CEHD Research In Press: Sept 2023

NEWS 

Dr. Renuka de Silva is the newest endowed faculty member in CEHD as the latest recipient of the Hopper Danley Faculty Fellowship, which “supports innovative research activities and pursuit of extramural funding for research”. She was acknowledged at this year’s Faculty Investiture Ceremony and Celebration on August 23. 

Dr. Rachel Navarro (PI) and Norman McCloud (project director) received a $3.6 million dollar grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) for the North Dakota Rural and Tribal Suicide Care (ND RT-SC) Project. North Dakota (ND) had the second-highest state increase in suicide rates between 2000 and 2018. Complicating this problem is the limited crisis support and resources that exist in remote and tribal communities in ND. In response, the North Dakota Rural and Tribal Suicide Care Project (RT-SC), serving youth ages 10-24, provides suicide prevention and intervention supports for 12 counties located in the north-central and parts of the northeastern regions of ND. The RT-SC project serves multiple communities, health and behavioral health care providers, schools, and organizations to implement a culturally appropriate suicide prevention strategy by leveraging existing services in under-resourced communities. The project supports upstream prevention, integrates evidence-based practices, and evaluates outcomes. These efforts include community-wide engagement, critical stakeholder partnerships, and data gathering processes.

Dr. Jesse Rhoades, Dr. Deleon, and Dr. Chrisman received a grant from NASA entitled, “The Research and Development of Extravehicular Activity Gait Assist Device.” This provides funding for the BiPed lab to test a Lunar boot outsole prototype for the Artemis missions being developed at Cankdeska. The team will work in conjunction with a GRA to provide testing and direct design collaboration with Cankdeska students.This project seeks to increase the NASA and Aerospace exposure for Candeska students, and open pathways for Cankdeska students into STEM and aerospace fields.

Dr. Woei Hung received three grants this summer. First, as PI an NSF RAPID grant will implement and examine a Culturally Relevant Project-based AI-integrated Learning (CRPAIL) framework to improve high-school STEM students’ learning and interest in AI in southern Alabama (AL) and eastern North Dakota (ND), where schools notably serve a high proportion of historically marginalized students. The goals of this project are 1) to develop high-school teachers’ knowledge of using the CRPAIL framework to teach AI-integrated STEM subjects, and 2) to improve high-school students’ interest in AI and learning of AI and STEM subjects in CRPAIL lessons. Second, co-PI on an NSF EPSCOR grant developing resilient technologies to support renewable Sustainable Engineering Infrastructures and Solutions for Tribal Energy Sovereignty. The project also includes educational activities that foster Native STEM students to develop tribal nation workforces to support the goal.  And third, co-PI on an NSF Global Centers grant that examines Energy Sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples (ESIP). The goal of this grant project is to work hand in hand with communities of indigenous peoples including Tribal Communities located within the boundaries of the U.S., First Nations Communities located within the boundaries of Canada, and Indigenous communities in the Global South to develop a use-inspired research proposal that supports and honors the sovereignty of Indigenous communities.

Dr. Logan Rutten is co-PI on a research grant recently awarded by the Brady Education Foundation, Enhancing Navajo Nation Youth Academic Achievement Through Diné Character Education. With PI Dr. Hollie Kulago (Associate Professor of Education at The Pennsylvania State University), and Key Community Collaborator Dorthea Litson (Senior Education Specialist at the Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education), the project will build upon the research team’s 2022-23 pilot year during which they collaborated with Diné elders, teachers, leaders, and community members to construct a character-building curriculum for Navajo Nation students. This two-year project will support and theorize the collaborative processes involved in scaling-up the implementation of character education from a Diné perspective across the tribally controlled schools of the Navajo Nation. It will also investigate how the curriculum functions to address disparities in educational outcomes that affect Diné youth. 

Also, Dr. Rutten received the 2023 Robert F. Schuck Distinguished Dissertation in Teacher Education Award from the Association of Teacher Educators. His research was an empirical study of the construct of inquiry-as-stance among elementary teacher candidates conducting practitioner inquiry as part of a clinically based teacher preparation program in the context of a Professional Development School. 

Dr. Ryan Flinn was selected to participate in two training programs funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to enhance their skills and experience prior to submitting applications for independent NIH funding (first two below). These additional opportunities augment Dr. Flinn’s current training opportunities in two other programs they joined prior to accepting a faculty post at UND (final two below). Collectively, these programs will provide Dr. Flinn with over fifty thousand dollars in seed funding to launch a program of research focused on peer recovery support services for emerging adults living with substance use disorder, including those who are or were involved with the criminal legal system. 

