHER STRUCTURE AND PROPERTY PREDICTIONS FROM MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF THE ALLOY MELT WITH PROCESSING CONDITIONS, (2) PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OPTIMIZING THE MANUFACTURING PARAMETERS FOR PRODUCING CLADS OF DESIRED COMPOSITION AND QUALITY, AND (3) IMPARTS ROBUSTNESS TO THE CORRELATIONS BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPY AND X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY CHARACTERIZATIONS, AND UNCERTAINTY QUANTIFICATION OF THE HIGH-DIMENSIONAL PARAMETER SPACE OF COMPOSITIONS, IMPURITIES, AND MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES. THE DIRECT AND MULTISCALE CORRELATION OF THE SIMULATION PREDICTIONS TO THE SYSTEM SCALE PROCESSING PARAMETERS, WILL FACILITATE THE MAPPING OF THE PARAMETERS TO TARGETED CRITERIA SPACE VIA A PARETO FRONT. THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROCESSING CONDITIONS (SYSTEM SCALE) AND THE ALLOY MELT DYNAMICS (ATOMIC SCALE) WILL ENABLE INTELLIGENT PARAMETER SELECTION FOR THE LASER CLADDING AND AID IN CREATING SURFACE COATINGS THAT ARE HOMOGENOUS IN COMPOSITION AND CRACK RESISTANT. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

BAA

LEAPS-MPS: ENZYME-RESPONSIVE POLYOLEFIN AS A PROGRAMMABLE ANTIFOULING MATERIAL -NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: MICROORGANISMS SUCH AS BACTERIA AND ALGAE COMMONLY EXIST IN NATURE (E.G., IN SOIL AND OCEANS). LIKE HUMANS SETTLING DOWN AND BUILDING HOUSES ON LAND, BACTERIA PREFER TO ATTACH TO SOLID, WET SURFACES IN NATURE AND BUILD ?HOUSES? KNOWN AS BIOFILMS (E.G., THE SLIME LAYER ON OUR TEETH OR ON SHIP HULLS) TO SURVIVE. CELLS LIVING IN BIOFILMS ?EAT? THROUGH THE ATTACHED SURFACES, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL DAMAGE, A PROCESS KNOWN AS BIOFILM-MEDIATED BIOFOULING. FOR EXAMPLE, BIOFILMS CAN CAUSE THE METAL IN POWER PLANTS TO RUST BY SECRETING CORROSIVE METABOLIC PRODUCTS OR EXTRACTING ELECTRONS FROM THE METAL AS ?FOOD.? THIS PROBLEM COSTS U.S. POWER PLANTS ABOUT $50 BILLION ANNUALLY. AS THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, SUCH AS WIND POWER, GROWS, TACKLING BIOFOULING BECOMES CRUCIAL. WITH THE AWARD FROM THE LEAPS-MPS PROGRAM, RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN AIM TO DEVELOP NEW ANTIFOULING MATERIALS THAT RESPOND TO CHITINASE, AN ENZYME COMMONLY PRODUCED BY MICROORGANISMS IN NATURE. THESE MATERIALS WILL BE STUDIED TO DETERMINE HOW THEY PREVENT AND REMOVE BACTERIAL AND ALGAE GROWTH. THIS RESEARCH COULD LEAD TO COATINGS THAT ARE LONG-LASTING AND EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING AND REMOVING THE SETTLEMENT OF MICROORGANISMS, ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN OFFSHORE WIND FARMS AND EXISTING POWER PLANTS. IN ADDITION TO ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING, THIS PROJECT SUPPORTS EDUCATIONAL AND DIVERSITY INITIATIVES. IT WILL TRAIN A DIVERSE GROUP OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN MATERIALS AND SURFACE ENGINEERING. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ENGAGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM RURAL AREAS THROUGH A SUMMER CAMP CALLED ENGINEERING YOUR FUTURE, PROMOTING INNOVATION AND INTEREST IN ENGINEERING CAREERS. TECHNICAL SUMMARY: THIS LEAPS-MPS PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE ANTIFOULING CAPABILITIES OF A NOVEL ENZYME-RESPONSIVE POLYOLEFIN, SPECIFICALLY POLY(N-HYDROXYETHYL 5-NORBORNENE 2,3-DICARBOXYMIDE) (PNHND), IN RESPONSE TO THE ENZYME CHITINASE. THE RESEARCH FOCUSES ON UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PROPERTIES OF POLYOLEFIN SURFACES, SUCH AS HYDROPHOBICITY AND TEXTURE, AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN PREVENTING AND REMOVING MICROBIAL ADHESION. A SERIES OF ENZYME-RESPONSIVE ANTIFOULING SURFACES WILL BE CREATED USING PARTICLE DISPERSION TECHNIQUES. THE STUDY WILL TEST THESE SURFACES AGAINST BACTERIA (PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA) AND ALGAE (CHLORELLA VULGARIS) DUE TO THEIR COMMON PRESENCE IN MARINE ENVIRONMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, THE ENZYME RESPONSE KINETICS OF THE POLYOLEFIN WILL BE CHARACTERIZED. THE OUTCOME OF THIS PROJECT WILL LEAD TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MICROORGANISMS INTERACT WITH POLYOLEFIN SURFACES, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO THE SYSTEMATIC DESIGN OF NEW ANTIFOULING MATERIALS. EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES WILL INCLUDE RECRUITING, RETAINING, AND TRAINING A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS IN MATERIALS AND SURFACE ENGINEERING AND INTRODUCING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO BIOMATERIALS THROUGH A SUMMER CAMP. THE PROJECT'S BROADER IMPACTS INCLUDE POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN BIOFOULING COSTS FOR ENERGY FACILITIES AND ADVANCEMENTS IN BIODEGRADABLE, PROGRAMMABLE PLASTICS TO ADDRESS PLASTIC WASTE ISSUES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

