Outreach and Engagement funding supports community-engaged scholarship and professional development

The Office of Outreach and Engagement has recently provided more than $130,000 to faculty in support of their community-engaged scholarship and professional development programs that will benefit the community and university.

"Providing strategic funding to faculty to enhance their efforts in advancing their engaged scholarship will help ensure we are having a direct impact in partnership with our communities," said Ryan Schmiesing, vice provost for Outreach and Engagement. "Additionally, by providing professional development opportunities, our faculty and staff are building capacity for members of the community and university."

Impact Research Grants

The 2020-21 Impact Research Grants sought to identify faculty or faculty-led teams that turn their attention outward, with the community, addressing a pressing public issue or shared problem. From 56 applications, 12 faculty have been awarded $10,000 grants to continue their work focusing on education, health, food security, learning outcomes, and/or models for university-community partnerships.

Faculty funded through the Impact Research Grants include Michelle Kaiser, associate professor in the College of Social Work, and Jennifer Garner, assistant professor in the College of Medicine and the Glenn College of Public Affairs.

Kaiser's project is the completion of a needs assessment and a pilot asset mapping process related to mental health, emotional well-being, stress, and resources of farmers. This needs assessment and asset mapping project will initially focus on beginner farmers in Ohio, defined by the USDA as having 10 or less years of experience.

The primary objective of Garner's study is to understand the relationship between current food sourcing behaviors, including utilization of local and federal food assistance programming, and individual- and household-level food security, dietary and health outcomes among consumers in Southeastern Ohio.

View the full list of 2020-21 Impact Research Grant recipients.

Professional Development Grants

The Professional Development Grants received 39 applications, from which five programs were selected to receive funding to support college, department, unit, center, program, or institute conferences, workshops or seminars.

Professional Development Grant recipients include Ashley Harmon in the College of Medicine. The Department of Family Medicine is establishing an annual lecture series to honor the late Wilburn H. Weddington, MD, and his instrumental work as a trailblazer for diversity and inclusion at the Ohio State University College of Medicine and within the department. Dr. Weddington was the first African-American at the College of Medicine to be promoted to full professor, and then was an associate dean.

View the full list of 2020-21 Professional Development Grant recipients.

Beyond these two annual grant programs, the Office of Outreach and Engagement supports faculty through a range of additional funding opportunities. Learn more about the programs funded through these opportunities.

NOTE: All grant recipients have made, or will make, modifications to research and programs in response to the university's current operations as we prioritize the health and safety of our faculty, staff, students and community.