University of Georgia
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Category: News

Funding Opportunities

Andrea Horsman on February 7, 2025

Alzheimer’s Association
https://www.alz.org
The Alzheimer’s Association leads the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.

American Association for Cancer Research
https://www.aacr.org/
Through its programs and services, the AACR fosters research in cancer and related biomedical science; accelerates the dissemination of new research findings among scientists and others dedicated to the conquest of cancer; promotes science education and training; and advances the understanding of cancer etiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment throughout the world.

American Council of Learned Societies
https://www.acls.org/
ACLS supports the creation and circulation of knowledge that advances understanding of humanity and human endeavors in the past, present, and future, with a view toward improving human experience.

American Heart Association
https://pages.heart.org/
When you donate, you drive innovation. Since 1949, your generosity has helped fuel a $5.7 billion investment in research, funding over 47,000 projects—including the work of 14 Nobel Prize-winning scientists. In 2022 alone, we enabled 868 new projects with $178 million in grants, accelerating discoveries like cholesterol inhibitors and drug-coated stents. Be part of the next breakthrough by donating today.

American Psychological Foundation
https://ampsychfdn.org/
We leverage the power of philanthropy to advance psychological knowledge by investing in innovative research and applications that prioritize people and their well-being.

American SIDS Institute
https://sids.org/
Research is being conducted all over the world to better understand sleep related sudden infant deaths. The American SIDS Institute is involved in research looking at the tissue of infants who have died suddenly and with research studying live infants. This dual approach will hopefully help us understand more about vulnerabilities that make infants more likely to die suddenly.

Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity
https://pagecenter.psu.edu
The Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication is a research center at the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State dedicated to the study and advancement of ethics and responsibility in all forms of public communication.

 Athens Area Community Foundation
https://athensareacf.org/
We envision a community with sufficient philanthropic resources, harnessed to enhance civic engagement, a vibrant regional economy, a nimble workforce, effective schools, affordable housing, accessible healthcare, efficient public transportation, supportive services for the most vulnerable, strong cultural amenities, and environmental sustainability.

Best Buy Foundation
https://www.bestbuyfoundation.org
The Best Buy Foundation™ conducts its work via a strategic grant portfolio, in partnership with nonprofit organizations across the country that share our focus on supporting young people in building brighter futures through tech access, career training and the cultivation of vibrant communities.

Brain and Behavior Research Foundation
https://bbrfoundation.org/
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research.

Center for the Science of Moral Understanding
https://www.moralunderstanding.com/
The Center harnesses a key insight—that much political disagreement is moral disagreement. To increase tolerance and civility, we need to understand the nature of moral judgment and the interpersonal processes that transform divergent moral judgments into conflict. The Center therefore connects moral and social psychology with related disciplines of neuroscience, political science, sociology, history, philosophy, economics, and legal studies.

Fahs Beck Foundation
https://www.fahsbeckfund.org/
The Fund’s primary goal is to support research that contributes to a greater understanding of and solutions for problems affecting individuals, families and communities.

Foundation for Child Development
https://www.fcd-us.org/
Our Mission is to harness the power of research to ensure that all young children benefit from early learning experiences that affirm their individual, family, and community assets, fortify them against harmful consequences arising from poverty, racism, prejudice, and discrimination, and strengthen their developmental potential.

Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation
https://www.hfg.org/
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation examines enduring and urgent problems of violence, such as war, crime, and human aggression. Through basic and applied research, we aim to understand the causes, manifestation, and control of violence. We spread this knowledge to inform policy, practice, and public discourse and to advance scholarship.

Health Foundation for Western and Central NY
https://hfwcny.org/
Our mission is to improve the health and health care of the people and communities of western and central New York.

Heterodox Academy
https://heterodoxacademy.org/
Heterodox Academy (HxA) is the leading membership organization for faculty, staff, and students who want to ensure that our universities are places where intellectual curiosity thrives.

