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Meet the Spring 2026 PREP Program recipients

Now in its fourth year, the Preparing Your Research for an Extramural Proposal (PREP) Program supports Virginia Tech faculty in the social sciences, with an emphasis on those new to grant writing or who have faced challenges with past proposals. This spring, the 2026 cohort developed competitive proposals through hands-on training, focusing on non-federal funding opportunities, including the Spencer Foundation, W.T. Grant Foundation, Graham Foundation, and the U.S.-Japan Foundation.

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    Search Underway for ISCE’s Next Executive Director
    Search Underway for ISCE’s Next Executive Director , redirect

    Reporting to the senior vice president for research and innovation, the executive director will shape the institute’s strategic direction, lead a social science research agenda by catalyzing innovative and translational research and scholarship, and foster collaboration across colleges. As a member of Virginia Tech’s senior leadership team, the executive director will engage with key councils and initiatives to elevate the university’s research profile, advance the Beyond Boundaries vision, and strengthen the institute’s broad social science partnerships and initiatives. The new executive director will succeed Karen Roberto, who will retire in August after more than 40 years in academia, including 30 years at Virginia Tech and 20 years as the institute’s inaugural executive director.

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    ISCE/CLAHS Information Session for Just Tech Fellowship
    ISCE/CLAHS Information Session for Just Tech Fellowship , redirect

    ISCE and the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences will host a virtual information session about the Social Science Research Council’s (SSRC) Just Tech Fellowship opportunity on Thursday, May 28, at 11 a.m. The fellowship welcomes applicants from a wide range of fields and supports rigorous, original, and community-grounded work that addresses pressing questions about how technology shapes society and public life, providing fellows with a one-year unrestricted award of up to $60,000. The information session will review the funding opportunity and application requirements and feature remarks by Fernanda Ribeiro Rosa, a Science, Technology, and Society faculty member who recently completed a Just Tech Fellowship, followed by time for Q&A.

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    Study focuses on health care in Appalachian areas recovering from Hurricane Helene
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    Virginia Tech researcher Julie Gohlke, who has previously received support from ISCE, is leading an NIH-funded study on the long-term health impacts of Hurricane Helene in Appalachian communities. The multi-university project will examine how the storm’s catastrophic inland impacts will continue to shape community health for years to come. Collaborators include Kathy Hosig, director of ISCE’s Center for Public Health Practice and Research.