Project Grant 2147744

This National Science Foundation Project Grant award of $187,223 will fund research to develop trauma-informed frameworks of care in engineering graduate programs. The awardee, the University of Nevada, Reno under the Nevada System of Higher Education, will conduct a two-phase collaborative research project to address the growing mental health crisis among graduate students. In Phase 1, the researchers will survey and interview engineering graduate program directors to characterize their roles in fostering cultures of care. In Phase 2, the researchers will use these findings to collaboratively develop an evidence-based professional development framework for implementing trauma-informed systems of care. The project aims to train engineering graduate program directors to recognize and support students experiencing or at risk of trauma. The research seeks to promote positive mental health and well-being among graduate engineering students. The award falls under the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), which supports innovation and excellence in engineering research and education.