LEAPS-MPS: BIOMASS-DERIVED DEPOLYMERIZABLE AND DEGRADABLE POLYMERS AS SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS -IN THIS PROJECT MANAGED BY THE CHEMISTRY DIVISION AT NSF, PROFESSOR HAO SUN AND HIS STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN WILL PERFORM STUDIES THAT AIM TO DEVELOP BIOMASS-DERIVED DEPOLYMERIZABLE AND DEGRADABLE POLYMER MATERIALS WITH HIGHLY TUNABLE THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES. THE UBIQUITY OF COMMODITY VINYL POLYMERS AND POLYOLEFINS IN MODERN SOCIETY HAS CAUSED NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS BECAUSE OF THEIR NON-DEGRADABLE CARBON-CARBON BACKBONES. PROFESSOR SUN AND HIS STUDENTS WILL TACKLE THIS CHALLENGE BY DEVELOPING POLYMER USING BIOMASS-DERIVED MONOMERS THAT CAN BREAK DOWN AS NEEDED (I.E. DEPOLYMERIZABLE AND DEGRADABLE). THEIR STUDIES COULD LEAD TO ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DEGRADABLE POLYMER STRUCTURE AND THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES TO EVALUATE THEIR POTENTIAL IN INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO STEM EDUCATION AND BROADENED PARTICIPATION IN POLYMER SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH RECRUITING UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENT RESEARCHERS, DEVELOPING A NEW UNDERGRADUATE LAB COURSE ABOUT DEGRADABLE POLYMERS, AND REACHING OUT TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS. PROFESSOR SUN AND HIS STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP SYNTHETIC APPROACHES TO DEPOLYMERIZABLE AND DEGRADABLE POLYMER MATERIALS FROM READILY AVAILABLE BIOMASS RESOURCES. TWO CLASSES OF BIOMASS-DERIVED POLYMERS WILL BE DESIGNED AND SYNTHESIZED, INCLUDING DEPOLYMERIZABLE POLYOLEFINS AND DEGRADABLE POLY(ENOL ETHER)S. THE EMPLOYMENT OF RING-OPENING METATHESIS POLYMERIZATION (ROMP) TECHNIQUE IN THEIR APPROACHES WILL GENERATE WELL-DEFINED DEGRADABLE POLYMERS WITH MODULAR MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND TUNABLE MOLECULAR WEIGHTS, ENABLING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STRUCTURE-DEPOLYMERIZATION AND STRUCTURE-DEGRADATION RELATIONSHIPS. UNDERSTANDING THESE CORRELATIONS WILL GIVE RISE TO POLYMER MATERIALS WITH PROGRAMMABLE DEPOLYMERIZATION OR DEGRADATION KINETICS FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS SUCH AS DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND STIMULI-RESPONSIVE MATERIALS. FURTHERMORE, PROFESSOR SUN WILL SYSTEMATICALLY EVALUATE THE THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF PROPOSED POLYMERS, WITH THE GOAL OF ADVANCING THESE BIOMASS-DERIVED POLYMERS AS A NEW KIND OF SUSTAINABLE AND RESPONSIVE MATERIALS FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

