Faculty and staff members at Metropolitan State University of Denver are leaders in research, education and programming that supports students and serves the community. Find out more about projects to prevent human trafficking, provide paid internships to high schoolers and offer zero-cost textbooks to students in the grant abstracts below.
Megan Lazorski, Ph.D., faculty member in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Chemistry and Biology
- $25,000 grant from American Chemical Society subcontract/National Science Foundation
- Lazorski was awarded $25,000 (to supplement prior awards totaling $2.7 million) to support the mission of the American Chemical Society Bridge Program that she developed with the assistance of other faculty members. This program supports postbaccalaureates to develop applied work-research skills. These programs increase participation for people from historically underrepresented and/or minoritized groups. These funds come from the INCLUDES award to the ACS to cover health insurance, housing and relocation costs for students.
Jessica Retrum, Ph.D., faculty member in the College of Health and Human Sciences, Social Work
- $956,976 grant from State of Colorado BHA Interagency Agreement
- Addressing Colorado’s Behavioral Health Needs and Workforce Vacancies
Cynthia Heiss, Ph.D.,faculty member in the College of Health and Human Sciences, Nutrition
- $1,199,365 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hispanic-Serving Institutions
- Program to Develop Future Leaders and Role Models in Nutrition and Dietetics
Emily Matuszewicz, D.C., faculty member in the College of Health and Human Sciences, Health Institute
- $700,000 grant from State of Colorado BHA Interagency Agreement
- Develop a sustainable apprenticeship-based model for degree completion and licensure
- $4,526,721 grant from U.S. Department of Education
- I’M HEALTHY: Innovative Model of Higher Education and Learning Communities Teaming up for Healthy Youth
Andrea Maestrejuan, faculty member in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Office of International Studies/History Department
- $113,069 grant from Fulbright Group Projects
- Global Environmental History, Challenges and Responses: The Case of Morocco
Annjanette (A.J.) Alejano-Steele, Ph.D., faculty member in the College of Health and Human Sciences, Health Professions
- $19,043 grant from Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
- Contract for Annjanette Alejano-Steele’s time for 20 hours per week to serve as research director for the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking
Emily Ragan, Ph.D., faculty member in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Chemistry and Biology
- $141,021 total grants from State of Colorado
- “MSU Denver Open Roadrunners: OER incentives for widespread OER adoption in 2025-26” ($40,582)
- “Open Roadrunners Year 7: Developing Zero Textbook Cost Degrees in 2025-26” ($100,439)
Caitlin Fine, Ph.D., School of Education, faculty member in the Elementary Education/Master’s Program
- $49,058 grant from State of Colorado
- Building an OER video collection for preservice and in-service teachers that highlights translanguaging possibilities in K-12 science learning environments. Creating and uploading video curriculum to School of Education website for faculty use; two scholarships added on by the funder at award.
Dawn Matera Bassett, Ph.D., faculty member in the College of Health and Human Sciences, Social Work
- $307,297 grant from State of Colorado
- Provide consultation, training, coaching and debriefing of county staff for vicarious trauma
Katie Taft, Center for Visual Art
- $20,000 grant from National Endowment for the Arts
- To support Art+Action Lab at the Center for Visual Art. Art+Action Lab is a professional-development lab and teaching apprenticeship program that trains preservice teachers in curriculum-building and best practices, preparing them for jobs in schools and arts institutions.
Shalini Sirivasan, Ph.D., faculty member in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Chemistry and Biology
- $692,578 grant from National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- FACES Faculty Program – Customized Learning Solution – Evaluation and Assessment – Sirivasan is evaluating a program for faculty members designed to generate curriculum for improving a clean-energy workforce
Adrian Wycoff, Ph.D., and Rob Gallegos, faculty members in the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, Family Literacy
- $70,000 grant from National Center for Families Learning
- Implementation of four-component family-literacy and additional research-based family-engagement activities within the Colorado school system leading to improved success