• Substance Use Disorder Systems Performance Improvement Research and Engagement at the Brandeis-Harvard SPIRE Center 
• The Initiative for Justice and Emerging Adult Populations (JEAP Initiative) at Chestnut Health Systems, the Oregon Social Learning Center, and Sponsors, Inc. 
• Lifespan/Brown University Criminal Justice Research Training  Program (CJRT) on Substance Use, HIV, and Comorbidities at Brown University 
• HIV/AIDS Substance Abuse and Trauma Training Program at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior.

Dr. Charmeka Newton’s co-authored book “Black Lives Are Beautiful: 50 Tools to Heal from Trauma and Promote Positive Racial Identity” was released on April 25th and has been ranked number one on Amazon in all psychotherapy books category and is in the top ten for cognitive behavioral therapy books new releases.  

Dr. Elizabeth Suazo-Flores was invited to give a plenary address and workshop at the Second Congress of Chilean Mathematics Teacher Educators. Dr. Suazo-Flores will discuss the philosophical underpinnings of the use of self-based methodologies and collaborate with mathematics teacher educators to support their self-based methodology studies.

From July 31 through August 4 this summer, Dr. Ryan Summer’s STEM STRONG research team and professional learning providers at K-12 Alliance provided an important research intervention for their Modest Supports NSF DRK-12 project (A $2.9 million Discovery Research K-12 grant from the National Science Foundation #2201249). Elementary teachers from four states were brought together for 5 days of intensive online synchronous learning. Moving forward, their research team will continue to interact with these teachers and provide them with modest electronic supports to see how it impacts their self-efficacy and classroom practice.

Dr. Emily Midkiff received an award from the Science Fiction Research Association for the best first scholarly and detailed study on science fiction of the year. Her 2022 book, “Equipping Space Cadets: Primary Science Fiction for Young Children”, argues for the benefits and potential of science fiction for children under 12. She received the award in Germany this August. 

Researchers from the Initiative for Rural Education, Equity, and Economic Development (I-REEED) had one of the top scoring proposals to the National Rural Education Association’s conference National Forum to Advance Rural Education (NFARE), which is also under consideration for the annual award for best research paper. Authored by Kevin Read, Dr. Caitlin Brecklin, and Dr. Diana D’Amico Pawlewicz as part of a broader study on teacher recruitment and retention, they found that housing was a key theme in the data from administrators and teachers in diverse rural settings.  

Dr. John Fitzgerald published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, “Vitamin D Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitudes of Adolescents and Adults: A Systematic Review”. They found in the US, roughly 10% of adults are vitamin D deficient and 35% are insufficient during the winter months. In addition, >94% of Americans fail to meet the recommended daily allowance for vitamin D established by the National Academy of Medicine (eg., 600IU for 1−70 years of age). Addressing inadequate vitamin D status is a public health priority, as Vitamin D deficiency is causally linked with bone health—clinically manifesting as rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults, and contributing to osteoporosis and fracture in later years. Perhaps the most encouraging of the nonskeletal outcomes are the small, positive effects of vitamin D supplementation on cancer survival and acute respiratory infection incidence. 

SPOTLIGHT

This year CEHD is welcoming 14 new faculty to our college! Please read about their fantastic professional backgrounds and research interests!

Dr. Amber Adgerson (Elementary Education; Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice) has over a decade of experience as an upper-elementary and middle-school public-school educator and was the sole graduate research assistant for a multi-million dollar U.S. Department of Education Teacher Quality Partnership Grant at the University of South Carolina. She also has experience working in the government sector and completed an internship as a data analyst for educational policy and accountability alongside the staff of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee. Her research interests include virtual STEM education, equitable outcomes in STEM education, teacher educator identity and development, rural STEM teacher education, and the achievement of underrepresented gifted and talented students. She looks forward to continuing her research agenda at UND and implementing learning experiences that will prepare UND students to be educational leaders capable of effectively and holistically meeting the needs of their students. As an advocate for on-site teaching methods courses (embedded coursework) in local schools, she looks forward to building relationships with local school districts alongside her colleagues at UND to establish a strong network of school-university partnerships between UND and the K-12 schools in the region. Additionally, she will continue her research on creating and maintaining accessible and engaging virtual STEM learning environments for K-12 students, as well as in-service and pre-service teachers. Dr. Adgerson aims to utilize virtual learning environments to create a third space between UND and other settings to create impactful programming that will expose undergraduate and graduate students at UND to the growing K-12 student diversity in the region, country, and globally. Her goal, more specifically, is to provide informal STEM experiences in North Dakota, and beyond, through virtual and in-person STEM programming.