EQUIPMENT TO SUPPORT A CENTER FOR CYBERSECURITY

REGIONAL FORENSIC TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE TEAM TRAINING PROJECT

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN X-RAY DIFFRACTION (XRD) SYSTEM

EXPLORING CYBERSECURITY AND FORENSICS OF VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEMS AND THEIR IMPACT ON CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION

FISCAL YEAR 2025 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER CYBER SERVICE ACADEMY SCHOLARSHIPS: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN

TELEHEALTH IN HOME VISITING FOR NEW MOTHERS: ARE OUTCOMES DIFFERENT IF THE FIRST VISITS ARE IN PERSON? - SUMMARY HOME VISITING PROGRAMS FOR NEW MOTHERS HAVE A BROAD RANGE OF GOALS, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, REDUCTIONS IN CHILD MALTREATMENT, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT. OVER 286,000 FAMILIES FACING ADVERSITY ARE SERVED ANNUALLY BY 19 EVIDENCE-BASED MODELS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, WHICH PROVIDE SUPPORT, EDUCATION, AND CONNECTIONS TO OTHER SERVICES. BEFORE 2020, ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF VISITS WERE DELIVERED THROUGH TELE HOME VISITING (TELEHV; PHONE OR VIDEO ENCOUNTERS). THE CORONAVIRUS DISEASE-2019 (COVID-19) PANDEMIC REQUIRED RAPID ADOPTION OF TELEHV; BY EARLY APRIL 2020, 99% OF HOME VISITS WERE BY TELEHV. PRIOR TO 2020, TELEHV WAS RECOMMENDED ONLY AS A PARTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR IN-PERSON VISITS AND ONLY AFTER A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HOME VISITOR AND FAMILY WAS ESTABLISHED, BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP. THIS RELATIONSHIP IS A KEY ELEMENT ACROSS HOME VISITING PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION FOR TEACHING, MENTORING, AND COLLABORATING WITH THE FAMILY. THERE IS LIMITED EVIDENCE REGARDING TELEHV, ALTHOUGH WE ANTICIPATE MANY FAMILIES WILL USE A MIX OF IN-PERSON VISITS AND TELEHV AFTER COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTED DUE TO GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND OTHER ADVANTAGES. WE PROPOSE A SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS TO MAKE USE OF THIS NATURAL EXPERIMENT AND DETERMINE IF IN-PERSON VISITS DURING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HOME VISITOR-FAMILY RELATIONSHIP ARE ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER OUTCOMES THAN TELEHV DURING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS RELATIONSHIP, AND IF THIS ASSOCIATION IS MEDIATED BY RETENTION, RELATIONSHIP QUALITY, OR OTHER PROCESS FACTORS. WE WILL EXPLORE IF THE FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH BETTER OUTCOMES VARY BETWEEN IN-PERSON HOME VISITING AND TELEHV, WHICH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH ACCEPTANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF TELEHV BY FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS. WE WILL CONSIDER BOTH HEALTH OUTCOMES (MATERNAL DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, BREASTFEEDING, INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE [IPV]) AND PROCESS OUTCOMES (RETENTION, VISIT ATTENDANCE, SCREENING COMPLETION). WE WILL OBTAIN DATA FROM A LARGE, EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING PROGRAM, NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP (NFP). NFP HAS 260 SITES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES; 1000 TO 1600 PREGNANT FIRST-TIME MOTHERS ENROLL MONTHLY, BEFORE THEIR THIRD TRIMESTER, AND RECEIVE REGULAR VISITS FROM NURSES DURING PREGNANCY THROUGH THE CHILD’S SECOND BIRTHDAY (WEEKLY TO MONTHLY, BASED ON DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE). THE NFP NATIONAL SERVICE OFFICE COLLECTS DATA ON ALL ENROLLED FAMILIES AT INTAKE AND AT DEFINED TIME POINTS REGARDING VISITS, SCREENINGS, AND OUTCOMES. WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH THESE DATA AND ARE WELL-POSITIONED TO ACCESS AND ANALYZE THEM. OUR ESTIMATED SAMPLE SIZE FOR THE PRIMARY AIM IS 3000 FAMILIES WITH IN-PERSON INTAKE AND 8000 WITH TELEHV ONLY. THIS WILL ALLOW SUFFICIENT POWER TO CONDUCT REGRESSION ANALYSES, CONTROLLING FOR FAMILY, PROGRAM SITE, AND COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS. THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF STARTING THE HOME VISITING RELATIONSHIP IN-PERSON VS. THROUGH TELEHV. THIS KNOWLEDGE WILL HELP HOME VISITING PROGRAMS BETTER UTILIZE TELEHV IN THE FUTURE, RESULTING IN BETTER OUTCOMES FOR THE FAMILIES SERVED IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING REDUCTIONS IN HEALTH INEQUITIES.

UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF THE GSC-ASSOCIATED LNCRNA GIHCG AS A THERAPEUTIC TARGET IN GLIOBLASTOMA - PROJECT SUMMARY GLIOBLASTOMA (GBM), THE MOST AGGRESSIVE AND PREVALENT BRAIN TUMOR, IS MARKED BY A GRIM PROGNOSIS DESPITE STANDARD TREATMENTS LIKE SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY, AND RADIOTHERAPY. THE LIMITED SUCCESS OF THESE TREATMENTS IS LARGELY DUE TO GBM'S HIGH RECURRENCE AND RESISTANCE, UNDERSCORING THE URGENT NEED FOR INNOVATIVE TREATMENT STRATEGIES. NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE INDICATED THAT GLIOBLASTOMA STEM CELLS (GSCS) ARE KEY DRIVERS OF TUMOR GROWTH, THERAPY RESISTANCE, AND RELAPSE. RECENT ADVANCEMENTS IN SEQUENCING TECHNOLOGIES REVEALED A VAST LANDSCAPE OF LONG NONCODING RNAS (LNCRNAS), A CLASS OF RNAS WITH SIGNIFICANT REGULATORY POTENTIAL IN CANCER BIOLOGY, THAT MAY SERVE AS PROMISING THERAPEUTIC TARGETS. HERE, WE PROPOSE TO CHARACTERIZE A NEWLY IDENTIFIED GSC-ASSOCIATED LNCRNA GIHCG, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR GSC SURVIVAL. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA REVEALED THAT GIHCG- SPECIFIC SIRNA-MEDIATED KNOCKDOWN REDUCED GSC PROLIFERATION, MIGRATION, AND SELF-RENEWAL CAPACITY. NOTABLY, HIGH LEVELS OF GIHCG EXPRESSION CORRELATE WITH POOR PATIENT OUTCOMES IN GBM, SUGGESTING ITS ONCOGENIC POTENTIAL. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT GSC-ASSOCIATED ONCOGENIC LNCRNA GIHCG PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN GBM INITIATION AND PROGRESSION AND COULD FUNCTION AS A POTENTIAL BIOMARKER AND/OR THERAPEUTIC TARGET IN GBM. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE PROPOSE THREE SPECIFIC AIMS: FIRST, WE WILL GENERATE A GIHCG KNOCKOUT IN GSCS USING A DUAL-GUIDE CRISPR/CAS9 APPROACH TO DELINEATE THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS INVOLVED IN GSC PROLIFERATION, MIGRATION, AND STEMNESS (AIM 1). SECOND, WE WILL ASSESS THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF GIHCG IN GBM PROGRESSION USING PRECLINICAL EX VIVO CEREBRAL ORGANOID AND IN VIVO XENOGRAFT MOUSE MODELS (AIM 2). FINALLY, WE WILL INVESTIGATE THE FUNCTIONAL INTERACTIONS OF GIHCG WITH CHROMATIN AND PROTEINS USING CHROMATIN ISOLATION BY RNA PURIFICATION (CHIRP) AND CHIRP- MASS SPECTROMETRY (CHIRP-MS) (AIM 3). IN SUMMARY, THIS STUDY AIMS TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GSC-SPECIFIC LNCRNA GIHCG AND ELUCIDATE ITS ROLE IN GBM PROGRESSION, WITH THE GOAL OF ADVANCING RNA-BASED THERAPY FOR HIGH-GRADE BRAIN CANCERS.

