Fordham University

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO FORDHAM UNIVERSITY TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES THROUGH ITS THRIVING COMMUNITIES GRANTMAKER INITIATIVE TITLED FLOURISHING IN COMMUNITIES (FIC). THE RECIPIENT, A REGIONAL GRANTMAKER, PROPOSES AN INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO PLACE FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES IN POSITIONS OF POWER TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE JUSTICE IN DISADVANTAGED AND HARD -TO-REACH COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, POLLUTION, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PUERTO RICO, AND U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. SPECIFICALLY, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY INTENDS TO AWARD AND MANAGE COMPETITIVE AND NONCOMPETITIVE SUBGRANTS THROUGH ITS FLOURISHING IN COMMUNITIES FUNDING PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, THE RECIPIENT WILL OVERSEE PROGRAMMATIC TRACKING, DISTRIBUTE FUNDS AND PROVIDE WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE SUBGRANTEES. THIS GRANTMAKER FUNDING PROGRAM WILL REDUCE BARRIERS THE FEDERAL GRANT PROCESS PLACES ON SMALL, RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS SUPPORTING THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD IS TO FUND THE SUBSEQUENT AWARD FOR THE PASS-THROUGH ENTITY FORDHAM UNIVERSITY.ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES IN THE SUBSEQUENT AWARD INCLUDE A RANGE OF INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE AND IMPLEMENT A COMPREHENSIVE SUBGRANT FUNDING PROGRAM. THIS INCLUDES HOSTING A SERIES OF MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, AND WEBINARS BOTH IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL TO ENCOURAGE ELIGIBLE STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION AND RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE SUBGRANT OPPORTUNITIES. ALSO, TO EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT THE SUBGRANT PROGRAM, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WILL OPEN THEIR THRIVING COMMUNITIES SUBGRANT PROGRAM FOR COMPETITIVE AND NONCOMPETE AWARDS, DEVELOP A QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN, CONDUCT APPLICATION REVIEWS, ESTABLISH AN EVALUATE PROCESS TO REVIEW AND RANK ELIGIBLE APPLICATION, MANAGE AND DISTRIBUTE FUNDS TO ELIGIBLE SUBGRANTEES. IN ADDITION, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WILL CONDUCT POST AWARD MONITORING OF SUBGRANTEES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE AND ASSESS PROGRESS WITH REGULAR REPORTING ON THE OUTCOMES OF THE FUNDED PROJECTS. SUBRECIPIENT:FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WILL ADMINISTER SUBAWARDS UNDER THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH ACTIVITIES INCLUDING PROJECT COORDINATION, APPLICATION INTAKE, AND OUTREACH EFFORTS. AS A PASS-THROUGH ENTITY, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WILL ALSO MANAGE AND DISTRIBUTE FUNDS THROUGH ITS THRIVING COMMUNITIES GRANTMAKER PROGRAM TO ELIGIBLE SUBGRANTEES.OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: DEVELOPMENT OF A QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN, FORTY-EIGHT INFORMATION SESSIONS ACROSS NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, DEVELOPMENT A ROBUST COMMUNICATION STRATEGY, AWARD APPROXIMATELY 300 COMPETITIVE AND NON-COMPETITIVE SUBAWARDS TO ELIGIBLE SUBGRANTEES, CREATE AN INTUITIVE ONLINE PLATFORM AND DASHBOARD FOR SUBGRANTEES TO EASILY TO APPLY, TRACK PROJECTS AND ACCESS RELEVANT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES RELATED TO THE GRANT PROCESS. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE RESIDENT LOCATED IN NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, PUERTO RICO AND THE UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLAND AND INDIAN NATIONS.

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY CARES ACT: HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING - INSTITUTE PORTION

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY CARES ACT: HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDING - STUDENT PORTION

DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT TO FORDHAM UNIVERSITY TO SUPPORT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING DISADVANTAGE COMMUNITIES THROUGH ITS THRIVING COMMUNITIES GRANTMAKER INITIATIVE TITLED FLOURISHING IN COMMUNITIES (FIC). SPECIFICALLY, FORDHAM UNIVERSITY GRANTMAKER PROPOSES AN INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO PLACE FRONTLINE COMMUNITIES IN POSITIONS OF POWER TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE JUSTICE IN DISADVANTAGED AND HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITIES DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, POLLUTION, AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PUERTO RIC, AND U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. FORDHAM UNIVERSITY GRANTMAKER WILL FOSTER STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT; ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY LED PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE; FACILITATE A ROBUST AND ACCESSIBLE SUBGRANT APPLICATION, DISBURSEMENT, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROCESS; AND PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT TO SUBGRANTEES. THIS GRANTMAKER INITIATIVE WILL REDUCE BARRIERS THE FEDERAL GRANT PROCESS PLACES ON SMALL, RESOURCE-CONSTRAINED COMMUNITY-BASED NONPROFITS SUPPORTING THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ACTIVITIES:THE ACTIVITIES IN THE INITIAL AWARD PHASE INCLUDE: A SERIES OF MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND WEBINARS, BOTH FACE-TO-FACE AND VIRTUAL TO FOSTER AUTHENTIC STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND ESTABLISH PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE, FACILITATE A ROBUST AND ACCESSIBLE SUBGRANT APPLICATION, DISBURSEMENT, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROCESS.SUBRECIPIENT:FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WILL ISSUE SUBAWARDS UNDER THIS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT. SUBAWARD ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE PROJECT COORDINATION, INTAKE APPLICATIONS, DEVELOPMENT OF SOLICITATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, OUTCOMES:IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: DEVELOPMENT OF PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE, OUTREACH PLAN, SUBGRANT APPLICATION CONSISTING OF DISBURSEMENT, MONITORING, AND REPORTING PROCESS. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDE RESIDENT LOCATED IN NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, PUERTO RICO AND THE UNITED STATES VIRGIN ISLAND AND INDIAN NATIONS.

