Seattle University

SEATTLE UNIVERSITY CARES EMERGENCY INSTITUTIONAL RELIEF FUND

SEATTLE UNIVERSITY CARES EMERGENCY STUDENT RELIEF FUND

PUGET SOUND PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND AND DIVERSIFY THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL PIPELINE

ADVANCE INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

COLLABORATIVE AND OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP (COLEAD): LEADING FROM ALL LEVELS TOWARD RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY -THE COLLABORATIVE AND OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP (COLEAD) PROJECT AIMS TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF FACULTY FROM TEACHING-INTENSIVE INSTITUTIONS (TIIS) IN THE NATIONAL RESEARCH ENTERPRISE. DISTINCT FROM RESEARCH-INTENSIVE INSTITUTIONS WHICH OFTEN HAVE DIVISIONS DEVOTED TO RESEARCH (I.E. AN OFFICE OF RESEARCH) AND/OR SENIOR ADMINISTRATORS (I.E. A VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH) SOLELY DEDICATED TO ADVANCING RESEARCH ACTIVITY, RESEARCH LEADERSHIP AT TIIS IS OFTEN LED BY AN ADMINISTRATOR WITH MULTIPLE DUTIES SUCH AS A PROVOST OR VICE PROVOST. THIS FRAGMENTATION OF DUTIES, COMBINED WITH LIMITED RESOURCES TO CREATE AND SUPPORT A RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT, MAY RESULT IN LOWER RESEARCH PRODUCTIVITY AMONG FACULTY AT TIIS. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THIS ABSENCE OF DEDICATED RESEARCH LEADERSHIP THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP MODEL LED BY THE INSTITUTION?S OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND SPONSORED PROJECTS (OR EQUIVALENT) AND A GUIDING BODY OF CAMPUS LEADERS. TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF FACULTY FROM TEACHING-INTENSIVE INSTITUTIONS (TIIS) IN THE NATION?S RESEARCH ENTERPRISE, THE GOAL OF COLEAD IS TO BUILD CAPACITY AND RESEARCH SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE USING A REPLICABLE, SYSTEMATIC APPROACH GUIDED BY COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP. THE PROJECT INCLUDES THREE AIMS: AIM 1 ? BUILD INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY USING A STRUCTURAL COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP MODEL THAT PROVIDES SUSTAINED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR STRATEGIC RESEARCH AND SPONSORED PROJECT LEADERSHIP, RESULTING IN INCREASED CAPACITY FOR DEVELOPING, MAINTAINING, AND EXECUTING A STRATEGIC VISION FOR RESEARCH; AIM 2 ? DRIVEN BY THE COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP MODEL, INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF FACULTY AND STAFF AND STREAMLINE PROCESSES FOR RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT AND GRANT MANAGEMENT THROUGH A COORDINATED AND SUSTAINABLE PROCEDURAL RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE MODEL; AND AIM 3 - BUILD A SYSTEMATIC, REPLICABLE APPROACH BASED UPON THE COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP AND RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE MODEL, RESULTING IN AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE TOOLKIT THAT TIIS CAN USE TO GROW AND SUSTAIN RESEARCH AND RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT BY LEVERAGING EXISTING RESOURCES. THE TOOLKIT WILL BE TESTED AND ITERATIVELY REFINED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO PEER INSTITUTIONS. THE PROPOSED COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP MODEL WILL BE INFORMED BY INSTITUTIONAL EXTERNAL ASSESSMENTS, PEER RESEARCH, SELECTED PEER ADVISORS, AND GUIDED BY A FACULTY WITH EXPERTISE IN ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, TEAMING, AND STRATEGIC PLANNING. THE MODEL WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN THE TOOLKIT AND DISSEMINATED WIDELY THROUGH NATIONAL NETWORKS. 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.

ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION WORKFORCE

IUSE/PFE:RED: REVOLUTIONIZING ENGINEERING EDUCATION THROUGH INDUSTRY IMMERSION AND A FOCUS ON IDENTITY

ENHANCING CAREER OUTCOMES THROUGH MENTORING, RESEARCH, AND FOCUSED CAREER DISCERNMENT IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS -THIS PROJECT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE NATIONAL NEED FOR WELL-EDUCATED SCIENTISTS, MATHEMATICIANS, ENGINEERS, AND TECHNICIANS BY SUPPORTING THE RETENTION AND GRADUATION OF HIGH-ACHIEVING, LOW-INCOME STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, A COMPREHENSIVE PRIVATE JESUIT UNIVERSITY OF APPROXIMATELY 7,500 PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. OVER ITS SIX-YEAR DURATION, THIS PROJECT WILL FUND SCHOLARSHIPS TO 24 UNIQUE FULL-TIME STUDENTS WHO ARE PURSUING BACHELOR?S DEGREES IN BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, OR MATHEMATICS. LOW-INCOME, ACADEMICALLY-TALENTED, AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS WILL BE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS OF $10,000 FOR FOUR YEARS. BUILDING ON INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH, LESSONS LEARNED FROM PRIOR AWARDS FROM THE S-STEM PROGRAM, THE RESEARCH LITERATURE, AND AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIQUE EXPERIENCES OF LOW-INCOME FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS, THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND A SYSTEM OF ACADEMIC AND SUPPORT SERVICES TO FOSTER STUDENT SUCCESS. THROUGH EVALUATION, THE PROJECT WILL ASSESS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF AN EARLY RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN DATA SCIENCE AS A CATALYST FOR BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, AND MATHEMATICS MAJORS? FURTHER RESEARCH AND JOB PLACEMENT. EXAMINATIONS OF AN INNOVATIVE BADGING PROGRAM TO INCENTIVIZE THE USE OF CAMPUS SERVICES AND PARTICIPATION IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL GENERATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GAMIFICATION IN ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION IN A MULTI- DIMENSIONAL, STRUCTURED CAREER DISCERNMENT PROCESS, THUS COMPLEMENTING AN EMERGENT LITERATURE FOCUSED ON GAMIFICATION IN CLASSROOM SETTINGS. GRADUATING SCHOLARS WILL HAVE FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS IN DATA SCIENCE, A CRITICAL AREA OF NATIONAL NEED AND A VALUABLE SKILL SET ACROSS A RANGE OF STEM INDUSTRIES. THEY WILL BE WELL PREPARED FOR REGIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE TECHNOLOGY, LIFE SCIENCES/BIOTECH, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SECTORS. BEYOND THE STUDENTS DIRECTLY SERVED, THIS PROGRAM WILL IMPROVE SEATTLE UNIVERSITY?S MECHANISMS FOR CONNECTING ALL STEM MAJORS TO SUPPORT OFFICES ACROSS CAMPUS, INCREASING THE RETENTION AND CAREER PREPARATION OF OUR DIVERSE STUDENT BODY. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE STEM DEGREE COMPLETION OF LOW-INCOME, HIGH-ACHIEVING UNDERGRADUATES WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED. FOUR KEY OBJECTIVES GUIDE THE PROJECT. FIRST IS TO AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO LOW-INCOME, ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENTS MAJORING IN BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, OR MATHEMATICS. SECOND IS TO INCREASE GRADUATION RATES OF LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN THOSE FIELDS. THIRD IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH AN EARLY, INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN DATA SCIENCE AND TARGETED CAREER FORMATION ACTIVITIES. FOURTH, AND FINALLY, IS TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO CONNECT STUDENTS WITH ACADEMIC AND CAREER SERVICES, SUCH AS TUTORING AND CAREER PLANNING. TO MEET THESE OBJECTIVES, THE PROJECT INCLUDES THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS: A BADGE-AWARD SYSTEM TO INCENTIVIZE THE USE OF SUPPORT SERVICES; A CAREER DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT, WHICH ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE CAREER OPTIONS; AND A SECOND-YEAR DATA SCIENCE COURSE, WHICH IS DESIGNED AS AN ENTRY POINT INTO UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH. USING A MIXED METHODS DESIGN, THE PROJECT WILL ASSESS THE IMPACT OF STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN PROJECT ACTIVITIES ON ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GAMIFICATION IN ENCOURAGING THE USE OF CAMPUS SERVICES. PROMISING PRACTICES ADAPTED OR DEVELOPED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, SUCH AS BADGING, THE CAREER DISCERNMENT TOOLKIT, AND THE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH COURSE, WILL BE DISSEMINATED BROADLY TO OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY WEBSITE, CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, AND PUBLICATIONS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY NSF?S SCHOLARSHIPS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS PROGRAM, WHICH SEEKS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF LOW-INCOME ACADEMICALLY TALENTED STUDENTS WITH DEMONSTRATED FINANCIAL NEED WHO EARN DEGREES IN STEM FIELDS. IT ALSO AIMS TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION OF FUTURE STEM WORKERS, AND TO GENERATE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ACADEMIC SUCCESS, RETENTION, TRANSFER, GRADUATION, AND ACADEMIC/CAREER PATHWAYS OF 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.

