CSU CREATE Awards Support Faculty in Advancing Student Success

Newswise — The California State University's Creating Respon​sive, Equitable, Active Teaching and Engagement (CREATE) Awards Program announces seven winning faculty proposals to receive funding for the 2023-24 academic year.

Now in its second year, the CREATE Awards support faculty in implementing new, groundbreaking academic interventions and course redesign to directly address student success and focus on closing equity gaps for all CSU students—particularly for underserved students of color, first-generation college students and students from modest-income families.

A selection committee comprised of faculty representatives from multiple CSU campuses evaluated faculty proposals submitted in spring based on multiple factors, including innovation, scalability and impact on student success. Funded by the College Futures Foundation, the seven winning proposals will receive awards ranging from $50,000 to $150,000.

“The CREATE Awards Program is an opportunity for faculty leaders to have a direct and meaningful impact on the student experience by using their discipline-specific expertise to enhance student outcomes," said Chenoa Woods, Ph.D., CSU Director of Research & Student Success Initiatives and lead on the CREATE Awards program. “The funded projects will work to close equity gaps and expand opportunities for engaging with students in innovative, intentional ways."​

Faculty innovation is crucial to reaching the CSU's student success goals outlined in Graduation Initiative 2025. The seven winning proposals are:

Equity-minded Reform in STEM Gateway Courses  

• Principal Investigator: Dr. Sonal Singhal, associate professor, Department of Biology | CSU Dominguez Hills

San Francisco State School of Art Certificate in Art Handling 

• Principal Investigator: Victor De La Rosa, director of the School of Art | San Francisco State

• Co-principal investigator: Kevin B. Chen, lecturer in the School of Art, curator at the Fine Arts Gallery | San Francisco State

Transforming Student Experience and Success in Gateway STEM Courses: Anti-Racist Equity-Minded Teaching and Learning 

• Principal Investigator: Shradha Tibrewal, director for the Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning; program coordinator of the MSW Hybrid Program | Stanislaus State 

• Co-principal investigator: Matt Cover, professor of ecology, Department of Biological Sciences | Stanislaus State 
• Co-principal investigator: Janey Youngblom, professor of genetics, Department of Biological Sciences | Stanislaus State 
• Co-principal investigator: Amy Sprowles, associate dean of Undergraduate and Graduate Programs, associate professor of biological sciences | Cal Poly Humboldt
• Co-principal investigator: jen johnson, associate professor and coordinator of English/English education | Sonoma State 
• Co-principal investigator: Sharon Fuller, lecturer and faculty fellow, Department of Geography, Environment and Planning | Sonoma State

EMBRACE: Education in Molecular Biology, Representation And Cultural Equity 

• Principal Investigator: Andrea Bonisoli-Alquati, associate professor, Department of Biological Sciences | Cal Poly Pomona

• Co-principal investigator: Andrew Steele, professor, Department of Biological Sciences | Cal Poly Pomona
• Co-principal investigator: Janel Ortiz, assistant professor, Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (CEMaST) | Cal Poly Pomona

Pilot Recitation Program for Anatomy and Physiology 

• Principal Investigator: Eric Martin, associate professor, Department of Kinesiology | CSU Monterey Bay 

• Co-principal investigator: Trish Seven, professor, Department of Kinesiology | CSU Monterey Bay 

Interactive Simulations for Dynamics Education (InSiDE) &²Ô²ú²õ±è;

• Principal Investigator: Zahra Sotoudeh, associate professor of aerospace engineering | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

• Co-principal investigator: Markus Eger, assistant professor of computer science | Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

LUMINAT​E: Leveraging Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence for Responsive and Equitable Teaching and Engagement

• Principal Investigator: Rakesh Mahto, associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Cal State Fullerton

• Co-principal investigator:  Kanika Sood, assistant professor, Department of Computer Science | Cal State Fullerton

Learn more about the project proposals and read faculty bios at the CREATE Awards website.