Research Development

Jieun Lee is Colorado's Sole Recipient of the 2024 NSF ADVANCE Award for Groundbreaking GAIA Initiative

---

Dr. Lee’s ADVANCE Golden Compass Onward: Geospatial sciences Alliance for International women faculty Advancement (GAIA) award brings the University of Northern Colorado and two STEM professional societies, the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and the University Consortium of Geographic Information Science (UCGIS), into a partnership to identify and address systemic inequities, specifically experienced by foreign-born women faculty, in academic workplaces in Geography and Geospatial Sciences. The GAIA project will gather and synthesize intersectional qualitative and quantitative data on barriers and lived experiences of all women faculty, particularly foreign-born women scholars, to inform equity systemic change toolkits for deployment in Geography and Geospatial Sciences departments. More information about the GAIA project here.

 

Tyler Engstrom & Andrea James Secure NIH Grant for Groundbreaking Research on Zebrafish & Foveal Development

---

Tyler Engstrom (UNC Physics) and Andrea James (Biology) will work with 12 physics and biology majors who will gain undergraduate research experience in this National Eye Institute three-year interdisciplinary project, “Developing new biophysical models of choroid fissure closure in zebrafish and foveal pit formation across species”. The project will address a basic research need for quantitative eye morphogenesis models that are tested against experimental data and that can shed light on biophysical mechanisms during eye development. Such models will aid in treatment and prevention of developmental diseases of the eye. More additional information about this research project is available here.

Biology Faculty Yuyan Han & Nicholas Pullen Win UNC’s Second 2024 NIH Grant for Pioneering CBG & CBD Research in Fatty Liver Disease

---

This project, “The therapeutic effect of cannabigerol (CBG) with or without cannabidiol (CBD) in diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease” will directly engage UNC biology students in research to evaluate the anti-inflammatory therapeutic effects of CBD and CBG in reducing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), one of the leading causes of chronic liver disease, which can progress to a more advanced state (NASH) with no current treatment. Preliminary data suggest that Cannabinoids attenuate immune cell recruitment, suppresses inflammatory mediator release, and thus mitigate liver damage caused by diet in mice. This research will provide critical therapeutic efficacy data about CBG and CBD for NAFLD/NASH for the first time in mice, which will benefit future cannabinoid-related animal and human studies; and provide in-depth information about molecular mechanisms in which CBG alone or with CBD diminishes NAFLD/NASH progression.  More additional information about this research project here. 

Congratulations to Lucinda Shellito, Sharon Bywater-Reyes, & Chelsea Romulo on Winning the NSF RISE Award: “COOLER - COmmunity COllaboration and LEarning for climate Resilience”. 

---

The goal of the COOLER project is to build a learning ecosystem around climate change resilience in Northern Colorado. This planning grant supports the development of trans-disciplinary climate change curricula, as well as connections between UNC students, faculty, and community groups that promote learning together, supporting each other, and collaborating on projects that address climate change resilience in the region. Learn more about COOLER here. 

Isaac Wanasika, Maurice Harris, & Jeri Lyons Win First Round NSF EPIIC Grant to Boost Innovation: “Enabling Meaningful External Research Growth in Emergent Technologies (EMERGE)”.

---

The EMERGE project consists of a four-member cohort that also includes Kettering University, University of the Incarnate Word, and Western Carolina University. Through a shared vision of being recognized as partners in R&D, translation of research into practice, and talent development in emerging technology fields, EMERGE partners will build capacity to more effectively integrate into regional innovation ecosystems and establish collaborative relationships with emerging technology programs. Dr. Wanasika will lead UNC efforts to expand the regional innovation ecosystem and foster economic development; advance career-readiness/workforce development to support regional/state-wide needs; and support the needs of UNC faculty, students, and regional stakeholders through the promotion of tech transfer and use-inspired research. You can find additional information about the UNC EMERGE program here.

Emily Holt and Jessica Duke are Defining and Measuring Climate Change Acceptance Among Undergraduate Science Students

---

Research shows that most undergraduate students accept global climate change is happening; but, what does it really mean to accept climate change? Acceptance of climate change has not been clearly defined in the literature so the components that make up acceptance and their relationships to one another are not fully understood. The goal of this NSF IUSE-Engaged Student Learning project entitled, “Developing the Acceptance of Climate Change Scale for Undergraduate Students,” is to examine the many aspects of climate change that undergraduate science (biology, chemistry, and geoscience) students accept to define. Drs. Holt and Duke will then use this knowledge to develop a novel survey that examines aspects of students’ acceptance of climate change. They envision that the information gained from this project will lead to recommendations about which climate change topics to include in undergraduate science curricula to address acceptance, ultimately leading to increased effectiveness of climate change education for students. Once created, the survey will be freely available to other science education researchers exploring climate change acceptance. You may find additional information about the project here.