Meagan Elinski named 2024 Cottrell Scholar

Dr. Meagan Elinski, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has been named a 2024 Cottrell Scholar and awarded $120,000 by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Dr. Elinski’s proposal, Chemical-Mechanical Control Over Nanoparticle-Hydrogel Sliding Interfaces, which incorporates both research and science education, was one of 19 proposals selected for the esteemed award after a rigorous peer-review process.

Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), founded in 1912, is a private foundation that supports early stage, high-potential basic research in the physical sciences (astronomy, chemistry, physics, and related fields) at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.  

RCSA’s Cottrell Scholar Award honors and helps to develop outstanding teacher-scholars who are recognized for the quality and innovation of their research programs and academic leadership skills. The award provides entry into a community of distinguished scholar-educators who produce significant research and meaningful educational outcomes. Learn more about the 2024 Class of Cottrell Scholars.

Meagan, well done on your achievement!

Anita Esquerra-Zwiers receives AIM-AHEAD Traineeship

Anita Esquerra-Zwiers, Associate Professor in Nursing, has been awarded an $8,000 Traineeship in Advanced Data Analytics (a collaborative program between AIM-AHEAD and All of Us Research Program Researcher Academy). The Traineeship is an intensive 8-month program in advanced data analysis developed by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and utilizes the resources of the All of Us database and AIM-AHEAD’s data science training core. 

The central goal of this training program is to increase researcher diversity in AI/ML by training individuals from diverse backgrounds who are committed to gaining proficiency in AI/ML data analysis, and applying their expertise to benefit communities underrepresented in biomedical research.

Well done on your award and Traineeship, Anita!

Brian Bodenbender receives Council of the Great Lakes Region award

Brian Bodenbender, Professor of Geology & Environmental Science and GES Department Chair, received a new grant from the Council of the Great Lakes Region Foundation for $15,500.

With funding from Dart Container to CGLR’s Circular Great Lakes Initiative, Brian secured a grant to help communities implement innovation stormwater filtration systems. Funding from this grant will support the purchase, installation and monitoring of the stormwater filtration systems over the course of a year.

Congratulations Brian on your award!

Kate Lozon receives Out-of-School Time Grant for CASA and Step Up

Kate Lozon, Director of CASA/Step Up, received a Michigan Department of Education Out-of-School Time Grant of $86,400 for CASA and Step Up summer programming.

Through this grant, CASA/Step Up summer programming will be expanded and allow for an increase in access to summer sessions for underrepresented elementary and middle school students.. Summer lessons will interweave experiences in literacy, mentoring, STEM, fine arts and recreational activities.

Congratulations on your award, Kate! Well done!

Roger Baumann Receives Jack Shand Research Grant from SSSR

Roger Baumann, Assistant Professor of Sociology, recently received the Jack Shand Research Grant from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.

The project entitled, “American Evangelicals, Islam & the Competition for Religious Authority” is supported by a $5,000 award. This faculty-led research will involve up to 2 Hope College Undergraduate student researchers.

The project argues “that the legitimate symbolic authority to define others in debates derives from what George Steinmetz (2008) calls “ethnographic capital,” which refers to the authority and standing to define the character of the “other” and to prescribe an effective approach to them.” Dr. Baumann and his team of Hope College undergraduates will focus on the comparative study of three cases where American evangelical Christians publicly debated proper beliefs about and action towards Muslims and Islam.

Congratulations, Roger, on your recent award!

Belen Monteagudo Godoy and Paul DeYoung receive new National Science Foundation award

Belén Monteagudo Godoy, Assistant Professor in Physics, and Paul DeYoung, the Kenneth G. Herrick Professor of Physics and Physics Department Chair, received a new National Science Foundation award for $382,213. The project is titled Collaborative Research: Equipment: MRI Consortium: Track 2 Development of a Next Generation Fast Neutron Detector.

The objective of this collaborative proposal is to develop a new detector array for fast neutrons that strives to overcome the limitations of current designs and will yield superior position resolution for neutrons.  The proposed new detector array will be jointly developed at eight participating institutions – Hope College, Augustana College, Davidson College, Indiana Wesleyan University, James Madison University, Michigan State University, Wabash College and Virginia State University.

The project will build capacities for detector development at each of the participating institutions and expose undergraduate students to the design of scintillation detectors and the use of SiPMs. This project will provide training in mechanical design skills, electronics design, building skills, working with detectors, advanced electronics, data acquisition, and data analysis. All of these skills are critically relevant for the development of the future workforce in nuclear physics.

Congratulations on your latest award, Belén and Paul!

Phillip Rivera receives International Brain Research Organization Rising Star Award

Phillip Rivera, Assistant Professor of Biology, recently received the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO) Rising Star Award for his research on biological factors which impact memory.

This award includes a grant for approximately $33,000 to use towards this research.

Congratulations on your award, Phil!

Susan Ipri Brown receives new Army Educational Outreach Program award

Susan Ipri Brown, Director of ExploreHope and Assistant Professor of Engineering Instruction, received a $16,000 award from the Army Educational Outreach Program via the Rochester Institute of Technology. 

This project will support the participation of four high school students in faculty-led research projects at Hope College during the summer of 2023.  Students receive a stipend for working up to six weeks on a Hope faculty member’s research project, gaining valuable, real-world STEM experience while in high school.

Congratulations, Susan, on your recent award!

Lindsey Hanson receives new Michigan Arts and Culture Council Award

Lindsey Hanson, Assistant Professor of Dance, recently received a Michigan Arts and Culture Council award for $16,740. The project is titled Untold Stories of Holland: A Cross-Cultural Exchange.

Hope College, Third Rail Projects, project partner Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP), and local Holland residents will create a community-based dance performance based on the real-life stories of Holland, MI residents. The project will focus on collaborating with musicians from Holland’s Latino/a/x community, as well as other residents whose stories are often overshadowed, particularly members of Holland’s Latino/a/x communities. The project will culminate in a free public showing of an original site-specific performance piece at the Midtown Center in Holland, MI.

Congratulations on your award, Lindsey!

Susan Ipri Brown receives new awards from the Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation

Susan Ipri Brown, Director of ExploreHope and Associate Professor of Engineering Instruction, received a $4,000 award from the Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation Grants Program.  The project is titled ExploreHope College Preview.

Through this award, ExploreHope will provide the transportation and tuition for low-income high school students from Allegan County to attend a week-long summer program at Hope College to explore health professions, including neuroscience, kinesiology, and nursing. 

In addition, Susan received a Perrigo production donation, which will provide medical and personal care products to families of students in ExploreHope, CASA, Step Up, Upward Bound, and PATH. 

Congratulations, Susan, on your new awards!