2025-2026 Provost’s Teaching, Improvement, Experimentation, and Research (TIER) Grants
Please congratulate your colleagues, recipients of the 2025–2026 TIER grants!| Name | Dept / Program | Project title |
|---|---|---|
| V Varun Chaudhry & Shoniqua Roach | Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies / African and African American Studies | Embodiment and Mindfulness for Resilience in and Beyond the Classroom |
| Emilie Connolly | History | Fostering Engaged, Creative, and Evidence-Based Scholarship in an Age of Large Language Models |
| Irina Dubinina | GRALL | Proficiency Development Through Increased Structural Control |
| Alex Johnson | Biochemistry | Empowering Biochemistry Education with 3D Printing |
| Kristen Turpin | Romance Languages | Customized Chatbots to Support the Writing Process in Spanish |
| Tanishia Lavette Williams | Program in Legal Studies | Knowledge and Punishment: An Interdisciplinary Inside-Out Course |
Project Summaries
V Varun Chaudhry & Shoniqua Roach, "Embodiment and Mindfulness for Resilience in and Beyond the Classroom"
In today’s polarized political climate, students studying sensitive topics like race, gender, and social justice often encounter difficult histories of structural oppression. This project introduces "embodiment and mindfulness" as practical tools to help students process these complex subjects. In a course on Black Dance, students use physical movement to ground their intellectual understanding of history , while in a course on Asian American mental health, guided meditation helps them manage the emotional weight of their studies. The goal is for students to leave these classes not just with academic knowledge, but with the personal resilience and mindful awareness needed to thrive in the face of real-world challenges.
Emilie Connolly, "Fostering Engaged, Creative, and Evidence-Based Scholarship in an Age of Large Language Models"
As AI tools like ChatGPT become common, educators face the challenge of ensuring students still learn to think and write independently. This project develops a new history course, "A People’s History of New England," designed with assessments that prioritize the student's unique voice. Research suggests that students who write their own first drafts before using AI have higher brain activity and better memory of their work. By incorporating "unplugged" in-class writing, oral components, and creative role-playing, this project teaches students how to use AI as a tool for refinement rather than a replacement for critical thinking.
Irina Dubinina, "Proficiency Development Through Increased Structural Control"
To master complex languages like Russian, students need maximum time for active speaking and practice during class. This project modernizes the Russian language curriculum by creating short, interactive video lessons in H5P that students watch before class. This "flipped classroom" model moves technical grammar explanations to the home, freeing up valuable class time for hands-on interaction and instructor feedback. These new digital materials will also feature more diverse content to better reflect multiethnic society and will allow students to learn at their own pace, re-watching difficult concepts as needed.
Alex Johnson, "Empowering Biochemistry Education with 3D Printing"
Biochemistry involves studying molecular processes that are invisible to the naked eye, which can be difficult for students to visualize. This project leverages Brandeis’s state-of-the-art Tundra microscope to turn microscopic data into tangible, 3D-printed models. By holding physical models of proteins and molecules, students can better comprehend the complex mechanisms of life. These models will also serve as a bridge between the life sciences and engineering programs and could be used in public outreach events to make high-level science accessible and exciting for the broader community.
Kristen Turpin, "Customized Chatbots to Support the Writing Process in Spanish"
While some students seek one-on-one help during office hours, others turn to AI for quick fixes to their writing. This project aims to bridge that gap by developing custom AI chatbots designed specifically for advanced Spanish writing. Unlike generic AI that might simply "fix" errors, these custom assistants act as digital tutors. They are programmed to prompt students to think more deeply about their content, organization, and style. This ensures that technology supports the learning process rather than taking it over, helping students become more confident and skilled writers.
Tanishia Lavette Williams, "Knowledge and Punishment: An Interdisciplinary Inside-Out Course"
This experiential course explores how legal and social structures shape our everyday lives. Through the "Knowledge Deconstruction Lab," students engage in a unique mixed-media learning process. Instead of just writing traditional essays, students deconstruct legal texts and "rebuild" them into creative artifacts like collages, blackout poems, and mapping projects. This approach allows students to process complex topics like justice and power through multiple lenses. The project will culminate in a digital repository of teaching materials and a public exhibition, modeling how creative arts can deepen intellectual engagement with the law.