Dr. Runna Alghazo (Rehabilitation and Human Services; Education, Health, & Behavior Studies) earned her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Counseling and administration from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC), Illinois. She completed an M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling with a concentration on Substance Abuse Counseling from SIUC. Prior to that, she earned a B.S. in Medical Technology from the University of Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Her areas of research interest include psychological and systemic variables that may contribute to student’s academic success in Higher Education, inclusive teaching and learning models that are based on Universal Design principles in K-12 and postsecondary education, and teaching & learning applications for students with disabilities using Artificial Intelligence (AI). She aims to embark on an international comparison research study in an effort to underline the significance of inclusive education for students with disabilities in the Middle East region specifically. Her research goal is to establish a nationally recognized interdisciplinary research program for interested undergraduate and graduate students that involves faculty from different colleges. In her new role, Dr. Runna is eager to impart her knowledge through teaching the Rehabilitation and Human Services courses, constantly updating the content and methodologies to reflect the latest developments in the field of Rehabilitation Counseling. She also aspires to work with her colleagues on developing a graduate studies program in Rehabilitation and Human Services in the EHBS department. Within the UND community, Dr. Alghazo is determined to advocate for inclusive teaching methods continually, enhancing the educational journey for every student. She is committed to cultivating partnerships with respected colleagues to initiate groups focused on research and inclusive instructional design, incorporating Universal Design principles and AI-based strategies on a national and international level.

Dr. Pempho Chinkondenji (Educational Foundations & Research; EHBS) earned her Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Leadership with a concentration in International Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Prior to that, she completed an M.A. in Cross-cultural and International Education from Bowling Green State University and obtained a B.A. in Mass Communication from African Bible College in Lilongwe, Malawi. As an interdisciplinary scholar, Dr. Chinkondenji’s research focuses on addressing structural inequalities within educational policies and practices, with emphasis on African and African diaspora populations. Her primary research interests lie at the intersections of education, gender, race, in-school pregnancy/student motherhood, global migration, and forced displacement. Her scholarship draws from African feminisms, critical/liberatory pedagogy, and post/de-colonial thought to interrogate gender and power dynamics in education. Methodologically, she employs participatory visual methodologies and various forms of qualitative inquiry to conduct educational research. At the University of North Dakota, Dr. Chinkondenji is excited about teaching educational research methods and incorporating a global perspective into education. She looks forward to collaborating with the UND community on (inter)national education research projects, with the overarching goal of promoting equitable and quality educational outcomes for historically underrepresented students.

Dr. Ryan Flinn (Counselling Psychology; Education, Health, & Behavior Studies) is a counseling psychologist with expertise in providing psychological services to emerging adults, sexual and gender minorities, people living with HIV, and people who struggle with substance misuse. Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, where they completed undergraduate degrees at Iowa Western Community College and Creighton University, Dr. Flinn completed their master’s degree in clinical psychology at the University of Detroit Mercy and their doctorate in counseling psychology with a minor in integrated behavioral health at New Mexico State University. Dr. Flinn completed internship at The Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Service and postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry & Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia. Dr. Flinn is launching the Trauma, Substance, Justice, and Recovery Lab at UND to focus on studying novel approaches for supporting addiction and mental health recovery among people who have been involved in the criminal-legal system and who struggle with symptoms of substance use disorder and PTSD. Dr. Flinn is especially excited by opportunities to test the effectiveness of rapidly proliferating recovery support services, such as recovery coaching and recovery residences (e.g., sober living), to support treatment engagement and mental health recovery among residents of North Dakota. Dr. Flinn is eager to expand available research opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students at UND.

Dr. Matt Knutson (Esports; EHBS) is the new director of the Esports academic program at UND. His present focus with this program is to create synergy between the competitive, social, and academic facets of the University’s esports programs while aligning the curriculum with best practices in the field. His goals for this academic year include coordinating internship pipelines with esports businesses in the region and cementing UND as the premier institution in the Midwest for prospective students to learn about and compete in esports. He has already begun to collaborate with colleagues in Kinesiology on research into esports psychology and exertion. Such work may help competitors and esports community members at UND lead healthier lives inside and outside the game and improve their competitive fitness.

