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NSF

This project examines how financial and organizational structures shape residential and economic outcomes in rural counties in mining and farm-dependent states. The investigators develop and link global and local financial and organizational patterns in the mining and farming industries and use a variety of methods to predict the impact of these on local ecological outcomes. By linking global financial networks to the lived experiences of rural communities, the research informs concrete strategies for mitigating outcomes that negatively affect these communities. Graduate and undergraduate students are included in the project and the experience lets them gain valuable skills useful for future jobs and careers. The project benefits communities through partnerships with local organizations and public dissemination. The project uses quantitative and qualitative data to study the ownership and finance structures of four mining and farm-dependent case-study counties across two key coal producing and agricultural/farming states. The investigators compile a dataset of agricultural and energy operators and owners in these localities, tracking financial relationships and governance structures in a variety of databases. The analysis paves the way for the identification of intra- and inter-organizational network patterns such as the funding dependencies and centralized decision-making processes. Social network analysis and Autologistic Actor Attribute Models are used to examine how characteristics of networks shape social-ecological outcomes. Semi-structured interviews in study counties document social-ecological relationships unrecognized in prevailing measures of environmental, social and corporate governance. Qualitative insights, combined with quantitative network data, enable the team to construct network simulation models in which alternative arrangements that facilitate conducive ecological and environmental outcomes are modeled. Results are shared through academic dissemination, community outreach, and an information source platform. This project is jointly funded by the Sociology Program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

Non-technical Abstract: The uneven surface of a sandbox shows that soft solids like sand, soil, or skin cream hold memories of their history. Their microscopic structure also holds memories, making their properties hard to control. In this project, researchers will deform a solid made of tightly packed oil drops, and a two-dimensional solid made of beads, while monitoring how the drops or beads rearrange. These tests will reveal where and how memory is stored. Results will help predict and control the strength of materials like soil, grain, and foam. These kinds of materials are vital to infrastructure, and industries from agriculture and food to personal care products. The research will also identify ways to design and use advanced materials that adapt to their environments. The project will train graduate and undergraduate students. A K-12 teacher will participate in this research and will develop a curriculum on materials and research methods. Teacher recruiting will include rural school districts in Central Pennsylvania. Technical Abstract: Many kinds of matter are challenging to describe because they do not relax to equilibrium; their properties depend on the past. This is true of amorphous solids, including glass, sand, soil, and mayonnaise, which share common challenges for predicting and controlling mechanical behavior. The disordered arrangement of particles in these materials is metastable, and it changes each time it is deformed. Prior work has shown a simple way that 2D samples encode and recall the amplitudes of oscillatory shear, but this picture omits some of amorphous solids’ most distinctive and challenging features. In this project, experiments will study a 2D solid made of repulsive colloids at an oil-water interface, and a 3D concentrated emulsion. While varying the amplitude and frequency of shear, tests will record the locations of particle rearrangements via particle tracking in 2D, and light scattering in 3D, measuring the number, size, hysteresis, and dynamics of individual plastic events. Major questions include how mechanical preparation alters the response to shear, what information is recoverable and what is erased, and how memory and plasticity differ from 2D to 3D. Some experiments will target unusual memories made possible when one rearrangement inhibits another, providing data about interactions that reflect the glassy character of these systems. The result will be a new experimental picture of these materials’ mechanical properties, collective dynamics, and history dependence from the microscopic to bulk scale; evidence that certain kinds of memory are generic signatures of glassiness; and design motifs for metamaterials. The project will also yield methods for studying memory in glassy matter and tracking relaxations in bulk emulsions, and improvements to widely used particle tracking software. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIA - National Institute on Aging

PROJECT SUMMARY Care partners of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) in rural areas experience higher caregiving burden and lower social support compared to urban caregivers. Although caregiver education and support delivered by home and community-based service (HCBS) providers has demonstrated the ability to reduce caregiver burden, those serving rural areas often face workforce shortages and capacity constraints, limiting their service availability and accessibility among rural care partners. Further, no scalable intervention currently exists to enable HCBS providers to deliver real-time education and support tailored to the evolving needs of rural ADRD care partners. To address these critical gaps, we plan to develop the AI-enabled Dementia Care Agent that will be available as a 24x7 service to support rural ADRD care partners. The Dementia Care Agent, which will be provided to care partners through HCBS providers, will utilize vetted ADRD caregiving education and support content from National Institute on Aging, AGEucate, and other authoritative sources. This specialized knowledge base will be added to a large language model (LLM), a machine learning system that can generate and understand complex human language interactions. We will integrate the Dementia Care Agent with CareVirtue’s proven caregiver support platform to provide tailored ADRD education and support while enhancing the ability of rural HCBS providers to increase capacity to provide ADRD education and support. Our goal is to provide a personalized, context-aware Dementia Care Agent that is accessible to rural ADRD care partners for real-time support needs and alleviate the ADRD education and support capacity limitations faced by many HCBS providers. Our multi-disciplinary team includes experts in machine learning, AI agents, LLM technology, software commercialization, ADRD caregiving support, and HCBS providers serving rural ADRD care partners. Our long- term objective is to commercialize the Dementia Care Agent intervention to provide real-time support to rural ADRD care partners, increase the availability and accessibility of ADRD education, improve capacity for HCBS providers, and reduce the disproportionate burden that rural ADRD care partners face by overcoming barriers to availability and accessibility for needed ADRD education, training, and support.

