The WVU Center for Resilient Communities, based in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, is excited to announce its second annual cohort Community Engaged Research Fellows. The Community Engaged Research Fund supports graduate student researchers in any discipline in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences who are committed to advancing participatory research and publicly engaged scholarship.
“The depth and sense of purpose in the participatory research projects designed by our graduate students is truly inspiring,” explains Dr. Bradley Wilson, Executive Director of the Center for Resilient Communities. “Not only will these projects generate new knowledge with our communities in West Virginia and around the world, but they will also result in direct action that benefits those very communities. These scholars represent the very best of what participatory action research can be, and they are doing it right here at West Virginia University.”
The Community Engaged Research Fund (CERF) is sponsored with generous support from the One Foundation and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. It provides scholarly enrichment awards of $500 to support fieldwork, planning, travel, outreach, materials expenses, and other costs associated with advancing a community engaged research project.
The CRC will celebrate the fellows at our annual Spring Symposium on April 26th. CERF Fellows will participate in a graduate student roundtable, engaging in meaningful discussion and collaboration on their projects. In addition to receiving financial support and recognition for their work, awardees will also have access to critical mentoring and data resources from the CRC to advance their projects in 2024-25. Moreover, fellows are also eligible to participate for free in the CRC’s August Convergence August 7th -9th, 2025 in our educational facilities at WVU.
For more information about the CERF program of the CRC contact Dr. Bradley Wilson - brwilson@mail.wvu.edu
Community Engaged Research Fellows 2025
Clayton’s research centers on the performance of a newly commissioned composition, featuring WVU graduate and undergraduate students, by regional composer Shanyse Strickland that explores the folklore of Appalachian icon John Henry. Blending music performance, historical narrative, and community outreach, the piece gives voice to the often-overlooked Black American roots of this iconic tale, while examining themes of labor, resilience, and marginalization. Supported by local and national partners, the premiere tour spans rural West Virginia schools and national stages—including the 2025 American Trombone Workshop and the International Women’s Brass Conference—offering transformative educational engagement and elevating regional identity, cultural diversity, and the voices of underserved communities. Clayton’s work exemplifies the power of the arts as a catalyst for social connection, academic inquiry, and public impact.
Dipak Kumar Biswas, Ph.D. Student, Political Science
This research offers a groundbreaking analysis of how women in parliamentary assemblies occupying seats reserved for women (Reserved-Seat Legislators (RSLs)_ in Bangladesh utilize parliamentary questioning to advocate for underrepresented groups, particularly women. By combining quantitative content analysis of parliamentary archives with qualitative interviews, Dipak’s work reveals how legislative tools can be leveraged for substantive representation and political accountability. His research bridges academic inquiry and policy advocacy, offering vital insights for electoral reform, gender equity, and institutional change in the Global South.
Neighborhood Economic Development at the Grassroots: Navigating Racial Histories and Strategies for Socio-Economic Solidarity at the Frontlines of Structural Violence.
Focused on Black-led grassroots economic development in West Virginia and surrounding regions, Cameron’s research uses ethnographic methods and interviews with community organizers—centered on a case study of Unlimited Futures, Inc., a Black-founded and Black-serving organization in Huntington’s historic Fairfield neighborhood. Drawing from Black geographies, solidarity economy, and development geography, the project explores how communities historically subjected to extraction and divestment build resilient economic systems rooted in mutual aid and justice. This work not only contributes to academic discourse but also supports the institutional learning of community-based organizations, offering new insights into neighborhood-level development and solidarity in marginalized spaces.
Advancing Sustainability and Social Equity in Morgantown, WV
Oluwaseun’s initiative aims to launch a Global Shapers Hub that tackles student-generated waste through community-driven sustainability efforts. By redistributing used household items to low-income residents and collaborating with local nonprofits, churches, and WVU, the project aims to reduce landfill waste and promote economic equity. Using a participatory action research (PAR) approach, the project also provides data-driven strategies to improve local waste management and advocates for institutional sustainability practices. Drawing on leadership experience with WHO’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative and international collaboration through the Global Enterprise Experience, Oluwaseun brings a strong background in grassroots engagement and social innovation. Their work aligns with CRC’s mission by fostering sustainable, community-centered development and offering a scalable model for other university towns.
Sacred Waters and Shared Causes: Analyzing the Role of Cultural Identity in Indigenous Led Protests.
Rooted in both academic inquiry and lived experience, this research investigates how Indigenous causes—centered on cultural preservation, sovereignty, and identity—may become diluted when broader coalitions shift the narrative toward mainstream issues like environmental activism. Through interviews, media analysis, and a newly compiled dataset of Indigenous voices, the study reveals how cultural expressions such as ritual, song, and symbolism are both central to Indigenous political mobilization and vulnerable to erasure in mixed-demographic movements. This project brings vital attention to the power and fragility of Indigenous advocacy, while offering pathways for solidarity that preserve cultural integrity.