Dr. Hairui (Harry) Lui (Kinseiology, EHBS) received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Shanghai University of Sport. After working for a while, he attended Auburn University to receive his Ph.D. in Kinesiology. After receiving his doctorate degree from Auburn University, he went to the University of South Carolina for post-doctoral training in motor development (NIH supported). Dr. Harry Liu is driving a transformative movement in motor development education. As a dedicated educator at the University of North Dakota, he equips future teachers with vital content knowledge, ensuring quality education. Passionate about models-based practice, he employs innovative methods like the Sport Education Model and Play Practice to foster motor skills in children and teenagers, addressing developmental delays and associated challenges. Supported by UND and the College of Education & Human Development, Dr. Liu aims to establish structured activity programs for North Dakota’s children, empower teachers, and represent the state on the national stage. Recent research revealing a 70% risk of motor delay in American children underscores the urgency of his mission. Dr. Liu’s work is investing in the future of our children – a future where every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the chance to thrive. With your support, Dr. Liu can expand his reach, effect lasting change, and create a new paradigm for motor development education. Together, we can redefine what’s possible for our children and generations to come.

Dr. Christine McGrail (Elementary Science Education; TLPP) holds a Ph.D. in Math, Science and Learning Technologies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her degrees also include a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a Master’s degree from Fitchburg State University. Dr. McGrail’s research is centered on using multiple modalities in science assessment. Specifically, her work looks at how young children’s science concept development is instantiated in the non-verbal modalities of design artifacts, drawings, and gestures. One of the ideals of her research is non-verbal modalities, essential to more equitable assessment of children’s learning in science because they do not privilege dominant language, thereby affording more students access to success. Other research interests include integrating science and engineering design in early elementary grades, incorporating the nature of science into science curricula through read-alouds, as well as looking at STEM identities and sense-of-belonging in STEM. “Through my teaching and my research here at UND I look forward to expanding the role of engineering design in elementary science education and expanding how knowledge construction is represented in various modalities in order to help all children see themselves as knowers and doers in science and engineering.” Prior to joining UND, Dr. McGrail was a lecturer in the Integrated Concentration in STEM program and Science Education Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Dr. Emily Midkiff’s (Literacy; TLPP) field of research is children’s and young adult literacy and literature, a field of study dedicated to examining these texts as cultural artifacts and exploring their impact on children, adolescents, and even adults. Recent controversies over books for young people like banned LGBTQ books and drag story time, the rescinded Dr. Seuss books, and nonfiction books with any hint of “critical race theory” demonstrate the power that cultural concepts of childhood can have over education and policy. Dr. Midkiff guides her students to consider these topics so that they are able to recognize the potential of children’s and young adult media in our culture and utilize it to make positive change in our local communities and beyond. She also works to create resources to help educators utilize children’s and YA media for change. For instance, Emily is developing a large climate fiction database and resource for teachers, climatelit.org, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Climate Literacy. Her research features high-priority topics like climate change and reading education. She is currently conducting a study on whether science fiction stories about climate change can motivate young people to make real changes in the world. Dr. Midkiff has also recently founded a research team here at the University of North Dakota to explore how the newly recognized psychiatric condition called aphantasia (an inability to create mental images that impacts 2-5% of the population) affects reading comprehension, which has often been linked to visualization skills.

Dr. Anthony (Tony) Perry’s (STEM education; TLPP) research focuses on STEM and Career and Technical Education in secondary and postsecondary settings from a sociocultural perspective. The research utilizes quantitative methods to analyze students’ motivation to engage in STEM education and mixed methodology approaches to investigate, design, and improve education systems. There is an urgent need to engage youth with STEM education, in part, because emerging technologies are changing the way we work and live. His scholarly activities are designed to improve the field’s understanding of (1) the types of learning experiences that improve student engagement and (2) the educational systems needed to ensure all students have access to engaging STEM learning experiences. Dr. Perry’s goal as an educator is to support the development of empathetic and optimistic scholars and practitioners. They will have extensive knowledge of research methods and a deep understanding of the education field, which they will use to bring about positive change in communities that matter to them. He expects his role will seed new school-community partnerships (including local STEM businesses) that result in more engaging STEM learning experiences for youth in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and communities across the region. In turn, these youth will develop into the next generation STEM workforce and critical STEM-literate leaders who apply their skills to pressing local, national, and global issues. These partnerships will emerge as national leaders that education leaders visit to learn how to design similar systems in their communities.