NIDA - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Abstract This proposed study is a patient preference trial (PPT) of XR-B vs. SL-B in 8 rural jails in Maryland. A total of 500 adults with moderate/severe OUD soon-to-be-released from jail will be recruited and will choose to receive XR-B or SL-B treatment in jail via telemedicine followed by 6-months of post-release XR-B/SL-B treatment via telemedicine at community pharmacies, a 7-month safety visit, and 12-month follow-up. All individuals receiving XR-B will have their injection administered by a pharmacist, allowing the telemedicine treatment to be fully remote and equivalent to that of SL-B which will also be filled at a local pharmacy. In addition, the consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework will be utilized to understand implementation of telemedicine of XR-B and SL-B in jails and continued at community pharmacies. Aim 1. Compare the effectiveness of XR-B vs. SL-B in terms of: Primary Outcome. (a) retention in buprenorphine treatment (i. days receiving buprenorphine and ii. time to treatment dropout). Secondary Outcomes. (b) illicit opioid use (i. urine toxicology; ii. self-reported days of opioid use; and iii. time to opioid relapse); (c) other illicit substance use (i. urine toxicology; ii. self-reported days of illicit substance use; (d) overdose events (non-fatal and fatal); (e) health-related quality of life (i. physical health; ii. mental health); (f) HIV risk behaviors (i. sexual risk behavior; ii. needle use or sharing); and (g) criminal activity (i. crime days; ii. re-arrest; iii. technical violations; iv. re-incarceration). Aim 2a. Document factors relevant to implementation and sustainability of the telemedicine buprenorphine intervention in jails and pharmacy settings. Guided by CFIR and RE-AIM we will gauge 1) how to optimize key intervention components (e.g., dose induction, telemedicine procedures, medication preferences, continuity of care, inner and outer context factors, stigma, pharmacy procedures, improvement of the cascade of care for OUD) and 2) the RE-AIM of key implementation factors. To achieve this aim, we will conduct interviews with stakeholders (n = 10, e.g., pharmacists, telemedicine providers, jail staff per site; total n = 80). Aim 2b. We will contact and attempt to conduct qualitative interviews with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) or a designated representative from state pharmacy associations in each of the 50 states to: 1) understand state-level policies and regulatory requirements regarding the provision of buprenorphine in pharmacies; 2) inform state-level implementation strategies among both big box and independent pharmacies relevant to the Federal 2025-SUPPORT ACT, which explicitly authorizes pharmacists to prescribe buprenorphine; and 3) understand how best to optimize implementation of an XR-B/SL-B collaborative care model in the pharmacy setting. Findings from these interviews, combined with qualitative data from interviews with our local MD pharmacies, will inform the development of the following deliverables: 1) best-practices toolkit/guide to support pharmacies nationwide in implementing injectable buprenorphine (XR-B) for opioid use disorder, expanding access to SL-B, and establishing collaborative care models with other providers for buprenorphine treatment; and 2) implementation guide to support coordination between jails (medical staff) and community pharmacies, enabling initiation of buprenorphine in correctional settings and continuity of care through post-release treatment at local pharmacies. The study will be innovative for two reasons: 1) it would be the first large scale PPT of XR-B/SL-B using telemedicine among individuals leaving jail; and 2) it would be the first study continuing XR-B injections with a re-entry population at pharmacies. The study will be highly significant because most individuals with OUD do not receive treatment while in jail, thereby substantially raising their likelihood of relapse to drug use, overdose death, and re-incarceration when they are released. A telemedicine program may improve the continuity of care between incarceration and re-entry which is the period in which individuals with an OUD are most vulnerable. Finally, understanding how to expand acceptance of MOUDs in jails using telemedicine and pharmacy administration of XR-B, has far-reaching implications for expanding treatment access.

NIA - National Institute on Aging

SUMMARY Dementia rates are increasing in the U.S., and with nearly 7 million Americans living with the disease in 2024. Early diagnosis and effective intervention are critical for patients and their families, but access to dementia specialists remains limited, particularly in medically underserved and rural areas. As a result, primary care providers (PCPs) are increasingly responsible for diagnosing and managing cognitive decline, yet many feel inadequately trained and equipped to do so. This gap leads to underdiagnosis and delays in dementia care, particularly for underserved populations. BrainCheck aims to bridge this gap by empowering PCPs with the tools they need to deliver high-quality cognitive care. Our goal is to develop BrainCheck eConsult, a secure digital platform that enables asynchronous consultations between PCPs and dementia specialists, thereby improving access to specialist insights without the need for time-consuming referrals. Building on the success of our existing digital cognitive assessment tool, BrainCheck Assess, which is used in over 500 clinics, this project focuses on creating a scalable solution that integrates dementia specialist support directly into primary care workflows. Specifically, we will: 1) co-design BrainCheck eConsult with input from both PCPs and dementia specialists to ensure it meets real-world clinical needs (Aim 1); 2) develop a prototype of BC eConsult based on the co-design results (Aim 2); and 3) pilot test the platform in a real-world clinical setting with six PCPs and two dementia specialists to assess feasibility and impact on care delivery (Aim 3). The long-term goal is to improve access to timely, accurate dementia diagnosis and management in primary care settings, particularly for underserved populations, thereby reducing disparities in cognitive care. Success in this phase project will pave the way for larger-scale validation and broader implementation of the platform in primary care settings.