THE IMPACT OF FORENSIC EVIDENCE ON ARREST AND PROSECUTION

CAREER: CAS: CHEMICALLY RECYCLABLE POLYOLEFINS WITH TUNABLE CEILING TEMPERATURES AND THERMOMECHANICAL PROPERTIES -NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY SYNTHETIC POLYMERS ARE USED EVERYWHERE IN OUR DAILY LIVES, WITH APPLICATIONS RANGING FROM PACKAGING AND CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS TO ELECTRONICS AND MEDICAL DEVICES. HOWEVER, THE LACK OF EFFICIENT RECYCLING FOR POLYMER WASTE HAS RESULTED IN ITS ACCUMULATION IN THE ENVIRONMENT, CAUSING NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON ECOSYSTEMS. DEPOLYMERIZATION, WHICH INVOLVES BREAKING DOWN POLYMER WASTE INTO ITS BUILDING BLOCKS (MONOMERS), HAS EMERGED AS A PROMISING SOLUTION FOR REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN OF PLASTICS. NEVERTHELESS, EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES (AND THUS ENERGY) ARE TYPICALLY NEEDED FOR THE DEPOLYMERIZATION PROCESS OF COMMODITY POLYMERS. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES BY DESIGNING NOVEL RECYCLABLE POLYMER MATERIALS THAT CAN BE EASILY DEPOLYMERIZED BACK TO MONOMERS UNDER MILD CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT WILL SYSTEMATICALLY INVESTIGATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLYMER STRUCTURES AND THEIR DEPOLYMERIZATION PERFORMANCE. THIS KNOWLEDGE WILL AID IN THE DESIGN OF NEXT-GENERATION POLYMER MATERIALS WITH ENHANCED SUSTAINABILITY AND ECO-FRIENDLINESS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE NEXT GENERATION OF POLYMER SCIENTISTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, WILL BE TRAINED IN CONTEMPORARY POLYMER RESEARCH. FURTHERMORE, A SUMMER POLYMER ACADEMY WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR LOCAL MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO INSPIRE THEIR INTEREST IN STEM EDUCATION AND POLYMER SCIENCE. TECHNICAL SUMMARY DEPOLYMERIZATION, WHICH TRANSFORMS POLYMERS BACK INTO THEIR CONSTITUENT MONOMERS, OFFERS AN IDEAL APPROACH FOR THE INFINITE RECYCLING OF POLYMER MATERIALS. THE REGENERATED MONOMERS CAN BE REPOLYMERIZED TO PRODUCE RECYCLED POLYMERS WITH PROPERTIES SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, THE INHERENTLY HIGH CEILING TEMPERATURES OF MOST COMMODITY POLYMERS MAKE DEPOLYMERIZATION A HIGHLY ENERGY-INTENSIVE PROCESS, COMPROMISING ITS ECONOMIC VIABILITY FOR RECYCLING POST-CONSUMER POLYMER WASTE. THE GOAL OF THIS CAREER PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP NOVEL SUSTAINABLE POLYMERS THAT CAN BE REVERTED TO THEIR MONOMERS UNDER MILD CONDITIONS. A LIBRARY OF LOW-STRAIN CYCLIC OLEFIN MONOMERS, INCLUDING MONOCYCLIC AND BRIDGED BICYCLIC OLEFINS, WILL BE DESIGNED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CHEMICALLY RECYCLABLE POLYMERS VIA RING-OPENING METATHESIS POLYMERIZATION. TO ELUCIDATE THE STRUCTURE-DEPOLYMERIZATION RELATIONSHIP, THE PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE THE INFLUENCE OF MONOMER FUNCTIONAL GROUPS ON THE CEILING TEMPERATURES OF THEIR CORRESPONDING POLYMERS BY EXAMINING THE THERMODYNAMIC PARAMETERS OF POLYMERIZATION. THE RESEARCH THEMES ARE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AIMED AT PROMOTING DIVERSITY IN STEM EDUCATION THROUGH THE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT OF UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES AND FEMALE STUDENTS. