April 15, 2025 | Erin Bluvas, bluvase@sc.edu
Six of the 33 2024-2025 Support to Promote Advancement of Research and Creativity (SPARC) Graduate Research Grants from the USC Office of the Vice President for Research have been awarded to Arnold School graduate students. The students, who represent three departments (Health Services Policy and Management, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior), will have a little over a year to complete SPARC-funded projects (up to $5,000 each) that support the completion or promotion of their research, creative or other meritorious scholarship.
Previous SPARC awards have been used by Arnold School students to fund projects, such as examining access to telehealth for maternity care, reading among chilren with cochlear implants, accuracy of activity trackers, and the emergence and spread of tick-borne diseases in South Carolina.
Upon completion, the students will present their findings at Discover USC and are encouraged to develop articles and papers based on their projects for publication in scholarly journals. Before the actual projects even begin, however, the students have already learned about the competitive research proposal process that will continue throughout many of their careers.
The Office of the Vice President for Research designs SPARC application materials to simulate the experience of applying for nationally competitive grants, helping applicants develop their skills in these areas. Students must supply the standard components of a comprehensive grant proposal package, such as a detailed research narrative, budget and other supporting documentation.
Congratulations to the following Arnold School graduate students who have earned 2024-2025 SPARC awards.
|
Name |
Department |
| Julia Budiongan | Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior |
| Salome-Joelle Gass | Health Services Policy and Management |
| Marion Granger | Epidemiology and Biostatistics |
| Adebusola Ogunnaike | Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior |
| Ibitein Okeafor | Health Services Policy and Management |
| Yuanzhen Yue | Epidemiology and Biostatistics |