Hilton Foundation
https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests in organizations tackling some of the world’s toughest challenges. We think big about solutions, working in partnership with local communities to improve lives, strengthen systems and advocate for change. Our approach is rooted in our values and inspired by the resilience of the communities with whom we work worldwide, with a special focus on Africa, South America and the United States, including our home in Los Angeles.

Howard Hughes Medical Institute
https://www.hhmi.org/
Our scientists pursue bold ideas to make breakthroughs in our fundamental understanding of biology and human health.

Institute for Healthcare Advancement
https://www.iha4health.org/
As experts in health literacy, communications, and community health needs, we know that improved health starts with understanding and equity. IHA empowers, educates, and supports health professionals and organizations through world-class learning tools, conferences, resources, and consulting. Professionals engaging in our initiatives see significant improvements in professional development, workplace effectiveness, and health equity for all they serve.

Jacobs Foundation
https://jacobsfoundation.org/
Our work is dedicated to giving every child a quality education. We believe this can only be achieved if education policy and practice are supported by evidence of what works best for children. We therefore invest in the world’s premier research to discover how children learn, promote the use of evidence in teaching and learning, and support countries to shape and implement education policies based on evidence.

James S McDonnell Foundation
https://www.jsmf.org/
The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF) envisions a thriving St. Louis region where inclusive growth elevates shared prosperity and quality of life. Our mission is to invest in organizations and initiatives working to improve economic mobility for St. Louisans facing the starkest disparities.

Louisville Institute
https://louisville-institute.org/
Funded by the Religion Division of Lilly Endowment, Louisville Institute awards grants and fellowships to those who lead and study North American religious institutions, practices, and movements, advancing scholarship to strengthen church, academy, and wider society.

Mental Research Institute
https://mri.org/
At the Mental Research Institute (MRI) we explore and support the development of innovative interactional systemic approaches to understanding and improving human relationships.

National Center for Problem Gaming – Now ICRF (International Center for Responsible Gaming) – https://www.icrg.org/
Since its founding in 1996, the ICRG has launched a thriving field of study to explore gambling disorder and responsible gambling and has funded some of the most important research in the United States and around the world.

National MS Society
https://www.nationalmssociety.org/
As the largest MS organization in the world and the global leader of the MS movement, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is the best investment to reach MS cures. We’ve achieved more advances in MS than have been achieved for any other neurological condition — and we’re not done yet.

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
https://www.pcori.org/
The (PCORI) is an independent, nonprofit research funding organization that seeks to empower patients and others with actionable information about their health and healthcare choices.

Patty Brisben Foundation
https://www.sheplusfoundation.com/
SHE+ serves to enhance women’s sexual health and well-being through research and education. By focusing on eight key areas that have a dramatic impact on women’s sexual health, we’re able to provide support and fund research where it is needed most, to help improve the lives of the highest number of women.

Pfizer
https://www.pfizer.com/about/responsibility/global-impact/the-pfizer-foundation
The Pfizer Foundation’s mission is to help build healthier communities around the world. We invest in community-led partnerships and solutions to address today’s complex global health challenges, respond to urgent health needs, and empower Pfizer colleagues to make an impact where they live, work, and beyond.

Public Health Institute
https://www.phi.org/
PHI and its programs improve health, equity and wellness by discovering new research, strengthening key partnerships and programs, and advancing sound public health policies. Our hundreds of programs have impacted millions of people, creating an architecture that will continue to impact communities for generations to come.

Public Health Management Corp, Formerly Treatment Research Institute -TRI
https://www.phmc.org/site/index.php
PHMC is a nonprofit public health institute that builds healthier communities through partnerships with government, foundations, businesses and community-based organizations. It fulfills its mission to improve the health of the community by providing outreach, health promotion, education, research, planning, technical assistance, and direct services.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
https://www.rwjf.org/
RWJF, fellow philanthropies, non-profits, and grantee organizations are working together to transform inequitable systems and social practices that uphold inequity. Our vision is to build a future where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to achieve their fullest health and wellbeing. This vision and the strategic framework designed to advance it were created in collaboration with community voices, equity thought leaders, and researchers.

