RTI International welcomes 2024-25 class of university scholars

The RTI University Scholars Program supports senior academics, typically on leave, to spend half of their time collaborating with RTI researchers

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — RTI International, a nonprofit research institute, today welcomed its 2024-25 class of RTI University Scholars.

Zachary Brown, Ph.D., North Carolina State University; Vijay Sivaraman, Ph.D., North Carolina Central University; Nina Sperber, Ph.D., Duke University; and Julia (Jill) Waity, Ph.D., University of North Carolina Wilmington make up this year’s class.

The RTI University Scholars Program supports senior academics, typically on leave, to spend half of their time collaborating with RTI researchers. The program, administered by the University Collaboration Office (UCO), is designed to drive growth, foster collaboration, build scientific stature and develop opportunities for externally funded joint projects. Since 2014, RTI has appointed 47 distinguished academic researchers from the University of North Carolina System’s 16 universities and Duke University to the program. 

“Our 2024-25 scholars bring a wealth of innovative research and expertise to the RTI University Scholars Program. It’s exciting to think about how this opportunity will seed relationships and collaborations for many years to come,” said Tamara Terry, director of academic research engagement and leader of the RTI University Scholars Program in the University Collaboration Office. “RTI International is thrilled to welcome this year’s cohort of scholars and look forward to the future joint research opportunities.” 

In selecting the 2024-25 class, RTI prioritized projects related to climate change, environmental justice, energy, data modernization and data science, global health security, pandemic preparedness, agriculture, food security and nutrition. 

The RTI University Scholars Program is committed to hosting faculty who are dedicated to innovative research that aligns with RTI’s mission to improve the human condition through science-based solutions.

More about the 2024-25 RTI University Scholars:

• Zachary Brown, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University, is conducting research and evaluating the public health effects of ambient exposure to agricultural pesticides.
  
  RTI collaborators: Robert Beach, Agricultural, Resource and Energy Economics and Policy, SSES; Jennifer Hoponick Redmon, Environmental Health and Water Quality, SSES
   
• Vijay Sivaraman, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences at North Carolina Central University, is studying pulmonary cell lineage-specific responses to aerosol exposures and investigating the effects of pollutant aerosol exposure on ex vivo ciliated cells.
  
  RTI collaborators: James Harrington, Analytical Sciences, DS; Keith Levine, Analytical Sciences, DS; Oswaldo Lozoya, Center for Data Modernization Solutions, SSES; Shaun McCullough, Exposure and Protection, TAC; Leslimar Ríos-Colón, Analytical Sciences, DS; Imari Walker-Franklin, Analytical Sciences, DS
   
• Nina Sperber, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke University, is studying the use of Participatory System Dynamics (PSD) modeling as a strategy to mitigate human use bias in the development and implementation of machine-learning based clinical decision support tools.
  
  RTI collaborator: Holly Peay, GenOmics, Bioinformatics, and Translational Research Center, SSES
   
• Jill Waity, Ph.D., professor and chair in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, is studying food and nutrition security to better prepare for and respond to disaster-induced food insecurity, particularly in communities that have been underserved.
  
  RTI collaborator: Jill Brown, Center for Communication and Engagement Research, SSES; Daniel Lapidus, Center for Applied Economics and Strategy, SSES

The 2025-26 application cycle is open now and faculty can apply here.

For questions or additional information on the RTI University Scholars Program, please contact the university collaboration office at univscholarsprog@rti.org.

Learn more about RTI University Scholars

Meet the RTI University Scholars