TRAINING PROGRAM IN HIV PREVENTION RESEARCH ETHICS

STUDY OF AGING LATINAS/OS FOR UNDERSTANDING DEMENTIA IN HIV (SALUD HIV)

CYBERCORPS SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE: PREPARING FUTURE CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS WITH DATA SCIENCE EXPERTISE -AS INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED AND VARIED CYBERATTACKS BECOME COMMON, IT IS CRUCIAL THAT WELL-TRAINED AND AGILE CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS ENTER INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT POSITIONS. THESE PROFESSIONALS SHOULD BE ADEPT AT ANALYZING THE ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF DATA GENERATED BY MODERN COMPUTING SYSTEMS TO FACILITATE PROCESSING AT THE SCALE AND RATES NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY NEW ATTACKS. THE CYBERCORPS(R) SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE (SFS) PROJECT AT FORDHAM UNIVERSITY WILL HELP ADDRESS THESE WORKFORCE NEEDS BY PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS TO EDUCATE A NEW BREED OF CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS TRAINED IN DATA SCIENCE METHODS AND TOOLS. FORDHAM SFS RECIPIENTS WILL EARN AN M.S. IN CYBERSECURITY WITH EITHER A CONCENTRATION IN DATA SCIENCE OR AN ADVANCED CERTIFICATE IN DATA SCIENCE FOR CYBERSECURITY. THE PROGRAM WILL AFFORD STUDENTS A WELL-ROUNDED CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION, INCLUDING ITS TECHNICAL AND ETHICAL COMPONENTS, WHICH ARE VITAL FOR GOVERNMENT POSITIONS. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL LEVERAGE RECENT AWARDS MADE TO FORDHAM FOCUSED ON INCREASING DIVERSITY, INCLUDING GENCYBER AND NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CYBERSECURITY EDUCATION DIVERSITY INITIATIVE AWARDS. THESE AND OTHER EFFORTS BY THE PROJECT TEAM AIM TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION OF GROUPS WHO HAVE THUS FAR REMAINED UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE. THE GOAL OF INSPIRING NEW CYBERSECURITY PERSONNEL TOWARDS A CAREER IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE WILL BENEFIT FROM FORDHAM?S COLLABORATION WITH NUMEROUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, ITS SMALL CLASS SIZES, AND NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS CYBER-DEFENSE COMPETITIONS. STUDENTS WILL HAVE THE OPTION OF PURSUING A CYBER-OPERATIONS OR A POLICY/LAW/MANAGEMENT TRACK FOR THE CYBERSECURITY COURSEWORK. DATA SCIENCE COURSEWORK WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE PROGRAMMING SKILLS, TOOLS, AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED TO MANIPULATE, ANALYZE, AND VISUALIZE LARGE AND COMPLEX DATASETS. THE STUDENT-CENTERED CURRICULUM THAT LEVERAGES THE SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL CYBERSECURITY AND DATA SCIENCE CURRICULA WILL RESULT IN CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE WELL-PREPARED TO MEET EVOLVING CYBERSECURITY THREATS TO OUR NATION?S INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND DATA INFRASTRUCTURE. THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY THE CYBERCORPS(R) SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE (SFS) PROGRAM, WHICH FUNDS PROPOSALS ESTABLISHING OR CONTINUING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS IN CYBERSECURITY AND ALIGNS WITH THE U.S. NATIONAL CYBER STRATEGY TO DEVELOP A SUPERIOR CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE. FOLLOWING GRADUATION, SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO WORK IN CYBERSECURITY FOR A FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, OR TRIBAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION FOR THE SAME DURATION AS THEIR SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

EDUCATION RESEARCH PROGRAM

SOCIAL-ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTORS OF SLEEP DISPARITIES DURING THE TRANSITION TOCOLLEGE - PROJECT SUMMARY ETHNIC/RACIAL MINORITIES (ERMS) ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER FROM SHORT SLEEP DURATION AND POOR SLEEP QUALITY RELATIVE TO WHITES. SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT ERMS AND HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF RACE-RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES. THE TRANSITION TO COLLEGE IS AN ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TIME TO INVESTIGATE SLEEP SINCE YOUNG ADULTS ENCOUNTER A UNIQUE CONFIGURATION OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS LINKED TO SLEEP. NO LONGER TETHERED TO EARLY HIGH SCHOOL START TIMES, COLLEGE STUDENTS REPORT LATER AND MORE IRREGULAR BEDTIMES. COLLEGE STUDENTS ALSO SLEEP LESS AND MORE POORLY THAN ADULTS, SUGGESTING A DEVELOPMENTAL PEAK IN SLEEP DISTURBANCES AMONG YOUNG ADULTS. FOCUSING ON TWO SLEEP-VULNERABLE GROUPS – ERMS AND COLLEGE STUDENTS - THIS 5-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY INVESTIGATES RACE-RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES IN A DIVERSE SAMPLE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS DURING AND AFTER THE TRANSITION TO COLLEGE; AND HOW RACE-RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES FORECAST DOWNSTREAM HEALTH AND ACADEMIC OUTCOMES THROUGH STUDENTS’ SENIOR YEAR. THE STUDY ALSO INVESTIGATES THE RISK AND PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF ETHNIC/RACIAL IDENTITY AS A DYNAMIC AND CHANGING MODERATOR DURING THIS PERIOD. THE INNOVATIVE AND NOVEL COMBINATION OF DAILY DIARIES AND SLEEP ACTIGRAPHY, BIANNUAL SURVEYS, AND ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS OF INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS, TELOMERE LENGTH AND ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASURES OFFERS AN UNPARALLELED OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE THE DAILY AND LONGER-TERM MECHANISMS, PATHWAYS, AND CONSEQUENCES OF RACE-RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES IN A LARGE SAMPLE OF ERM AND WHITE COLLEGE STUDENTS. A KEY INNOVATION OF THE STUDY IS THE INTERSECTIONAL INCLUSION OF ERM, SOCIOECONOMIC, 1ST-GENERATION COLLEGE, RESIDENT AND COMMUTER DIVERSITY. THE THREE SPECIFIC AIMS OF THE STUDY ARE INFORMED BY STRONG PRELIMINARY DATA (R21MD011388), SCIENTIFIC PREMISE, AND THE RACE-BASED DISPARITIES IN STRESS AND SLEEP IN CONTEXT MODEL. THE PROPOSED STUDY: 1. DETERMINES THE DAILY AND LONGER-TERM IMPACT OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS ON RACE- RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES (DURATION, QUALITY, REGULARITY) DURING THE COLLEGE TRANSITION AND THE NEXT FOUR YEARS 2. IDENTIFIES RACE-RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES AS AN EXPLANATORY PATHWAY FOR SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS TO IMPACT HEALTH, ACADEMIC AND PHYSIOLOGIC BIOMARKER (INFLAMMATION AND TELOMERE LENGTH) OUTCOMES 3. INVESTIGATES ETHNIC/RACIAL IDENTITY AS A DYNAMIC MODERATOR OF THE DAILY AND LONGER-TERM EFFECTS OF STRESS ON SLEEP, AND OF SLEEP ON OUTCOMES TOGETHER, THESE AIMS ADVANCE DEVELOPMENTAL AND HEALTH EQUITY SCIENCE, INVESTIGATING HOW SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CONTRIBUTE TO RACE-RELATED SLEEP DISPARITIES AMONG DIVERSE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO FORECAST DAILY AND LONGER-TERM HEALTH AND ACADEMICS OVER TIME.