NSF

Learning materials that align with students’ lived experiences and that are relevant to the challenges and issues that confront their communities have been shown to improve student engagement and learning outcomes. Yet, students in rural spaces often find themselves taught through lessons and curricular materials not directly relevant to, or seemingly counter to, their lived experience. This project seeks to co-develop and implement a locally relevant and integrated computer science curriculum that centers the lived experiences of rural Hawaiian students and communities. It is hypothesized that understanding and engaging local educational needs creates opportunities for students to learn in ways that make schooling meaningful and relevant to their experiences, culture, community, identity. These impacts will increase interest, belonging and pursuit of STEM coursework and careers. Using a mixed methods approach, researchers and educators will work together to iteratively co-design and evaluate curricular materials that center Hawaiian students’ experiences and sense of community to support youth in developing strong connections to STEM learning that foster their future engagement and interest in STEM. Before, during, and after co-design activities, the research team will directly observe interactions amongst teachers and students during instructional time. As implementation, design, and refinement of the curriculum proceeds, the research team will leverage interview, focus group, and observational data collection from multiple stakeholders (i.e., school administrators, staff, teachers, students, and parents of students), to develop survey items. These items reflect distinct perspectives on what schooling and school success are and should be, the perceived value of and interest in future opportunities associated with Computer Science, s well as the level of empowerment and inclusion experienced. The surveys will be administered 3 times per year. The team will initially conduct exploratory factor analyses on the responses to establish a tentative factor structure that links the meanings for items held by stakeholders within the community to broader concepts. As those components stabilize within groups across the three deployments of the first full academic year (Fall, Y1-Spring Y2), analyses will move to a confirmatory factor analytic framework to validate the within-group measurement structure, moving next to assessing measurement invariance between groups and across time. The results of this study will allow the team to develop an evidence-based, transferable model of curriculum development that centers the experiences of local students to meet the educational needs of rural communities. Further, the team will develop locally responsive measures of educational success, student sense of belonging, and agency in schooling to gauge its development in context over three years of middle school and to ascertain impacts of materials developed using this model for rural curricular development. The Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12) seeks to significantly enhance the learning and teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by preK-12 students and teachers, through research and development of innovative resources, models and tools. Projects in the DRK-12 program build on fundamental research in STEM education and prior research and development efforts that provide theoretical and empirical justification for proposed projects.  This project is also supported through the Computer Science for All: Research and RPPs program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Abstract This developmental research grant award (R21) requests funds to characterize the social and transmission networks of Rosebud Sioux Tribe (RST) (Sicangu Lakota Oyate) community members to mitigate ongoing and future syphilis epidemics among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations and move towards elimination of congenital syphilis: A Sicangu-driven social network strategy for syphilis prevention (S4). In addition to classic transmission networks, we include social networks that confer influence, social support, diffuse information/innovation and can lead to syphilis prevention interventions that the team has experience implementing. AI/AN individuals in South Dakota (SD) are one of the most syphilis impacted communities and are at increased risk of syphilis transmission, including congenital syphilis. In 2020, 3% of all AI/AN babies born in South Dakota had congenital syphilis. AI/AN individuals are more likely to live in rural areas with limited access to prenatal care and hospital obstetric units, creating barriers to timely identification and treatment of syphilis. Earlier this year, The Great Plains Tribes requested emergency assistance from the federal government to declare a public health emergency and address the syphilis epidemic. Critical to public health is improving syphilis prevention among AI/AN communities and their larger social networks. Network analysis traditionally focuses on transmission dynamics and potential for future epidemics. Contact tracing and other strategies do not, however, fully include the larger social network and data can be limited due to the stigma associated with providing names, as well as mistrust in government and healthcare providers, particularly for AI/AN individuals. Social network analysis that this team has expertise in, can illuminate multiple networks and develop metrics tied not only to disease transmission but to diffusion of information, and among highly marginalized groups such as people who use substances. The PI has a track record of collaborative work implementing participant network recruitment protocols such as the Social Network Strategy to be used in S4. The PI and site-PI are joined by additional experts in AI/AN Health, Indigenous community leaders and local community members engaging in Talking Circles in these contexts. Accordingly, we aim to: Characterize the social networks of RST community members and measure features of their network structure— assortativity, density and bridging – most relevant to syphilis transmission and network intervention; Explore individual (ie. age, education), contextual (ie employment type), network and structural (stigma, health care access) factors associated with syphilis seropositivity. We will collect survey data and biologic samples to model potential factors associated with historic and recent syphilis transmission and; Determine individual and social network level factors associated with syphilis prevention behaviors (ie. condom use, drug treatment, doxyPEP) and network intervention (ie. information sharing, proportion approving of syphilis prevention), which could lead to future network interventions.

NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Every pregnancy is assigned a “due date.” However, this date is not an accurate or personalized guide for when labor will begin, or when the baby will be born. The “estimated due date” (EDD) represents forty completed weeks of pregnancy, calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period. Instead of being useful for predicting or planning, 40 weeks is an average duration of pregnancy across populations. Mothers and infants with a duration of pregnancy under 37 weeks or over 42 weeks are both at risk for birth complications, morbidity, or mortality. However, even across ‘normal’ term gestation, uncertainty in planning for birth can arise from unexpected complications, cause added anxiety, and lead to greater use of costly intervention or hospitalization. For rural residents or for those with high-risk pregnancies who should not undergo labor, the risk of uncertainty can be overtly dangerous. Our team has developed a method to interpret physiological vital sign patterns during pregnancy to create an accurate prediction of when labor will start. The proposed 8-month study will enhance and improve our existing work, using artificial intelligence methods on data from non-invasive wearable sensors, making the prediction of labor more accurate. We will also operationalize a method to provide families or care providers with a time frame when labor is likely to occur in real-time. This tool will then be applied to a large validation trial of the method in pursuit of FDA-approval.

ORANGE COUNTY RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY CORP.

