Faculty Grants Support Academic Research, Collaboration, and Exploration

In the 2024-2025 academic year, nearly 20 faculty members received funding from several of Sweet Briar’s competitive internal grants to share and further their research and academic pursuits.

Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Leighanne Pennington used grant funding to present at several conferences, including sharing her paper, “Preparing Teachers to Provide Responsive Instruction for Academically Advanced Learners: The Role of Educator Preparation Programs,” at the Association of Teacher Educators’ Summer Conference. During the conference, she was also able to join a research project about teacher retention as part of the Inquiry Initiative program.

“The benefits of this summer conference included gaining new ideas and inspiration related to teacher education, which is very important being in a small education program here at Sweet Briar. I learned about best practices in teacher education, solved problems with other educators, and interacted with teacher educators from across the country,” Dr. Pennington shared. “I also co-presented a topic in my area of research interests, gifted education and teacher educator preparation. This helped me to share my ideas with other researchers, while also shedding new light about the course content and equity considerations when designing teacher prep program curricula.”

Dr. Pennington also used grant funding to present an interactive session, “Supporting Mentor Teacher/Pre-Service Teacher Partnerships Through Building Relationships and Problem-Solving,” at the Virginia Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development’s Annual Conference.

Dr. Nick Kinney leads an academic session.Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Nick Kinney used a faculty grant to publish the paper “Short Tandem Repeat Variants are Possibly Associated with RNA Secondary Structure and Gene Expression” that he co-authored with Dikshya Pathak ’25, Emma Evans ’26, and Paola Arias ’25 in the journal PLOS One. Their recent study tests the hypothesis that some mutations affect the structure of RNA rather than enzymes. Throughout the project, the student co-authors were able to see the scientific process from start to finish, including the Python code used throughout the project and negotiating peer review.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Art History Dr. Becky Bivens used two grants to continue and share her research on novelist and art critic Sonya Rudikoff. Over the summer, Dr. Bivens visited Princeton University to examine Rudikoff’s papers, including her archives, which contain nearly 700 pages of an unfinished novel manuscript. She hopes to use her art historians’ perspective to write about perceived ideas about gender and emotion in the art movement to which Rudikoff contributed. The funding also contributed to Dr. Bivens presenting a paper on the same topic at the Southeastern College Art Association’s Annual Conference.

“This research wouldn’t be possible without a faculty grant, which allowed me to visit the archives in person,” noted Dr. Bivens.

In February, Assistant Professor of Economics Dr. Nathaniel Smith traveled to Louisville, K.Y., to present his paper, “Revolution: Sendero Luminoso, Land Reform, and the Persistence of Government Failure” at the Public Choice Society Annual Meeting. His research focuses on the revolution in Peru from 1980-1992 led by Abimael Guzmán’s Sendero Luminoso against the newly formed civilian government in Lima. Through an extension of Gordon Tullock’s “Paradox of Revolution,” Dr. Smith argues that Sendero’s unique circumstances allowed them to overcome revolutionary movements’ public good.

Dr. Dwana Waugh presents during a Sweet Talks lecture.Associate Professor of History Dr. Dwana Waugh was awarded a grant to continue her research on desegregation in Prince Edward County, Va. Over the summer, she examined Virginia Superintendent records from the 1970s and 1980s, building on her research of how the county has wrestled with the difficult history of massive resistance in preserving a former African American high school.

Associate Professor of Philosophy Dr. Chris Penfield presented two papers and secured licensing rights in relation to his forthcoming book with grants. He shared his paper, “Foucault’s Virtual Force Ontology: A Critical Supplement to Studies in Algorithmic Governmentality,” at the Northwest Philosophy Conference, which proposes a heterodox reading of Foucault, both to recast his political philosophy and to intervene with respect to its recent application in studies of “algorithmic governmentality.” Dr. Penfield also led a philosophy workshop, “Notes for a Minor Philosophy: Harris, Deleuze, and Insurrectionary Counterthought,” at Purdue University.

Other projects, presentations, and research powered by faculty grants were completed by:

• Dr. Paige Bridges, Business: Presented a paper at The Marketing Educators’ Association (MEA) annual conference; received certificate in Generative AI: Technology, Business, and Society Program from Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence
• Dr. Richard Hollister, Mathematics: Presented a paper at the annual meeting of the International Linear Algebra Society
• Dr. Megan Kobiela, Biology: Presented posters at two the annual Evolution Meeting and the meeting of the Animal Behavior Society.
• Dr. Tim Loboschefski, Psychology: Purchased a replacement lab computer to facilitate his research project with colleagues at the University of Virginia to reexamine data collected as part of his work on EEG markers for ADHD
• Dr. Susannah Nevison, English and Creative Writing: Attended the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference
• Shawn O’Connor, Studio Art: Attend the Sustain: Woodfire NC 2025 Conference
• Dr. Erin Pitt, Archaeology and Ancient Studies: Supported the Matohanasaj Archaeological Project in Albania
• Dr. Joe Sacksteder, English and Creative Writing: Attended the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference
• Dr. Anne Elise Thomas, Music: Conducted research at the University of California, Santa Barbara, on Middle Eastern music ensembles
• Cheryl Warnock, Theatre: Attended the U.S. Institute of Theatre Technology Conference and Stage Expo; conducted a pre-Themed Entertainment Design trip to Busch Gardens-Williamsburg

Under the oversight of the Faculty Advancement Committee, faculty can submit proposals for grant and professional development support three times during each academic year. The first deadline for the 2025-2026 cycle is in October. We can’t wait to see what applications and projects the next round of grants brings!