Ann Arbor Times

Eastern Michigan University has announced the recipients of the Brickley Endowment awards for fall 2024. The awards aim to support faculty in developing solutions to real-world issues, such as improving teaching practices for students with disabilities and exploring how poetic narratives influence ethical practices in engineering.

The James H. Brickley Endowment for Faculty Professional Development and Innovation was established by Tony and Lois Evans in 2016. It supports faculty through research, curriculum development, community service, professional travel, and training. Tony Evans held several administrative roles at Eastern from 1975 to 1982, while Lois Evans is a retired mathematics teacher.

For the 2024 cycle, the endowment funded 15 projects totaling $80,399. Twenty-one faculty members from four colleges received support: eight from the College of Education, ten from the College of Arts and Sciences, one from the College of Health and Human Services, and two from the College of Engineering and Technology. The EMU Board of Regents approved these awards on December 5.

Some notable projects include Ashley Bavery's research on Arab and South Asian Muslim communities in the Midwest; Brenna Breshears' initiative to enhance addiction counseling training; Meg Dobbins' examination of literature's role in engineering ethics; Bradley Ensor's archaeological investigations in Mexico; Jessica Grimone-Hopkins' interprofessional education project for early childhood practitioners; Jeromy Hopgood's collaboration with Elaine McCarthy at The Metropolitan Opera; Siyuan Jiang's review of teaching practices for students with disabilities in computer science; Hailee Lauritzen's development of an evaluation tool for social work education programs; You Li's study on women journalists during COVID-19; Fredrick Lorenz’s research on Ottoman settler colonialism; Chirasree Mukherjee’s analysis of religious conflicts in India; Phil Rufe’s plan to establish an additive manufacturing certification site at EMU; Joel Schoenhals’ integration of Indigenous cultural themes into music curriculum through Connor Chee’s piano etudes; Ourania Spantidi’s establishment of an Embedded Systems AI Lab at EMU; Jessica Swan’s program for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Eastern Michigan University was founded in 1849 and serves nearly 13,000 students across various disciplines. The university is recognized nationally for its excellence and commitment to applied education.