CNSTR/RHAB

NIDDK - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Acute kidney injury (AKI) is an abrupt loss of kidney function that affects 1 in 5 hospitalized patients. AKI survivors experience a 1.5-2.5-fold higher risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), a 1.4-fold higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and 50% of affected individuals are readmitted within 1 year. Despite these grave sequelae, the care of non-dialysis-dependent AKI survivors is inadequate. One-third of patients fail to receive basic kidney health follow-up (i.e., laboratory assessment of kidney function and a visit with a clinician). 87% of AKI survivors use nephrotoxic medications in the 3 years after discharge, which independently increases the risk for CKD. These gaps are especially prominent in the 20% of AKI survivors from rural settings who experience health disparities including transportation barriers, a higher comorbidity burden, decreased health literacy, and reduced access to nephrology specialist care. Addressing these gaps in care facilitates prognostication, decision making, medication reconciliation and supportive care which can limit AKI complications. We therefore developed the AKI in Care Transitions (ACT) program, a multidisciplinary bundled care delivery model tailored to individual prognosis. AKI survivors are risk-stratified according to post-discharge prognosis. Those at the lowest risk are provided access to informational resources about AKI. Patients at moderate risk receive kidney health education before discharge from nurses and coordinated follow-up in primary care with a provider and a pharmacist in the 7-14 days after discharge. The highest-risk patients are provided with home monitoring technology (e.g., blood pressure cuff, tablet for symptom assessments) and followed remotely by nephrology specialists for up to 90 days. Pilot testing in an academic medical center demonstrated feasibility, a significant increase in timely and complete follow-up, improved medication reconciliation, and a decreased incidence of kidney disease progression. This proposal extends ACT to rural settings to address the overall goal of creating effective, patient-centered, scalable care delivery models that improve health outcomes for all AKI survivors. We will test the impact of ACT on health outcomes and processes of care (e.g., kidney disease progression, excess days in acute care, adverse drug events, guideline-concordant care) in rural patients using a pragmatic cluster randomized trial conducted in the Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS; Aim 1). We will then richly characterize the rural AKI survivor experience including illness burden, treatment burden, and patient capacity (Aim 2a) and assess the impact of ACT (Aim 2b) using qualitative data gathered from rural patients at MCHS and the University of Maryland Medical System. This innovative proposal leverages digital health and the multidisciplinary team to improve outcomes and reduce health disparities for AKI survivors in rural settings.

NIA - National Institute on Aging

Project Abstract Dementia prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to increase by over 300% within the next 25 years as the population aged 60 years and older triples to more than 235 million. Beyond the demographic transition and population growth, a major driver of these increases is the growing burden of communicable and non- communicable diseases, which contributes to disability and adverse brain health outcomes. Currently, there are limited data on Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias to inform healthcare and research policies within resource-strained health systems in SSA. This gap is especially evident in French-speaking African countries (30-40% of SSA), which are critically underrepresented in ADRD research. Indeed, our recent review highlights the cultural, ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomical challenges to dementia research in this setting. In Cameroon, ADRD mortality has increased by over 130% in 20 years and ADRD represents 12.4% of outpatient neurology consultations. Our prior work highlights the urgent need to develop and validate scalable and accessible assessment tools for ADRD to establish a robust infrastructure to support dementia diagnosis, care, and research nationwide. The growing field of digital cognitive tools offers an innovative opportunity for developing easily accessible and highly accurate neuropsychological tools for cost- and time-efficient case identification. Standardized administration, automated scoring/interpretation, and cross platform integration features can address several challenges and support the development of dementia registries – a valuable resource for dementia research and care. The main objectives of this proposal are to culturally adapt and validate a brief multi-domain digital cognitive assessment tool in Cameroon and to develop and pilot the infrastructure needed for improved dementia care and research. Specifically, we plan to culturally adapt TabCAT-BHA digital cognitive assessment in Cameroon, evaluate demographic effects on performance and generate regression-based norms in a community representative sample of healthy adults in rural and urban areas (Aim 1). Concurrently, we will examine TabCAT-BHA’s diagnostic accuracy to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia in the existing BRAIN Cohort and examine its neuroanatomical validity to domain specific regional patterns of brain atrophy on MRI (Aim 2). Finally, as an exploratory aim, we will determine implementation barriers to cognitive testing and dementia diagnosis in a clinical setting in Cameroon to develop the infrastructure needed for improved dementia care and research (Aim 3). These proposed studies will begin to fill the data gap on dementia research in French-Speaking Sub-Saharan Africa (FS-SSA) and provide the first ever neuroimaging data in people living with dementia in Cameroon and set the stage for more comprehensive dementia studies in FS-SSA. For future research following this proposal, we anticipate that valid digital neuropsychological tools coupled with blood biomarkers that still need validation in this setting, could be a scalable and sustainable path for ADRD research, diagnosis and care (R01 proposal)

NINR - National Institute of Nursing Research

Dating violence (DV) is common among U.S. high school age adolescents and has significant and lifelong negative health consequences, including suicide behaviors. Native American (NA) adolescents are at increased risk for violence victimization and/or perpetration in their dating violence, given their high rates of violence exposure in their homes and communities. Key challenges for dating violence prevention are the lack of services, fear of stigma and discrimination, and limited trust in and access to skilled professionals. The Fort Peck Reservation is home to the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes in rural Montana. The reservation community reports high rates of violence and suicide behavior with underfunded and limited health and social service, especially for adolescents. The wide range of negative health and social outcomes associated with violence experienced by reservation-based NA adolescents underscores the call for innovative and targeted behavioral health interventions using appropriate technology. myPlan Teen, is an evidence-based healthy relationship and dating violence prevention intervention for adolescents and is delivered through a secure and confidential web based and mobile app. myPlan Teen provides adolescents with immediate access to information about healthy and unhealthy behaviors, safety strategies tailored to their situation with links to youth friendly resources, to reduce confusion, feelings of isolation and stigma associated with unhealthy relationships. In our CDC funded randomized control trial (RCT) with a national sample of 609 adolescents aged 15-17, we found adolescents randomized to myPlan Teen had a significant increase in use and helpfulness of safety behaviors compared to control group (adolescent health website). Further adolescents who used myPlan Teen reported a significant reduction in physical/sexual violence perpetration and suicide behaviors compared to control group. To advance the relevance and use of myPlan Teen with NA adolescents, our interdisciplinary team in partnership with Tribal Health leaders and Youth Advisory Board (YAB) will adapt myPlan Teen by integrating culturally relevant content, including tribal identity and communal mastery for NA adolescents to build healthy relationships, develop safety skills and access culturally relevant resources. Following the adaptation process, the team will evaluate the effectiveness of the culturally adapted myPlan Teen app on health and safety outcomes with 550 NA adolescents. In addition, we will examine the mechanisms by which myPlan Teen improves health and safety outcomes. The study will advance violence prevention interventions with NA adolescents and inform future processes to adapt and disseminate a digital intervention with adolescents nationally.