DEFENDER INITIATIVE SIXTH AMENDMENT CENTER BJA SYSTEMIC DEFENDER STANDARDS PROJECT

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIP

ADVANCE PARTNERSHIP: ASSESSING DIFFERENTIAL FACULTY CONTRIBUTIONS AND ALIGNING FACULTY ADVANCEMENT WITH MISSION VALUES -THE THREE PARTNER INSTITUTIONS, GONZAGA UNIVERSITY, SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY, AND SEATTLE UNIVERSITY PROPOSE TO REVISE FACULTY ADVANCEMENT PROCESSES TO BE MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND ALIGNED WITH THEIR SHARED JESUIT MISSION. THE PROJECT WILL INCREASE RECOGNITION BY FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS OF A BROADER, MORE INCLUSIVE RANGE OF FACULTY CONTRIBUTIONS, DEVELOP A TOOLKIT FOR ASSIGNING MERIT TO AND EVALUATING THESE ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDE INTENTIONAL FACULTY DEVELOPMENT TO ALIGN WITH THE NEWLY RECOGNIZED RANGE OF FACULTY CAREER PATHWAYS. THIS PROJECT BUILDS ON THE PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH (PAR) MODEL USED BY SEATTLE UNIVERSITY IN A PRIOR ADVANCE INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION AWARD (NSF 1629875). THAT PROJECT RESULTED IN REVISED GUIDELINES FOR PROMOTION THAT EXPLICITLY INCORPORATED UNDER-VALUED ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL AND BENEFICIAL TO STUDENTS, UNIVERSITIES, AND COMMUNITIES YET ARE NOT TRADITIONALLY CONSIDERED DURING STEM FACULTY TENURE AND PROMOTION PROCESSES. THIS PROJECT INITIATES SIMILAR STRUCTURAL CHANGES WITHIN THE TWO PARTNERING INSTITUTIONS WHILE ALSO DEVELOPING A TOOLKIT TO EVALUATE THESE UNDER-VALUED ACTIVITIES DONE BY FACULTY. A LONG-TERM GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO ENCOURAGE THIS TYPE OF CULTURAL CHANGE ACROSS THE TWENTY-EIGHT INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF JESUIT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (AJCU). PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL RESULT IN A TOOLKIT FOR ASSIGNING MERIT TO AND EVALUATING TRADITIONALLY UNDER-VALUED FACULTY ACTIVITIES, WHICH CAN BE ADAPTED BY OTHER TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER SIMILAR COMPREHENSIVE INSTITUTIONS. THERE IS A WIDESPREAD NEED IN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STEM FACULTY EVALUATION MEASURES THAT ALIGN WITH THE FULL RANGE OF ACTIVITIES INSTITUTIONS NEED TO COMPLETE TO MEET THEIR EDUCATIONAL, RESEARCH, AND COMMUNITY MISSIONS. ALIGNED EVALUATION MEASURES ARE ESSENTIAL SINCE MANY OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE OFTEN DONE BY FACULTY IDENTIFYING AS WOMEN, MEMBERS OF A RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP THAT IS UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM, OR BOTH. THE NSF ADVANCE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO FOSTER GENDER EQUITY THROUGH A FOCUS ON THE IDENTIFICATION AND ELIMINATION OF ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS THAT IMPEDE THE FULL PARTICIPATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF DIVERSE FACULTY IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT EQUITY MAY EXIST IN POLICIES, PROCESSES, PRACTICES, AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND CLIMATE. ADVANCE PARTNERSHIP AWARDS PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE ADAPTATION AND ADOPTION OF EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES TO ACADEMIC, NON-PROFIT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND NON-ACADEMIC, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. 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.

RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND ENHANCING DEFENSE TTA INITIATIVE

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BACTERIAL BREX PHAGE RESTRICTION SYSTEM - SUMMARY THE ARMS RACE BETWEEN BACTERIA AND PHAGE HAS DRIVEN BACTERIA TO EVOLVE A WIDE RANGE OF DEFENSE SYSTEMS, MANY OF WHICH REMAIN TO BE CHARACTERIZED. A LARGELY UNCHARACTERIZED PHAGE RESTRICTION SYSTEM CALLED ‘BREX’ (‘BACTERIOPHAGE EXCLUSION’), INITIALLY DESCRIBED 35 YEARS AGO, IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED IN BACTERIAL AND ARCHAEAL GENOMES. THE MECHANISM OF BREX-MEDIATED PHAGE RESTRICTION IS LIKELY COMPLEX GIVEN THE LARGE NUMBER OF GENES (4-8 GENES, DEPENDING ON THE SUBFAMILY) AND RANGE OF ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES ENCODED BY BREX SYSTEMS. STUDIES OF TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 BREX SYSTEMS (THERE ARE 6 TOTAL SUBFAMILIES) HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE PGLX DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE ESTABLISHES SELF / NON-SELF DISCRIMINATION BY MODIFYING THE BACTERIAL GENOME. HOWEVER, BREX-MEDIATED RESTRICTION DOES NOT APPEAR TO FUNCTION BY DEGRADING THE PHAGE GENOME, WHICH IS A SURPRISE GIVEN THE WELL-CHARACTERIZED ROLE FOR SIMILAR METHYLTRANSFERASE ENZYMES IN RESTRICTION-MODIFICATION (R-M) SYSTEMS. TYPE 1 BREX SYSTEMS INHIBIT PHAGE AFTER ADSORPTION AND PRIOR TO DNA REPLICATION, BUT FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE MECHANISM OF PHAGE RESTRICTION ARE NOT KNOWN. THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM BY WHICH BREX RESTRICTS PHAGE, INCLUDING ELUCIDATING THE FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF EACH BREX COMPONENT. OUR UNDERSTANDING OF BREX-MEDIATED PHAGE RESTRICTION IS LIMITED BECAUSE THE FUNCTION OF MOST INDIVIDUAL BREX PROTEINS IS NOT UNDERSTOOD, NOR IS IT UNDERSTOOD HOW THEY ARE REGULATED. TO ADDRESS THESE QUESTIONS, WE ARE CHARACTERIZING THE ACINETOBACTER TYPE 1 BREX SYSTEM USING BIOCHEMICAL AND STRUCTURAL STUDIES COMBINED WITH BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY ASSAYS USING AN E. COLI-BASED PHAGE INFECTION SYSTEM. THE FIRST AIM WILL ADDRESS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT BRX0, AN ACINETOBACTER-SPECIFIC FACTOR (I.E. NOT PRESENT IN OTHER BREX TYPE 1 SYSTEMS), TRANSCRIPTIONALLY REGULATES OTHER BREX ORFS. THE SECOND AIM WILL ADDRESS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT BRXL IS A AAA+ CHAMBERED PROTEASE THAT SPECIFICALLY TARGETS SUBSTRATE PROTEINS FOR DEGRADATION. UNCOVERING THE ROLES OF BOTH PROTEINS WILL PROVIDE KEY INSIGHT INTO THE MECHANISM OF BREX-MEDIATED PHAGE RESTRICTION, NOT ONLY IN ACINETOBACTER BUT AS A GENERAL STRATEGY IN OTHER BACTERIAL CLADES. GAINING A FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF BACTERIAL DEFENSE SYSTEMS COULD IMPACT HUMAN HEALTH IN NUMEROUS WAYS, INCLUDING CONTRIBUTING TO STRATEGIES TO TREAT ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THE MICROBIOME RELATES TO HEALTH AND DISEASE.