THE 3E STUDY: ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO EMERGING ADULT CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACES) MAY CONTRIBUTE TO INEQUITIES IN CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCED BY LATINX EMERGING ADULTS. WITH THE INCREASED USE OF ACE MEASURES IN HEALTH RESEARCH, THERE IS A NEED TO CONSIDER HOW WELL THE MEASURES WORK IN DIVERSE POPULATIONS AND WHETHER ACES CATEGORIES NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY-LEVEL ADVERSITY. FIRST, ALTHOUGH EXISTING ACE MEASURES HAVE BEEN USED TO UNDERSTAND HOW ADVERSITY EARLY IN LIFE IMPACTS THE ADOPTION OF RISKY HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND LONG-TERM HEALTH, THE ORIGINAL MEASURES WERE DEVELOPED WITH A POPULATION THAT HAD HEALTH INSURANCE AND WAS LARGELY WHITE AND WELL-EDUCATED; THEY DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES THAT MAY BE DISPROPORTIONATELY EXPERIENCED BY SOME COMMUNITIES (E.G., IMMIGRATION-RELATED TRAUMAS, POLICING-RELATED TRAUMAS). MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO UNDERSTAND HOW APPLICABLE THEY ARE TO MORE DIVERSE POPULATIONS. SECOND, DR. FELITTI’S ORIGINAL ACES MEASURES, TYPICALLY REFERRED TO AS “CONVENTIONAL ACES,” WERE FOCUSED ON HOUSEHOLD-LEVEL ADVERSITY (PSYCHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL OR SEXUAL ABUSE; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST THE MOTHER; OR LIVING WITH HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS WHO WERE SUBSTANCE ABUSERS, MENTALLY ILL OR SUICIDAL, OR EVER IMPRISONED). INCREASINGLY, RESEARCHERS RECOGNIZE THAT EXPERIENCES OUTSIDE THE HOME ALSO SHAPE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND INFLUENCE HEALTH AND HEALTH BEHAVIOR, ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE FROM MINORITIZED RACIAL/ETHNIC GROUPS AND/OR THOSE LIVING IN POVERTY, AND ARE CALLING FOR EXPANDED ACE MEASURES THAT ADDRESS INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNITY-LEVEL ADVERSITY. EXPANDED ACE MEASURES CAN INCLUDE EXPERIENCES OF POVERTY, RACISM, DISCRIMINATION, BULLYING, IMMIGRATION-SPECIFIC ADVERSITY, AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE. IN ADDITION TO EXPANDING ACES TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY LEVEL ADVERSITY, IT MAY BE USEFUL TO CONSIDER THE FRAMEWORK OF RESILIENCE OR POSITIVE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES. NARAYAN ET AL. DEVELOPED THE BENEVOLENT CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (BCE) SCALE THAT FOCUSES ON PROMOTIVE FACTORS. MEASURES INCLUDE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH PARENTS, PEERS, TEACHERS, AND EXTENDED SOCIAL NETWORKS, A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT, AND A PREDICTABLE ROUTINE. THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENT ARE 1) TO DEVELOP AN ACE SCALE SPECIFIC TO COMMUNITY LEVEL STRESSORS (POVERTY, RACISM, DISCRIMINATION, BULLYING, IMMIGRATION SPECIFIC ADVERSITY AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE), 2) TO QUANTIFY ACES AND BCES IN THE 3E STUDY’S COHORT OF DIVERSE EMERGING ADULTS, AND 3) TO USE QUALITATIVE METHODS TO DOCUMENT AND CONTEXTUALIZE HOW ADVERSITY IMPACTS CARDIOMETABOLIC BEHAVIORS (DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SLEEP, AND SMOKING) AND CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH (WEIGHT AND BLOOD PRESSURE). THE EVIDENCE GENERATED FROM THIS WORK COULD INFORM FUTURE COMMUNITY-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS TARGETING DETERMINANTS OF CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH AND WILL POSITION THE CANDIDATE TO HAVE AN IMPACTFUL CAREER AS AN INDEPENDENT RESEARCHER INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY LEVEL ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES ON CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH IN DIVERSE POPULATIONS.

