Office of Research & Economic Development

Stories of support, collaboration, research and community engagement

Student Research Spotlight: Luis Martinez

Posted by & filed under Student Research Spotlight, UM-Flint Research.

How do rational people discuss the economy, inflation, de-industrialization, labor unions, and profits today? “While we can each form our own opinions from reading and consuming the literature from the experts, it seems there are many experts defending positions that are unique and contradict one another,” according to UM-Flint undergraduate student Luís Martinez. They are

Khalil Khanafer is in the 2%

Posted by & filed under Faculty Profiles, UM-Flint Research.

Khalil Khanafer poses in the MSB for a headshot. He is smiling and wearing a blue shirt with a blue, creme, and argyle vest on.

The phrase ‘Publish or Perish’ is  commonly used by researchers, and their work greatly impacts their evaluations. Stanford University professor John Ionnaidis has worked diligently for years to improve the system used to standardize the evaluation process by looking at how often researchers’ work is used as a reference, cited by other researchers. He has

Racism, the psychology behind it: Jennifer LaCosse

Posted by & filed under Faculty Profiles, Flint community, Research Matters, UM-Flint Research.

Daba Coura Mbow Dr. Jennifer LaCosse grew up in the small farming town of Fowlerville, Michigan. In a majority White community,  Dr. LaCosse, a White woman, witnessed how widespread prejudice toward Black people still is.  Seeing members of her community display such hostility sparked her interest in psychology and led her to pursue the study

Understanding parenting across the world

Posted by & filed under Faculty Profiles, Research Matters, Student Research Spotlight, UM-Flint Research.

Daba Coura Mbow Children who witness aggressive behavior at home, from parents, are more likely to be aggressive in social situations later in life. Some parents use physical punishment when kids misbehave, while others take away privileges.  But do we know the consequences on children as they grow up? In 2016 the World Health Organization

Donk Racing and STEM Equity – CIT Professor researches Informal Learning pathways

Posted by & filed under UM-Flint Research.

Shirl Donaldson sits behind a UM-Flint College of Innovation & Technology table loaded with T-shirts with a red Dodge Challenger GT behind her.

Shirl Donaldson is an assistant professor of project management, STEM education and entrepreneurship in the University of Michigan-Flint’s College of Innovation and Technology. She is researching Donk car racing and whether it can help change the way minoritized kids think about STEM subjects in relation to themselves.  “When it comes to racing, tons of money

Student Research Spotlight: Taylor Culinski

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Culinski poses on campus for a professional headshot. She is seated, in a sharp suit, and has shoulder length blonde hair surrounding a genuine smile.

Most students use their first year in college to take care of the basics, like exploring student clubs or learning how to find their way around campus. For Taylor Culinski, a junior psychology major from Swartz Creek, Michigan, her first year was the perfect time to begin conducting research alongside her professors. And it was

Student Research Spotlight: Nathaniel Cordova

Posted by & filed under Student Research Spotlight.

Nathaniel Cordova poses in a blue chair with the UM-Flint Rec center behind him out the window. He has a black button up shirt on and is dapper in appearance.

Nathaniel Cordova is a full-time undergraduate student at the University of Michigan-Flint slated to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Psychology in December 2022. Shortly after he transferred from Youngstown State University in Ohio, he asked psychology professor Thomas Wrobel what he should do to better prepare for a PhD or Master’s program. Wrobel told him