STUDY OF THE U.S. INSTITUTE FOR SCHOLARS ON CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE

BPE-TRACK 3: EXTENDING THE IMPACT: REDEFINING ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING FACULTY THROUGH INCLUSIVE MENTORING HUBS (IREDEFINE I2MHUBS) -THE BROADER IMPACT OF THIS BROADENING PARTICIPATION FOR ENGINEERING TRACK 3 (BPE-TRACK-3) PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING (ECE) FACULTY BY SUPPORTING WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES THROUGHOUT CAREER EXPLORATION AND INTO THE FIRST YEARS OF AN ACADEMIC APPOINTMENT. BY LEVERAGING EXISTING NETWORKS WITHIN THE ECE COMMUNITY, THE IREDEFINE INCLUSIVE MENTORING HUBS (I2MHUBS) INITIATIVE WILL CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE MULTIFACETED MENTORING PROGRAM TO DEMYSTIFY THE PATH TO ACADEMIA FOR THOSE HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED. THIS INITIATIVE WILL ALIGN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE STEPS OF EACH STUDENTS? CAREER PATH TO ENGAGE GRADUATE STUDENTS EARLIER IN THEIR STUDIES, INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TOUCH POINTS THROUGHOUT GRADUATE SCHOOL, AND CONTINUE THEIR MENTORSHIP AS THEY NAVIGATE THEIR PRE-TENURE YEARS IN ACADEMIA. THIS INITIATIVE ALIGNS WITH NSF'S COMMITMENT TO BROADENING PARTICIPATION AND PROMOTING DIVERSITY IN STEM FIELDS, THEREBY ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING, AND ACHIEVING BROADER SOCIETAL BENEFITS BY ADDRESSING THE UNDERREPRESENTATION IN ECE ACADEMIA. IN ADDITION, THIS INITIATIVE WILL ULTIMATELY CREATE A SUSTAINABLE AND REPLICABLE MODEL THAT CAN BE ADAPTED ACROSS VARIOUS STEM DISCIPLINES, ENSURING LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN ACADEMIA. THE I2MHUBS INITIATIVE WILL ADDRESS THE CRITICAL NEED FOR INCREASED DIVERSITY IN ECE FACULTY BY CREATING A SUSTAINABLE MENTORING ECOSYSTEM STRUCTURED INTO THREE COMPREHENSIVE MODULES: (1) EARLY-STAGE GRADUATE STUDENTS WILL BE INTRODUCED TO ACADEMIC CAREER PATHS THROUGH ONLINE INTERACTIVE CONTENT. (2) GRADUATES OF MODULE 1 WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY FOR IREDEFINE, AN ADVANCED WORKSHOP ON JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES AND NETWORKING HELD IN PARALLEL WITH THE ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT HEADS ASSOCIATION (ECEDHA) ANNUAL CONFERENCE. (3) GRADUATES OF MODULE 2 WILL BE INVITED TO JOIN A MENTORING NETWORK CONNECTING THEM TO IREDEFINE ALUMNI AND CURRENT AND FORMER ECE DEPARTMENT HEADS. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE SURVEYS WILL BE USED TO TRACK ACADEMIC MILESTONES AND SELF-EFFICACY TRAITS OF THE PARTICIPANTS; FOCUS GROUPS AND SURVEYS WILL BE USED TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH MODULE THE PROGRAM. THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WOMEN AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN ACADEMIA, ULTIMATELY CONTRIBUTING TO A MORE INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE ACADEMIC LANDSCAPE. THE I2MHUBS INITIATIVE WILL SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER STEM FIELDS. 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 PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EPIIC:INCREASING OUR INNOVATION SCORES: SYMBIOTIC COLLABORATION OF REGIONAL ECOSYSTEMS -THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT ACROSS THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS: SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, CAL POLY HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY, ST. FRANCIS UNIVERSITY, ST. MARY?S UNIVERSITY, AND UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY. THE EPIIC AWARD IS TO ESTABLISH AN INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM IN A COHORT-BASED MODEL SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS (PUIS). THE COHORT COMPRISES A DIVERSE RANGE OF INSTITUTIONS WITH VARYING DEMOGRAPHICS, SIZES, MISSIONS, AND LOCATIONS. THE PRIMARY GOALS OF THIS PROJECT ARE TWOFOLD: (1) TO DEVELOP INNOVATION CAPACITY WITHIN THE COHORT INSTITUTIONS AND (2) TO COLLECTIVELY ESTABLISH BEST PRACTICES AND FOSTER A COMMUNITY OF INNOVATION FOR PUIS. THIS REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM ENCOMPASSES SEVERAL RURAL INSTITUTIONS, MANY OF WHICH CATER TO LOW-INCOME AND FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS, WHILE OTHERS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATION OF HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS IN STEM FIELDS. THE COHORT IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO IMPLEMENTING INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES THAT EXPAND ACCESS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES REQUIRING ADVANCED SKILLS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE REGIONS. THE OVERARCHING AIM IS TO CULTIVATE A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RELATIONSHIP AMONG THE COHORT MEMBERS, EMPOWERING EACH INSTITUTION TO PLAY AN EXPANDED ROLE WITHIN THE REGIONAL ECONOMY. THE AWARD'S PURPOSE IS TO ESTABLISH A SYMBIOTIC COLLABORATION FOR REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM (SCORE) COHORT, WHICH INTRODUCES AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO ENHANCING STEM INNOVATION CAPACITY. THIS APPROACH STEMS FROM THE COHORT'S UNDERGRADUATE-FOCUSED MISSION AND ITS STRONG EMPHASIS ON STUDENTS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. THE PROPOSED PROJECT ENVISIONS A COMMUNITY-BASED APPROACH, FOSTERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF BEST PRACTICES IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIPS, INCLUDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION, INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS, INVESTORS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND REGULATORY ISSUES. OPERATING AS A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE, THE COHORT OF PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS WILL COLLABORATE, LEARN, AND GROW TOGETHER WHILE UPHOLDING THE VALUES OF INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE AS A CENTRAL ASPECT OF THE PROJECT. THE GREATEST COLLECTIVE IMPACT THE COHORT WILL HAVE WILL COME FROM THE INCREASED CAPACITY TO SERVE THE REGIONS? ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY NEEDS AND TO EXPAND INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR STUDENTS INTO AN ADVANCED, QUICKLY EVOLVING STEM WORKFORCE. A BROADER IMPACT OF THIS COHORT-BASED LEARNING COMMUNITY FOR INNOVATION WILL RESULT IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR INNOVATION CAPACITY, CONTINUED COLLABORATIONS, ENHANCING INNOVATION CAPACITY FOR THE STEM WORKFORCE, AND DEVELOPING MODELS AND BEST PRACTICES FOR PUIS NATIONWIDE. 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.

APPLYING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE NURSING EDUCATION IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY NEEDS OF VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES

ECE SCHOLARS: A PROGRAM FOR RECRUITING, TRANSITIONING, AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS TO SUCCEED IN ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM - PROJECT OVERVIEW: SEATTLE UNIVERSITY’S ACHIEVING OPTIMAL CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD (A-OCAY): AN INTEGRATED, HOLISTIC, AND COMMUNITY-ENGAGED MODEL FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE EVERGREEN STATE PROJECT, AN INTERPROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN MSW, MACFT, AND PMHNP PROGRAMS, AIMS TO INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF A DIVERSE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE BY STRENGTHENING UNIVERSITY-COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO INCREASE OF NEW AND EXPANDED COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING SITES IN HIGH-NEED AND HIGH-DEMAND AREAS, BY PROMOTING INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION, BY RECRUITING/PLACING TRAINEES INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND YOUNG ADULTS, AND BY RECRUITING/EXPANDING CLINICAL SUPERVISORS’ CAPACITY TO SUPPORT AND MENTOR TRAINEES. MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES: 1. RECRUIT, PLACE, MONITOR, AND PROVIDE STIPENDS TO 48 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (MSW, MACFT, PMHNP) TRAINEES IN EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING SITES; 2. ENHANCE DIDACTIC AND EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING ACTIVITIES THAT DEVELOP TRAINEE COMPETENCIES IN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND ITS INTEGRATION INTO PRIMARY CARE, SCHOOL SETTINGS, AND OTHER SUB-SPECIALTY CARE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING THROUGH THE INTERPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TRAINING CURRICULUM (WHICH COMPRISES 11 TRAINING MODULES AND THE TRAINEE INTERPROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY); 3. CREATE AND ENHANCE CURRENT EVIDENCE-BASED INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING FOR FACULTY AND FIELD SITE SUPERVISORS SUPPORTING TRAINEES THROUGH THE COLLABORATIVE CONVERSATION COMMUNITIES AND THE 11 TRAINING MODULES; 4. INCORPORATE TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION WITHIN THE TRAINING MODULES (TELE-BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, DIGITAL HEALTH LITERACY) AND ASYNCHRONOUS AND HYBRID TRAINING MODALITIES; 5. ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH 12 NEW COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERS TO ASSIST STUDENTS WITH JOB PLACEMENT AFTER GRADUATION; 6. COLLECT NATIONAL PROVIDER IDENTIFIER NUMBERS FROM ALL TRAINEES BEFORE THE END OF THE TRAINING YEAR; 7. PROVIDE CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FOR PROGRAM EVALUATION AND AT COMPLETION OF THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE; AND 8. COLLABORATE REGULARLY WITH OTHER GRANT RECIPIENTS OF THE BHWET PRO TO LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND ENHANCE INTERPROFESSIONAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND AMPLIFY STUDENTS’ SUCCESS STORIES. THE A-OCAY PROJECT WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY THE TEAM OF THREE COLLABORATING PROGRAM DIRECTORS AND FACULTY FROM MSW, MACFT, PMHNP WITH EXPERTISE IN COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH CARE, MENTAL HEALTH CARE IN PRIMARY SETTINGS, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE WITH CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND YOUNG ADULTS. ALL THREE COLLABORATING PROGRAMS HAVE PROVEN HISTORY OF EDUCATING/TRAINING AND PLACING/MONITORING TRAINEES IN EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING IN HIGH NEED AND HIGH DEMAND AREAS. WE SEEK FUNDING PREFERENCE (QUALIFICATION #1) BASED ON OUR HIGH RATE FOR PLACING GRADUATES IN PRACTICE SETTINGS THAT HAVE A PRINCIPAL FOCUS ON SERVING RESIDENTS OF MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY AND FUNDING PRIORITY 1 FOR DEMONSTRATING THE ABILITY TO TRAIN PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHIATRY, AND SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONALS TO WORK IN INTEGRATED CARE SETTINGS.