EDUCATE SCHOOL-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS FOR JUSTICE: A DEVELOPMENTAL-CONTEXTUAL APPROACH

REGULATION OF RPE PHAGOCYTOSIS VIA AVB5 INTEGRIN

CREATING & SUSTAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTITIONERS

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

CHOLINERGIC INTERNEURON D2 RECEPTOR FUNCTION IN IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR: IMPLICATIONS FOR ADDICTION - PROJECT SUMMARY CHRONIC COCAINE ABUSE IS ASSOCIATED WITH LONG-LASTING IMPAIRMENTS IN IMPULSE CONTROL AND DECISION-MAKING THAT INCREASE THE RISK FOR RELAPSE. HOWEVER, THE BRAIN CIRCUITS FUNDAMENTALLY INVOLVED IN IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR AND THEIR ALTERATION BY CHRONIC DRUG USE ARE NOT WELL UNDERSTOOD. ACCUMULATING EVIDENCE IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS IMPLICATES NUCLEUS ACCUMBENS (NAC) DOPAMINE D2 RECEPTORS (D2RS), YET GIVEN THEIR WIDE EXPRESSION IN DIFFERENT NEURONAL POPULATIONS, IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHICH D2RS PLAY A KEY ROLE IN IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR. IN PARTICULAR, THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF D2RS IN CHOLINERGIC INTERNEURONS (CINS), WHICH CONSTITUTE ONLY 2-3% OF NEURONS IN THE NAC, HAVE BEEN LARGELY OVERLOOKED, DESPITE KNOWN CIN CONTRIBUTIONS TO NAC FUNCTION AND COCAINE REINFORCEMENT. TO FILL THIS GAP IN OUR KNOWLEDGE, IT IS URGENT TO ELUCIDATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF D2R ALTERATIONS IN CINS ON IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR WITH GREATER CELL-TYPE SPECIFICITY. OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO ELUCIDATE THE CELLULAR AND CIRCUIT MECHANISMS BY WHICH NAC CINS REGULATE IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR, WHICH MAY UNCOVER POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING COCAINE RE- LAPSE. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS APPLICATION IS TO USE CELL-SELECTIVE STRATEGIES TO: 1) DETERMINE WHETHER AND HOW CIN D2RS MEDIATE IMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR, AND 2) WHETHER CIN D2RS PARTICIPATE IN COCAINE-INDUCED AUGMEN- TATION OF IMPULSIVITY. OUR CENTRAL HYPOTHESIS IS THAT CIN D2RS MEDIATE IMPULSIVE BEHAVIORS BY ALTERING NAC ACE- TYLCHOLINE (ACH) RELEASE FOLLOWING PREDICTIVE CUES, AND THAT CHRONIC COCAINE CAUSES EXCESSIVE IMPULSIVITY VIA CIN D2RS. AIM 1 WILL USE CELL TYPE-SPECIFIC GENETIC APPROACHES IN MICE TO BIDIRECTIONALLY ALTER D2R EXPRESSION IN CINS TO TEST THE IMPACT ON A DELAY DISCOUNTING TASK, WHICH ASSESSES PREFERENCE FOR SMALL, SHORT-TERM REWARDS OVER LARGER, DELAYED REWARDS. USING IN VIVO FIBER PHOTOMETRY COMBINED WITH OPTOGENETICS, AIM 2 WILL DETERMINE ACH DYNAMICS IN DELAY DISCOUNTING AND TEST WHETHER THE ACH PAUSE IN RESPONSE TO CUES MODULATES IMPULSIVE CHOICE. AIM 3 WILL DETERMINE WHETHER CIN D2RS AND THE CIN PAUSE MEDIATE THE INCREASE IN IMPULSIVE CHOICE RESULTING FROM CHRONIC COCAINE EXPOSURE. THE RESEARCH PROPOSED IN THIS APPLICATION IS INNOVATIVE BECAUSE IT USES TARGETED APPROACHES IN BEHAVING MICE TO EXAMINE A PREVIOUSLY UNRECOGNIZED ROLE FOR THE NAC CIN AND ITS D2RS IN IMPUL- SIVITY. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PROPOSED AIMS WILL THUS GENERATE A NOVEL DISSECTION OF NEURONAL MECHANISMS AT PLAY IN IMPULSIVE CHOICE, BOTH UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND FOLLOWING REPEATED COCAINE EXPOSURE. SUCH INFOR- MATION IS URGENTLY NEEDED FOR DEVELOPING NEW TREATMENTS TO COUNTER DRUG-INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN BRAIN FUNCTION THAT CONTRIBUTE TO RELAPSE.

MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF OUTER SEGMENT RENEWAL

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

EPIGENETIC REGULATION OF BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR BY THE ESTROUS CYCLE - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT SEX-HORMONE FLUCTUATIONS ACROSS THE OVARIAN CYCLE EXERT POWERFUL EFFECTS ON FEMALE BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, AND ARE LIKELY CONTRIBUTORS TO FEMALE-SPECIFIC RISKS FOR NEUROPSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS. THIS IS EXEMPLIFIED BY ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, DISORDERS TWICE AS PREVALENT IN WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE COMPARED TO THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. HOWEVER, THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THE DYNAMIC NATURE OF THE FEMALE BRAIN REMAIN POORLY UNDERSTOOD, LIMITING OUR ABILITY TO DESIGN SEX-SPECIFIC TREATMENTS FOR FEMALE-BIASED DISORDERS. THE GOAL OF OUR RESEARCH IS TO ADDRESS THIS CRITICAL NEED, AND TO REVEAL THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH SEX HORMONES DYNAMICALLY IMPACT FEMALE BRAIN STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR. TO THIS END, WE RECENTLY MADE THE IMPORTANT DISCOVERY THAT CHROMATIN ORGANIZATION, A MAJOR EPIGENETIC MECHANISM CONTROLLING GENE EXPRESSION, IS HIGHLY DYNAMIC IN THE FEMALE VENTRAL HIPPOCAMPUS (VHIP) OF MOUSE, AS A FUNCTION OF THE ESTROUS CYCLE STAGE. WE LINKED THESE CHROMATIN DYNAMICS TO CHANGES IN NEURONAL GENE EXPRESSION AND TO VARIATION IN VHIP-DEPENDENT, ANXIETY-RELATED BEHAVIORS IN MICE. BASED ON THESE FINDINGS, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT RHYTHMIC SEX-HORMONE CHANGES INDUCE EXTENSIVE CHROMATIN RE- ORGANIZATION IN VHIP NEURONS ACROSS THE OVARIAN CYCLE, RESULTING IN CYCLIC CHANGES IN GENE ACTIVITY AND CONTRIBUTING TO INCREASED FEMALE VULNERABILITY TO ANXIETY-RELATED PHENOTYPES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VARYING ESTROGEN STATE. TO ADDRESS THIS HYPOTHESIS, WE DESIGNED THE CURRENT STUDY WITH THREE INDEPENDENT AIMS TO REVEAL ESTROUS CYCLE- AND SEX-SPECIFIC EPIGENETIC GENE REGULATION IN VHIP NEURONS IN MICE, AND TO PROVIDE A MECHANISTIC LINK BETWEEN VHIP CHROMATIN DYNAMICS AND ANXIETY-RELATED BEHAVIOR. IN AIM 1, WE WILL USE CUTTING-EDGE EPIGENOMICS METHODS TO IDENTIFY ESTROUS CYCLE- AND SEX-SPECIFIC CIS-REGULATORY ELEMENTS AND CHROMATIN MECHANISMS DRIVING TRANSCRIPTIONAL PROGRAMS IN VHIP NEURONS. IN AIM 2, WE WILL USE A SINGLE-CELL TRANSCRIPTOMIC ANALYSIS AND RNA IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION TO REVEAL VHIP NEURONAL CLUSTERS THAT ARE TRANSCRIPTIONALLY RESPONSIVE TO CYCLING HORMONES AND POSSIBLE DRIVERS OF CYCLIC CHANGES IN CHROMATIN AND BEHAVIOR. IN AIM 3, WE WILL GENETICALLY MANIPULATE A CANDIDATE EPIGENETIC REGULATOR IDENTIFIED BY BIOINFORMATICS APPROACHES, TO IDENTIFY A FUNCTIONAL ROLE OF THESE SEX-SPECIFIC CHROMATIN DYNAMICS IN GENE REGULATION AND ANXIETY-RELATED BEHAVIOR. OVERALL, THESE STUDIES WILL REVEAL CHROMATIN- DEPENDENT MOLECULAR MECHANISMS CONTROLLING NEURONAL GENE EXPRESSION AND ANXIETY-RELATED BEHAVIOR ACROSS THE ESTROUS CYCLE. THESE FINDINGS WILL PROVIDE A NECESSARY FIRST STEP TO IDENTIFY CANDIDATE, SEX-SPECIFIC TARGETS FOR THE TREATMENT OF FEMALE-BIASED DISORDERS SUCH AS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM

