“How do we develop strategies for controlling infectious diseases such as COVID-19? 

“To help, we built a novel mathematical model that accounts for diversity in social interactions, activities and disease progression and for interventions. Our COVID-19 modeling has far-reaching implications and could help inform efforts to mitigate the impact of the current pandemic and those to come using minimally invasive approaches.”

—Qimin Huang, PhD
full-time lecturer, Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics and Statistics

“After a brain injury, including a concussion, how are kids best supported in school?

“These injuries may seem ‘invisible’ but can persist and lead students to fall behind and struggle socially and with mental health. My lab is identifying the best return-to- school approaches as well as at-home initiatives to support children.”

—Angela Ciccia, PhD
(CWR ’96; GRS ’03, communication sciences),
an associate professor of communication sciences

“How can the lived experiences of trans and gender-expansive youth and their music teachers inform music education?

“This question ignited a two-year research project. The resulting 2021 book and discourse have inspired teachers from preschool to college to empower marginalized students and provide more inclusive classroom materials and musical choices.”

—Matthew Garrett, PhD
professor of music education and director of University Center for Innovation in Teaching and Education

How is literature affected by the society, culture and politics of its time?

“No art is produced in a vacuum. It is shaped by—and can influence—society. I study literature to explore Cuban identity as an unfinished and ongoing process impacted by its contact with other cultures, particularly those of the former socialist bloc after the 1959 revolution.”

—Damaris Puñales-Alpízar, PhD
associate professor of Hispanic studies and chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

“What are the molecular and genetic mechanisms certain flatworms use to invade, develop and thrive in humans and animals?

“These parasites cause schistosomiasis, a devastating disease afflicting more than 200 million impoverished people in developing countries. I’m seeking critical biological information for the development of more effective treatments.”

—Emmitt Jolly, PhD
associate professor of biology

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