THE BOSCOVICH PHYSICS SCHOLARS PROGRAM AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

TRANSFORMING UNDERGRADUATE BIOCHEMISTRY EDUCATION: A COMMUNITY APPROACH LINKING LEARNING, ASSESSMENT AND CURRICULAR INNOVATION

ACTIVITY-BASED PROTEIN PROFILING OF THE VAGINAL MICROBIOME - PROJECT SUMMARY MICROORGANISMS PRESENT IN THE VAGINAL TRACT HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON HUMAN HEALTH. HIGH ABUNDANCE OF CERTAIN BACTERIA, PREDOMINANTLY LACTOBACILLUS SPECIES, IS ASSOCIATED WITH POSITIVE HEALTH OUTCOMES. IN CONTRAST, HIGH ABUNDANCE OF NON-LACTOBACILLUS TAXA IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RATES OF BACTERIAL VAGINOSIS, INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, AND INCREASED RATES OF PRETERM BIRTH. DEVELOPING PROBIOTIC OR DRUG-BASED THERAPIES THAT SHIFT THE COMMUNITY COMPOSITION OF THE VAGINAL MICROBIOME COULD BE ONE WAY TO PREVENT OR TREAT THESE HEALTH CONDITIONS. RATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH THERAPIES REQUIRES A MECHANISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT CONTROLS COMMUNITY COMPOSITION IN THE VAGINAL TRACT. ACHIEVING SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING HAS FACED MAJOR BARRIERS RELATED TO THE LACK OF SUITABLE EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEMS. AS SUCH, TECHNIQUES CAPABLE OF STUDYING MOLECULAR FUNCTION IN HUMAN SAMPLES OF CERVICOVAGINAL FLUID (CVF) ARE NEEDED. ACTIVITY-BASED PROTEIN PROFILING (ABPP) IS A CHEMICAL PROTEOMICS TECHNIQUE IS UNIQUELY SUITED TO SUCH SCENARIOS. BY USING SMALL MOLECULE PROBES, IT IS POSSIBLE TO COVALENTLY LABEL ANY ACTIVE ENZYMES WITHIN COMPLEX BIOLOGICAL MATRICES. THE LABELED ENZYMES CAN THEN BE FLUORESCENTLY TAGGED FOR SDS-PAGE OR BIOTINYLATED TO ALLOW ENRICHMENT AND IDENTIFICATION USING MASS- SPECTROMETRY BASED PROTEOMICS. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO USE ABPP TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT TWO CLASSES OF ENZYMES, GLYCOGEN DEGRADING ENZYMES (GDES) AND MICROBIAL PROTEASES, ARE ASSOCIATED WITH VAGINAL COMMUNITY COMPOSITION AND BV. WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS GOAL IN TWO AIMS. THE FIRST WILL TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT DISTINCT GDES ARE MORE ACTIVE UNDER HEALTHY CONDITIONS RELATIVE TO BV AND IDENTIFY GDES THAT ARE PREFERENTIALLY ACTIVE DURING BV. THE SECOND WILL TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT MICROBIAL PROTEASES ARE MORE PREVALENT AND ACTIVE IN BV RELATIVE TO HEALTHY CONDITIONS AND DETERMINE THE MOLECULAR IDENTITY OF THESE PROTEASES. BY APPLYING ABPP, WE WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC ENZYMES RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH ACTIVITY, PROVIDING CLEAR RESOLUTION ABOUT WHICH ENZYMES CONTROL EACH PROCESS. THIS UNDERSTANDING WILL ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROBIOTIC STRAINS OR NOVEL INHIBITORS TO PROMOTE VAGINAL HEALTH AND PROVIDE A MUCH-NEEDED TREATMENT OPTION FOR BV.

RUI: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PAYMENTS STOP? COLLECTIVE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT UNDER THE RISE AND FALL OF PAYMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES

EARMARKS

RUI: INFLUENCE OF ECONOMIC INCENTIVES ON COMMON PROPERTY FOREST MANAGEMENT: RURAL DECISION MAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF REDD+

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIP

PROJECT STRIDE: SUSTAINING TEACHERS THROUGH RESPONSIVENESS, INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND EQUITY

PFI (MCA): SELF-CONTAINED SOFT ROBOTIC REHABILITATION DEVICE FOR FINGER EXTENSION EXERCISES -THE BROADER IMPACT/COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL OF THIS PARTNERSHIPS FOR INNOVATION ? MID CAREER ADVANCEMENT (PFI-MCA) PROJECT IS IN IMPROVING ACCESSIBILITY TO FINGER AND HAND REHABILITATION FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM STROKE OR NEUROLOGICAL MOVEMENT DISORDERS. IN TURN, IT SPEEDS UP THEIR RECOVERIES. IT COULD REDUCE THE OVERALL COSTS FOR PATIENTS WITH CLENCHED FISTS, WHICH PRESENT AS OVERACTIVE MUSCLE ACTIVITY AND EXCESSIVE TIGHTNESS OF THE FINGER FLEXORS, DECREASING THE ABILITY TO PERFORM FINGER EXTENSION. TO REGAIN HAND AND FINGER MOTOR FUNCTIONS, PATIENTS MUST ENGAGE IN ACTIVITY-BASED THERAPY TO REPEAT HAND- AND FINGER-SPECIFIC EXERCISES DAILY. LIMITED ACCESS TO THERAPY MAKES IT CHALLENGING FOR PATIENTS TO ADHERE TO SUCH A HIGH-INTENSITY REHABILITATION ROUTINE. HENCE, ROBOTIC DEVICES THAT CAN ASSIST AND MONITOR THESE REPETITIVE MOMENTS AT A PATIENT?S HOME COULD POTENTIALLY IMPROVE ACCESS TO REHABILITATION AND PROMOTE A MORE SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY PROCESS. PNEUMATICALLY ACTUATED SOFT ROBOTIC REHABILITATION GLOVES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET CANNOT OPEN THE FINGERS OF A STROKE PATIENT WITH CLENCHED FISTS. THEY ARE ALSO DIFFICULT FOR PATIENTS TO PUT ON WITHOUT ASSISTANCE. ADDRESSING EXISTING REHABILITATION GLOVES' DRAWBACKS, THIS PROJECT DEVELOPS A SELF-CONTAINED, UNRESTRICTED SOFT ROBOTIC DEVICE MADE WITH PHASE-CHANGING MATERIALS AND ACTUATED BY HEAT TO ASSIST FINGER EXTENSION REHABILITATION EXERCISES FOR PATIENTS WITH CLENCHED FISTS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL DESIGN, PROTOTYPE, AND TEST A THERMALLY DRIVEN, SELF-CONTAINED SOFT ROBOTIC DEVICE TO ASSIST AT-HOME HAND REHABILITATION FOR PATIENTS WITH CLENCHED FISTS AFTER STROKE. THE RESEARCH MERITS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 1. DESIGN AND PROTOTYPE A SELF-CONTAINED SOFT ROBOTIC DEVICE FOR FINGER EXTENSION EXERCISES: CONSIDERING THE ABILITY TO OPEN FINGERS FOR PATIENTS WITH CLENCHED FISTS, THE PROPOSED DESIGN PROVIDES ACTIVE EXTENSION ASSISTANCE TO FINGERS. USING PHASE-CHANGING MATERIAL MATERIAL-ELASTOMER COMPOSITES TO FORM A UNIQUE CURING ELASTOMER STRUCTURE, THIS PROJECT WILL DESIGN AND PROTOTYPE A SOFT ROBOTIC DEVICE THAT FITS UNDER THE CLENCHED FIST IN ITS NEUTRAL STATE AND PUSHES FINGERS OPEN WHEN ACTUATED. 2. TESTING- DATA COLLECTED FROM MECHANICAL AND HUMAN SUBJECT TESTING WILL BE USED TO ANALYZE THE DEVICE'S EFFICACY AND TO ESTIMATE PARTICIPANT NUMBERS FOR FUTURE, LARGER-SCALE CLINICAL TRIALS TO TAKE THE DESIGN ONE STEP CLOSER TO A MARKETABLE PRODUCT. 3. SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED SURVEY INSTRUMENTS TO STUDY STROKE-SPECIFIC PATIENT-REPORTED EXPERIENCE MEASURES (PREMS): SURVEY INSTRUMENTS AND RESULTS COULD APPLY TO OTHERS INTERESTED IN PREMS FOR STROKE PATIENTS AND VERIFY THE FUNCTION AND SPECIFICATIONS NEEDED FOR THE PROPOSED DESIGN TO SUPPORT QUALITY IMPROVEMENT AND ENHANCE PATIENT-CENTERED CARE. 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.