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE HANDS-ON TRAINING TO UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE EMERGING FIELDS OF POLYMER AND MATERIALS SCIENCE. ADDITIONALLY, A SUMMER POLYMER ACADEMY PROGRAM WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR LOCAL STUDENTS IN GRADES 6-12 AND THEIR PARENTS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF STEM RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AND POLYMER SUSTAINABILITY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THE CT DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND PUBLIC PROTECTION ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2020 SHOWED CRIMES OF RACIAL BIAS, DISABILITY BIAS, RELIGIOUS BIAS, AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION BIAS. THE TYPES OF CRIME VARIED, FROM DESTRUCTION AND VANDALISM TO ASSAULTS AGAINST PERSONS, WHICH CONSTITUTED THE MAJORITY OF HATE CRIMES. COMMUNITY DISTRUST OF POLICE RESPONSE IS AMPLIFIED BY THE NUMBER OF WELL-PUBLICIZED, POLICE-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS AND OTHER POLICE INCIDENTS THAT SEEM TO IGNORE APPARENT BIAS AND EXTREME ACTIONS BY THE POLICE.   THE PERCEIVED INACTION BY POLICE WHEN HATE CRIMES HAVE OCCURRED AND AFTER POLICE-INVOLVED INCIDENTS HAVE FURTHER ERODED TRUST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS, INVESTIGATIONS, AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE PROPER RESPONSE OF POLICE TO THOSE INCIDENTS IS CRUCIAL TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE AND TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY OF THE CONCERN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. IF POLICE RESPONSE IS TO BE TRUSTED BY THE COMMUNITY AND JUSTICE IS TO BE ACHIEVED, LAW ENFORCEMENT MUST KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE INVESTIGATION OF THESE CRIME SCENES, RECOGNIZE AND DOCUMENT EVIDENCE, AND PRESERVE EVIDENCE PROPERLY. BECAUSE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY BUDGETS INCLUDE FEW FUNDS FOR HIGH-LEVEL OR HANDS-ON TRAINING IN THE AREAS OF SCENE INVESTIGATION OF POLICE SHOOTINGS AND HATE CRIMES,  THERE CAN BE A MAJOR GAP IN THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF INVESTIGATORS. RECENT ADVANCES IN FORENSIC SCIENCE HAVE BROUGHT MANY NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO ASSIST THESE INVESTIGATIONS.  THROUGH THIS GRANT THE HENRY C. LEE INSTITUTE WILL CREATE MEANINGFUL, UP-TO-DATE TRAINING IN THE MAJOR EVIDENCE AREAS, AND THE RECOGNITION, IDENTIFICATION, AND DOCUMENTATION OF VARIOUS TYPES OF EVIDENCE, OFFERED AT NO COST TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PRACTITIONERS. DURING THE COURSE OF THIS PROJECT, THE HENRY C. LEE INSTITUTE WILL: CREATE A ONE-DAY IN PERSON/ VIRTUAL TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS IN CONNECTICUT ABOUT THE PROPER FORENSIC INVESTIGATION OF HATE CRIMES AND INCIDENTS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY, ADDRESSING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF FORENSIC EVALUATION OF THESE INCIDENTS.   THREE TRAINING WORKSHOPS WILL ALSO BE OFFERED FOR UP TO 30 OFFICERS, DETECTIVES, INVESTIGATORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS INCLUDING HANDS-ON ELEMENTS FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF SCENES, IDENTIFICATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF EVIDENCE, AND TO FAMILIARIZE ATTENDEES WITH APPLICABLE FIELD AND LABORATORY TECHNOLOGIES.  A DIGITAL RECORDING OF THE TRAINING WILL BE AVAILABLE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES WHO SUBMIT A REQUEST TO THE INSTITUTE SO OTHER OFFICERS AND ATTORNEYS CAN BENEFIT FROM THE TRAINING. THIS PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE OVER AN 18 MONTH PERIOD.

