A new program designed to identify solutions for some of the pressing needs and issues facing the greater Charlotte region is getting underway this fall at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute. For the first time, the Institute has named a cohort of Faculty Fellows to conduct research projects and work alongside local stakeholders to understand and share findings that can guide community decision-making.
Thanks to the Charlotte Opportunity Insights Partnership and funding from the Gambrell Foundation, the Faculty Fellows program will first focus on economic mobility. Seven research projects and 12 Opportunity Faculty Fellows have been selected as the inaugural cohort. They represent a range of disciplines from the Belk College of Business, the College of Arts + Architecture, the Cato College of Education, the College of Health and Human Services and the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
The Faculty Fellows program includes research and engagement components. First, competitive research funding ranging from $7,500 to $15,000 per project will support short-term (up to 18 months) research that addresses important local issues. Second, Faculty Fellows and community stakeholders will participate in quarterly meetings through 2021 that highlight the research, deepen the capacity to build partnerships and ensure the translation of research to the broader community.
Email Lori Thomas (lorithomas@uncc.edu), director of research and faculty engagement for the Urban Institute, with questions.