Russel Sage Foundation
https://www.russellsage.org/
It dedicates itself to strengthening the methods, data, and theories of the social sciences in order to better understand societal problems and develop informed responses.

Society for Research in Child Development
https://www.srcd.org/
The Society for Research in Child Development advances the developmental sciences and promotes the use of developmental research to improve human lives.

Spencer Foundation
https://www.spencer.org/
We believe education research is integral to improving education, making education systems more equitable, and increasing opportunities to learn across the lifespan.

Templeton Foundation
https://www.templeton.org/
We support interdisciplinary research and catalyze conversations that enable people to pursue lives of meaning and purpose.

USAA Educational Foundation
https://usaaef.org
The USAA Educational Foundation offers free financial education resources from experts in personal finance and military life.

Vera Institute of Justice
https://www.vera.org/
Vera’s mission is to end the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty. We pilot real-world programs developed with community members and the government.

William T Grant Foundation
https://wtgrantfoundation.org/
The William T. Grant Foundation invests in high-quality research focused on reducing inequality in youth outcomes and improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States.

Williams Syndrome Association
https://www.williams-syndrome.org/
The Williams Syndrome Association (WSA) works to advance the interests of all individuals with Williams syndrome throughout their lifespan by providing programming and resources, supporting research, promoting partnerships and connections, and ensuring that the infrastructure of the organization has the capacity to lead our community toward its goals.

The William A. Owens Lecture Series: A Legacy of Inspiration at UGA

Andrea Horsman on February 7, 2025

Since its inception in 1989, the William A. Owens Lecture Series has been known for scholarly excellence at the University of Georgia, fostering meaningful discussions on groundbreaking research and innovation in the social sciences.

Established in honor of Dr. William A. Owens, a pioneering psychologist whose work transformed the field of industrial and organizational psychology, the lecture series has continued to elevate discussions on cutting-edge research and its impact on society.

Dr. Owens’ contributions to psychology, particularly in biodata assessment and personnel selection, left an indelible mark on both academia and industry. In 1970, then-Vice President for Research, Robert Anderson, sought someone to lead a new interdisciplinary social sciences institute at UGA. Owens, who was already heading the Measurement Program in the Psychology Department and had a large interdisciplinary research grant, agreed to take on the role. He served as the founding director of the Institute of Behavior Research (IBR) until his retirement in 1984.

An annual lecture in Owens’ honor was initiated in 1989 by IBR Director Abe Tesser. The inaugural speaker was Dr. Fred E. Fiedler of the University of Washington, whose work on leadership and organizational behavior set the stage for the esteemed series. Fiedler’s insights into how leadership effectiveness is contingent on situational factors helped lay a foundation for future discussions for the Owens lecture series.

Over the past 33 lectures, the Owens lecture series has featured an extraordinary lineup of influential thinkers, each bringing unique perspectives that have shaped social science research. Notable speakers have included Dr. Claude Steele, Stanford University, renowned for his work on stereotype threat and social identity, and Dr. John T. Cacioppo, University of Chicago, whose research demonstrated the integration of social science with neuroscience.

Each year, the Owens lecture series provides an opportunity for the UGA community to engage with ideas that challenge and refine our understanding of human behavior. The discussions sparked in these sessions extend far beyond the auditorium, influencing research, classroom teachings, and interdisciplinary collaborations across campus.

The William A. Owens Lecture Series remains a cornerstone of intellectual growth and academic dialogue at UGA. This year’s lecture, “The Surprising Science of Meetings,” a conversation with Dr. Steven Rogelberg, Chancellor’s Professor with the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, has been selected as part of the provost’s 2025 Spring Signature Lecture Series, further solidifying its role as a premier academic event at the university. Through this ongoing tradition, Dr. Owens’ legacy continues to inspire new generations of scholars to push the boundaries of social science and its applications in the modern world.

Written by Andrea Horsman, February 3, 2025

Stacie Isbell Promoted to Grants Manager

Andrea Horsman on February 5, 2025

We are pleased to announce the promotion of Stacie Isbell to Grants Manager at the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR).

