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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — The University Collaboration Office (UCO) within RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, welcomes 2022-23 RTI University Scholars: Naomi N. Duke, M.D., Ph.D., Duke University; Kendra Jason, Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Nichola Lowe, Ph.D., the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Courtney Woods, Ph.D., University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
“This program supports and helps create longstanding connections between academics and RTI collaborators, building scaffolding for continued joint research,” said Katie Bowler Young, operations director, University Collaborations. “RTI routinely has top-notch university scholars, and this year’s cohort has a shared commitment to racial equity and justice research that is critical to help reshape societal structures. It’s a pleasure to welcome them to RTI.”
The RTI University Scholars Program supports talented academics on scholarly leave from their home institutions to collaborate with RTI researchers. The 2022-23 cycle prioritized proposals focused on research related to racial equity and policy.
“The opportunity to extend the equity research ecosystem at RTI through the RTI University Scholar program is critical to our approach of building a workforce that advances equity through research,” said Stephanie Hawkins, vice president of the Transformative Research Unit for Equity (TRUE). “I’m inspired by the work these scholars have been doing and look forward to building new relationships with them.”
The 2022-23 RTI University Scholars include:
Naomi N. Duke, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine, is conducting research about youth future orientation as an equity issue.
Kendra Jason, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, will study the effect of COVID-19 on older Black and Hispanic workers.
Nichola Lowe, Ph.D., professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will study manufacturing workforce equity.
Courtney G. Woods, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, will study rural water quality and risk perception associated with solid waste landfills.
Since the program’s inception in 2014, RTI has appointed 39 university scholars. An RFP for the 2023-24 application cycle will be available in November 2022.
