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Category: Community Engaged Research

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Award: Second Place for Nashman Center Community Engaged Research

Project: Making Work Work: Improving Employment Outcomes for Autistic Adults 

Adam Berman, an autistic man, noticed that available research on autistic adults does not adequately collect the voices of other autistic adults when discussing satisfactory employment outcomes. Berman explored beyond the typical terms of wages and hours worked, which are important factors of employment quality but they do not grasp what satisfactory employment is to autistic adults.

With authentic, purposeful research, he made sure to include the opinions of other autistic adults through a mix of interviews and surveys. He asked questions regarding how the world of work has treated them and how their autism impacted employment outcomes. The results of these interviews suggest that systemic change to the world of employment must be made in order to better include autistic adults.

Read more about the project here.

The findings propose a new framework for how self-determination can positively impact autistic adults' employment prospects. Berman found that autistic people are often unemployed, work fewer hours and earn less money than neurotypical peers with other disabilities. Autistic people also struggle to determine their career paths and are directed by others into undesired careers.

Questions the study answered:
What self-determination capacity variables predict gainful, high-quality employment for autistic students?
How do the individual capacities (volitional action, agentic action, and action-control beliefs) of self-determination affect employment outcomes for autistic people?
What self-determination skills do autistic people value the most in finding and maintaining high-quality employment?
What makes autistic people satisfied with their employment?
What do autistic adults say about employment and self-determination that would explain the regression analysis? 

With the help of his research, seven themes of autism and employment were found common amongst autistic adults as well as many areas of silence between the survey and interview results.

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Award: Community Engaged Research Honorable Mention

Project: For Imposters, By Imposters: Community-Engaged Research to Mitigate Imposter Phenomenon Prevalence in Peer Tutors 

CCAS student Jurnee Louder's University Writing centered research impressed judges while presenting her literature review at GW's annual research showcase in spring 2022. 

The research question initially originated in talks with past and current GW writing center consultants. Anecdotally, many individuals reported what they identified as imposter phenomenon (IP) or what the researcher identified as likely symptoms of IP. Therefore, this research and the intervention are done with the intent to mitigate these distressing experiences. All research participants will be able to provide feedback on their experiences with the intervention and detail what other systemic changes are needed within the writing center to better support individuals who experience IP.

While writing center (WC) scholarship has begun to explore writers’ confidence and belief in themselves as writers (Mackiewicz & Thompson),  little, if any, WC research has investigated imposter phenomenon (IP) — the intellectual phonineness individuals often feel when achieving success (Clance & Imes, 1978). Imposters — individuals who are experiencing IP — often feel their success was achieved by mistake or luck, and soon they will be outed as intellectual fakes (Clance & Imes, 1978). This experience may lead to heightened incidences of anxiety and low self-esteem (Cokely et al., 2013). Previous literature suggests that individuals experience IP in both academic and professional settings, which may hold strong implications for peer tutors who occupy both realms (Clance & Imes, 1978; Parkman, 2016).

Throughout Spring 2022, I am conducting an IRB-governed study on IP among WC tutors at the George Washington University Writing Center. My research will quantitatively identify how many participating tutors experience symptoms of IP by using validated IP scales. Furthermore, I will develop an intervention — a workshop that provides peer tutors with tools to address their IP experience. 

I hope to find that IP prevalence will be mitigated by a targeted intervention, leading to more confident peer tutors. At the research showcase, I would present my literature review, an overview of the intervention workshop, and initial findings, so that a) peer tutors can identify what might work for them, b) WC researchers can expand upon the IP literature and c), administrators can identify systemic changes to make in WCs to mitigate IP prevalence across peer tutor populations.

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An excellent crowd gathered during the 2022 GW Research Showcase for the seven student finalists to present for the Nashman Center Prize for Community Engaged Research. Congratulations to this year's recipients!

Community Engaged Research describes inquiry that is for public benefit, informing community decisions, programming, or advocacy. This work is conducted through collaborative processes that engage community members and research together as partners. Each year, at the GW Research Showcase, the Nashman Center recognizes outstanding examples of this work. 

...continue reading "2022 Winners: Nashman Center Prize for Community Engaged Research"

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HumanitiesDC has announced upcoming grants for their second cycle of funding for 2022. Applications open on April 25th, 2022. The upcoming grants include: 

FESTIVALS AND GATHERINGS GRANT: Awards up to: $25,000
This opportunity provides resources to nonprofit organizations interested in creating relevant, diverse, and unique public humanities programs for the people of Washington DC through the execution of Festival/Events/Meetings/Conferences, etc. The funding will support in person, virtual or hybrid projects (as long as they comply with local and Federal guidelines). The gathering must be open to the public and includes some portion of free or discounted programming. 

CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT: Awards up to: $25,000
This grant opportunity is available to Nonprofit Humanities Organizations in the District that are looking to take their organization to the next level. This general operating funding is intended to help humanities organizations in the District invest in their organization.

HUMANITINI CURATOR GRANT: Awards up to: $5,000
HumanitiesDC is offering the opportunity for DC residents conducting and presenting original humanities research to become Humanitini Curators. Each Curator will create an in-person or virtual public humanities program based on their research or area of expertise. As part of the application, prospective curators will need to fully describe this research topic, and where it is situated within a wider humanities field. 

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Encourage your students to apply for the 2022 Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award! The Youth Public Service Award is presented to someone who has demonstrated the spirit of and commitment to public service, and has overcome barriers and challenges to succeed.  ...continue reading "Call for Applications: 2022 Samuel Halperin Youth Public Service Award "

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If your student has logged over 100 hours of community service between April 25, 2021 and April 24, 2022, they will earn the President’s Volunteer Service Award issued by the White House. 

The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) recognizes the important role of volunteers and the positive impact their service has on communities. 

Please remind your students to report their hours on Givepulse by 11:59 p.m. ET on April 24, 2022. If you have questions, email gwserves@gwu.edu for help!

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The University of Michigan’s Journal of Diversity Scholarship for Social Change invites proposals for their special issue that asks the question, “Are Anti-Racism Efforts Having an Impact in Organizations and Communities?” ...continue reading "Call for Papers: Are Anti-Racism Efforts Having an Impact in Organizations and Communities?"

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The Bonner Foundation will be hosting a virtual Teaching Social Action Summer ‘22 Institute on June 28-30. This three-day institute will introduce faculty and staff to an approach for incorporating social action campaigns into either a semester-long course or co-curricular workshop series.  ...continue reading "Upcoming Event: Teaching Social Action Summer Institute "

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Join POAH Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, April 6th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm on Zoom for a discussion about the history of Barry Farm. The discussion will be led by Alcione M. Amos, a museum curator at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum. 

The discussion will touch upon how Barry Farm became a settlement for formerly enslaved people after the Civil War and about the construction of Barry Farm Dwellings in 1942 for African Americans supporting World War II efforts. 

Register by clicking here.

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Dr. Tamara Taggart teaches this terrific summer course for graduate students, introducing students to the purpose, guiding principles, and methodology of community-based participatory research. This is a terrific opportunity for preparing students for graduate research assistantships. Please promote to your own student research teams.

Course Information: PUBH 6534.10; Summer 2 2022; 2 credits
Community-Based Participatory Research
Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30-7:40PM, 6 weeks
Professor: Tamara Taggart, PhD, MPH

Students gain a broad understanding of the importance of addressing community needs when examining how social, political, and economic factors influence health and health outcomes. The course provides an examination of the relevant CBPR literature with a particular focus on the history, theoretical frameworks, and application of CBPR within public health programs and research.

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Register now for HumanitiesDC Oral History workshop on Tuesday, May 3rd from 6:30pm-8:30pm. The course, led by Anna Kaplan, PhD., will introduce participants to the basic tools and best practices for conducting oral histories. 

The workshop will consist of three sessions - registrants must commit to participating in each session: May 3, 10, & 17. 

Learn more OR register for the event HERE. 

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Check out two recent and important pieces of public writing from GW’s Sociology Department. 

While finishing up his Criminology MA program, Evan Douglas wrote an op-ed titled, “D.C. can pioneer a new way forward in drug policy” for the Washington Post. 

Professors Daina Eglitis and Michelle Kelso wrote an article titled, “A Fearsome Precedent” about risks to girls and women in Ukraine for the online European magazine, Transitions.

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Join CUMU for the first time in two years for their 27th Annual Conference: The Essential Role of Urban and Metropolitan Universities. The Conference will take place in San Diego, California from October 23th-26th and will explore how the urban mission can be fully integrated into operations, structure, partnerships, and academic objectives. ...continue reading "Save the Date: 2022 CUMU Annual Conference"

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This year’s IARSLCE Publication of the Year Award highlighted the book Rewriting Partnerships: Community Perspectives on Community-Based Learning.  ...continue reading "Good Reads: Rewriting Partnerships: Community Perspectives on Community-Based Learning"

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