Research Awards

This page highlights recent research awards received by faculty and staff across the University of Memphis, showcasing the scope, scale, and impact of their work. These awards support innovative research, creative activity, and community-engaged projects spanning transportation, public safety, health, education, the arts, and workforce development.

Collectively, they reflect strong partnerships with federal, state, industry, and nonprofit funders and underscore the University’s commitment to advancing knowledge, addressing real-world challenges, and creating lasting impact locally and beyond.

Melvyn Harding, Director of Student Support Services, received $1,430,545 from the U.S. Department of Education for his project “TRIO Student Support Services-CLASSIC 2025,” and $1,351,820 from the U.S. Department of Education for his project “TRIO Student Support Services-STEM 2025.”

 

Dr. Mitchell Withers, Associate Research Professor at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI), was awarded $895,135 from the U.S. Geological Survey for his project “Operation of the CERI Seismic Network 2025-2029.”

 

Dr. Sabyasachee Misha, Professor of Civil Engineering, was awarded $599,978 from the National Safety Administration and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security for his project “Enhancing Tennessee Integrated Traffic Analysis Network (E-TITAN): Data Quality and Analytical Unit.”

 

Dr. M. David Rudd, Distinguished Professor of Psychology, was awarded $513,967 from the U.S. Department of Defense for his project “Examining the Efficacy of a Digital Therapeutic to Prevent Suicidal Behaviors.”

 

Dr. Yufeng Zhang, Associate Professor of Health Sciences, received $295,243 from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for his project “Deploying Ultralight Solar Transmitters on Rufous (Selasphorus rufus) and Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) to Document Movement Ecology.”

 

Dr. Brian Waldron, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering and Director of the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering (CAESER) was awarded $197,911 from the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation for his project “TDEC E&O and WHP.”

 

Dr. Latrice Pichon, Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the School of Public Health, was awarded $140,577 from the National Institutes of Health for her project “A Multimethod Assessment of the Clinical, Economic & Social Impact of the Rejection of Federal HIV Prevention Funds in Tennessee.”

Dr. Kristoffer Berlin, Professor of Psychology, was awarded $135,013 from the National Institutes of Health for his project “Family mHealth Intervention to Improve Health Outcomes in Black Youth with Type 1 Diabetes: A Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial.”

 

Dr. Vasile Rus, Jack and Jane Morris Professor of Computer Science, was awarded $125,000 from the U.S. Department of Defense for his project “Advancing Competency Training with Recent Developments in Artificial Intelligence, Learning Engineering, and Learning Sciences.”

 

Dr. Carl Herickhoff, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, was awarded $97,795 from the National Science Foundation for his project “CAREER: Super-Resolution 3D Ultrasound Imaging of Brain Activity.”

 

Dr. Thomas Goebel, Associate Professor at the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI) was awarded $95,139 from the National Science Foundation for his project “How do faults respond to rapid stressing rate changes?: A study of induced earthquakes in geo-reservoirs and implications for aftershock triggering.”

 

Mary Tucker, Chief Policy and Compliance Officer for University Schools, was awarded $74,600 from the Tennessee Department of Education for her project “FY26 Tutoring Innovation Grant,” $4,000 by the Tennessee Department of Education for her project “FY26 Early Literacy Tutoring Grant,” $2,500 by the Tennessee Valley Authority for her project “Campus School STEM Classroom,” and $2,500 by the Tennessee Valley Authority for her project “Campus Kimball: Robotics Program Grant.”

 

Dr. Mark Gillenson, Professor of Management Information Systems, was awarded $61,250 from the Department of Homeland Security for his project “Testing & Evaluation Course Instruction and Research in Support of Information Technology Systems.”

 

Dr. Jeffrey Marchetta, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was awarded $50,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy for his project “TN 3-Star Industrial Assessment Center.”

Dr. Jani Johnson, Associate Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, was awarded $44,848 from Samsung Research America, Inc. for her project “Clinical validation of the Samsung OTC self-fitting hearing aid feature.”

 

Dr. Selina Makana, Assistant Professor of History, was awarded $35,000 by the New York Public Library Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture for her project “Makana Schomburg Center Scholars-in-Residence Program.”

 

Dr. Grace Phillips, Assistant Professor of Economics, was awarded $29,635 by Arnold Ventures for her project “Planning Grant: A Comprehensive Examination of the Effects of Prison Oversight.”

 

Dr. Kibaek Kim, Assistant Professor of Sport and Entertainment Management in the Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality & Resort Management, was awarded $15,000 by the American Athletics Conference for his project “Enhancing International College Athletes' Mental Well-Being Through Campus Cultural Integration: A Multi-Institutional Study.”

 

Dr. Joah Williams, Associate Professor of Psychology, was awarded $15,000 by the National Institute of Justice for his project “Early Intervention for Victims of Crime: Evaluation of Skills for Psychological Recovery.”

 

Dr. Matthew Haught, Professor and Department Chair of Journalism and Strategic Media, was awarded $11,000 by the Board of the A-Mark Foundation for his project “A-Mark Foundation Journalism Scholarship.”

 

Michael Hagge, Professor and Department Chair of Architecture, was awarded $8,800 by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance for his project “Department of Architecture State of Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners block grant.”