The University of Michigan Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention has awarded pilot grant awards to 13 interdisciplinary research projects led by teams representing seven schools and 15 departments across the university.
The institute will award more than $460,000 to scholars seeking to address firearm injury and violence with transformative solutions. Six of the awards are co-funded with the U-M Injury Prevention Center.
“Supporting multidisciplinary efforts to address firearm injury prevention is a core tenant of our mission,” said Patrick Carter, professor of emergency medicine and co-director of the institute. “By providing the opportunity and means for new exploration in this field of research via grants like these, we are able to not only connect with others looking for solutions but also to support the next generation of researchers.”
The awarded projects expand the field of firearm injury prevention research both in terms of areas to be explored, and methods of engagement, ranging from the impact of housing policies to using art to start dialogues.
“With this round of funding, we continue to look beyond the central disciplines that have led firearm injury research to date, and fund teams who bring new perspectives to the field,” said Geoffrey Thün, associate vice president for research-social sciences, humanities and the arts.
“Pushing the boundaries of research and building new interdisciplinary knowledge in this way allows us to advance evidence-based, comprehensive solutions to some of our nation’s and the world’s most pressing issues.
Teams from across the university span multiple disciplines ranging from epidemiology and emergency medicine to social work and political science. They include:
- Briana Mezuk, professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health.
- Greer Hamilton, assistant professor of social work, School of Social Work.
- Jennifer Meddings, professor of internal medicine and pediatrics, Medical School.
- Mark Ilgen, professor of psychiatry, Medical School.
- Srimoyee Mitra, director of the Stamps Gallery and research investigator, Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design Stamps.
- Viktoryia Kalesnikava, research area specialist lead, Institute for Social Research.
- Kenneth Lowande, associate professor of political science, LSA, and associate professor of public policy, Ford School of Public Policy.
The selected projects co-funded by the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention and Injury Prevention Center include ones led by:
- Lisa Fedina, associate professor of social work, School of Social Work.
- Alison Miller, professor of health behavior and health equity, School of Public Health.
- Laura Seewald, clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine, Medical School, and research assistant professor, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.
- Sarah Stilwell, research investigator, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.
- Sarah Stoddard, associate professor of nursing, School of Nursing, and associate professor of health behavior and health equity, School of Public Health.
- Zainab Hans, research investigator, Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention.
“Firearm violence and injury does not just affect one community, one group of people, one state,” said Marc Zimmerman, the Marshall H. Becker Collegiate Professor of Public Health and co-director of the institute.
“The issues are complex and multi-faceted. In order to make a meaningful difference, we must work together to ensure that a wide range of perspectives and expertise is brought into focus on examining how evidence-based firearm injury prevention research can be utilized to benefit multiple communities.”