NSF

The extraordinary technological advancements seen in the heavy equipment and transportation industries related to electric, autonomous, and controlled vehicle innovation have contributed to a pressing need to expand the skills and expertise of the skilled technical workforce. The advanced skills needed in rural Minnesota are broader than those needed in metropolitan regions, with the expectation that technicians are both able to manually navigate older equipment that is still being serviced at local shops as well as those in production at mines or other resource-related industries, such as logging. However, the growing need for skills that match an emerging market of “electric diesel” equipment and other high-powered and highly networked equipment is increasing. To address the demand for upskilling, Minnesota North College will create an advanced diagnostics transportation micro-credential to build the immediate skills needed for new technicians to successfully transition to more sophisticated advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), hybrid and electric components testing, and networking. The proposed project will be designed to quickly develop students' skills and knowledge to align with industry needs through a five-course micro-credential. Courses will be available for second-year diesel mechanics and automotive technician students and field technicians. Over this three-year project, 12 students in two cohorts will be recruited to complete the certificate program. Based on the demographics of the region and college, and the comprehensive support services offered through college, a highly skilled diverse automotive and diesel workforce for the region will emerge. This project aims to increase access to advanced diagnostic skills to supplement the after-market automotive sector, private contractor, and mining workforce in heavy equipment. The goal of the project is to upskill current and new cohorts of rural transportation technicians in advanced driver-assistance systems and advanced diagnostics with an emphasis on the recruitment of adult learners and women. Representatives from the diesel and automotive industries will serve on an advisory board to provide insight into the development of the advanced diagnostics micro-credential certificate program. Additionally, college faculty will participate in relevant professional development to build curriculum that aligns with diagnostic, autonomous, and comprehensive advanced vehicle maintenance. The resulting four-month certificate program will provide an accelerated training option for students and industry professionals to be better prepared to meet regional transportation needs. This project will create the first workforce in northeastern Minnesota that will be equipped to navigate greater levels of troubleshooting and diagnostic repair on increasingly connected vehicles in the automotive and heavy equipment sector. This project is funded by the Advanced Technological Education program that focuses on the education of technicians for the advanced-technology fields that drive the Nation’s economy. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This project aims to serve the national interest by implementing evidence-based instructional practices in undergraduate STEM courses to improve student outcomes, persistence, and retention—particularly for the Appalachian region. The project intends to increase faculty capacity to deliver engaging instruction by training science and engineering faculty in active learning strategies and other evidence-based pedagogies and assessment techniques. The significance of this project lies in its focus on high-enrollment STEM courses with elevated D/F/W rates that serve large numbers of first-generation college students, transfer students, and students from rural backgrounds. By equipping faculty with research-based instructional tools and fostering a sustainable professional learning community, the project supports student success in foundational STEM courses and contributes to building a skilled workforce that meets both regional and national needs. This Level 1 Institutional and Community Transformation project includes a structured professional development program, the use of Mobile Summer Institutes (MoSI), competitive minigrants that provide faculty with resources to implement course innovations, and the creation of Communities of Practice (CoP) to cultivate faculty collaboration, peer learning, and institutional culture change around STEM instruction. The project is expected to lead to sustained improvements in undergraduate STEM education through enhancements in teaching effectiveness, student engagement, and institutional policies related to faculty recognition and reward systems. The project goals are to increase faculty adoption of evidence-based teaching, improve instructional effectiveness, and advance understanding of institutional factors that sustain pedagogical change. The scope includes two MoSI in partnership with the National Institute on Scientific Teaching—training 35 faculty across disciplines in the College of Science and College of Engineering in evidence-based instructional practices, especially active learning. Faculty will design active learning materials, implement them in high-impact STEM courses, and participate in CoP supported by the university's Center for Teaching and Learning. These efforts will be reinforced through minigrants, peer mentoring, and institutional incentives such as course designations and recognition in promotion and tenure processes. Evaluation methods include pre/post faculty surveys, student feedback, and course performance data, with oversight by an external evaluator. The project's theory of change is based on a path model which emphasizes the dynamic interaction between individual motivation, faculty development opportunities, and institutional supports. By starting with motivated faculty and administrators, the project aims to create a positive feedback loop where increased knowledge and instructional reform catalyze shifts in culture and policy that reinforce long-term adoption of active learning. The project plans to study the effectiveness of faculty development models, investigate the conditions under which instructional changes improve student outcomes, and contribute new knowledge about mechanisms and institutional conditions that support sustained adoption of active learning in undergraduate STEM education. Results will be disseminated locally and nationally through workshops, conferences, and publications. The NSF IUSE: EDU Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Institutional and Community Transformation track, the project supports efforts to transform and improve STEM education across institutions of higher education and disciplinary communities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF

This project aims serve the national interest by addressing student retention and success at a rural two-year college through integration of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies across early STEM courses. Mat-Su College resides within the Matanuska-Susitna Borough in Alaska consisting of 25,000 square miles. This vastness makes it challenging for students to access advanced educational tools and hands-on lab experiences. To address this challenge, the project seeks to combine collaborative learning activities with a high-impact immersive technology approach that has the potential to significantly enhance student engagement, improve understanding of complex concepts, and foster interest in STEM fields. The broader significance of this project lies in its potential to reduce educational barriers, increase student retention and success in STEM, and create pathways to high-demand careers. Importantly, these outcomes support regional workforce development and contribute to the reduction of the state’s youth out-migration. The goals of the project are to: 1) enhance engagement, interest and conceptual understanding in STEM fields like biology, chemistry, and physics through immersive VR simulations, 2) facilitate collaborative learning through a team-based learning environment where students can work together on complex, real-world problems in an interactive virtual space, and 3) improve retention and success rates in STEM disciplines in the rural Matanuska-Susitna Valley of Alaska. To accomplish these goals, the project focuses on the development of course-specific immersive modules including 3D anatomical models, molecular visualization, and 3D geometrical interaction, all aimed at making the invisible visible. Combined with these strategies, the project incorporates student-centered and collaborative approaches to deepen conceptual understanding and enhance academic performance. Assessment and evaluation leverage a mixed-methods approach to examine the impact on student engagement, learning outcomes, and retention. Findings inform the development of effective practices in VR/AR integration and support dissemination to a wide range of stakeholders. By integrating technology with evidenced-based teaching practices, the initiative positions two-year colleges as key contributors to advancing innovation in STEM education. The NSF IUSE: Innovation in Two-Year College STEM Education (ITYC) Program seeks to accelerate and advance knowledge about the impact of emerging and evidence-based practices in undergraduate STEM education at two-year colleges. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIAID - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

The increasing frequency of weather extremes such as flooding on the incidence of malaria and other vector-borne diseases is an issue of substantial public health importance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective mitigation and control strategies. In May 2020, we piloted a post-flood malaria chemoprevention intervention in rural western Uganda. When compared to two neighboring villages where no intervention was deployed, we estimated a 53% reduction (aRR 0.47, 95% CI 0.34 – 0.62, p<.01) in malaria incidence in the six months post-intervention. Building on these results, the scientific aim of this proposal is to evaluate the effectiveness of a targeted, time-limited malaria chemoprevention intervention with and without larval source management (LSM) to reduce excess disease burden in a perennial, high-transmission setting following severe flooding. Our premise is that the intervention will reduce the parasite reservoir during the critical “rebound” period, when vectors are re-establishing habitats thereby maintaining relatively low levels of transmission until conditions have returned to the pre-flood baseline. Specifically, we will: Aim 1: Determine the effectiveness of chemoprevention with or without peri-domestic larvicide application to reduce the incidence of P. falciparum malaria after severe flooding. We will conduct a cluster randomized trial in 50 villages (144 clusters) in rural western Uganda, where flooding relatively predictable, to compare: (i) LLIN distribution (control), (ii) LLIN distribution plus three, monthly rounds of DP provided to children ≤12 years of age (DP), and (iii) LLIN+DP with three months of bi-weekly application of larvicide in the peri-domestic space (DP+Bti). Hypothesis: Chemoprevention will achieve a sustained (≥6 months) reduction in malaria incidence of ≥30% compared to the control arm without the emergence of artemisinin resistance. Aim 2: Elucidate the evolution of vector populations, feeding behaviors, and sporozoite rate in affected villages up to one year after flooding. We will perform weekly surveillance for adult and juvenile Anopheles mosquitoes in sentinel households and within the peri-domestic space. Collected mosquitoes will be counted, and identified to species and tested for the presence of P. falciparum sporozoites. Hypothesis: Flooding will create innumerable small pools favored by An. gambiae complex resulting in predominance of An. gambiae s.s. with potential for emergence of An. arabiensis as important vector in setting of widespread LLIN use.23 Aim 3: Evaluate the relative cost-effectiveness of chemoprevention (Aim 3A) and assess social and economic impacts on households (Aim 3B). We will conduct baseline and longitudinal quantitative surveys in sample clusters to evaluate impacts of the interventions on (i) economic activities and income, (ii) health seeking and expenditures, and (iii) mental health and well-being. These data will inform a cost effectiveness analysis of chemoprevention compared to the control (i.e., relative cost per case averted). Hypothesis: Chemoprevention will mitigate negative effects of malaria in the aftermath of a flood.

Health and Human Services Department

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public comment on proposed data collection projects of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, HRSA announces plans to submit an Information Collection Request (ICR), described below, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Prior to submitting the ICR to OMB, HRSA seeks comments from the public regarding the burden estimate, below, or any other aspect of the ICR.

NLM - National Library of Medicine

The overarching goal of this proposal is to improve health among agriculture, forestry and fishing (AgFF) workers by empowering patients and clinicians to better address occupational health issues with customized resources. This resource grant will be used to update and expand the Farmworker Clinical Care Resource for Occupational Health, also known as the Farmworker Clinicians Manual website, to the “AgFF EMPOWER” (Engaging Medical Staff and Patients in Occupational Health and Wellness with Electronic Resources) web resource. This resource will enhance clinicians’ abilities to communicate, recognize occupational injuries and illnesses, and treat their patients who work in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industries and improve health literacy and personal health advocacy among agriculture, forestry, and fishing workers. Workers in agriculture, forestry and fishing largely live in rural communities, often lack adequate medical and health resources and have lower socioeconomic status (SES). Over half of physicians who work in rural settings are expected to retire within the next ten years. Regardless of being trained in the U.S. or abroad, medical education is mostly based in metropolitan or urban areas, which lessens the experience and cultural knowledge of rural places, including the role of work. Over the course of all four years of medical school, students receive less than a single day of instruction on occupational medicine, with one third reporting having no curriculum on occupational medicine, let alone agricultural (which encompasses forestry and fishing) health and safety. This revised resource will serve clinicians and AgFF workers in the northeastern United States (twelve state region from Maine to West Virginia). Expanding the resource to better serve workers, including those employed in the forestry and commercial fishing industries, directly relates to the Healthy People 2030 objectives of decreasing the proportion of adults who report poor communication with their health care provider (HC/HIT-02) and increasing the health literacy of the population (HC/HIT-R01). This resource will be developed and disseminated by a team with extensive expertise in occupational medicine and occupational health research, web design and development, health literacy, and information science. The resource development strategy will have seven phases 1) review of the existing Farmworker Clinicians Manual (FCM) website, 2) identification of up to date information and resources, 3) development of assets not available elsewhere (video/photography), 4) establishment of web development partner, 5) execution of website redesign, 6) dissemination of the new AgFF EMPOWER website, and 7) continuous evaluation and maintenance.