UPWARD BOUND

NATIONAL CENTER FOR SOCIAL WORK TRAUMA EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM

HEALTH RISK BEHAVIOR IN LATE CHILDHOOD: IMPACT OF LONGITUDINAL RANDOMIZED TRIAL

SPECIAL EDUCATION PRE-SERVICE IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

PROJECT DELL: DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR LEARNERS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY PREPARATION

COMBINED PRIORITY FOR PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT

IMPROVING CHILD OUTCOMES OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH HIGH-INTENSITY NEEDS THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY PREPARATION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND PRESCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSIONALS (ICO)

ENHANCING CHILD OUTCOMES OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH HIGH-INTENSITY NEEDS THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY PREPARATION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS (ECO)

PROJECT PACTS: PREPARING AFFIRMATIVE COLLABORATIVE TEACHERS AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS FOR STUDENTS WITH HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVENTION NEEDS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: PROJECT TRUE (TEENS RESEARCHING URBAN ECOLOGY)

COMBINED PRIORITY FOR PERSONNEL DEVELOPMENT

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY NSF ROBERT NOYCE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN ACROSS MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION - ABSTRACT THE MENOPAUSAL TRANSITION (MT) SPANS, ON AVERAGE, 2-8 YEARS BEFORE THE FINAL MENSTRUAL PERIOD AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED RISK FOR MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER (MDD) AND PSYCHOSIS IN WOMEN AND OTHER PEOPLE WITH OVARIES. WHILE OVARIAN HORMONE SHIFTS ARE STRONGLY IMPLICATED IN THE INCREASED PSYCHIATRIC RISK, THE UNDERLYING BIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS ARE UNKNOWN. OUR PREVIOUS STUDIES IN MICE DEMONSTRATED THAT OVARIAN HORMONES DYNAMICALLY CHANGE NEURONAL CHROMATIN ORGANIZATION AND GENE EXPRESSION IN THE VENTRAL HIPPOCAMPUS, AND WE CONNECTED THESE MOLECULAR CHANGES TO CHANGES IN SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY AND ANXIETY-RELATED BEHAVIOR. PARALLEL OVARIAN HORMONE-INDUCED CHANGES IN BRAIN STRUCTURE AND ACTIVITY HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS OF BOTH MICE AND HUMANS, BUT CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR STUDIES IN HUMANS ARE LACKING. HERE, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT THE ANTERIOR HIPPOCAMPUS (AHIP), THE ANALOGOUS BRAIN REGION CRITICAL FOR EMOTION REGULATION IN HUMANS, UNDERGOES EXTENSIVE CHANGES IN CELLULAR COMPOSITION AND EPIGENOME ACROSS THE MT. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT THESE CHANGES ARE LARGELY HORMONALLY-DRIVEN, AND COULD UNMASK GENETIC RISK FOR DEPRESSION AND PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS IN SUSCEPTIBLE WOMEN. TO ADDRESS THIS QUESTION, WE WILL WORK WITH A COHORT OF 42 POSTMORTEM HUMAN BRAINS IN WHICH WE DEFINED THE MENOPAUSAL AND HORMONAL STATUS BASED ON 39 PUTATIVE MENOPAUSAL BIOMARKERS. THE COHORT INCLUDES THREE AGE GROUPS: <40 YEARS (“PRE-MENOPAUSAL”, N=10), 45-55 YEARS (“PERI-MENOPAUSAL”, N=21), AND >55 YEARS (“POST-MENOPAUSAL”, N=11), CONSISTING OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MDD/DEPRESSION (N=18) AND CONTROL INDIVIDUALS OR THOSE WITHOUT DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS (N=24). IN AIM 1, WE WILL PERFORM SINGLE-NUCLEUS MULTIOME ANALYSIS OF THE HUMAN AHIP IN PRE-, PERI-, AND POST-MENOPAUSAL SUBJECTS, IN ORDER TO DEFINE CELLULAR CLUSTERS, GENE EXPRESSION, AND CHROMATIN STATES THAT SHIFT IN THE AHIP ACROSS THE MT. IN AIM 2, WE WILL PERFORM MICRO-C ANALYSIS OF NEURONAL AND NON-NEURONAL CELLS OF THE AHIP IN ORDER TO EXAMINE THE MT-ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN THE 3D GENOME, INCLUDING CHROMOSOME COMPARTMENTS, TOPOLOGICALLY ASSOCIATING DOMAINS, LOOPS, AND ENHANCER- PROMOTER INTERACTIONS. FINALLY, IN AIM 3, WE WILL ANALYZE THE ASSOCIATION OF MT-SENSITIVE GENE REGULATORY REGIONS WITH GENETIC RISK LOCI FOR DEPRESSION AND SCHIZOPHRENIA, PROVIDING MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING ENHANCED PSYCHIATRIC RISK IN WOMEN AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS UNDERGOING MT. IN SUMMARY, THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO CHARACTERIZE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR CHANGES IN THE HUMAN AHIP ACROSS MT USING HIGH-RESOLUTION, CUTTING-EDGE GENOMICS TECHNIQUES IN UNIQUELY CURATED BRAIN TISSUE COHORT. OUR FINDINGS WILL OPEN THE PATH FOR THE HORMONE STATUS-INFORMED, PRECISION MEDICINE APPROACH IN WOMEN’S MENTAL HEALTH.