BLOOD PRESSURE, MICROINFARCTS, AND DEMENTIA: A PATHWAY FOR ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE MANAGEMENT - PROJECT SUMMARY BLOOD PRESSURE, MICROINFARCTS, AND DEMENTIA: A PATHWAY FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE MANAGEMENT MAINTAINING OPTIMAL COGNITIVE FUNCTION IS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF SUCCESSFUL AGING. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD) IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEMENTIA IN OLDER ADULTS AND IT IS PROJECTED TO INCREASE EVERY YEAR. HYPERTENSION IS THE MOST POWERFUL RISK FACTOR FOR CEREBROVASCULAR PATHOLOGY, LEADING TO DEMENTIA. BOTH HYPERTENSION AND DECREASED BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) FROM ANTIHYPERTENSIVES AS WELL AS CEREBRAL VASCULOPATHIES (E.G., CEREBRAL AMYLOID ANGIOPATHY, ARTERIOLOSCLEROSIS) ARE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS INFLUENCING MICROINFARCTS (MIFS) FORMATION AND NEURODEGENERATIVE CHANGES PRIOR TO DEMENTIA. THUS, MIFS MIGHT PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BP AND DEMENTIA. CORTICAL MIFS HAVE SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. CONSIDERING ITS SIGNIFICANT EFFECT IN AGING BRAIN OUTCOMES, PREVENTING THE FORMATION OF MIFS THROUGH PROPER MONITORING AND TREATMENT OF BP ARE ESSENTIAL. SINCE LONG-TERM HYPERTENSION FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS IS AN ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE MIFS FORMATION, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BP PROFILE AND AGING BRAIN OUTCOMES CAN BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD THROUGH A RICH LONGITUDINAL COMMUNITY-BASED DATASET OF OLDER ADULTS LIKE THE ADULT CHANGES IN THOUGHT (ACT) AUTOPSY DATA (N=800). FUNDAMENTAL GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE EXIST WITH REGARD TO THE DETERMINANTS OF REGIONAL MICROVASCULAR VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE AND MECHANISMS OF POTENTIAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES OF MICROVASCULAR INJURY AND AD. THUS, WE WILL FILL THE GAPS BY EXAMINING THE COMPLEX INTERPLAY BETWEEN HYPERTENSION, VASCULOPATHIES, MIFS, AND DEMENTIA THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LATE-LIFE BP (SYSTOLIC BP, DIASTOLIC BP, PULSE PRESSURE) AND REGION- SPECIFIC QUANTIFIED MIFS IN CORTICAL (FRONTAL, TEMPORAL, PARIETAL, AND OCCIPITAL) AND SUBCORTICAL (CAUDATE NUCLEUS, PUTAMEN, INTERNAL CAPSULE, AND THALAMUS) MIFS, CONTROLLING FOR APOE GENOTYPE, AGE, BRAAK STAGE (III - VI), AND ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION USE. 2) TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VASCULOPATHIES (CEREBRAL AMYLOID ANGIOPATHY, ARTERIOLOSCLEROSIS) AND REGION-SPECIFIC MIFS. 3) TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MIFS AND THE RISK OF DEMENTIA BY SEX. WE WILL CONDUCT OUR PROJECT WITH THE WELL-CHARACTERIZED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS FROM THE ACT (U01 AG 06781) AUTOPSY COHORT (AGE = 65) (N=800) STUDY FUNDED BY NIA. THE STUDY WILL FILL FUNDAMENTAL GAPS IN PATHOPHYSIOLOGIC MECHANISMS OF VASCULAR INJURY AND COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. INNOVATIONS OF THIS STUDY INCLUDE LONGITUDINAL, PROSPECTIVELY COLLECTED COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH DATA; ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMIC AND CENTRAL DETERMINANTS OF MIFS; AND ASSESSMENT OF DETERMINANTS OF REGIONAL MICROVASCULAR VULNERABILITY AND RESILIENCE AND ITS ASSOCIATION WITH DEMENTIA.

REU SITE: SEATTLE UNIVERSITY MATHEMATICS EARLY RESEARCH (SUMMER)

EARMARKS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RUI: DATA-DRIVEN ANALYSIS, MODELING, AND DESIGN OF OFF-GRID POWER SYSTEMS ON TRIBAL LANDS

BLOOD PRESSURE, AMYLOID ? AND TAU, CEREBRAL AMYLOID ANGIOPATHY: A PATHWAY FOR ALZHEIMER'S DEMENTIA MANAGEMENT - PROJECT SUMMARY MAINTAINING OPTIMAL COGNITIVE FUNCTION IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF SUCCESSFUL AGING. A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF RISK FACTORS AND THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS OF COGNITIVE DECLINE IS CRITICAL FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF DEMENTIA. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD) IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEMENTIA IN OLDER ADULTS. BOTH HIGH AND LOW SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP) AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP) AS WELL AS HIGH PULSE PRESSURE (PP) IN LATE-LIFE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH AD-RELATED DEMENTIA. THE APOE E4 ALLELE, A STRONG GENETIC RISK FACTOR FOR BOTH EARLY-ONSET AD AND LATE-ONSET AD, PROMOTES CEREBRAL AMYLOID ACCUMULATION, AGGRAVATES THE EFFECT OF HYPERTENSION ON NEURONAL DAMAGE, AND PROMOTES CEREBRAL AMYLOID ANGIOPATHY (CAA) FORMATION. CAA, A COMMON ASYMPTOMATIC FEATURE OF OLDER ADULTS AND THE MOST FREQUENTLY SEEN (ABOUT 80-90%) VASCULAR ABNORMALITY IN AD, IS ASSOCIATED WITH BRAIN ATROPHY AND COGNITIVE DECLINE IN OLDER ADULTS LEADING TO AD DEMENTIA. HYPERTENSION PROMOTES EARLY ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION LEADING TO ACCELERATED FORMATION OF CAA. CONSIDERING ITS SIGNIFICANT EFFECT IN AGING BRAIN OUTCOMES, PREVENTING THE FORMATION OF CAA THROUGH PROPER MONITORING AND TREATMENT OF BP IS ESSENTIAL. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BP PROFILE AND AGING BRAIN OUTCOMES CAN BE BETTER UNDERSTOOD THROUGH A RICH LONGITUDINAL COMMUNITY-BASED DATASET OF OLDER ADULTS LIKE THE ADULT CHANGES IN THOUGHT (ACT) AUTOPSY DATA (N=850). FUNDAMENTAL GAPS IN KNOWLEDGE EXIST REGARDING THE UNDERLYING MECHANISMS OF SYSTEMIC AND CENTRAL VASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN COGNITIVE DECLINE IN AD IN RELATION TO APOE E4 ALLELE STATUS. THUS, WE WILL FILL THE GAPS BY EXAMINING THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT LATE-LIFE ELEVATED BP AND PP (=140/90, PP > 50 MMHG) OR LOW LATE-LIFE BP (=90/60MMHG) ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER AMYLOID SS (CERAD) AND TAU (BRAAK) STAGES, CONTROLLING FOR AGE, SEX, ANTIHYPERTENSIVES, APOE E4 ALLELE. 2) TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT ELEVATED LATE-LIFE BP OR LOW LATE-LIFE BP ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER CAA PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY, CONTROLLING FOR AGE, SEX, ANTIHYPERTENSIVES, APOE E4 ALLELE, CERAD AND BRAAK STAGES, AND LACUNAR INFARCTS. 3) TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT HIGHER CAA PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER RISK FOR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT (CASI) AND DEMENTIA, CONTROLLING FOR AGE, SEX, APOE E4 ALLELE, AND LACUNAR INFARCTS. WE WILL CONDUCT OUR PROJECT WITH THE WELL-CHARACTERIZED GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS FROM THE ACT (U01 AG 06781). INNOVATIONS OF THIS STUDY INCLUDE GOLD-STANDARD PATHOLOGICAL DATA WITH LONGITUDINAL, PROSPECTIVELY COLLECTED COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH DATA AND ASSESSMENT OF SYSTEMIC AND CENTRAL VASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN ASSOCIATION WITH DEMENTIA BY APOE E4 ALLELE.