Dr. Logan Rutten (Educational Practice & Leadership and Teacher Education; TLPP) studies practitioner inquiry in school-university partnerships as a form of professional learning for educators across the career span. His areas of methodological interest include qualitative case studies, systematic literature reviews, and theory-building in educational research. Logan’s current scholarship features sustained collaborations with teachers and administrators serving K-12 students in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the United States and the Navajo Nation. His research program asks: How can we support students in rural schools in learning to address the school, community, and civic issues that matter most to them? A graduate of the Bismarck Public Schools, Logan earned a B.A. at Concordia College and an M.Ed. and Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction at The Pennsylvania State University. He recently received the 2023 Robert F. Schuck Distinguished Dissertation in Teacher Education Award from the Association of Teacher Educators. Logan’s publications appear in journals such as Teaching and Teacher Education, Action in Teacher Education, School-University Partnerships, PDS Partners: Bridging Research to Practice, and the Journal of Educational Supervision. Logan is currently co-leading Enhancing Navajo Nation Youth Academic Achievement Through Diné Character Education (Brady Education Foundation) and Making Holocaust and Genocide Education Relevant Through Inquiry and Classroom Application (National Endowment for the Humanities). He serves as Co-Chair of the Communications Committee for the National Association for Professional Development Schools (NAPDS) and as Associate Editor of the Cambridge Handbook of School-University Partnerships (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming).

Dr. Elizabeth Suazo-Flores (Mathematics and Elementary Education; TLPP) graduated from Purdue University and is interested in working alongside teachers, so they see themselves as having mathematical power and creating spaces for learners to see themselves as having mathematical power, too. Mathematical power can be evidenced when learners use intuition, creativity, and visuospatial reasoning to analyze mathematical situations and make informed decisions. She is interested in documenting ways of knowing mathematics and mathematics teaching. Learners and teachers know because of who they are, and their lived and school experiences. Elizabeth is committed to unearthing those ways of knowing to contribute to broadening our views of what means to know mathematics and its teaching.  At UND, she hope to join colleagues in efforts to prepare future teachers and continue supporting our in-service teachers. Teachers need more than ever to feel supported in the profession. Dr. Suazo-Flores believes we need teachers to conduct research projects that will inform teaching practices that build on learners’ cultural and cognitive backgrounds. She thinks through relationships and communication, we can work alongside each other to empower teachers and learners in North Dakota and its surroundings. One of the ways to contribute to broadening views of mathematics is through the cultivation of visuospatial reasoning. She is interested in creating informal learning spaces where we offer learners visuospatial reasoning activities. Visuospatial reasoning is malleable and conducive to STEM careers. Thus, developing visuospatial reasoning in our learners will broaden their views of mathematics, create a pipeline of future UND students, and position UND as a university committed to contributing to the local community. 

Dr. Akorede Teriba (Counselling Psychology; EHBS) is a recent graduate of University of Iowa’s Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program and is a first-generation Nigerian American. He received his Bachelor of Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Akorede has provided clinical services to students at university counseling centers at University of Iowa, Grinnell College, and Virginia Commonwealth University. He has also provided clinical services to members of the community at a clinic serving diverse gender and sexual identities, and a supported housing clinic serving economically disadvantaged and substance recovery populations. His experience as a Health Resources and Services Administration Fellow and a Leadership in Diversity and Disability Fellow have contributed to his dedication to support vulnerable communities and reduce mental health help-seeking stigma. Akorede conducts research related to community engagement to support the strengths and needs of at-risk populations, the utilization of identity to increase subjective well-being, and the role of perseverance and passion for long-term goals on achievement. Akorede is a new Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology at UND and teaches the counseling methods course and career counseling course. Akorede endeavors to contribute to the development of local and national mental health infrastructure and utilize positive psychology interventions to increase community well-being.

