The Bob Graham Center has selected recipients of the 2024-25 Haskell Faculty Research Award.
Faculty scholars from diverse fields of study will receive a grant of up to $3,000 to fund research on topics related to the Graham Center’s principles of civic engagement, public leadership, and public service. The results of each project will be completed by the end of the 2024-25 academic year and disseminated in the public sphere.
Each faculty recipient has enlisted the assistance of an undergraduate UF student in their research project. The student’s contribution will be recognized through co-authorship or acknowledgment in the research work, and receive $750 during each semester the project is active.
DR. TERESA CORNACCHIONE AND SELIN CILTAS
The Agendas and Behavior of Florida’s Women Legislators
Dr. Teresa Cornacchione, lecturer and civic engagement coordinator at the Graham Center, and Selin Ciltas, a second-year political science and economics student, will complete a comprehensive study examining the legislative behaviors of women in the Florida legislature.
Their project seeks to fill crucial gaps in existing research by examining individual state legislative institutions, specifically focusing on Florida.
Dr. Cornacchione is a political scientist whose research focusing on women and politics has been presented at conferences like the Comparative Agendas Project Conference and published in Political Behavior and the Journal of Women, Politics, and Policy. Her commitment to fostering civic engagement is evident through her involvement in initiatives like the Civic Scholars program and Gators Vote.
Selin’s passion for civic engagement is shown through her involvement with organizations like When We All Vote and UF Chomp the Vote. Selin will earn co-author status by being heavily involved in data collection, coding, and analysis.
With an extensive dataset spanning from 1989 to the present day, the team will analyze bills and code them according to topic and sponsors’ gender, party affiliation, background, and co-sponsorship activities. They hope to shed light on the nuanced dynamics of gender in Florida legislative politics.
DR. BRIAN CAHILL AND REBECCA KERN
The Role of ADHD in Eyewitness Decision-Making
Dr. Brian Cahill, an associate instructional professor, and Rebecca Kern, a second-year honors student majoring in psychology and religion, will conduct research that examines the intricate dynamics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and its potential impact on eyewitness decision-making—a critical frontier in legal psychology.
Dr. Cahill earned his Ph.D. in legal psychology from Florida International University, specializing in the intersection between social and cognitive psychology impacting legal decision-making. He brings extensive insight to the project with his experience serving as an expert witness in criminal cases.
Rebecca, an aspiring clinical psychologist, is dedicated to social justice and reform, viewing this research as a pivotal step toward advocating for the wrongfully incarcerated and fostering impartial legal practices.
Together they will complete a comprehensive study using a 2 x 2 between-subjects design. As many as 6,000 randomly assigned participants will be involved in the study, which aims to demonstrate the nuanced relationship between ADHD, eyewitness confidence. and accuracy.
Dr. Cahill and Rebecca plan for widespread dissemination of their finding, including presentations at national conferences, scholarly publications, and engagement with media outlets.
By disseminating results of their research to a broad audience, they hope to bring about substantive change within the legal landscape, mitigating the incidence of wrongful convictions and fostering greater public engagement in criminal justice reform efforts.
DR. ANNA PETERSON AND AAYUSHI PATEL
Student Responses to Higher Education Initiatives in Florida
Dr. Anna Peterson, professor in the Department of Religion, and Aayushi Patel, a sophomore majoring in women’s studies and psychology, aim to amplify the often-overlooked perspectives of undergraduate students regarding the transformative landscape of higher education in Florida.
Dr. Peterson’s expertise lies in social and environmental ethics, with a keen focus on the intersection of religion, social movements, and public change. She has authored numerous influential works, including Works Righteousness: Material Practice in Ethical Theory and Cats and Conservationists: The Debate Over Who Owns the Outdoors. Dr. Peterson chairs the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars and co-founded Ethics in the Public Sphere, a platform fostering constructive dialogues on contentious issues.
Aayushi has been actively involved with the Brown Center for Leadership and Service, channeling her passion for social change through initiatives like the Path to Purpose and Changemakers Dialogue programs. Currently, she works as a student fundraiser at the UF Engagement Center, committed to making a positive impact in the UF community.
Dr. Peterson and Aayushi will document and analyze perspectives of UF undergraduate students through surveys and interviews. They will shed light on opinions regarding DEI initiatives, as well as the broader implications of legislative changes championed by Governor Ron DeSantis.
By co-authoring an op-ed for a national newspaper and producing a visually engaging documentary, Dr. Peterson and Aayushi Patel aim to spark meaningful dialogue and inspire positive change within the realm of higher education in Florida and beyond.
DR. CHRISTINE OVERDEVEST AND SARAH HENRY
Examining the Impact of the H2theFuture Industrial Cluster Project in South Louisiana
Dr. Christine Overdevest, Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, and Sarah Henry, a junior studying journalism and minoring in environmental justice and policy, will investigate the H2theFuture project in South Louisiana.
The H2theFuture project is an initiative to revitalize a region historically dependent on fossil fuels, pivoting toward a clean hydrogen industrial cluster.
Drawing on her extensive expertise in environmental and economic sociology, Dr. Overdevest will shed light on personal stories behind the H2theFuture project while providing crucial insights into the transition to clean energy industries.
Sarah has a special interest in environmental reporting and has contributed to stories on chemical contamination, citrus greening, and agricultural aid after Hurricane Idalia. She will be instrumental in analyzing interview data, conducting thematic analysis, and crafting a compelling narrative for local publication.
Through the Times Picayune, a widely-read publication in South Louisiana, the project aims to inform and engage diverse stakeholders in discussions surrounding the transition to clean energy and environmental sustainability. By examining the specific approach of the industrial cluster, they aim to provide meaningful insights that can inform future green industrial policy decisions.
DR. TIMOTHY KARIS AND MADELINE FLINT
The Symbolic and Material Impacts of Redevelopment in Orlando’s Mills 50 District
Dr. Timothy Karis, senior lecturer and undergraduate coordinator for UF’s international studies program, and Madeline Flint, a junior studying international studies with a focus on Asia, will examine attempts to revitalize and redevelop Orlando’s Mills 50 district and the impacts on the Vietnamese community there, addressing both symbolic and material transformations.
Dr. Karis, a cultural anthropologist, has a research interest in the intricate social fabric of urban landscapes. His most recent research examines peri-urban villages experiencing development-induced displacement in Hanoi, Vietnam. His work has been published in journals such as The Asia Pacific Journal of Anthropology and Migration Studies.
A native of Orlando, Madeline brings a deep-rooted interest in the effects of development and gentrification on her local community. Beyond academia, she is an advocate for queer rights, serving on UF’s Presidential LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee and contributing to the Florida Queer History Project within the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program.
Dr. Karis and Madeline will distribute surveys and conduct interviews with a variety of stakeholders, including local residents and business owners, city officials, and members of Vietnamese cultural organizations. They will also conduct library-based and online research on the history and identity of the Mills 50 neighborhood.
By highlighting the economic and political inequalities underlying gentrification, they aim to contribute valuable new insights into the consequences of revitalization efforts in ethnically-diverse urban neighborhoods.