FY24 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) CYBER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM (CYSP) AND DOD CYBER AND DIGITAL SERVICES ACADEMY (DCDSA) GRANTS: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAVEN

MULTI CULTURAL MULTI LINGUAL DATA AGGREGATION WITH CRIMINAL EXTREMIST AND TERRORIST ATTRIBUTES

CPD

DECIPHERING THE ROLE OF THE NOVEL LONG NON-CODING RNA LINC01896 IN GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME - PROJECT SUMMARY GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME (GBM) IS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE AND COMMON PRIMARY BRAIN TUMOR, POSING SIGNIFICANT CLINICAL CHALLENGES DESPITE MULTIMODAL TREATMENTS LIKE SURGICAL RESECTION, CHEMOTHERAPY, AND RADIATION. THE PROGNOSIS FOR GBM PATIENTS REMAINS POOR, PRIMARILY DUE TO ITS INEVITABLE RECURRENCE AND RESISTANCE TO STANDARD THERAPIES. THEREFORE, IDENTIFYING NOVEL MOLECULAR DRIVERS OF GBM PROGRESSION IS ESSENTIAL FOR DEVELOPING MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS. OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE ISOLATION OF GLIOBLASTOMA STEM CELLS (GSCS) HAS PROVIDED CRUCIAL INSIGHTS INTO TUMOR INITIATION, MAINTENANCE, AND RECURRENCE, POSITIONING THEM AS A MAJOR THERAPEUTIC TARGET. CONCURRENTLY, ADVANCES IN GENOMIC RESEARCH HAVE REVEALED A VAST LANDSCAPE OF LONG NONCODING RNAS (LNCRNAS), OFFERING NEW OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE GENE REGULATION AND CANCER BIOLOGY. ALTHOUGH TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LNCRNAS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED, ONLY A SMALL FRACTION HAVE BEEN FUNCTIONALLY CHARACTERIZED. EMERGING EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT LNCRNAS EXHIBIT CELL-TYPE-SPECIFIC EXPRESSION, DISTINCT SUBCELLULAR LOCALIZATION, AND CRITICAL ROLES IN KEY ONCOGENIC PROCESSES, INCLUDING PROLIFERATION, INVASION, AND THERAPY RESISTANCE. THESE PROPERTIES HIGHLIGHT THEIR POTENTIAL AS BOTH BIOMARKERS AND THERAPEUTIC TARGETS IN GBM. IN THIS STUDY, WE PROPOSE TO CHARACTERIZE THE NUCLEAR-RETAINED ONCOGENIC LNCRNA, LINC01896, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY UPREGULATED IN GSCS. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA SHOW THAT DEPLETION OF LINC01896 IMPAIRS GSC PROLIFERATION AND STEMNESS, EMPHASIZING ITS CRITICAL ROLE IN GSC MAINTENANCE. FURTHERMORE, HIGHER LEVEL OF LINC01896 CORRELATES WITH POOR OVERALL AND DISEASE-FREE SURVIVAL IN GBM PATIENTS, SUGGESTING ITS POTENTIAL AS BOTH A PROGNOSTIC BIOMARKER AND A THERAPEUTIC TARGET. WE WILL INVESTIGATE HOW LINC01896 REGULATES GLOBAL GENE EXPRESSION IN GSCS AND IDENTIFY THE MOLECULAR PATHWAYS DRIVING GSC PROLIFERATION AND STEMNESS. ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL EXAMINE THE FUNCTIONAL IMPACT OF LINC01896 KNOCKDOWN IN GSCS USING ANTISENSE OLIGONUCLEOTIDES (ASOS) AND EVALUATE THESE EFFECTS IN PRECLINICAL 3D CEREBRAL ORGANOID MODEL, WHICH MIMIC THE HUMAN BRAIN'S CELLULAR COMPLEXITY AND TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT. FURTHERMORE, WE WILL MAP THE TRANSCRIPTOMIC LANDSCAPE OF GSCS AND THEIR TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT USING SINGLE-CELL RNA SEQUENCING. TOGETHER, THESE STUDIES AIM TO ELUCIDATE THE REGULATORY ROLE OF LINC01896 IN GSC BIOLOGY AND PAVE THE WAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE LNCRNA-BASED THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR GBM PATIENTS.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF RESTRUCTURING OF ATMOSPHERIC SOOT AND ASSOCIATED IMPACT ON LIGHT ABSORPTION

ASSESSING SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON PUERTO RICO'S CORAL REEF FISHERIES THROUGH A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH

FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD

NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON REDEFINING CYBER FORENSICS

THE EFFECTS OF INCREASED PRESCRIBING OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ON TRENDS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND VIOLENCE: EMPIRICAL AN

FY 2015 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP

FY 2017 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP EL

FY 2014 SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP - EL