Dr. Lee Ann Rawlins Williams (Rehabilitation & Human Services; EHBS) boasts an impressive academic background with substantial experience in disability and rehabilitation programs at several prestigious universities, including the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Auburn University, and East Tennessee State University. Moreover, she brings over two decades of professional expertise in the realm of rehabilitation, encompassing blindness and low vision, general rehabilitation counseling, human resource training and development, and corporate involvement with the Walt Disney Company.  Her career has been marked by leadership roles at local, state, regional, national, and international levels within professional rehabilitation associations. Dr. Williams has made significant contributions to the field through her research, which has been published in esteemed peer-reviewed journals, focusing on various aspects of rehabilitation and rehabilitation counseling. Additionally, she has co-authored two books that delve into case and caseload management.  At the University of North Dakota, Dr. Williams is enthusiastic about her teaching responsibilities, which emphasize the profound impact of disability throughout the rehabilitation process. She is dedicated to infusing discussions of disability as a facet of diversity into educational contexts. Furthermore, her vision extends to facilitating opportunities for students at all levels to engage in global dialogues surrounding disability issues.  In pursuit of her goal, Dr. Williams aspires to offer undergraduates greater opportunity to actively contribute to research, obtain experience through international academic exchange, and gain valuable experiences that contribute to supporting the autonomy of individuals with disabilities.

Dr. Tao Wang’s (Multicultural Education; TLPP) research interests and experiences span three realms: global citizenship education and curriculum development, controversial public issues in social studies, and cultural identities of ethnic migrants and social integration. He taught diversity and educational equity, curriculum theories, and global migration and social integration at the undergraduate and graduate levels in both U.S. and China. He also consulted on K-12 policymaking and school practice nationally and internationally and collaborated with educational organizations. He just finished three years of service in the National Commission of K-9 Curriculum Program Revision in China and currently serves in the National Commission of High School Curriculum Program Revision. He also served as an expert in the OECD’s project “Learning Compass 2030” and UNESCO’s project “The Future of Education.” Rooted in community and school districts, he plans to continue his research, teaching, and service at local, national, and international levels and facilitate educational transformation via curriculum change and school innovation in three main areas: Glocalized Competence for Collective Well-being and Sustaining Communities, Civic Debate and Civic Reasoning of Controversial Public Issues, International Research Center for Multicultural Education.

LATEST SCHOLARSHIP

CEHD faculty are in bold, and CEHD students are underlined. 

Grants

Navarro, R., North Dakota Rural and Tribal Suicide Care (ND RT-SC) Project. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, Garrett Lee Smith State/Tribal Suicide Prevention and Early Intervention Program. [N. McCloud, Project Director] 09/30/2023 – 09/29/2028. Total: $3,672,053.

Kulago, H., & *Rutten, L. (2023). Enhancing Navajo Nation youth academic achievement through Diné character education. Brady Education Foundation. *Co-Principal Investigator.  

Parker, M., Bitner, N., Lindquist, C., Crisman, K., Deleon, P., Rhoades, J. (2023). The research and development of an extravehicular activity gait assist device. NASA, NNH23ZHA001N-MSTAR:MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR). ($887,985) (Funded) 

Hung, W. (PI) “RAPID: DRL AI: Integrating Culturally Relevant Project-based AI-integrated Learning (CRPAIL) in high-school STEM classes” (NSF, $199,558, collaborative grant proposal, for 2023-2024, funded) 

Hung, W. (co-PI) “NSF Global Centers Track 2: Energy Sovereignty for Indigenous Peoples (ESIP)” (NSF, $249,998, for 2023-2025, funded) 

Hung, W. (co-PI) “RII Track-2 FEC: Sustainable Engineering Infrastructures and Solutions for Tribal Energy Sovereignty” (NSF ESPCoR Track II & White Paper, $4,000,000, funded) 

Publications

Murphy, M. P., & Hung, W. (Accepted). Exploring progressive mental model representation of core physiology concepts in physician assistant students through word frequency and association analyses. Advances in Physiology Education. 

Murphy, M. P., & Hung, W. (Accepted). Systems thinking and modeling: From butterfly posture to artificial intelligence. TechTrends. 

Hung, W. & Archer, L. (Accepted). ID case study: Pilot school in department of aviation. In Ertmer, P., Glazewski, K., Koehler, A., & Stefaniak, J. (Eds.), The ID casebook: Case studies in instructional design.  

Hung, W. (2023). The other side of promise: Some precautions for technology-based education. Chapter in C. -Y. Leng & B. -L. Chua (Eds.), Psychology and Pedagogy in Digital Education. Spring Nature: Singapore. 

Mitic, R.R., Yanagiura, T., & Hidaka, Y. (2023). The use of artificial intelligence in critical internationalization research. Critical Internationalization Studies Network Newsletter. 

Hong, C., Flinn, R.E., Ochoa, A.M., John, S.A., Garth, G., & Holloway, I.W. (In press.) Internalized homophobia and social well-being among Black sexual minority men living with HIV: The mediating role of LGBT community connectedness and racial, gender, and sexual identity integration. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.  