Department of Housing and Community Development

The California Strategic Growth Council (SGC) and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) are pleased to announce the release of this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) with approximately $650 million in funds for the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) Program (AHSC Program or Program). The AHSC Program provides grants and loans to eligible Applicants to benefit Disadvantaged Communities, Low-Income Communities, and Low-Income Households throughout California through increasing accessibility of affordable housing, employment centers, and Key Destinations via low-carbon transportation. These investments result in fewer vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through shortened or reduced vehicle trip length or mode shift from single occupancy vehicle use to transit, bicycling, or walking. Eligible Projects must fall into one of the following three eligible Project Area Types: 1. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Project Areas2. Integrated Connectivity Project (ICP) Areas3. Rural Innovation Project Areas (RIPA) Keywords: Disadvantaged Communities, Low-Income Households, Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Project Areas, Integrated Connectivity Project (ICP) Areas, Rural Innovation Project Areas (RIPA), Affordable Housing Development (AHD) loan, Housing Related Infrastructure (HRI) grant, Sustainable Transportation Infrastructure (STI) grant, Programs (PGM) (or PGM Costs) grant, AHD homeownership grant.

NSF

This project advances national scientific literacy by addressing a critical barrier in artificial intelligence (AI)-based science communication. As AI systems increasingly mediate public access to scientific knowledge, their potential omission of alternative ways of knowing, such as those in rural communities, threatens to negatively impact science literacy and adoption of new technologies. This research promotes national prosperity by developing methods of increasing trust in and use of AI for science communication and literacy, particularly for rural communities whose participation is vital for addressing challenges in areas such as agriculture and coastal fishery management. By improving how AI systems incorporate local knowledge systems, this project enhances public trust in science communication and advances scientific innovation across American communities. The project has three phases. Phase 1 establishes the extent to which rural knowledge systems are underrepresented in generative AI models and output using interviews of 20-30 individuals in rural agricultural and coastal fishing communities. Using epistemic network analysis, data from these interviews are compared to output from generative AI models, quantifying the extent of local knowledge incorporation. Phase 2 investigates the extent to which the absence of local knowledge incorporation affects community members’ perceptions of and trust in generative AI systems. Phase 3 develops and tests a retrieval augmented generation-based AI system that enhances local knowledge incorporation and its effects. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NIBIB - National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering

Project Summary/Abstract Internal hemorrhage is the second leading cause of death following trauma, with missed abdominal bleeding contributing to significant late-stage mortality and morbidity. Current diagnostic approaches, such as Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) and computed tomography (CT), require trained personnel, are not portable, and provide only intermittent assessments. These limitations are particularly acute in field and pre-hospital environments, where rapid diagnosis and triage are critical, but expertise and imaging capabilities are limited or unavailable. This STTR Phase I project proposes to develop and evaluate a novel point-of-care diagnostic device based on electrical impedance tomography (EIT) that enables automated detection and monitoring of internal bleeding. The proposed system uses a compact array of electrodes and machine learning-enhanced imaging algorithms to provide real-time information on bleeding volume and rate. It is designed for immediate use by non-expert personnel and aims to support timely triage and transport decisions in both civilian and military trauma settings. Specific Aim 1: Optimize machine learning algorithms for accurate bleeding detection using reduced- sensor EIT arrays. We will train deep neural networks to mitigate movement and breathing artifacts and validate performance using a cadaver model capable of simulating realistic bleeding and respiratory motion. Specific Aim 2: Develop and test a candidate housing for the prototype device in volunteer firefighter subjects. We will evaluate sensor application, ease of use, and device performance in fluid monitoring scenarios, alongside feedback from users on form factor and usability. This project leverages the academic team’s extensive background in electrical imaging and the small business partner’s expertise in medical device development. Success in Phase I will establish the technical foundation and user requirements needed to advance to a Phase II effort focused on ruggedization, expanded clinical testing, and regulatory preparation. The long-term vision is to produce a lightweight, self-interpreting hemorrhage detection system that can be integrated into trauma workflows across EMS, battlefield, and rural settings—ultimately improving survival outcomes through earlier, more accurate identification of internal bleeding.

