News & Events
Grants in Review
Last calendar year, CLASS amassed about $4 million in grants from national and local organizations. These research dollars are crucial to the continued development of the liberal arts and social sciences through critical and creative thought.
Federal Grants
| Faculty |
Project |
Agency | Award | Department |
| Candice Alfano | “When Parents Go to War: Psychosocial Adjustment among the Families of Deployed OEF/OIF Service Members” | Department of Defense flow through University of Central Florida | $557,150 | Psychology |
| Jennifer Augustine | “Mother's Education After Childbearing and Family Well-being” | National Institute of Child Health and Human Development | $160,063 | Sociology |
| Ferenc Bunta, David Francis, Arturo Hernandez |
“Phonological acquisition in bilingual children with cochlear implants” | National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders | $451,417 | Communication Science and Disorders |
| Casey Due-Hackney | “Editing as a Discovery Process: Accessing centuries of scholarship in one 10th century manuscript of the Iliad” | National Endowment for the Humanities | $276,115 | Modern and Classical Languages |
| Samantha Farris | “Panic-Relevant Sensations and Smoking Motivation” | National Institute on Drug Abuse | $32,173 | Psychology |
| Carolyn Ha | “The Effects of Intranasal Oxytocin on Social Cognitive Functioning in Adolescents with Borderline Personality Disorder compared to a sample of Non-clinical Adolescents” | National Institute of Mental Health | $34,471 | Psychology |
| J. Leigh Leasure | “Brain Damage and Exercise Neurorestoration After Repeated Binge Alcohol Exposure” | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism | $211,504 | Psychology |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-Michael E. DeBakey, VA Epilepsy Ctr. of Excellence (ECE), Neurology Care Line-Collins: Student J. Grabyan” | Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center | $19,559 | Psychology |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-Michael E. DeBakey, VA TBI Center-Pastorek: Graduate Student Jennifer Nicole Seidl” | Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center | $16,299 | Psychology |
| William Paloski | “NASA Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Agreement: Manager, Human Research Program” | NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Johnson Space Center | $413,525 | Health and Human Performance |
| Claudia Schmuckli | “Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art” | National Endowment for the Arts | $50,000 | Blaffer Gallery |
| Amanda Venta | “Oxytocin and Social Engagement” | National Institute of Mental Health | $62,350 | Psychology |
| Sharon Wen | “STARTALK Texas Teacher Program at the University of Houston” | National Security Agency | $92,050 | Modern and Classical Languages |
| Rheeda Walker-Obasi | “A Transdisciplinary Prevention Center Focused on Rural African American Families” | National Institute of Health flow through University of Georgia | $20,817 | Psychology |
| Michael Zvolensky | “Integrated Smoking Cessation Treatment for Emotional Dysregulation” | National Institute on Drug Abuse | $660,565 | Psychology |
| Michael Zvolensky | “Anxiety Reduction Treatment for HIV+ Individuals” | National Institute of Mental Health | $34,471 | Psychology |
National Foundations and Organizations
| Faculty |
Project |
Agency | Award | Department |
| James Conyers | "ACT Preparation in Houston, Texas: The Mate Masie Educational Model" | National Council for Black Studies | $1,800 | African American Studies |
| Karen Farber | “Proposal Development Funds REPRESENT!” | Association of Performing Arts Presenters | $5,000 | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts |
| Karen Farber | “Radar LA – Hospital” | New England Foundation for the Arts | $700 | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts |
| Nicolas Kanellos | “At Risk: Latino boys and men across California” | Marguerite Casey Foundation | $50,000 | Arte Publico Press |
| Charles S. Kayne | “Enhanced Development of the Office of Scientific Data Review and Dissemination - Joshua Yellen” | WYLE Laboratories | $45,625 | Health and Human Performance |
| Elaine Liu | “Confucianism and Social Preferences: Evidence from Lab Experiments” | Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange | $13,354 | Economics |
| Carla Sharp | “The effects of exogenous oxytocin on mentalizing and the moderating role of attachment security in adolescents with borderline traits” | American Psychoanalytic Association | $19,748 | Psychology |
| Christiane Spitzmueller | “Assessing Incident Rates Among INGAA Foundation Member Organizations” | INGAA Foundation | $5,400 | Psychology |
| Jennifer Tackett | “Behavior and Personality Development Research for ACT” | ACT, Inc. | $40,950 | Psychology |
State Organizations
| Faculty |
Project |
Agency | Award | Department |
| Alan Austin | “Texas Music Festival 2013” | Texas Commission on the Arts | $9,000 | Moores School of Music |
| Karen Farber | “Arts Respond Performance Support grant: Sehba Sarwar 2” | Texas Commission on the Arts | $4,500 | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts |
| Nicolas Kanellos | “TCA-HEALTH & HUMAN SERVIES: Hispanic Children's Wellness Books” | Texas Commission on the Arts | $2,535 | Arte Publico Press |
| Nicolas Kanellos | “TCA Operational Support” | Texas Commission on the Arts | $6,000 | Arte Publico Press |
| Nicolas Kanellos | “TCA Education - Arts Respond Project” | Texas Commission on the Arts | $4,000 | Arte Publico Press |
| Rex Koontz | “South-Central Mesoamerican Conference 2013 Keynote Address” | Humanities Texas | $1,400 | Art |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-UTHSCH Breier: Graduate Student Lindsey Harik” | University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | $19,559 | Psychology |
| Lan Ni | “Ethical Community Stakeholder Engagement in the Global Environment: Impact on Relationship Management and Conflict Resolution” | Penn State University - The Arthur W. Page Center Research Center | $3,000 | Jack J. Valenti School of Communication |
| John Roberts | TRIP-CLASS | Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board | $112,500 | Dean, Liberal Arts and Social Sciences |
| Claudia Schmuckli | “BLF Yr1 Arts Create - FY 13/14” | Texas Commission on the Arts | $14,000 | Blaffer Gallery |
City Organizations
| Faculty |
Project |
