Supporting & Recognizing Research Excellence: Seed Funding
The Office of Research & Innovation financially supports seed funding opportunities that stimulate and support the development of new research projects, the expansion of existing projects, as well as recognition of outstanding research performance.
Community Driven Research Day
On March 11, Drexel University participated in the 15th annual Community Driven Research Day (CDRD), an annual event founded by the Philadelphia Collaborative Violence Prevention Center and The Penn Center for Public Health Initiatives, which provides an opportunity for community-based organizations to discuss their research needs with researchers from six sponsoring academic institutions - Temple University, University of Pennsylvania, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Drexel University, LaSalle University, and Thomas Jefferson University.
Hosted this year by the University of Pennsylvania, the event was the first step in the process to submit an application for funding. Academic researchers and representatives from community-based organizations (CBOs) who attended CDRD were encouraged to make connections with each other at the event. After partnerships were formed, and requirements met, participants were generally invited to develop a full proposal. The full proposal, co-produced by both partners, was sent to the sponsoring institution who made the awards.
This year’s competition was focused on the theme of Resilient Communities: Celebrating 15 Years of Advancing Community-Based Research and Partnerships for Health. The Office of Research & Innovation is happy to contribute to this annual competition that supports interdisciplinary, community-based participatory research in health and strengthens Drexel’s relationship with the greater Philadelphia community.
After receiving letters of intent following the Community Driven Research Day (CRDR) event, we extended invitations to teams of community members interested in partnering with researchers across Drexel, with five full proposals submitted for internal review. Review was conducted by two independent faculty members of Drexel University and followed a standard set of scoring criteria set by the CDRD organizers.
We are pleased to award Kate Fox at Children FIRST, along with her collaborator Renee Turchi at Saint Christopher’s Hospital for Children (Drexel University) for their project, titled “Babies Don’t Go to the Doctor Alone - Pennsylvania Dyadic Care Models.” The recipient received a $10,000 grant.
HBCU-Drexel Health Science and STEM Partnership Pilot Research Awards
During AY '24-25, Drexel University’s Office of the President, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Office of Research & Innovation opened the application cycle for the HBCU-Drexel Health Science and STEM Partnership Pilot Research Awards competition.
The HBCU-Drexel Health Science and STEM Partnership Pilot Research Awards competition is a STEM and health science-focused competition designed to foster collaboration between students and faculty from each of five HBCU partners and Drexel University’s STEM and health science units, with the goal of supporting partnership-driven research and scholarly or creative activity.
Drexel partnered with five historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs): Cheyney University, Delaware State University, Hampton University, Lincoln University and North Carolina Agricultural, and Technical State University. The collaboration is designed to foster a lasting connection between the institutions and enhance academic advancement, scholarship, practice, civic engagement, inclusion and diversity among faculty and students in the fields of health sciences and STEM using a reciprocal approach based on mutual trust and respect.
The Pilot Research Awards support a wide range of research, scholarship, and creative activity that align with one or more of Drexel University’s 10 Areas of Excellence and Opportunity:
- Health Innovation: health topic focused on innovation of new therapies, technologies, and methods to improve care and support specific needs of individuals across the lifespan, locations, and disease states.
- Health Equity and Wellness: topics related to community health, prevention, and mental wellness, with a focus on improving outcomes, diversifying methods, and expanding access across populations, especially local communities and underserved populations.
- Computing, AI, and Cyber Security Frontiers: topics combining strengths across AI, Information Science and Human-Machine Interaction, Cybersecurity, and Data Science, with a focus on the future of computing, its interactions with society, and the creation, transfer, security, and dissemination of information.
- Sustainability and Climate Resilience: topic focused on the conception, design, and development of processes, materials, and other advancements to support the health of the local and global environment, and resilience of the global climate.
- Urban Futures: topic combining activities and scholarship related to city, regional, and community development; design and innovation; and civic partnership and engagement.
- Human-Centered Design: topic focused on the design of processes, systems, and products developed to be best suited to the human user.
- Entertainment and Culture: topic combining strengths in the development and production of entertainment across disciplines and industries, including Music, Film, Television, Digital Media and Arts, as well as management and business expertise in these fields.
- Learning, Leadership, and Organizational Innovation: the nexus of strengths that support individual and organizational growth, learning, and development, including management, professional development (especially in STEM fields), leadership, motivation, organizational dynamics, development of training programs in areas like DEI, learning innovation efforts focused on individual growth through understanding how students learn.
- Advanced Materials and Manufacturing: topic combining strengths across Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Device Development and Advanced Technology focused on the applications, development and use of materials across a broad set of disciplines.
- Neuroscience: topic combining strengths across Neuroscience, including structures and functions of the brain and neurological system.
To be eligible, participants formed teams of at least four members: one undergraduate student and full-time faculty member each from Drexel University and one of the HBCU partners to foster deeper cross-institutional collaborations between students and faculty.
All proposals were peer-reviewed according to significance and relevance to at least one of Drexel’s AEOs, scientific merit, potential for the advancement of knowledge in a specific field, feasibility, and qualifications of the team. Grants of up to $10K were awarded to each of five HBCU-Drexel teams.
We’re delighted to congratulate the following winners!:
- Application Title: Cheyney-Drexel Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Biomaterials
Awarded: $10,000
Submitted by:
Yolanda Williams-Bey, PhD
Assistant Professor
Biology Department
Natural and Applied Sciences, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Kara Spiller, PhD
Professor
Biomedical Engineering Department
School of Biomedical Engineering, Science, and Health Systems, Drexel University
- Application Title: Assessing minoritized student campus recreation engagement and belonging across Drexel and Lincoln Universities
Awarded: $10,000
Submitted by:
Laura Baehr, DPT, PhD
Assistant Professor
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences Department
College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University
Serita Porter
Assistant Professor
Health Science Department
Health Sciences, Lincoln University
- Application Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness and Cultural Relevance of the Older Adults' Mental Health First Aid (OMHFA) Program
Awarded: $10,000
Submitted by:
James Muruthi, PhD
Assistant Professor
Counseling and Family Therapy Department
College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University
Tiffany Morris, DNP
Associate Professor
Nursing Department
Nursing School, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
- Application Title: Understanding attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs related to home maintenance to decrease inequities in functional disability among low-income older adults
Awarded: $9,975
Submitted by:
Safiyyah M. Okoye, PhD, MSN, RN
Assistant Professor
Graduate Nursing Department
College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University
Michael L. Jones, PhD, MBA/HCM, RN, FAAN
Adjunct Faculty
School of Nursing, Hampton University