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A RAMAN AND LASER-INDUCED BREAKDOWN SPECTROSCOPY (LIBS) MICROSCOPE FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING AT SEATTL

EAGER: EXPLORING PHYLOGENETIC DIVERSIFICATION OF PHYCODNAVIRUSES ACROSS AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IN THE PUGET SOUND REGION

METHODOLOGY FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF STRUCTURALLY HOMOGENEOUS N-LINKED GLYCOPEPTIDES

INQUIRY IN THE COMMUNITY: BUILDING SCIENCE CAPACITY IN VOLUNTEER LEADERS

RUI: HADRON STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS

ORGANIZATON OF THE HSP90/HSP70-BASED CHAPERONE MACHINERY

CRII: HCC: RUI: EXPLORING THE DYNAMICS AND QUALITY OF INTERACTIONS WITH AI COMPANION APPLICATIONS -THE INCREASING USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)-POWERED COMPANION APPLICATIONS IS TRANSFORMING HOW PEOPLE ENGAGE WITH DIGITAL ENTITIES. AI COMPANIONS CAN SERVE VARIOUS ROLES THAT FOSTER DEEP EMOTIONAL CONNECTIONS, INCLUDING FRIEND, MENTOR, OR ROMANTIC PARTNER. THESE APPLICATIONS ARE GROWING IN POPULARITY, RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR IMPACT ON USERS'. WHILE SOME PEOPLE REPORT FINDING COMFORT AND SUPPORT IN AI COMPANIONSHIP, REPORTS OF UNCOMFORTABLE INTERACTIONS UNDERSCORE THE URGENT NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION AND RESPONSIBLE DESIGN. THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE DYNAMICS AND QUALITY OF INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE AND AI COMPANION APPS, ENSURING THESE TECHNOLOGIES ENHANCE USER EXPERIENCE. BY UNDERSTANDING USER EXPERIENCES, ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF AI-DRIVEN CONVERSATIONS, AND DEVELOPING DESIGN GUIDELINES, AND PROMOTING THEIR SAFE AND RESPONSIBLE DEPLOYMENT. THIS RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED IN THREE PHASES. FIRST, LARGE-SCALE SOCIAL MEDIA DATA AND USER INTERVIEWS WILL BE ANALYZED TO DEVELOP A TAXONOMY OF USER INTERACTIONS, IDENTIFYING MOTIVATIONS, CHALLENGES, AND VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH AI COMPANION APPS. SECOND, AN INNOVATIVE ALGORITHMIC AUDIT WILL BE CONDUCTED USING ROLE-PLAYING AI PERSONAS, WHICH ARE LLM-BASED SIMULATED USERS REPRESENTING DIVERSE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL PROFILES, TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF CONVERSATIONS WITH AI COMPANION APPLICATIONS. THIRD, PARTICIPATORY DESIGN WORKSHOPS WILL ENGAGE USERS IN CO-CREATING GUIDELINES FOR ETHICALLY ALIGNED AI COMPANION SYSTEMS. THE FINDINGS WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL INSIGHTS INTO AI COMPANIONSHIP, INFORM REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS, AND CONTRIBUTE TO BROADER DISCUSSIONS ON THE ETHICS OF AI-HUMAN INTERACTIONS. 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.

FACILITATING PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING WITH AN INVERTED CLASSROOM

RUI: HADRON STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: NONLINEAR WAVES AND VORTICITY IN OCEANIC FLOWS

RUI: HADRONIC STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS

RUI: STRUCTURAL AND ENUMERATIVE PROBLEMS ON SIMPLICIAL COMPLEXES

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIPS

RUI: SEARCH FOR NON-NEWTONIAN GRAVITY USING A HIGH-SENSITIVITY TORSION BALANCE, A CONTINUATION

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL STUDIES OF THE ROLE OF EFFLUENT ORGANIC MATTER IN THE SENSITIZED TRANSFORMATION OF ORGANIC CON

VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE WATER-WAVE PROBLEM

RUI: SEARCH FOR NON-NEWTONIAN GRAVITY USING A HIGH-SENSITIVITY TORSION BALANCE AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

RUI: MODELS OF HADRON STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS

RUI: INSTABILITY AND TURBULENCE EXPERIMENTS IN TWO-DIMENSIONAL FLOWS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: NONLINEAR WATER WAVES

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN FPLC LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY SYSTEM FOR USE IN BIOMOLECULE PURIFICATION, PROTEIN ANALYSIS, AND RESEARCH TRAINING AT SEATTLE UN

MRI-R2: ACQUISITION OF A LARGE-VOLUME PREPARATIVE ULTRACENTRIFUGE FOR USE IN RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

LEAPS-MPS: EMERGENT MECHANICS OF A LIVING MATERIAL

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: WATER WAVES--NONLINEARITY, DISSIPATION, AND FORCING

EARLY-CONCEPT EXPLORATORY RESEARCH ON THE PROFESSIONAL FORMATION OF ENGINEERS' CONCEPTIONS OF THE PUBLIC

RUI: SG: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: PHYLOGENOMICS AND DIVERSIFICATION OF THE SNAPPING SHRIMP GENUS ALPHEUS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RUI: THE DISINTEGRATION OF CLUSTERS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE METAL-POOR BULGE -GLOBULAR CLUSTERS ARE SPHERICAL GROUPS OF THOUSANDS OF STARS, BOUND TOGETHER BY GRAVITY. THE CLUSTERS CONTAIN SOME OF THE FIRST STARS FORMED IN THE GALAXY. AS A GLOBULAR CLUSTER MOVES THROUGH SPACE, IT WILL FALL TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE GALAXY. STARS WILL BECOME DISRUPTED AND SOME STARS WILL LEAVE THE CLUSTER AND BECOME PART OF THE MILKY WAY. THE TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS ARE FROM FOUR PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITIES. THEY SEEK TO CONFIRM WHICH STARS CAME FROM CLUSTERS BY SPECTROSCOPICALLY MEASURING THE ABUNDANCES OF ELEMENTS IN STARS THAT ARE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTIONS IN THE MILKY WAY. THE STARS WITH SIMILAR COMPOSITION ARE LIKELY MEMBERS OF THE SAME ORIGINAL CLUSTER. THE LOCATION OF STRIPPED CLUSTER STARS DEPENDS ON THE MASS DISTRIBUTION OF THE GALAXY. IN THIS WAY, THE GALAXY?S GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL CAN BE PROBED. DURING THE COURSE OF THE RESEARCH, THE TEAM WILL PUBLISH THEIR SUCCESSES IN STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS AND SHARE OPPORTUNITIES WITH OTHER FACULTY AT SMALL UNIVERSITIES. THE TEAM HOPES TO ATTRACT OTHER RESEARCHERS TO PURSUE SIMILAR, CUTTING-EDGE PROJECTS. EACH OF THE TEAM MEMBERS WILL ALSO FUND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN THIS RESEARCH, INVOLVING STUDENTS FROM MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS. THE RESEARCHERS WILL OBTAIN NEW, DETAILED OBSERVATIONS OF 3000 STARS. THESE WILL BE CAREFULLY SELECTED AS CANDIDATE GLOBULAR CLUSTER TIDAL DEBRIS OR MEMBERS OF ERODED LOW-LUMINOSITY GLOBULAR CLUSTERS. MEASURING THE RADIAL VELOCITIES AND METALLICITIES WILL GIVE A PROBABILITY FOR THESE STARS HAVING ORIGINATED FROM A GLOBULAR CLUSTER. IN THIS WAY, THE TEAM CAN ESTABLISH A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE STARS IN THE INNER GALAXY AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN STRIPPED FROM CLUSTERS. THE LOCATION OF STRIPPED STARS GIVES DIRECT INSIGHT INTO THE FRACTION OF GLOBULAR CLUSTERS THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE BULGE FIELD. STRIPPED GLOBULAR CLUSTER STARS FURTHER ALLOW THE INITIAL PROPERTIES OF THE EARLY GLOBULAR CLUSTERS TO BE PROBED. IDENTIFYING STARS FROM GLOBULAR CLUSTER STARS THAT ARE NOW PART OF THE INNER GALAXY IS ESSENTIAL FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ASSEMBLY HISTORY OF THE MILKY WAY. 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.

