Announcing New Student Research Grant Awards
Three students receive funding to pursue injury and violence prevention projects
Jul 5, 2022
The Injury and Violence Prevention Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the Spring 2022 Injury and Violence Prevention Student Research Grants. The one-year grant awards, in the amount of $1,500 per student, were selected by a panel of center faculty from applications submitted by students from various disciplines and schools in the Mountain West region.
Project: Fentanyl Harm Reduction in Denver, CO
Project: Examining the Relationship Between Traumatic Brain Injury, Race/Ethnicity and Suicide
Charles Lommen is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Neuroscience at Colorado University Boulder. This award will help in his work researching the link between traumatic brain injury, suicide, and quality of care as it relates to ethnicity. Charles currently works as an EMT and hopes to use his research, clinical experience, and education to contribute towards the research in the traumatic brain injury field. He is mentored by Christine Baugh, PhD, MPH of CU Anschutz.
Project: Prevention First: Providing Suicide Prevention Services for WCU Students
Spencer Smith is an Academic Counselor and is pursuing his Masters of Behavioral Science in Rural Community Health at Western Colorado University. Before becoming a counselor and attending graduate school, he acquired a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice and a minor in Pre-Law from Western. This award will support his work in providing preventative services regarding suicide, and collaborating with community organizations and national non-profits to better the overall mental health of Western’s students. He is primarily mentored by Jessica Eckhardt, Ph.D., University of Utah.