Elon Innovation Grants seek to create ‘culture of curiosity’

The Elon Innovation Council is accepting proposals for the Fall 2024 Innovations Grants. The council provides funding to faculty, students and staff for projects that deepen Elon’s values, intellectual community and great work.

The mission of the Elon Innovation Council is to catalyze a culture of curiosity and creativity within the Elon community where people are empowered to discover, develop, experiment, and pilot mission-aligned innovative solutions.

“The Elon Innovation Council is proud to support innovation at Elon,” said Scott Wolter, associate professor of engineering and former council chair. “Each year we offer Innovation Grants on topical areas that we deem highly relevant to the life of the university.”

Nine projects were awarded in spring 2024, including six faculty/staff projects and three student teams. More information on applying for this year’s grants can be found on the council’s website. The deadline to submit proposals is Dec. 15 at 5 p.m.

Campus Mediation Program
Fredrico Pous, associate professor of Spanish, and Sandy Marshall, associate professor of geography

This grant will help continue the mediation program started in 2021 in the Student Conduct Office’s “Pathways to Conflict Resolution.” Four trained mediators from PCS 1210 “Intro to Mediation Skills” course volunteered as mediators and four more students were added each year. The plan is to continue using the eight trained student mediators.

“Our world is in desperate need of peacemakers. Mediation is a peacemaking process that is led by trained mediators, who empower disputants to solve their conflicts by keeping information confidential and who do not judge, do not take sides and do not give advice,” Pous wrote in the grant proposal. “Students experience conflicts with their roommates, as well as classmates and organization members. Conflicts cause anxiety, tension, and stress when not attended to.”

Computational Social Science Initiative
Hyunuk Kim, assistant professor of business analytics

This project’s goal is to raise interest in computational social science, an emerging field that aims to understand human behaviors and social systems by melding principles from social science with data science methodologies.

The effort will include six monthly seminars led by faculty members and two annual summer institutes designed to equip Elon students with social science theories and data science methods, allowing them to tackle real-world issues under the guidance of faculty mentors.

“Leveraging Elon University’s academic strength and ongoing efforts, this proposal aims to build a community of faculty, staff and students viewing real-world issues through the lens of computational social science,” wrote Kim in their grant application.

Expanding Qualitative Research Methods for STEM Undergraduate Students
Heather Barker, assistant professor of mathematics and statistics

This project will create an online course covering the fundamentals of qualitative research methodologies and establish a structured micro-credential program to validate participants’ understanding of qualitative research basics. It will also offer in-depth workshops for students to gain hands-on experience with Dedoose, a leading qualitative data analysis software.

“At Elon University, where a qualitative methods course currently exists, demand exceeds capacity, highlighting the necessity for a more accessible and comprehensive approach,” wrote Barker. “Despite the growing prominence of qualitative research in STEM, misconceptions persist about its rigor, emphasizing the need for proper training.”

Experience Engineering: Inspiring the Next Generation
Center for Access and Success, Sirena Hargrove Leak, professor of engineering and Blake Hament, assistant professor of engineering

The Center for Access and Success and the Engineering Department plan to work collaboratively to develop a STEM program to help students discover real-world applications, spark creativity and develop 21st-century skills to help young students think critically about the world around them. The project aims to engage families who identify as members of groups historically underrepresented in STEM in engineering-related activities. Students in fourth and fifth grades will work in small groups to complete hands-on, age-appropriate activities to experience the work of engineers and reinforce complementary, foundational STEM concepts.

“The proposed program is designed to produce and inspire the next generation of scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians, but also help prepare ALL students to successfully compete in the 21st-century economy,” reads the proposal. “This program is innovative because it gives elementary students and families access to advanced STEM equipment, concepts, and mentorship at an early age.”