This project integrates petrophysical, geochemical, and fluid-rock interaction analyses to assess the CO₂ storage potential of a key geological formation in Ritchie County, West Virginia. By analyzing core samples using advanced techniques like SEM, XRD, and XRF, and modeling storage capacity with US-DOE’s CO₂-SCREEN tool, this study will generate essential data to support the Tri-State CarbonSAFE initiative. A native of Ghana with professional experience at the Ghana Geological Survey Authority, Samuel brings a deep commitment to climate action and environmental justice. His work aims to advance sustainable energy solutions in West Virginia while contributing to global climate resilience.
Dylan Upperman, Master of Arts Student, Geography
Analyzing the Growth and Barriers to West Virginia Farm to School Programming
This initiative focuses on identifying and addressing the obstacles hindering the effectiveness of the Farm to School (F2S) program in West Virginia, with particular attention to local food procurement. By engaging county-level stakeholders and conducting a statewide survey, the project aims to uncover the key barriers, such as logistical challenges, limited local production, and funding issues, that schools and farmers face in implementing F2S initiatives. The project also highlights the success stories from counties like Fayette and Cabell, offering a model for replication and further exploration. Ultimately, this research aims to provide actionable insights that will facilitate community meetings to engage key players in overcoming these challenges, fostering stronger local food systems, and ensuring that all students in West Virginia have access to healthy, locally sourced meals. The project's comprehensive approach combines research, community engagement, and the development of educational materials to drive tangible improvements in the F2S program.
Gabby Frazier, Master of Arts Student, Geography
Confronting Housing Challenges in West Virginia
This project tackles a critical gap in housing research. While national conversations often focus on urban housing struggles, this project centers the lived experiences of rural West Virginians, where affordability, quality, and access remain urgent and under-researched concerns. Using a mixed methods approach—including community listening sessions, interviews, statistical analysis, and participatory GIS mapping—this work will create the first comprehensive, community-driven housing assessment for the state. By working in partnership with local residents and applying participatory action research methods, Gabby seeks to develop an accessible, data-rich resource that reflects the voices and needs of rural communities. Rooted in a background in cooperative development, economic justice, and engaged research, this project will help inform equitable housing policy and empower communities to shape their own futures.
“Take Me Home? Understanding Community Engagement in Refugee Resettlement in West Virginia.
This timely research investigates how local organizations in non-traditional resettlement areas like Charleston respond to the federal Welcome Corps initiative—an innovative shift toward private refugee sponsorship. Through interviews with groups such as Catholic Charities and the West Virginia Refugee Interfaith Ministry, Kait’s work explores how community organizations build unity and support for refugees in politically resistant environments. Drawing on her deep personal commitment to refugee advocacy, including past work with Chin refugees in Texas and local engagement at WVU, her project bridges academic research with grassroots community-building. The study contributes to national conversations on the privatization of refugee resettlement and offers practical insights for improving public understanding and solidarity in smaller, under-resourced communities. Kait’s work exemplifies community-engaged scholarship that promotes equity, inclusion, and informed civic participation.
The Listening Project
This initiative collects and shares powerful stories of resilience from social justice advocates across the state, shedding light on the unique ways individuals and communities overcome adversity in their activism. By using storytelling as a tool for healing and empowerment, the project not only fosters individual well-being but also builds solidarity within social justice movements. The Listening Project’s focus on community economies and experiential learning, particularly through undergraduate interns trained in listening techniques, enriches the academic experience while providing a platform for voices that inspire change. With funding from CERF, this project will expand its outreach, create spaces for collaboration, and ensure these important stories reach a broader audience, fostering connections between community partners. Ultimately, the Listening Project highlights how resilience shapes social justice advocacy and offers valuable insights for policy makers and organizations supporting change.
Camila Vélez Agosto, Ph.D. Student, Geography
Privatization and Displacement: Barriers to Climate Adaptation in Caribbean Coastal Communities
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Camila brings firsthand knowledge and lived experience to this community-engaged research, which investigates how real estate speculation, tourism development, and political neglect undermine grassroots climate adaptation efforts. Focusing on coastal communities in the Caribbean, the project explores how privatization and displacement intersect to weaken local resilience just as climate threats like sea-level rise and hurricanes intensify. Through fieldwork, policy analysis, and collaboration with community organizations, this research aims to document resistance strategies and propose justice-centered adaptation models that center community agency. By bridging environmental justice, political ecology, and participatory research, Camila is advancing scholarship and advocacy that can help shape more equitable coastal futures in Puerto Rico and beyond.