A College of Education faculty member was among 10 recipients of this year’s Independent Scholarship, Research, and Creativity Awards (ISRCA), administered by the University of Maryland’s Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice President for Research. Now in its fifth year, the program provides grant funding to support a diverse range of research and scholarly projects, including studies on climate change, the ethics of artificial intelligence and ancient European history.
“This pivotal program highlights our faculty’s creativity and expertise across diverse disciplines in many exciting forms and innovative ways,” said Senior Vice President and Provost Jennifer King Rice. “We look forward to seeing the results of these compelling projects brought to fruition.”
Richard Prather, associate professor in the College of Education’s Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, received the award to support his project “Is Cognitive Development Universal? Critical Approaches to Cognition.” Through this project, Prather will produce resources for researchers and students who are interested in the topic.
Launched in 2019, the ISRCA program aims to advance the professional development of faculty engaged in scholarly and creative work. Eligible projects may use historical, humanistic, interpretive or ethnographic approaches; explore aesthetic, ethical and/or cultural values and their roles in society; conduct critical or rhetorical analysis; engage in archival and/or field research; and develop or produce creative works. Awardees are selected based on peer review of the quality of the proposed project, the degree to which the project will lead to the applicant’s professional advancement, and the potential academic and societal impact of the project.
The 2025 awardees, representing five colleges and nine departments across campus, will each receive up to $10,000 to support their research endeavors and associated expenses.
“I am happy to see the continued strong interest and engagement in this program from our faculty, as well as the broad spectrum of subjects that the research and scholarship supported by these grants will explore,” said Vice President for Research Gregory F. Ball.
This story is adapted from an article that first appeared in Maryland Today.