RELIABILITY ANALYSIS FOR SOFTWARE PRODUCT LINE ARCHITECTURES

RUI: PRECISION CASIMIR FORCE MEASUREMENTS USING A HIGH-SENSITIVITY TORSION BALANCE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: RACIAL EQUITY IN STEM STARTS WITH TEACHER EDUCATION -THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY OF THE K-12 STUDENT POPULATION FAR EXCEEDS THE DIVERSITY OF THE CURRENT TEACHER WORKFORCE AND TEACHER CANDIDATE PIPELINE. TO ADDRESS THIS GAP, SYSTEMIC CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURAL AND CULTURAL DIMENSIONS OF UNIVERSITY TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS ARE REQUIRED. THIS PROJECT WILL LEVERAGE AN EXISTING CONSORTIUM OF STEM TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS IN WASHINGTON STATE TO: (1) IDENTIFY COMMUNITY ASSETS AND SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO RECRUITING AND SUPPORTING STEM TEACHER CANDIDATES FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS; (2) DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PREPARING STEM TEACHER CANDIDATES TO ENACT CULTURALLY SUSTAINING PEDAGOGIES; AND (3) ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW UNIVERSITIES CAN DEVELOP AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO SUPPORT STEM TEACHER PREPARATION. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT IT AIMS TO ESTABLISH AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS TYPICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN STEM AND ELEVATE THE KNOWLEDGE AND LEADERSHIP FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO COLLABORATIVELY ADDRESS BARRIERS AND OBSTACLES TO BECOMING STEM TEACHERS. THIS PROJECT WILL EMPLOY A DESCRIPTIVE MULTIPLE CASE STUDY DESIGN TO UNDERSTAND HOW INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION WORK WITH THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO RECRUITING AND SUPPORTING STUDENTS FROM HISTORICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN STEM TEACHER PREPARATION. FURTHER, THE PROJECT WILL INVESTIGATE HOW THESE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS LEVERAGE THE KNOWLEDGE OF LEADERS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES TO DEVELOP AND SHARE STRATEGIES FOR PREPARING FUTURE STEM TEACHERS TO ENACT CULTURALLY SUSTAINING PEDAGOGIES. WITH SITES SPANNING URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL SETTINGS, THIS RESEARCH WILL ENHANCE OUR COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT CONTEXTUAL FACTORS THAT SUPPORT OR CONSTRAIN EFFORTS TO ADDRESS INEQUITIES IN STEM TEACHER PREPARATION. THE COMMUNITY-LED WORK AT EACH REGION IS GROUNDED IN THE PRINCIPLES OF TARGETED UNIVERSALISM AND WILL UTILIZE TOOLS AND FRAMEWORKS FROM THE EQUITY-DRIVEN SYSTEMS CHANGE MODEL TO CENTER THE VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. ANTICIPATED IMPACTS INCLUDE NEW RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION MODELS FOR DIVERSIFYING STEM TEACHING, REVISED CURRICULA TO INFUSE CULTURALLY SUSTAINING PEDAGOGY INTO STEM TEACHER PREPARATION, AND NEW EQUITY-MINDED STRUCTURES AND POLICIES TO GUIDE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM DECISIONS. THIS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE EDU RACIAL EQUITY IN STEM EDUCATION ACTIVITY, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE DIRECTORATE FOR STEM EDUCATION (EDU). THIS ACTIVITY SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND PRACTICE PROJECTS THAT INVESTIGATE HOW CONSIDERATIONS OF RACIAL EQUITY FACTOR INTO THE IMPROVEMENT OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE. AWARDED PROJECTS SEEK TO CENTER THE VOICES, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCES OF THE INDIVIDUALS, COMMUNITIES, AND INSTITUTIONS MOST IMPACTED BY SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES WITHIN THE STEM ENTERPRISE. PROGRAMS ACROSS EDU CONTRIBUTE FUNDS TO THE RACIAL EQUITY ACTIVITY IN RECOGNITION OF THE ALIGNMENT OF ITS PROJECTS WITH THE COLLECTIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT THRUSTS OF THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF THE DIRECTORATE. 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.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: GEOMORPHODYNAMIC MODULATION OF BIOGEOCHEMICAL FLUXES AND BASIN STRATIGRAPHY OF THE FLY RIVER

RUI: STUDIES OF HADRON STRUCTURE AND INTERACTIONS

RUI: STELLAR POPULATIONS IN NEARBY DWARF GALAXIES

CRII: HCC: RUI: VISUALIZATION-BASED MULTIMODAL DATA ANALYSIS FOR QUALITATIVE RESEARCH -THIS AWARD IS FUNDED IN WHOLE OR IN PART UNDER THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 (PUBLIC LAW 117-2). THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH FUNDAMENTAL VISUAL ANALYSIS STRATEGIES THAT INTEGRATE MULTIMODAL DATA AND HUMAN-IN-THE-LOOP MACHINE LEARNING TECHNIQUES TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT A TRANSPARENT AND TRUSTWORTHY QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS PROCESS. QUALITATIVE RESEARCHERS COLLECT AND ANALYZE NON-NUMERICAL DATA TO UNDERSTAND PEOPLE'S INTERACTIONS, OPINIONS, AND EXPERIENCES. THE PRESENCE OF POTENTIAL BIAS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IS A WELL-RECOGNIZED PROBLEM, BUT RESEARCH TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS IN THE ANALYSIS PHASES HAVE BEEN LIMITED. THIS RESEARCH DEVELOPS A NOVEL ROLE FOR VISUALIZATIONS IN ADDRESSING CURRENT CHALLENGES IN QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF TEXT ANALYSIS AND MULTIMODAL DATA EXTRACTION. GIVEN THE PREVALENT USE OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN ACADEMIA, QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY AND VERIFICATION CAN HAVE FAR-REACHING NEGATIVE IMPACTS SUCH AS DISCRIMINATING POLICIES, SUBOPTIMAL PATIENT-CARE, AND REINFORCED STIGMAS. THUS, QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A RIGOROUS MANNER TO YIELD TRUSTWORTHY AND MEANINGFUL RESULTS. THE TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED WILL SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE DATA ANALYSIS, VISUALIZATION, AND HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION FIELDS. DESPITE ADVANCES IN QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS SOFTWARE, THERE ARE THREE KEY DILEMMAS IN THE CURRENT QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PROCESS: THE COGNITIVE BURDEN RESULTING FROM THE VAST AMOUNT OF DATA, SUBJECTIVITY AND POTENTIAL BIAS THAT ARE INTRODUCED BY THE RESEARCHER, AND THE UNDERUTILIZATION OF MULTIMODAL DATA CONTAINING IMPORTANT NON-VERBAL CUES SUCH AS VOCAL TONES AND FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO IDENTIFY AND DEMONSTRATE: (1) HOW TEXT ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES CAN BE COMBINED WITH VISUALIZATION AND HUMAN FEEDBACK TO ALLEVIATE COGNITIVE BURDEN AND LESSEN BIAS; AND, (2) HOW VISUAL SUMMARIES OF AUDIO FEATURES CAN PROMOTE THE INCORPORATION OF NON-VERBAL CUES IN QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS. AN OPEN-SOURCE VISUALIZATION WEBTOOL SUPPORTING THESE ENHANCED ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES WILL BE DEVELOPED USING AN ITERATIVE, USER-CENTERED DESIGN METHODOLOGY. PROSPECTIVE USERS WITH QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS EXPERIENCE WILL BE SELECTED FOR A PARTICIPATORY DESIGN SESSION, USABILITY TESTS, AND A FIELD STUDY. THE FIELD STUDY WILL BE GROUNDED IN THE CASE OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE, A TOPIC IN WHICH STIGMATIZATION OF PATIENTS IS COMMON. 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.

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIP

IMPACT: REDEFINING ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING FACULTY (IREDEFINE ECE)

CONFERENCE: UNKNOT V -THE UNKNOT V CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD AT SEATTLE UNIVERSITY IN SEATTLE, WA ON JULY 13-14TH, 2024. UNKNOT V, LIKE THE FOUR UNDERGRADUATE KNOT THEORY CONFERENCES THAT PRECEDED IT, WILL BE A GATHERING OF STUDENTS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN KNOT THEORY RESEARCH TOGETHER WITH THEIR FACULTY AND GRADUATE STUDENT MENTORS. PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE NEW TO KNOT THEORY AND INTERESTED TO LEARN MORE ARE ALSO WELCOME TO JOIN IN THIS COMMUNITY-BUILDING EVENT. ACCESSIBLE TALKS AT UNKNOT V WILL BE GIVEN BY WORLD-RENOWNED KNOT THEORY EXPERTS AS WELL AS STUDENTS WHO ARE JUST BEGINNING THEIR WORK IN THIS FIELD. UNKNOT V WILL ALSO FEATURE A MINI WORKSHOP ON USING MACHINE LEARNING IN KNOT THEORY RESEARCH AND ONE ON RECREATIONAL TOPOLOGY WITH THE AIM TO INSPIRE FUN MATH OUTREACH PROJECTS. KNOT THEORY IS AN AREA OF RESEARCH WHICH USES TOOLS FROM AND GIVES INSIGHT INTO MANY AREAS OF MATHEMATICS, INCLUDING TOPOLOGY, GEOMETRY, ALGEBRA, AND COMBINATORICS. THERE ARE IMPORTANT APPLICATIONS IN KNOT THEORY TO DNA KNOTTING, SYNTHETIC CHEMISTRY, PROTEIN FOLDING, AND QUANTUM COMPUTING AS WELL AS IN ANTHROPOLOGY, ART, AND MATERIALS SCIENCE. KNOT THEORY ALSO LENDS ITSELF TO RESEARCH BY UNDERGRADUATES SINCE THERE ARE OPEN PROBLEMS THAT CAN BE EASILY STATED AND EXPLAINED BUT LEAD TO MATHEMATICS WITH GREAT DEPTH. THE FOCUS OF UNKNOT V WILL BE ON RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DONE BY UNDERGRADUATES AND ON OPEN PROBLEMS AMENABLE TO RESEARCH BY STUDENTS. SINCE EXPERTS WILL BE BROUGHT TOGETHER WITH THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO RESEARCH IN THIS FIELD, THIS UNIQUE CONFERENCE STRUCTURE WILL ALLOW FOR VERTICAL INTEGRATION FROM UNDERGRADUATES AND GRADUATE STUDENTS TO FACULTY WHO ARE INTERESTED IN MENTORING STUDENTS IN KNOT THEORY RESEARCH AND EXPERTS IN THE FIELD. MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS WILL BE PRESENTED. THE CONFERENCE WEBPAGE IS: HTTPS://SITES.GOOGLE.COM/VIEW/UNKNOT-V-CONFERENCE/HOME. 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.

