In collaboration with the Data Science Institute for Societal Challenges (DISC), the Institute for Community and Society Transformation (ICAST) awarded $174,000 in funding to seven project teams across various disciplines and departments. The funding covers a wide range of topics and prioritizes proposals that focus on health and well-being, social justice, arts and humanities, education, and technological and workforce adaptations.
Congratulations to the following seed funding recipients:
- Community Informed AI-based Treefall Vulnerability Assessment within the Built Environment under Extreme Weather Events
Award Amount: $31,000 (DISC provided 5K of this support)
Dr. Kyprioti, Dr. Diochnos, Dr. Malloy, Dr. Kosmopoulou Dr., McCarthy, and Dr. Ripberger
The project aims to address the interaction between trees and the built environment during extreme weather events. By utilizing emerging AI image recognition algorithms, the team seeks to identify tree hazards based on species, condition, and proximity to critical infrastructure. The goal is to create a decision-making platform for local communities, starting in Norman, Oklahoma, that assesses multidimensional vulnerability due to falling trees. This platform will enhance community resilience to natural hazards, expedite recovery from catastrophic events, and promote awareness about selecting appropriate tree species near infrastructure.
- Mitigating Deepfakes in Platforms and Organizations
Award Amount: $30,000 (DISC provided 5K of this support)
Dr. Li, Dr. Zhu, Dr. Schley, and Dr. Jensen
Deepfakes are artificial images and videos designed to deceive consumers, often used to sow chaos, spread misinformation, and erode public trust. To counter this threat, a multidisciplinary team will conduct multi-tiered research, evaluating detection methods and organizational responses. The goal is to safeguard communication platforms and channels by addressing the disruptive potential of deepfakes. Key objectives include detecting and disrupting deepfake proliferation, understanding response implications, and establishing partnerships for external grants.
- Engineering Just Futures: Preparing Engineers to Integrate Technical, Sociocultural, and Environmental Perspectives
Award Amount: $25,000
Dr. Jacob Pleasants, Dr. Brandon Abbott, Dr. Jacquelyn Vadjunec, and Dr. Hunter Heyck
Current research emphasizes the need for undergraduate engineering students to understand the interactions between technology and society. However, technical-focused education often excludes sociocultural aspects, hindering equity efforts. To address this, the project aims to develop robust sociotechnical perspectives among students through sustained engagement. The proposed Engineering Just Futures (EJF) Fellowship Program will address the social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of engineering.
- Creating Opportunities to Navigate Health and Safety Hazard in Ottawa County, Oklahoma by Designing a Geospatial Database
Award Amount: $28,000 (DISC provided 5K of this support).
Dr. Smith, Dr. Fagin, Dr. Vadjunec, and Dr. Koch
Ottawa County of northeastern Oklahoma has a complex history involving Native American tribes, mining, and environmental challenges. The Tar Creek Superfund site, with mine tailings and acid mine water, poses significant risks. The Local Environmental Action Demanded (LEAD) Agency has fought t for environmental justice on behalf of the communities in the region. The proposed research aims to create a publicly accessible digital data archive focused on Ottawa County, addressing public safety risks associated with mining remnants and contamination. The interdisciplinary team seeks to fortify equity and community resilience through data science and qualitative research.
- Societal Takes on Deepfakes: Detecting and Combatting Deepfakes
Award Amount: $20,000
Dr. Tsetsura and Dr. Raymond
Deepfakes, realistic audio and video manipulations, pose risks by spreading misinformation and eroding trust. This multidisciplinary team aims to address the threat through research spanning technical, public, organizational, and governmental perspectives. They’ll validate existing protections and propose new interventions to preserve communication platform integrity. This seed funding proposal focuses on public and government aspects.
- Shedding Light on the Shadows: Economic Integration in the Face of Anti-Immigration Stigma
Award Amount: $30,000 (DISC provided 5K of this support)
Dr. Wang, Dr. Abbas, Dr. Jung, Dr. Kim, Dr. Matherly, and Dr. Yeo
Anti-immigration stigma refers to the negative stereotypes and biases directed toward immigrants, often characterized by hostility toward immigrants. The research project aims to explore the relationship between anti-immigration stigma and immigrants’ economic integration within host communities. By employing a mixed-method, interdisciplinary approach, the study will investigate how stigmatization impacts economic outcomes for immigrants. The hypothesis is that misinformation on social media exacerbates anti-immigration stigma, hindering immigrants’ integration. The research involves in-depth interviews with immigrant community members and systematic analysis of stigma narratives on the NextDoor platform. Indicators such as labor market participation, entrepreneurship rates, and economic mobility will be examined to understand the process from arrival to integration.
- Uncovering Black Undergraduate Women’s Identities and Experiences through Focus Groups and Visual Elicitation Data
Award Amount: $10,000.
Dr. Washington and Dr. Bates
The project focuses on Black women’s experiences in college, challenging the “new model minority” myth. Despite academic achievements, Black women face unique challenges due to their marginalized identities. The study analyzes audio-recorded focus group interviews and visual elicitation data to understand how Black women make sense of their identities and relationships at predominantly white institutions (PWIs). The interdisciplinary project aims to elevate Black women’s voices and create more inclusive campus environments.
