College of Education leadership awards seed grants for 2019-2020 academic year

Clemson’s College of Education has awarded seed grants to five faculty members for the 2019-2020 academic year. The grants are part of the college’s ADR Research Grant Program, which provides seed funding that allows faculty to pursue significant funding from external sponsors, such as government agencies and foundations.

According to Jeff Marshall, associate dean for research and graduate studies in the college, the researchers awarded this year cover a wide variety of topics. Marshall says the five selected projects collectively seek over $2.5 million in external funding, and each address one or more aspects of the mission of the college.

The research of selected awardees has a bearing in areas such as professional development for teachers, specific areas of classroom instruction, and gender identity in higher education. Marshall said the research topics are indicative of a college actively engaged at all levels of educational research.

“Recipients of this year’s seed grants truly showcase the diversity of research interests contained within our college,” Marshall said. “It’s also exciting to see a mix of junior and senior faculty members who have stepped up to really push forward the research portfolio for the college and, by extension, the university.”

Awardees and their research topics include:

• Golnaz Arastoopour Irgens, assistant professor of learning sciences: “Inclusive Computational Education and Design (ICED)”
• Beatrice Bailey, professor, social studies education: “Recruiting Ag-Related Majors Via 8th Grade History & Science 6 Instructional Units Offered by Teachers Prepared Through Year-Long Online Professional Development from Interdisciplinary Scholars and Professionals.”
• Leigh Martin, executive director, field and clinical partnerships and outreach: “Perfecting Your Roar.”
• Rachelle Savitz, assistant professor of adolescent literacy: “Debating history: Incorporating disciplinary literacy and argumentation.”
• Cynthia Sims, assistant professor of education: “Developing Positive Identity of STEM Women Leaders in higher education: A longitudinal study of Trailblazer’s Leadership Development & Mentoring Program.”

A total of $100,000 was made available to fund the research awards, and all funds must be expended by Dec. 31, 2020. Awards were determined based on competitiveness and the interdisciplinary nature of grant submissions as well as alignment with the needs of the funding agency and the mission of the college. Inclusion of doctoral students in the research process as well as quality of abstract and appropriateness of budget were also considered.

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