Six CICS Faculty Selected to Receive UMass Interdisciplinary Research Grants

The UMass Amherst Office of the Provost, in coordination with the Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement and campus deans, has offered Interdisciplinary Research Grants totaling up to $600,000 to support interdisciplinary activities at UMass Amherst. The goals of the Interdisciplinary Research Grants (IRG) are to empower creativity, strengthen the campus' areas of excellence, promote equitable collaborations, and attract external funding and other forms of recognition across our colleges and schools. 

Interdisciplinary Research Grants are offered to teams of faculty members and librarians from at least two different schools or colleges within the university. The projects proposed by each team are expected to represent a new direction or aspect of interdisciplinary collaboration, align with one of the themes of interdisciplinary excellence, and lead to significant and tangible outcomes that support continued momentum. The grants are offered in two categories: up to $20k or up to $50k. Please direct questions about this program to Tilman Wolf, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs: wolf@umass.edu 

Six CICS faculty members will serve as team leads on four of the 14 proposals supported by 2023 Interdisciplinary Research Grants. 

Analyzing Cross-Country Bias in News Coverage of International Conflicts and Disasters  

• Przemyslaw Grabowicz, Research Assistant Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences  
• Paul Musgrave, Assistant Professor, Political Science, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences  
• Brendan O'Connor, Associate Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences  
• Ethan Zuckerman, Associate Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, School of Public Policy, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences 

Investigating Data Literacy Education Using Archaeology (IDEA)       

• Rebecca Reznik-Zellen, Head, Science and Engineering Library, University Libraries
• Michelle Trim, Senior Lecturer II, Informatics Program Director, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences  
• Anthony Tuck, Professor and Chair, Classics, College of Humanities and Fine Arts 

Political Misinformation and Disinformation Through Social Media Biases  

• Przemyslaw Grabowicz, Research Assistant Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences  
• Monideepa Tarafgar, Charles J. Dockendorff Endowed Professor, Isenberg School of Management  
• Jennifer Lundquist, Professor and Senior Associate Dean of Research & Faculty Development, Sociology, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences  
• Anthony Paik, Professor and Secretary of Faculty Senate, Sociology, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences  

Racial Equity for Hispanic Mathematics Students, Grades 5-8  

• Beverly Woolf, Research Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences   
• Marialuisa Di Stefano, Assistant Professor, Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies, College of Education 
• Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, Professor, Sociology, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences 
• Ivon Arroyo, Associate Professor, Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, College of Education  

See all of the 2023 Interdisciplinary Research Grant Projects and Team Leads. 

Originally published by the Office of the Provost.