NIDDK - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

PROJECT SUMMARY Anxiety is a common comorbidity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affecting up to 35% of patients, yet current IBD treatments focus primarily on clinical markers of disease activity and do not adequately address the mental health burden. This gap leads to decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL), poor patient outcomes, and increased healthcare utilization. Despite the prevalence of anxiety in IBD, access to evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is limited, particularly for patients in rural or underserved areas. Virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced CBT represents a novel, scalable solution to overcome these barriers, offering a self-administered, immersive therapy experience that is accessible from the patient’s home. This proposal aims to conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the feasibility and clinical impact of an 8-week home-based VR/AI CBT program versus sham VR control in 76 patients with IBD and anxiety. The study will be conducted at two leading IBD centers: Cedars-Sinai and the University of Chicago. Using the NIH-endorsed ORBIT Model for Developing Behavioral Treatments, our VR/AI CBT program has been refined in Phase I, and we are now ready to proceed with Phase IIa/b pilot testing. The program is designed to improve anxiety, HRQoL, and potentially inflammatory biomarkers in IBD patients. The following specific aims will be addressed: ¨Aim 1: Establish the feasibility of using an 8-week VR/AI CBT program in IBD patients with anxiety. ¨Aim 2: Acquire preliminary data on the clinical impact of the VR/AI CBT program compared to sham VR, focusing on improvements in anxiety, HRQoL (measured by IBDQ), and IBD symptoms (measured by PRO2). ¨Aim 3: Acquire exploratory data on the impact of VR/AI CBT on inflammatory biomarkers, specifically serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and fecal calprotectin (fCal). If successful, this pilot study will provide the foundation for a fully powered Phase IIc efficacy trial, advancing the development of scalable, evidence-based mental health interventions in IBD. By addressing both psychological and physiological dimensions of IBD, VR/AI CBT has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes and fill a critical unmet need in the management of IBD.

NIAAA - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Abstract/Project Summary Alcohol consumption, contexts, and consequences across the transition to legal drinking: A longitudinal EMA burst design Heavy alcohol use accounts for approximately 178,000 deaths each year in the U.S., where the annual economic cost of excessive drinking is estimated to be over $249 billion. There is considerable evidence that excessive alcohol use patterns often begin in late adolescence or early adulthood. A crucial event in young adulthood is the transition to the legal drinking, which occurs at 21 years of age in all U.S. States. The transition to legal drinking is associated with changes in patterns of alcohol use and can introduce substantial and abrupt changes in the context in which consumption occurs and the consequences associated with excessive consumption. We propose an intensive longitudinal study of 20-year-olds, using a population-based sample, and employing a longitudinal burst design covering the 6 months before and after each participant’s 21st birthday. Specifically, participants will be sampled from a Driver’s License data-base of those born and resident in Missouri rural or small metro areas (see Recruitment and Retention for maps), with dates of birth 2005-2008. Participants (50% woman-identifying, 12% Black American) will complete five repeated 2-week EMA bursts at roughly 3-month intervals, over 12 months. We will use ecological momentary assessment (EMA), including self-report, smartphone breathalyzers, and smartphone sensors, to study alcohol use, contexts, and correlates. We focus on four core addiction constructs: cognitive control/executive functioning; reward; negative affect/valence; and response to alcohol. These constructs are central to current theoretical frameworks for understanding alcohol addiction. Each is hypothesized to influence substance use, in part, through in-the- moment processes (e.g., cue-elicited craving, alcohol-induced increases in impulsivity), and are therefore ideal foci for EMA investigations and potential therapeutic targets. The proposed project has three major Aims: Aim 1. Characterize changes in drinking context (e.g., where, with whom, what others are drinking, and how much) across the transition to legal drinking. Aim 2. Characterize changes in drinking topography (frequency of drinking, speed of drinking, type of alcohol, timing of drinking) and in frequency of alcohol consequences across the transition. Aim 3. Test person × environment interactions in the prediction of event-level drinking topography and consequences. This aim will examine how drinking contexts, and changes in contexts across the transition to legal drinking, constrain or exacerbate the influence of core person-level constructs on drinking topography and consequences. The proposed work can provide insights into risk for significant alcohol consequences and the development alcohol use disorder in young adults that cannot be achieved using traditional approaches. We can examine drinking patterns across time, within bursts, and within participants and can inform intervention approaches that prevent or target maladaptive drinking patterns.

NINR - National Institute of Nursing Research

American Indian (AI) women experience significant challenges in maternal morbidity and mortality, particularly in rural areas where 40% of AI women reside. This research aims to address these differences by employing AI research methodologies to explore the impact of the AI doula role. By integrating AI-specific protective factors, evidence-based practices, and doula best practices, the project seeks to evaluate the impact of doula support on comprehensive maternal health outcomes, including receipt of guideline-concordant perinatal care, perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) symptoms, breastfeeding initiation, and characteristics of labor/delivery, among other areas. Building on a 40+ year partnership between the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health (JH CIH) and the Navajo Nation, this study will be conducted in collaboration with two rural Navajo communities: Tuba City and Fort Defiance, Arizona. These sites are key hubs for perinatal care and labor/delivery within the largest federally recognized AI nation in the United States. The research is deeply rooted in community-engaged practices, with continuous collaboration with Community Research Councils (CRCs) and community approvals integrated into all stages of the project. Community engagement is central to this study. All research activities will be guided by a CRC of 8–10 Navajo community members, including health providers, counselors, Navajo knowledge keepers, and doulas. Facilitation and ongoing communication with the CRC will be jointly led by the Principal Investigator (Dr. Richards), local JH CIH site coordinators, and study doulas. The study has received strong support from various community organizations and stakeholders, including the Diné Doula Collective, Navajo Breastfeeding Coalition, and local healthcare institutions. Utilizing a Hybrid Type I effectiveness-implementation design, the study focuses on maternal health outcomes, particularly increasing guideline-concordant postpartum engagement, a priority identified by the community. The measurement of costs will provide valuable insights for potential implementing partner organizations and future Medicaid reimbursement. To ensure broad dissemination of our findings, the study will be registered on ClinicalTrials.gov within 21 days of the trial’s start date, with regular updates and adverse event reporting. Results will be submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov within 12 months of study completion. Informed consent documents will include statements about the posting of clinical trial information. We will share our findings with community partners through co-developed lay summaries and presentations, and disseminate results via local newsletters, tribal radio programs, and newspapers. For researchers and policymakers, results will be presented at national conferences, through webinars, and published in peer- reviewed journals.