Stacie has been a dedicated member of the UGA community since 2002 and joined OIBR in November 2021. In her new role, she will oversee restricted accounts for Distinguished Scholars and Affiliates of the Institute, serving as the primary contact for Principal Investigators (PIs). Her responsibilities include ensuring project personnel are paid according to project budgets, sponsors, and state guidelines, as well as monitoring accounts and project spending to maintain audit-ready records.

The Grants Manager position also ensures all grant spending complies with UGA and funding agency guidelines. Stacie will provide monthly project status reports, oversee budget updates, and utilize UGA systems—including UGA Jobs, UGA Financial Management System, UGA Budget Management System, and UGAmart—to manage and approve all grant expenditures.

Reflecting on her promotion, Stacie shared:
“I am grateful for the recent promotion to grants manager. I am truly honored and excited about this new position. I appreciate all your support and confidence in my abilities.”

Stacie’s office is located at 252F Brooks Hall, and she can be reached at sisbell@uga.edu or 706-542-6100.

Please join us in congratulating Stacie on this well-deserved achievement!

Rodrigo Medina Joins the Institute

Andrea Horsman on February 5, 2025

We are excited to welcome Rodrigo Medina as the newest member of the Owens Institute for Behavioral Research (OIBR) team! Rodrigo joined OIBR in January 2025 as a Senior Accountant, bringing experience in business and finance.

Rodrigo began his career at UGA’s Center for Continuing Education & Hotel in 2018. He holds an associate degree in accounting and has specialized training in governmental accounting. Currently, he is furthering his expertise by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in technology management, where he combines accounting principles with data analytics.

In his new role, Rodrigo will oversee grant-related post-award functions, coordinate payroll, process payments and purchases, and monitor sub-award and consultant agreements. Additionally, he serves as the departmental p-card holder and petty cash coordinator for both external and internal funded projects.

Rodrigo’s office is located in 252C Brooks Hall, and he can be reached at rm39648@uga.edu or 706-542-2841. Please join us in welcoming Rodrigo to OIBR!

How you interact with your kid could shape how they play with their peers

Andrea Horsman on October 21, 2024

A mother plays with her child in a sunlit room.
A new study suggests that interactions between caregivers and their children may serve as practice for new social situations for kids. (Getty Images)

The way parents and their children play together may be the framework for how kids will treat other children, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia.

Figuring out how to approach new social situations is key for toddlers, and research suggests that caregivers play a big part in giving kids a script to draw from.

The new study found the way mothers and toddlers interacted during play predicted how the children later interacted with other kids.

“It’s not just what the mom does when they’re interacting, and it’s not just what the child does when they’re interacting,” said Niyantri Ravindran, lead author of the study and an assistant professor in UGA’s College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “It’s really about how their behaviors are occurring together. That back-and-forth dialogue between the mother and child is contributing to how children are interacting with their peers.”

Caretakers help kids practice for future social situations

The researchers focused on two main types of behavior in 120 toddler-aged children: responsiveness and assertiveness. They followed the children through their preschool days, examining how they interacted with their friends while playing, and later paired them with both new kids, and close friends.

Children who were receptive to the suggestions of their playmate and enthusiastic about playing with them scored high on responsiveness.

Mothers and children had a strong connection if the mother was sensitive to the child’s behavior and the child responded positively. When they showed this dynamic during play, those children were more likely to show the same responsiveness with their friends.

Similarly, when mothers were sensitive and children were assertive during play, those children were more likely to be assertive with kids they didn’t know. While many may think assertive behavior equals aggressive behavior, assertiveness in this study meant that the children took initiative, like inviting another kid to play or coming up with ideas for games.

“You don’t want a child to be completely only compliant and never really taking the initiative,” said Ravindran. “Neither do you want a child who is bossy and never listening to the other kids’ suggestions. Having a balance between those two behaviors could help result in more socially competent children.”