Improving Student Success in Introductory Mathematics and Statistics Courses through a Learning Assistants Program
Kristen Mazur, associate professor of mathematics and statistics; Ryne VanKrevelen, senior lecturer of mathematics and statistics

The grant will help develop an undergraduate learning assistant (LA) pilot program for MTH 1510 “Calculus 1” and STS 2120 “Statistics in Application.” In this pilot, two sections of Calculus 1 and two sections of Statistics in Application will have an LA who will help facilitate active learning, metacognition and belongingness during class and who will run weekly supplemental instruction sessions to review course content outside of class.

At least one course, “Calculus 1” or “Statistics in Application,” is required for most STEM majors, yet students struggle in these courses because they are fast paced, cover a large curriculum and require that students learn new technology.

“The overall goal of the LA program is to improve student learning outcomes and sense of belonging in Calculus 1 and Statistics in Application by training and mentoring a team of undergraduate learning assistants to provide additional support for students as they navigate these challenging, technology-heavy, and fast-paced courses,” wrote Mazur.

Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for Students
Rabbi Mendy Minkowitz, Chabad community affiliate and Rivka Taskin, Chabad community affiliate

This project will develop the “Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for Students,” to empower students with essential tools to enhance their mental well-being and equip them to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It will consist of a series of modules, workshops and resources that address key aspects of mental health and wellness. The course will be designed to cater to various learning styles and preferences, ensuring accessibility to a wide range of students.

“The ‘Promoting Mental Health and Wellness Mini Course for Students’ aims to have a profound and lasting impact on the mental health and overall well-being of our student community,” said Rabbi Minkowitz. “By providing essential tools and knowledge, we aspire to create a campus environment that prioritizes mental health, empowers students and ultimately promotes their success.”

Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies | Newton Network
Aaron Satko ’25 and Joshua Mason ‘25

This project will focus on introducing generative artificial intelligence to the university in a digestible and practical way. The main themes of this project include an interdisciplinary newsletter, a speaker series, a meet-up with others interested in the tech space from nearby universities, trips to relevant AI headquarters (OpenAI, Computer Vision Summit, The AI Summit New York, etc.), hosting hackathons and Internet literacy classes or workshops.

“Elon University strives to be at the forefront of new trends and plans to put students in a space to succeed regardless of the ever-changing world around them. We envision a future where students are not sitting in fear of becoming obsolete by new technologies but rather can harvest them, using them to bring new life into their already imaginative and ever-expanding vision,” wrote Satko and Mason. “The Newton Network plans on bringing together students of different backgrounds in a place in which they can better learn complex technologies through hands-on experience and experiential learning.”

STEM Saturday at Elon: Undergraduate-Led STEM Outreach to Educate, Empower, and Connect with ABSS High Schoolers
Christopher D’Inzeo ’24 and Samuel Ramirez ‘24

This project will develop “STEM Saturday at Elon,” a new science outreach initiative conceptualized and designed by Elon students. The program aims to engage local high school students with STEM at Elon through interactive workshops, demonstrations, and presentations. STEM programming will include efforts from student-led STEM organizations across Elon’s campus, including clubs from chemistry, biology, computer science, physics, and math. The program was piloted in Spring 2024 and again in Fall 2024.

“As we reflect on our own experiences, we see how the education, empowerment, and mentorship received through high school outreach programs such as NC STEM Alliance prep program provide a long-lasting positive impact on program participants,” wrote D’Inzeo and Ramirez.

The Found Focus Elon Pilot Program
Charlie De Poortere ’24

The Found Focus Elon Pilot Program would provide Elon students free access to the Found Focus app for two years, while Found Focus develops a model to scale. Found Focus is an app that provides technology and human support for college students and young adults with ADHD. Throughout these two years, Found Focus will improve accessibility for ADHD student support services by bridging the gap between Elon’s current student support offerings and services that are typically offered outside of university settings.

“With access to the Found Focus app, Elon students develop autonomy, build self-esteem, and practice strategies for self-regulation and relaxation,” wrote De Poortere, who founded the app. “This can obviously change the life of an individual student. However, it is important to note that the impact is exponentially larger than this. Each student that has increased access to the support that they need and deserve, will be more likely to flourish. This will launch their success well beyond their own personal well-being.”