MFB: ACCELERATING THE DISCOVERY OF NOVEL LIPOSOME FORMATIONS WITH ORIGINS-OF-LIFE INSIGHTS, LABORATORY AUTOMATION, AND MACHINE LEARNING -FORMULATIONS CHEMISTRY IS A CRUCIAL, BUT OFTEN OVERLOOKED AREA, IN FIELDS AS DIVERSE AS PHARMACEUTICALS, AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS, PAINTS AND COATINGS, COSMETICS, AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS. MODERN DESIGNED LIPID BILAYER STRUCTURES ARE COMPLEX, MULTICOMPONENT BLENDS THAT DEFINE THE CELL. HOW MUCH CAN THEY BE SIMPLIFIED AND STILL ACHIEVE BASIC FUNCTIONALITY? UNDERSTANDING HOW TO BUILD LIPID STRUCTURES WITH SPECIFIED FUNCTIONALITY CAN ADVANCE BOTH FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ORIGINS OF LIFE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. MACHINE LEARNING AND AUTONOMOUS RESEARCH METHODS DEVELOPED IN THIS PROJECT HAVE DIRECT APPLICATIONS TO THIS PROBLEM. DESIGNED LIPID BILAYER STRUCTURES WITH SIMPLIFIED COMPOSITIONS, LIKE LIPOSOMES, ARE IMPORTANT FOR DRUG DELIVERY OF NOVEL BIOLOGICAL PHARMACEUTICALS, MRNA VACCINES, AND AGROCHEMICALS. MORE SPECULATIVELY, THE ABILITY TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL, MINIMALLY FUNCTIONAL CELL-LIKE STRUCTURES COULD BE COMBINED WITH EXISTING CELL-FREE BIOCHEMISTRY SYSTEMS TO GENERATE NOVEL SYNTHETIC BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS THAT COMBINE THE ENGINEERING ADVANTAGES OF CELL-FREE SYSTEMS WITH THE ABILITY TO SELF-REPAIR OR SELF-SUPPORT OF CELLULAR SYSTEMS. DEVELOPING ARTIFICIAL PROTOCELLS WITH SIMPLE COMPONENTS WOULD NOT ONLY INFORM OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW LIFE EVOLVED, BUT ALSO ENABLE THE CREATION OF ENGINEERED ABIOTIC BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEMS. TO DO THIS WE MUST OVERCOME THE ANTHROPOGENIC BIAS AND COMBINATORIAL EXPLOSION WITH LABORATORY AUTOMATION AND MACHINE-LEARNING METHODS. TRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO CHEMICAL EVOLUTION HAVE BEEN BIASED BY CONSIDERING A ?BEST GUESS? FOR STARTING CONDITIONS AND REACTANTS BASED ON EXTANT ORGANISMS AND CONSIDERED ONLY A RELATIVELY LIMITED NUMBERS OF CHEMICAL INPUTS (< 10 REACTANTS) TO TAME COMBINATORIAL COMPLEXITY. IN THIS PROJECT THE INVESTIGATORS WILL USE A COMBINATION OF LABORATORY AUTOMATION AND MACHINE-LEARNING-GUIDED EXPERIMENTATION TO OBTAIN DATASETS AND STATISTICAL BASELINES, NEEDED TO TEST ALGORITHMS FOR EXPLORING AND OPTIMIZING THESE COMPLEX, NON-IDEAL MIXTURES. THE INVESTIGATORS WILL DEVELOP ALGORITHMS FOR AUTONOMOUS FORMULATIONS CHEMISTRY. EXPERIMENTAL CHEMISTRY DATA IS NOISY, BIASED, AND SMALL COMPARED TO MOST MACHINE LEARNING DATASETS, AND SO IT IS NECESSARY TO BOTH MAKE USE OF EXISTING DATA WHILE ALSO EXPLORING NEW CHEMICAL SYSTEMS. THE INVESTIGATORS WILL DEVELOP ACTIVE AND META- LEARNING MACHINE LEARNING APPROACHES TO LEARN FROM EXISTING EXPERIMENTAL DATA WHEN APPROACHING NEW OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS, UTILIZING CONTRASTIVE META MODEL CHANGES TO INFER RELEVANT VARIABLES. THEY WILL ALSO EXPLORE GRAPH REGULARIZED MATRIX FACTORIZATION METHODS TO LEARN LOW-DIMENSIONAL REPRESENTATIONS DIRECTLY FROM EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS. FINALLY, THEY WILL CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN-SOURCE EXPERIMENTAL DATA MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TO FACILITATE DATA REUSE AND SHARING. IN THIS PROJECT THE PIS WILL ENGAGE THE BROADER MACHINE-LEARNING COMMUNITY BY RUNNING OPEN CHALLENGE COMPETITIONS, USING PLATFORMS LIKE KAGGLE, AND DISSEMINATING OPEN DATASETS, WITH THE AIM TO BRING NEW TECHNICAL INSIGHTS INTO ORIGINS-OF-LIFE AND BIOPHYSICS RESEARCH, BY DRAWING UPON A POOL OF CITIZEN SCIENTISTS. THIS RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED AT TWO UNDERGRADUATE-ONLY CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENTS AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT UNIVERSITY AND FORDHAM UNIVERSITY. THIS AWARD WILL SUPPORT SUMMER AND ACADEMIC YEAR RESEARCH POSITIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, AS WELL AS RESEARCH OF TWO POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS. BRINGING POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS INTO UNDERGRADUATE-FOCUSED DEPARTMENTS EXPOSES UNDERGRADUATES TO ANOTHER PHASE OF THE ?LIFE OF THE SCIENTIST?, PARTICULARLY IN THE FORM OF A ?NEAR PEER? WHO MAY BE MORE RELATABLE THAN A PROFESSOR. IT ALSO EXPOSES POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF ACTIVE RESEARCH CAREERS AT NON-R1 UNIVERSITIES. THE PIS WILL CONTINUE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST, OPEN-SOURCE ROBOTIC HARDWARE AND PEDAGOGICAL MATERIAL THAT BRINGS ORIGINS OF LIFE AND LABORATORY AUTOMATION INTO TEACHING LABS, TO HELP TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHEMISTS TO INCORPORATE AUTOMATION INTO THEIR EXPERIMENTAL PROCESS. THIS PROJECT IS JOINTLY SUPPORTED BY THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY (CHE), THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS (IIS), THE DIVISION OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOSCIENCES (MCB), AND THE DIVISION OF PHYSICS (PHY) PHYSICS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