Agency | Award | Department |
| Anthony Gary Dworkin | “Agreement between Aldine Independent School District and University of Houston” | Aldine Independent School District | $18,000 | Sociology |
| Karen Farber | “En-Masse” | The Houston Arts Alliance | $10,000 | Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts |
| Nicolas Kanellos | “HAA - General Operation Support 2014” | The Houston Arts Alliance | $10,000 | Arte Publico Press |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-The Methodist Hospital-Dulay/Podell- Student: Alex Alverson” | The Methodist Hospital | $8,962 | Psychology |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-Houston Neuropsychology Group-Largen/Davis: Student Lee Wiegand” | Houston Neuropsychology Group | $17,923 | Psychology |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-TIRR Mem Hermann-Struchen” | TIRR Memorial Hermann | $37,480 | Psychology |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-BCM/TCH Blue Bird Circle Clinic-Chapieski: Graduate Students John Elias & Elyssa Gerst” | Texas Children’s Hospital | $37,480 | Psychology |
| Paul Massman | “Clinical Neuropsychology Training-The Methodist Hospital-Dulay/Podell-Student: V.Williams” | The Methodist Hospital | $9,780 | Psychology |
Universtiy of Houston
| Faculty |
Project |
Agency | Award | Department |
| Candice Alfano | “Targeted Behavioral Treatment (TBT) of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in Children” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Psychology |
| Kenneth L. Brown | “Testing the Use of Designs as Symbols in 18th Through Early 20th Century African American Culture” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Comparative Cultural Studies |
| Lindita Camaj | “The Impact of Freedom of Information (FOI) Legislation on Journalists' Access to Public Records in a New Democracy” | University of Houston - New Faculty Research Program | $6,000 | Jack J. Valenti School of Communication |
| Jennifer Clark | “The Institutional Foundations of Party Unity in the 101 U.S. Legislatures” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Political Science |
| Mabel Cuesta | “Lydia Cabrera, Anthology and Fobidden Desires” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Hispanic Studies |
| Stephanie Daniels | “Feasibility of Screening Swallowing in Stroke Patients” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Communication Science and Disorders |
| Emran El-Badawi | “The Qur'an and the Aramaic Gospel Traditions” | University of Houston - New Faculty Research Program | $6,000 | Modern and Classical Languages |
| Stacey Gorniak | “Comparing the Effects of Duration and Severity of Type II Diabetes in Upper Extremity Function to Health Individuals” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Health and Human Performance |
| Helen Hattab | “16th and 17th Century Commentators on Aquina's Doctrine of Substantial Forms” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Philosophy |
| Daphne Hernandez | “Food Insecurity and Obesity Paradox Among Hispanic Mothers and Children” | University of Houston - New Faculty Research Program | $6,000 | Health and Human Performance |
| Samantha Kwan | “Bodywork - Clusters and Sequences, Psychological Health, and Social Networks” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Sociology |
| Tracey Ledoux | “A Parent Focused Approach to Developing Healthy Eating Behaviors Among Toddlers - A Feasibility Study” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Health and Human Performance |
| Delilah Montoya | “Contemporary Casta Portraits” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Jack J. Valenti School of Communication |
| Christopher Northup | “The Eyes Have It - Understanding User Gaze and Information Processing” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Jack J. Valenti School of Communication |
| Howard Pollack | “John Latouche - A Biography” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Moores School of Music |
| John Reed | “Phantom - Midi Instruments to Allow Interdisciplinary Collaboration and Performance in Novel Musical System” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | School of Art |
| R. Todd Romero | “Metacom's New England (originally titled, King Philip's New England)” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | History |
| Arthur Santana | “Engaging a New Channel of Information: Reporter's Use of Social Media” | University of Houston - New Faculty Research Program | $6,000 | Jack J. Valenti School of Communication |
| Susan Scarrow | “Political Party Database Project - Database Preparation Support” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Political Science |
| James Schafer | “The Business of Private Medical Practice: Doctors, Specialization, and Urban Change in Philadelphia, 1900-1940” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | History |
| Carla Sharp | “The Effect of Oxytocin on Trust Between Parents and Adolescents” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Psychology |
| Tamler Sommers | ” A Very Bad Wizard - Morality Behind the Curtain. 2nd Edition (Nine New Interviews)” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Philosophy |
| Judith Steinhoff | “Representing Grief in Gothic Tuscan Art - Image, Religion, and Civic Proscriptions” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | School of Art |
| Andrea Szabo | “The Interaction of Formal and Informal Markets in Ghana” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Economics |
| Cedric Tolliver | “Of Vagabonds and Fellow Travelers: African Diasporic Cosmopolitan Culture and the Cold War” | University of Houston - New Faculty Research Program | $6,000 | English |
| Jennifer Wingard | “Branded Bodies, Rhetoric, and the Neoliberal Nation-State” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | English |
| Zhiwen Xiao | “Ecological Risk Factors of HIV Infection Among African American Women” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Jack J. Valenti School of Communication |
| Sandra Zalman | “Surrealism in the 1960s” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | School of Art |
| Ling Zhu | “Political Exclusion, Welfare Reforms, and the Chilling Effect on Immigrant's Health Take-Up: A Multi-Level Analysis” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Political Science |
| Michael Zvolensky | “Panic-Relevant Sensations and Smoking” | University of Houston-Small Grants Program | $3,000 | Psychology |