Cascalheira, C.J., Nelson, J., Flinn, R.E., Zhao, Y., Helminen, E.C., Scheer, J.R., Stone, A.L. (2023). High-risk polysubstance use among LGBTQ+ people who use drugs in the United States: An application of syndemic theory. International Journal of Drug Policy, 118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104103 

Cascalheira, C.J., Flinn, R.E., Zhao, Y., Klooster, D., Laparade, D., Hamdi, S.M., Scheer, J.R., Lopez, A.G., Lund, E.M., Gomez, I.N., Saha, K., & De Choudhury, M. (2023). Models of gender dysphoria using social media for use in technology-delivered interventions: Machine learning and natural language processing validation study. JMIR Formative Research, 7, e47256. https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e47256 

Pryor, E.K., Tyre, M., Brands, S., Flinn, R.E., Stepleman, L.M., & Holt, N.R. (2023). Barriers to mental health care identified by sexual and gender minority individuals in Georgia and South Carolina. Southern Medical Journal, 116(3), 264-269. https://sma.org/southern-medical-journal/article/barriers-to-mental-health-care-identified-by-sexual-and-gender-minority-individuals-in-georgia-and-south-carolina/ 

Jackman, K.P., Tilchin, C., Wagner, J., Flinn, R.E., Trent, M., Latkin, C., Ruhs, S., Fields, E., Hamill, M., Mahaffey, C.C., Greenbaum, A., Jennings, J. (2023). Desires for individual and interpersonal level patient portal use for HIV prevention among urban sexual minority men: A cross-sectional study. JMIR Formative Research, 7, e43550. https://formative.jmir.org/2023/1/e43550 

Knutson, D., Irgens, M, Flynn, C., Norvilitis, J,, Apolinar, G., Bauer, L., Berkessel, J., Cascalheira, C.J., Cera, J., Choi, N-Y., Cuccolo, K., Danielson, K., Dascano, K., Edlund, J., Fletcher, T., Flinn, R.E., Gosnell, C., Heermans, G., Horne, M., Howell, J., Ijebor, E., Jia, F., McGillivray, S., Ogba, K., Shane-Simpson, C., Staples, A., Ugwu, K., Wang, S.C., Yockey, A., Zheng, Z., Zlokovich, M. (2023). Associations between primary residence and mental health in global marginalized populations. Community Mental Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-023-01088-z 

Butz, N. T., Hunter, J. E., & Fisher, E. R. (2023). Beyond the Ice: Applying Lessons from Leadership in Polar Exploration to Professional Settings. Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 16(2). doi: 10.22543/1948-0733.1448 https://scholar.valpo.edu/jvbl/vol16/iss2/28  

Kemmit, M., Gutierrez, J., & Azizova, Z. T. (in press). “We Few, We Happy Few”: Differentiated Advising Model for Academic Student Success of Military and Veteran Students on College and University Campuses. In, V. Thompson & J. Patterson (Ed), Differentiated Academic Advising Strategies for Students Beyond the Margins. Rowman and Littlefield. 

Fitzgerald, J. S., Swanson, B. J., & Larson-Meyer, D. E. (2023). Vitamin D Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitudes of Adolescents and Adults: A Systematic Review. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 

Brinck, E. A. & Desjarlais, C. (2023). The Intersectionality of Disability, Minority Identity Status, and Incarceration. In M.P. Accordino & L. Fullmer (Eds.) Corrections and Disability. Aspen Publishing.

Garriott, P. O., Carrero Pinedo, A., Hunt, H. K., Navarro, R. L., Flores, L. Y., Desjarlais, C. D., Diaz, D., Brionez, J., Lee, B. H., Ayala, E., Martinez, L. D., Hu, X., Smith, M. K., Suh, H. N., & McGillen, G. G. (2023). How Latiné engineering students resist White male engineering culture: A multi-institution analysis of academic engagement. Journal of Engineering Education, 1– 24. https://doi.org/10.1002/jee.20536 

Bladow, J. (2023). A Review of Integration of Environment Education Into Teacher Preparation Programs. Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development, 1-17.

