In This Issue

Meet CSU's Faculty

Rachel Lovell, Criminology, Anthropology, and Sociology

Dr. Rachel Lovell is an assistant professor in the Department of Criminology, Anthropology, and Sociology (CAS) at Cleveland State. She is a criminologist and an applied methodologist whose research focuses on gender-based violence and victimization, particularly sexual assault, human trafficking, and intimate partner violence/domestic violence. Prior to arriving at Cleveland State, Dr. Lovell was a research assistant professor in the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Lovell is currently directing large action research projects on untested sexual assault kits in Cuyahoga County in collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and in Akron in partnership with the Akron Police Department, with funding provided by the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). Dr. Lovell is also leading a National Institute of Justice grant to employ machine learning technology to analyze the narratives of thousands of sexual assault police reports for "signaling" language regarding a victim's credibility. She is co-editing a forthcoming book on untested sexual assault kits, Sexual Assault Kits and Reforming the Response to Rape.

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Featured Student Resource

NSF GRFP Workshop

This fall, the Office of Research will sponsor a Workshop series on the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) hosted by Dr. Shawn Ryan, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and a past NSF GRFP reviewer. The workshop helps undergraduate seniors or first/second year graduate students develop GRFP proposals.

The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who demonstrate potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education.

Students or advisors can contact Dr. Ryan for additional information.

Research Impact

CSU Researchers Cited in 2022 Economic Report of the President

Dr. Patty Stoddard-Dare (left), a professor in the School of Social Work, and Dr. Linda Quinn (right), a professor of practice in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, were cited in the 2022 Economic Report of the President of the United States. The Report, required by statute, presents an overview of the nation’s economic progress and makes the case for the Administration’s economic policy priorities.

The White House’s Council of Economic Advisers cited the 2016 article “Workers Without Paid Sick Leave Less Likely to Take Time Off for Illness or Injury Compared to Those with Paid Sick Leave” in reference to worker benefits that can improve employee health and reduce workplace infection rates.

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Inspired Creativity

50th Annual Student Art Show and Merit Scholar Exhibition

Event Horizon by Camryn Danielle

The 50th Student Show and CSU Merit Scholar Exhibition are currently appearing at the CSU Galleries. The show represents the first full-scale gallery opening in three years and features 128 works of art by 55 students, with art professionals jurying submissions. Items on display include painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, graphic design, video, animation, and sculpture.

The Merit Scholar Exhibition in the North Gallery features work by recipients of the CSU Art Department Merit Scholarships. This year’s scholars are Evan Elchert, Treat Hanks, Stephanie Hering, Tyler Jefferies, Gabriella Kollar, Aurora Laux, Anthony Sciarappa and Jurnee Weeams.

The exhibition runs through May 28, and the Galleries at CSU are located at 1307 Euclid Avenue in the historic Cowell and Hubbard building at the corner of East 13th Street.

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News from the Technology Transfer Office

Invention Disclosure Filing

An invention disclosure was submitted by Dr. Jerzy Sawicki, the Bently and Muszynska Endowed Chair and Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MCE); CSU students Jason Wiebrecht, Curt Laubscher, and Anthony Goo; Ryan Farris from the Department of Engineering at Messiah University; and Steven Ethridge from Parker Hannifin Corporation for a lower limb orthosis.

The disclosure, titled Adjustability mechanism for powered lower limb orthosis, describes an adjustability mechanism that is designed for the thigh assembly of a powered lower limb orthosis intended to be worn to provide walking assistance to individuals with gait impairment. The mechanism allows for the device thigh length, or the distance between the rotational axis of the hip and knee, to be adjusted with ease to align with the physiological thigh length of the wearer.

Commercialization: Apply for TeCK Fund Support

The TeCK Fund, a joint technology commercialization and startup fund co-managed by Cleveland State University and Kent State University, is now accepting Letters of Intent for the opportunity to submit a full proposal. A successful full proposal will require the approval of the Selection Committee at which the PI will have to present. The TeCK Fund provides faculty pursuing applied research projects with up to $100,000 to assist with commercialization activities including prototype creation, third-party validation, and market research, which are required to successfully spin off technologies. Applicants who have participated in the I-Corps@Ohio program are given priority.

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Scholarship of Note

Research and Scholarship News from Across Campus

The work of Dr. Colleen Walsh, an associate professor in the School of Health Sciences, was featured in the online forum The Conversation as well as a new video podcast from Social Science and Medicine–Mental Health. In this research, Dr. Walsh and her colleagues examined the concept of “flourishing,” which can range from feelings of happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning or purpose, or close social relationships. While psychological interventions are popular approaches to help people flourish, the researchers found that underlying conditions (like a stable income) are required for those psychological approaches to succeed. Dr. Walsh is a co-PI for ARCHES, the AmeRicans’ Conceptions of Health Equity Study, which studies how Americans of diverse backgrounds think the question: Whose health deserves society’s attention, investment, or care? ARCHES is supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Dr. Grace Huang, an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education, and Diane Corrigan, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Curriculum & Foundations (C&F), hosted the 2022 Action Research Virtual Symposium on May 5. This was the 9th annual symposium, and the event welcomed 95 participants.

The CSU Action Research Program, an innovative professional development (PD) model, brings together K-12 teachers from local school districts with CSU faculty who provide one-on-one mentoring to develop and implement teacher-driven action research projects. The program is supported by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation and CSU’s Center for Urban Education (CUE).

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