Caregivers play a large role in how children develop social skills and not just because they are their children’s primary role models. How kids and parents interact serves as practice for new social situations.

“You’re going to guide your child, teach them and show them how to do things, but it’s also just as important to follow their lead sometimes,” said Ravindran. “That can really help balance out those behaviors.”

This study was published in Developmental Psychology and co-authored by Nancy L. McElwain of the University of Illinois’ Department of Human Development and Family Studies.

Writer: Sydney Barrilleaux
Contact: Niyantri Ravindran, niyantri.ravindran@uga.edu

Drew Abney bridges parenting, teaching & psychology through research

Andrea Horsman on September 13, 2024

 

There’s a common thread between parenting, teaching, statistics, and engineering for Drew Abney.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, he always dreamed of being a high school teacher— specifically, a wood shop and engineering design teacher. His mother, however, had a different future in mind for him.

“My mom used to say I should be a psychologist because I was that friend in high school who everyone went to with their problems and talked them through it,” said Abney, associate professor in the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences Department of Psychology. “And when I was working on my master’s degree, I found myself reading a lot of books on cognition, behavior, and neuroscience.”

While working on his master’s in education, Abney took a statistics class that, surprisingly, made his passing interest in psychology seem like a possible career option. It was the first time in his life he felt he excelled at math. He saw how statistics correlated with the research he was reading about, such as quantifying the probability of behavior changes, and began to consider a different path.

“My mom was sort of right, although she thought I was going to be a clinical psychologist. Still, she likes to remind me she always knew I’d do this,” Abney said.

Abney earned a master’s in experimental psychology and a Ph.D. in cognitive and information sciences, studying at the intersection of experimental psychology and computer science. His current psychology research is the culmination of these past skills.

Beginning with his dissertation, Abney has focused on modeling and quantifying human interaction. The interactions between infants and their caregivers led him to developmental psychology, for which he received a James S. McDonnell Foundation grant to study sensory-motor development during infant sleep.

“Every parent worries about sleep and how their child sleeps, and the developmental trajectories of sleep have always been a fascinating area of research that I wanted to get into,” he said.

As luck would have it, a perfect pilot subject came into Abney’s life around that time: his own daughter.

“Before she was born, I was an expert in developmental psychology, but I wasn’t an expert in parenting,” he said. “It was exciting to watch the different developmental milestones play out before my eyes, not just as a psychologist but as a father.”

While he was developing a sleep room for subjects, Abney’s daughter indicated discomfort in the lab. Abney realized that the best way to study infant sleep would be in their natural home environment.

The research team pivoted to recording infant naps over four sessions during home visits in the local Athens community, using a mobile lab setup.

Initially, the work was difficult. Abney and his team were used to conducting studies in a more controlled environment. They were able to make it work, however, with an infrared camera and mobile electrocardiogram (ECG) system.

During these home visits, Abney’s team uses sensors that monitor infant movements during the rest of the day and artificial intelligence to classify babies’ movements. This allows them to analyze and model movement dynamics during sleep and while they are awake. While home visits were not part of the original study design, Abney said they improved ecological validity since they capture better-quality sleep data in infants’ home environments.

In spring 2024, Abney received the university-wide Charles B. Knapp Early Career Scholar Award for his research. He’s also become a rising star in the classroom; since arriving at UGA in 2020, he has won two Outstanding Teaching Awards from the Department of Psychology.

Abney brings these skills to bear in unique ways, and it still goes back to his interest in statistics.

“I really love teaching statistics at the undergraduate and graduate levels, which not all undergraduate students in psychology are excited about and I accept that,” Abney said. “But what I love about teaching statistics is it’s just a great way to build hands-on skills that are translatable to careers right out of the gate with a bachelor’s degree.”

“Human behavior touches just about every field you can think of, whether it’s economics or political science or sociology. [For people] going into the academic study of psychology, I would encourage them to think more outside their disciplines, [for example] about emerging trends in artificial intelligence and how you can use tools from artificial intelligence to study human behavior.”

Article written by Emily Tingle