CONFERENCE: ENERGY ACCESS EDUCATORS WORKSHOP -ATTRACTING AND RETAINING UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING STUDENTS IS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM, AND ONE OF NATIONAL INTEREST. ONE EFFECTIVE WAY TO INCREASE ENGINEERING STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, PARTICULARLY AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, IS BY INCORPORATING HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING THEMES AND PROJECTS INTO CURRICULAR, CO-CURRICULAR, AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SHOW INTEREST IN AND PERSIST IN ENGINEERING IF THEY ARE EXPOSED TO THE APPLICATION OF ENGINEERING TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF PEOPLE IN MARGINALIZED, UNDER-RESOURCED, OR AT-RISK COMMUNITIES. HOWEVER, STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES VARIES UNEVENLY BY DISCIPLINE. WHILE CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS MAY EASILY SEE THEIR DISCIPLINES REFLECTED IN THE MORE COMMON HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CLEAN WATER AND SHELTER PROJECTS, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS ARE LESS LIKELY TO SEE THE CONNECTION OF THEIR DISCIPLINE AND SERVING HUMANITY. AN UNDERUTILIZED ENTRY POINT FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS TO ENGAGE WITH HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING IS IN THE FIELD OF ELECTRICITY ACCESS. ELECTRICITY ACCESS IS CONCERNED WITH PROVIDING ELECTRICITY TO THE 800 MILLION PEOPLE PRESENTLY WITHOUT IT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE NUMBER OF FACULTY ACTIVE IN THIS AREA IS RELATIVELY SMALL, AND THERE IS NO VENUE, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OR INFRASTRUCTURE DEDICATED TO SERVING THESE EDUCATORS. THIS LIMITS THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING EXPERIENCES AVAILABLE TO ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS, AND STIFLES COMMUNITY BUILDING, ACADEMIC EXCHANGE AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AMONG THE FACULTY. THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND WORKSHOP DEDICATED SOLELY TO ENHANCING AND EXPANDING UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN ELECTRICITY ACCESS. THE PROJECT WILL CONVENE APPROXIMATELY 25 ENERGY ACCESS EDUCATORS AND STAKEHOLDERS FROM INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR A TWO-DAY WORKSHOP. THE WORKSHOP AGENDA INCLUDES TARGETED DISCUSSION, PANEL AND NETWORKING SESSIONS. IN THESE SESSIONS, PARTICIPANTS WILL SHARE BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED, AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR CURRICULAR, CO-CURRICULAR, AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS IDENTIFY GAPS AND CHALLENGES SUCH AS IDENTIFYING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, ESTABLISHING LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, AND ACQUIRING FUNDING. PRE- AND POST-WORKSHOP SURVEYS WILL BE GIVEN TO CREATE A PRELIMINARY SNAPSHOT OF THE STATE OF ELECTRICITY ACCESS EDUCATION, SHAPE THE WORKSHOP AGENDA, AND ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF THE WORKSHOP IN MEETING ITS AIMS. THE KEY FINDINGS OF THE WORKSHOP WILL BE SYNTHESIZED AND DISSEMINATED THROUGH PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. THE WORKSHOP WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT A ROADMAP OF FUTURE ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS, EMAIL LISTS, SHARING OF COURSE MATERIALS AND RESOURCES, AND COLLABORATIVE PEDAGOGICAL OR APPLIED RESEARCH. THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RECRUITED FROM A VARIETY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS, TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. 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.

ASSESSING THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF NATIONAL DATA ON CITIZEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT POLICE USE OF FORCE

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: CONFERENCE: ELECTRICITY ACCESS AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL EDUCATORS WORKSHOP -THIS PROJECT WILL CONVENE APPROXIMATELY 50 EDUCATORS, PRACTITIONERS, GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS IN THE DOMAINS OF ELECTRICITY ACCESS AND ASSOCIATED SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL DEVELOPMENT FOR A TWO-DAY WORKSHOP. THE WORKSHOP BUILDS ON THE SUCCESS AND INTEREST FROM THE ENERGY ACCESS EDUCATORS WORKSHOP SPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION IN 2022. ELECTRICITY ACCESS IS CONCERNED WITH PROVIDING ELECTRICITY TO THE OVER 700 MILLION PEOPLE PRESENTLY WITHOUT IT. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE PEOPLE THAT STRUGGLE WITH ELECTRICITY ACCESS ARE FOUND IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA AND SOUTH ASIA, WITHIN THE UNITED STATES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES DO NOT HAVE ELECTRICITY. CRUCIAL TO ANY SCALABLE TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION TO PROVIDING ELECTRICITY ACCESS IS AN ATTENDANT SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL THAT CONSIDERS HOW THE COSTS OF PRODUCING ELECTRICITY ARE RECOVERED, AND WAYS TO PRODUCTIVELY UTILIZE THE ELECTRICITY FOR MAXIMUM ECONOMIC IMPACT. THESE TOPICS ARE SCARCELY FOUND IN ENGINEERING CURRICULA IN THE UNITED STATES. HOWEVER, STUDENTS MAY GREATLY BENEFIT FROM ENGAGING WITH THESE TOPICS. STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SHOW INTEREST IN AND PERSIST IN ENGINEERING IF THEY ARE EXPOSED TO THE APPLICATION OF ENGINEERING IN WAYS THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS OF PEOPLE IN MARGINALIZED, UNDER-RESOURCED, OR AT-RISK COMMUNITIES. UNFORTUNATELY, AT PRESENT, THE NUMBER OF FACULTY ACTIVE IN BOTH ELECTRICITY ACCESS AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS IS RELATIVELY SMALL, AND THERE IS NO VENUE, PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OR INFRASTRUCTURE DEDICATED TO SERVING THESE EDUCATORS. AS A RESULT, THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF EDUCATION IN THESE TOPICS SUFFERS, AND COMMUNITY BUILDING, ACADEMIC EXCHANGE, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION AMONG THE FACULTY IS STIFLED. THE WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD IN OCTOBER 2023 AT VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY, IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE IEEE GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE. THE WORKSHOP AGENDA INCLUDES TARGETED DISCUSSION, PANEL, AND NETWORKING SESSIONS. AMPLE TIME WILL BE GIVEN FOR OPEN-ENDED DISCUSSION. DURING WORKSHOP SESSIONS, PARTICIPANTS WILL SHARE BEST PRACTICES, LESSONS LEARNED, AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR CURRICULAR, CO-CURRICULAR, AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS ASPECTS OF ELECTRICITY ACCESS. INTERACTIVE SESSIONS WILL EXPLORE TOPICS SUCH AS IDENTIFYING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, GAINING SUPPORT FROM UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION, EFFECTIVELY ENGAGING WITH CROSS-DISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION, ESTABLISHING LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS, AND ACQUIRING FUNDING. THERE WILL BE SELECTED KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS FROM EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONERS AND EDUCATORS. EACH DAY OF THE WORKSHOP WILL CONCLUDE WITH A DE-BRIEF SESSION THAT SUMMARIZES THE DAY?S DISCUSSION POINTS. PRE- AND POST-WORKSHOP SURVEYS WILL BE GIVEN TO CREATE A PRELIMINARY SNAPSHOT OF THE STATE OF ELECTRICITY ACCESS EDUCATION, SHAPE THE WORKSHOP AGENDA, AND ASSESS THE SUCCESS OF THE WORKSHOP IN MEETING ITS AIMS. THE KEY FINDINGS OF THE WORKSHOP WILL BE SYNTHESIZED AND DISSEMINATED THROUGH PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. THE WORKSHOP WILL LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ROADMAP OF FUTURE ACTIVITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, SUCH AS ADDITIONAL WORKSHOPS, EMAIL LISTS, SHARING OF COURSE MATERIALS AND RESOURCES, AND COLLABORATIVE PEDAGOGICAL OR APPLIED RESEARCH WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST FOR LONG TERM COLLABORATION. ATTENDEES WILL ALSO BRAINSTORM WAYS TO PERPETUATE THIS WORKSHOP IN FUTURE YEARS THROUGH ALTERNATIVE FUNDING MODELS. THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RECRUITED FROM A VARIETY OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS, TRIBAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, AND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. 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.

WEST COAST OPERATOR ALGEBRA SEMINAR

CCE STEM: COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: EFFICACY OF MACROETHICS EDUCATION IN ENGINEERING