ACHIEVEMENT IN STEM THROUGH A PROGRAM OF IMMERSIVE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES AND SUPPORT

FORDHAM UNIVERSITY/WCS SCIENCE TEACHER NOYCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

ETHNIC IDENTITY & PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT AMONG AFRICAN, ASIAN & LATINO YOUTH

DEVELOPMENT OF AN INTERVENTION FOR NON-SUICIDAL SELF-INJURY IN YOUNG ADULTS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION RESEARCH

PATHWAYS TO CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF DECIMALS -MATHEMATICS PROFICIENCY IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUCCESS IN STEM FIELDS, BUT REMAINS A CHALLENGE FOR MANY US STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY PROFICIENCY IN UNDERSTANDING DECIMALS AND DECIMAL ARITHMETIC. THE PROJECT AIMS TO TEST WHETHER OPTIMIZING PRACTICE PROBLEMS CAN IMPROVE STUDENTS? COMPETENCY WITH AND UNDERSTANDING OF DECIMALS. CURRENTLY, STUDENTS RECEIVE CERTAIN TYPES OF PRACTICE PROBLEMS MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHER TYPES OF PRACTICE PROBLEMS, AN OCCURRENCE THAT MAY LIMIT AS WELL AS INTERFERE WITH STUDENTS? DEVELOPMENT A ROBUST UNDERSTANDING OF DECIMALS. THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES WHETHER PROVIDING BALANCED DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICE PROBLEMS WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK CAN IMPROVE STUDENTS? KNOWLEDGE OF DECIMALS AND DECIMAL ARITHMETIC IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. THE PROJECT INCLUDES THREE SHORT-TERM INTERVENTION STUDIES WITH 6TH AND 7TH GRADE STUDENTS. STUDY 1 WILL FOCUS ON DECIMAL ARITHMETIC AND TEST WHETHER COMPLETING BALANCED PRACTICE PROBLEMS WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK WILL IMPROVE STUDENTS? PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE. THE RESEARCHERS WILL COMPARE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BALANCED DECIMAL ARITHMETIC PRACTICE PROBLEMS WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK, UNBALANCED PRACTICE PROBLEMS THAT REFLECT TYPICAL PRACTICE PROBLEMS PRESENTED IN TEXTBOOKS, AND BUSINESS-AS-USUAL ACTIVITIES. STUDY 2 WILL FOCUS ON DECIMAL MAGNITUDE KNOWLEDGE AND TEST WHETHER PROCEDURAL KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPED FROM BALANCED PRACTICE WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK WILL FURTHER IMPROVE CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE, AND WHETHER ADDITIONAL SCAFFOLDING IS NEEDED. THE RESEARCHERS WILL COMPARE EFFECTS OF BALANCED PRACTICE WITH ACCURACY FEEDBACK, BALANCED PRACTICE WITH ACCURACY FEEDBACK AND CONCEPTUAL PROMPTS, AND BALANCED PRACTICE WITH NO FEEDBACK. STUDY 3 WILL COMBINE THE INTERVENTIONS FROM STUDIES 1 AND 2 TO EXAMINE WHETHER BOOSTING STUDENTS? CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF DECIMAL MAGNITUDES LEADS TO GREATER BENEFITS FROM A SUBSEQUENT DECIMAL ARITHMETIC INTERVENTION INVOLVING BALANCED PRACTICE PROBLEMS WITH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK. TOGETHER, THESE STUDIES WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE COGNITIVE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING DECIMAL KNOWLEDGE THROUGH BALANCED PRACTICE PROBLEM DISTRIBUTIONS. FURTHER, THE FINDINGS PROMISE TO SET THE FOUNDATION FOR LARGE-SCALE SCHOOL-BASED INTERVENTIONS AIMED AT IMPROVING CHILDREN?S MATHEMATICAL OUTCOMES VIA AN EASILY MALLEABLE FACTOR IN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ? DISTRIBUTIONS OF PRACTICE PROBLEMS. THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY NSF?S EDU CORE RESEARCH (ECR) PROGRAM. THE ECR PROGRAM EMPHASIZES FUNDAMENTAL STEM EDUCATION RESEARCH THAT GENERATES FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN THE FIELD. INVESTMENTS ARE MADE IN CRITICAL AREAS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL, BROAD, AND ENDURING: STEM LEARNING AND STEM LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN STEM, AND STEM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

FORDHAM UNIVERSITYS GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, THROUGH ITS CENTER FOR EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, WILL SERVE THREE HIGH-NEED SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN NEW YORK CITY, THE NATIONS LARGEST LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCY (LEA) SERVING NEARLY 1 MILLION STUDENTS. THE PARTNER LEAS, COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS (CSDS) FOUR AND FIVE AND THE MANHATTAN HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT, ARE ALL LOCATED IN NYCS BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN AND SERVE MORE THAN 52,000 ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, 96.2 PERCENT OF WHOM ARE MINORITIES (PRIMARILY AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC), AND 79 PERCENT OF WHOM ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BASED ON THEIR ELIGIBILITY FOR FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MEALS. THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN HAS A DEMONSTRATED NEED FOR SCHOOL VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE 480 PARTICIPANTS OVER A 36-MONTH PERIOD. THE TARGET AUDIENCE WILL CONSIST OF 240 STUDENTS IN GRADES K12 AND 240 SCHOOL PERSONNEL (E.G., PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, GUIDANCE COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, FAMILY WORKERS AND NYPD SCHOOL SAFETY AGENTS) OVER THAT SPAN. THE PROJECTS PRIMARY INTERVENTIONS WILL CONSIST OF WORKSHOPS COVERING THREE TOPIC AREAS: (1) MENTAL HEALTH-BASED STRATEGIES THAT HELP PARTICIPANTS RECOGNIZE, UNDERSTAND, AND RESPOND TO STRESSORS AND TRIGGERS THAT LEAD TO STUDENT VIOLENCE; (2) EVIDENCE-BASED STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING SCHOOL CLIMATE AND CULTURE TO PREVENT AND/OR REDUCE INCIDENTS OF YOUTH-RELATED VIOLENCE; AND (3) RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PRACTICES THAT CAN BE USED AS ALTERNATIVES TO SUSPENSIONS AND OTHER SEVERE TYPES OF STUDENT DISCIPLINE. THE PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON CULTURALLY SENSITIVE AND APPROPRIATE TECHNIQUES SPECIFIC TO THE PARTNER LEAS LARGE MINORITY ENROLLMENT. INTERVENTIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 12 PUPILS WILL INCLUDE SOCIOEMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) DRIVEN CLASSES THAT CULTIVATE PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS (I.E., MINDFULNESS) WHILE ALSO HELPING THESE YOUNG PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND AND DEAL WITH NEGATIVE EMOTIONS.

