2020-2021 Catalyst Grant Winners Announced

RALEIGH, N.C. — Three Catalyst Grants were awarded this week by the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation in partnership with the NC State College of Education. The purpose of the Catalyst Grant program is to increase research collaborations among faculty and staff at both entities. 

“A primary objective of this program is to seed collaborative, potentially high-impact research that will lead to further inquiry and support from external granting agencies,” said Hiller Spires, Ph.D., Friday Institute executive director and associate dean for the College of Education. “Research is a fundamental source of innovation and new knowledge for our educational systems. We are excited to contribute to the educational research enterprise through the implementation of the Catalyst Research program, which we believe has potential to impact education in profound ways.”

The grant review team included Mark Samberg, Ed.D., Jose Picart, Ph.D., Meghan Manfra, Ph.D., and Jamie Pearson, Ph.D. 

“It is exciting to see how the Catalyst Grant program has fostered productive collaborations between researchers at the Friday Institute and the College of Education,” said Karen Hollebrands, Ph.D., interim associate dean for research and innovation at the College of Education. “Together they are conducting studies that deepen our understanding of student learning and address challenges many educators are now facing.”

See below for a list of winning proposals and researchers:

Trauma Informed Practice Support (TIPS) in Schools and Communities: Collaboration Between Education and Social Work

Angela Wiseman, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Literacy Education (College of Education); Brittany Miller, Research Associate (Friday Institute); and Qiana Cryer-Coupet, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Social Work (College of Humanities and Social Sciences)

Developing a Framework for Disciplinary, Equity-Oriented Use of Informational Text in Middle School English Language Arts

Chandra Alston, Ph.D., Assistant Professor (College of Education), and Sarah Bausell, Ph.D., Research Associate (Friday Institute)

Examining Early Childhood Teacher Preparation Amidst Unprecedented Times

Callie Edwards, Ph.D., Research Associate (Friday Institute), and Jemilia S. Davis, Ph.D., Director of Strategic Initiatives & External Relations (College of Education Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research)