Presentations

Karikari I, Walch TJ, Bayne A, Barkdull C, Weber B, Comeau M, Gabel D, Scallon S, Kuntaz M, Wavra G, Possis E, Leben C, & Boushee H. (November 2023) Examining covid-19 vaccine hesitancy: A weighted qualitative model. American Public Health Association Conference, Atlanta, GA. Oral Presentation  

Erickson C, Labuhn M, Wagner C, Kim S, & Walch TJ. (November 2023) Vax Venture: Creating a culture of vaccine confidence at the University of North Dakota. American Public Health Association Conference, Atlanta, GA. Poster Presentation  

Labuhn M, Erickson C, Kim S, & Walch TJ (November 2023). Gender Differences in HPV vaccination rates and knowledge: Implications from the Vax Venture Campaign at the University of North Dakota. American Public Health Association Conference, Atlanta, GA. Oral Presentation  

Labuhn M, Erickson C, Kim S, Walch TJ (November 2023). Examining the role of knowledge and trust on vaccine confidence in North Dakota. American Public Health Association Conference, Atlanta, GA. Poster Presentation  

Hung, W., & Serva, M. (Accepted). Threshold concepts network mapping using machine learning. Paper to be presented at PANPBL 2023 international conference, Montevideo, Uruguay, October 5-7, 2023. 

Burks, L., Link, L. J., & Miller, D. M. (July 2023). Reshaping traditional definitions of university leadership: A programs coordinators’ community. The International Council of Professors of Educational Leadership, Inspiring Leadership for Innovations in Education Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. This study explores using multiple leaders to fill and share the role of ‘program coordinator’ for an emerging Educational Leadership program in the University of Houston system and to provide insight into how internal roles can transpire and reshape traditional definitions of leadership in the university setting.

Zehavi, E., Miller, D.M., & Link, L. (August 2023). Three thresholds in a single crossing: Harnessing new alliances within a critical friendship. The Self-Study of Teacher Education Practices (S-STEP, a SIG of AERA) International  Biennial Conference, East Sussex, England. This study explores the leadership actions taken to effectively create state standards-aligned, asynchronous Science of Teaching Reading learning modules useful for pre-service teachers in the University of Houston system and educators nationwide.

Votava, K. (August 9, 2023). Resilient early intervention leadership (REIL) collaborative partnership.  International Division of Early Childhood aRPy Ambassador Community Meeting, presentation, virtual. 

Adusumilli, J., Votava, K. (author only) & Johnson, C (July 2023). Increasing Representation in Early Intervention Family Surveys. Office of Special Education Programs Leadership and Project Director’s Conference, poster presentation, Washington, DC.       

Votava, K. (author only), Johnson, C. & Adusumilli, J. (July 2023) Stakeholders working together to create early intervention professional development. Office of Special Education Programs Leadership and Project Director’s Conference, poster presentation, Washington, DC.     

Johnson, C., Adusumilli, J. & Votava, K. (July 2023). Resilient Early Intervention Leadership- A collaborative approach. Office of Special Education Programs Leadership and Project Director’s Conference, presentation, Washington, DC. 

Azizova, Z. T., & López, N. (November 2023). Theory/ies, methodologies, and knowledge/s of college student agency in pluralistic contexts of development. Symposium co-organizer at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Minneapolis. 

Azizova, Z. T., & Kusaga, D. (November 2023). Student agency and college success in STEM education among marginalized students. Research paper presented at the symposium of the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Minneapolis.  

Chinkondenji, P., & Changamire, N. (November 2023). Student agency and negotiating “third space” among female collegians during COVID-19: A decolonial Afro-Feminist analysis of higher education in Malawi and Zimbabwe. Research paper presented at the symposium of the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Minneapolis.  

Suspitsyna, T., & Azizova, Z. T. (November 2023). Limitations and opportunities of institutional rationales for supporting DEI. Research paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education, Minneapolis. 

Bear, J., Brandt, S., Burgad, A., Conn, D., Theis, C.,  (2023, August 15). Pioneering solutions: Transforming teacher education to tackle the shortage crisis. [Conference session]. Governor’s Summit on Innovative Education. West Fargo, ND. 

Read, K., Brecklin, C., & D’Amico Pawlewicz, D. (2023, November 16). Finding a home: Housing as teacher recruitment and retention policy [Conference Presentation]. National Forum to Advance Rural Education, Chattanooga, TN, United States.  

Carpenter, A., Benson, J., Lewis, T., Pemberton, B., Feraud-King, P. T.,  Chinkondenji, P. & Henry, D. (November 2023). Black Safety and Joy: Visualization of Resistance and Resilience for Black Collegians. Research paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE), Minneapolis, MN.