COMBINED PRIORITY FOR PERSONNEL PREPARATION

THE EFFECTS OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AND SLEEP DISTURBANCE ON HEALTH AND ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AMONG MINORITY YOUTH

MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG HIV+ HISPANICS

D2 RECEPTORS IN CHOLINERGIC INTERNEURONS: ROLE IN STRIATAL CIRCUITRY & MOTIVATION

TRIO - TALENT SEARCH - TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

EXPANDQISE: TRACK 1: COLLABORATIVE OPTIMIZATION AND MANAGEMENT FOR ITERATIVE AND PARALLEL QUANTUM COMPUTING -NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: QUANTUM COMPUTING IS ADVANCING RAPIDLY, PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF CLASSICAL COMPUTING. DUE TO LIMITED QUANTUM RESOURCES ON ANY SINGLE MACHINE, RECENT RESEARCH ATTEMPTS TO INTEGRATE MULTIPLE QUANTUM MACHINES AND CLASSICAL COMPUTING NODES INTO LARGE-SCALE, MULTI-NODE SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, EXISTING APPLICATIONS AND MANAGEMENT SCHEMES NEED TO BE OPTIMIZED WITH RESPECT TO THESE SYSTEMS. FOCUSING ON ITERATIVE AND PARALLEL QUANTUM APPLICATIONS, THIS PROJECT STUDIES COLLABORATIVE OPTIMIZATIONS AND MANAGEMENT APPROACHES THAT AIM TO FULLY EXPLOIT THE POTENTIAL OF A MULTI-NODE QUANTUM-CLASSICAL SYSTEM. BUILDING ON POPULAR OPEN-SOURCE PROJECTS, SUCH AS QISKIT AND KUBERNETES, THE PROPOSED SYSTEM CREATES AN ACCESSIBLE ENTRY POINT FOR RESEARCHERS FROM DIVERSE COMPUTER SCIENCE BACKGROUNDS TO EXPLORE QUANTUM COMPUTING. MOREOVER, THE TEAM IS COMMITTED TO PROMOTING QUANTUM COMPUTING TO UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS THROUGH MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL WORKSHOPS AND HACKATHONS. THESE COLLABORATIVE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTS AND CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES WILL PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AT A NON-R1 INSTITUTION TO DEVELOP THEIR QUANTUM KNOWLEDGE BASE, PAVING THE WAY FOR A MORE DIVERSE AND SKILLED WORKFORCE IN THE EMERGING FIELD OF QUANTUM COMPUTING. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INVESTIGATE A QUANTUM-CLASSICAL SYSTEM THAT CAN COLLABORATIVELY OPTIMIZE ITERATIVE AND PARALLEL QUANTUM APPLICATIONS. THE PROPOSED SYSTEM COMBINES MULTIPLE QUANTUM MACHINES WITH CLASSICAL COMPUTING NODES, OPERATING IN THREE MODES: SIMULATION-ONLY, QUANTUM-CLASSICAL, AND QUANTUM-ONLY. SPECIFICALLY, IT SUPPORTS COLLABORATIVE OPTIMIZATIONS WHICH UTILIZE A CIRCUIT ANALYST TO IDENTIFY ITERATIVE AND DEPENDENT OPERATIONS AUTOMATICALLY. IT FURTHER GENERATES APPLICATION-SPECIFIC LOGICAL AND PHYSICAL OPTIMIZATION PLANS TO FULLY LEVERAGE THE AVAILABLE QUANTUM AND CLASSICAL RESOURCES WITHIN THE SYSTEM. ADDITIONALLY, A COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT PIPELINE IS DEVELOPED WITH A VISUALIZED REPRESENTATION. THE SYSTEM CONSIDERS MULTIPLE QUANTUM AND CLASSICAL NODES AS A UNIFIED SYSTEM AND OPTIMIZES INPUT-OUTPUT ROUNDTRIP LOOPBACK BETWEEN QUANTUM AND CLASSICAL COMPUTING COMPONENTS. IT UTILIZES AN ONLINE-OFFLINE COMBINED APPROACH TO ADDRESS THE IMBALANCED EXECUTIONS. FURTHERMORE, IT INCORPORATES HARDWARE-INFORMED OPTIMIZATION AND MANAGEMENT, WHICH SEEKS TO EFFECTIVELY GATHER THE HARDWARE?S NOISE, CALIBRATION, AND CONNECTIVITY INFORMATION IN AN EFFICIENT WAY TO OPTIMIZE THE QUANTUM APPLICATION?S FIDELITY. IT QUERIES THE HARDWARE TO TRACK PARAMETERS OF IMPORTANCE TO THE DESIRED QUANTUM ALGORITHM. ULTIMATELY, THIS PROJECT PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO TACKLING THE CHALLENGES FACED IN MULTI-NODE, QUANTUM-CLASSICAL SYSTEMS, ENSURING EFFICIENT RESOURCE UTILIZATION AND SEAMLESS INTEGRATION. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS FOUNDATIONS (CCF) DIVISION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

CITYSCAPE GENOMICS OF RATS IN NEW YORK CITY

ROLES OF MYOGEF IN CYTOKINESIS