Grants

I lead the communication and research components of Huskies BELONG, a STEAM-focused college bridge program for students with disabilities. In collaboration with the College of Health & Human Sciences, we explore how bridge programs can foster self-efficacy and career interest in STEAM fields.

This work is supported by two concurrent grants:

• Implementation ($199,808): Funded by the Illinois Community College Board (FY26), this grant supports the operation and expansion of our year-long bridge program and summer residential camp.

• Research (T-RISE Seed Grant): We are investigating the perceptions of participating students to develop evidence-based interventions that foster long-term interest in STEAM careers.

Read more about the program: Huskies BELONG Career and College Prep Program

The project titled "Licensed to Greenwash? Exploring Sustainability-Driven Prosocial Communication Strategies Through the Moral Framework of Corporate Sustainability Communication" received prosocial communication grant from the Arthur W. Page foundation. The project employs a series of experiments to understand corporates' environmental efforts with the goal of helping companies shape a positive corporate image through strategic prosocial strategies. 

Read more about this project: How the public views corporate sustainability strategy – Scholar Q&A

Related Publications: 

Carbon credit does not buy moral credit: moral licensing and perceived hypocrisy of carbon emission offsetting and reduction Climatic Change

The NOAA-funded project "Understanding and Mitigating Future Weather and Climate Risks to American Agriculture" is divided into two parts: As the leading investigator of the social science team, we intend to gain a better understanding of where farmers receive their weather information and how they use it. They also will engage with farmers to bridge any knowledge gaps and understand their perspectives on the changing climate. The meteorology team explores the type of scientific information that would enable farmers to better deal with extreme weather patterns, such as near-term modeling of thunderstorms, drought and flooding to mid- and late-century projections of climate in Northern Illinois and across the Corn Belt.

Read more about the whole project: NIU awarded $660,000 to help farmers adapt to extreme weather

The project "Overview of Organizational Support for Science Communication among Scientific Societies" funded by Rita Allen Foundation provided overview of scientific societies’ role in supporting scientists’ public engagement efforts. 

Read the results: Scientific societies’ support for public engagement: an interview study