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UNC Greensboro

Chancellor’s Initiative for Transformative Research: 2025 Awardees

Posted on August 21, 2025

Close up of a gloved hand with lab equipment.

UNC Greensboro proudly announces the recipients of the 2025 Chancellor’s Initiative for Transformative Research (CITR) award. The selective seed funding program supports high-impact research initiatives with the potential to attract significant external funding and deliver benefits to communities locally, nationally, and globally.

“At UNCG, we believe that great universities don’t just reflect the world, they shape it,” said Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. “The CITR program invests in the kind of bold, forward-thinking research that drives progress and changes lives.”

Building on University strengths, CITR champions projects that address pressing societal challenges, revolutionize creative scholarship, advance health and wellness, and foster emerging technologies.

Four 2025 CITR awardees were chosen through a rigorous peer-reviewed process from a competitive pool of 35 proposals submitted by UNCG faculty and researchers.

Through this initiative, UNCG is embarking on a bold research strategy that integrates expertise across disciplines to tackle complex problems that cannot be solved by a single field or by the university alone. Each selected project is built on strong partnerships with the community or industry partners to ensure that the work remains relevant, responsive, and impactful. This convergence-driven approach reflects UNCG’s deep commitment to addressing some of the most pressing challenges in health care, technology, and humanity, positioning our University as a leader in innovation with purpose.

“These projects represent the bold and innovative research directions that reflect the very heart of UNCG’s mission. Each project moves us toward the goals of our strategic plan, advancing knowledge, and solving real-world challenges that transform our state, our nation, and the world,” said Dr. Sherine O. Obare, Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement. “These projects will drive innovation and strengthen our competitive position in North Carolina and beyond.”

Category I Awardee: Addressing pressing societal challenges
Promise and Perils of Pre-Adolescent Technology Engagement: Scaffolding Self-Regulation in Service of Health and Well-being in the Digital Age. Dr. Michaeline Jensen, Psychology; Dr. Jessica Dollar, Psychology; and Dr. Laurie Wideman Gold, Kinesiology

This project will examine how digital technology use affects self-regulation, health, and well-being in pre-adolescents, aiming to provide evidence-based strategies for parents, schools, and policymakers to support healthy digital habits. Award amount: $74,608.

Category II Awardee: Revolutionizing creative scholarship to bring awareness to a problem
Threading Innovation: An Interdisciplinary Evidence-Based Research Initiative Empowering Workforce Development through VR/AI in Cybersecurity and Apparel Supply Chain. Dr. Lakshmi Iyer, Information Systems and Supply Chain Management; Dr. Melanie Carrico, Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies; Dr. Motahareh Pourbehzadi, Information Systems and Supply Chain Management; Dr. Jin Su, Consumer, Apparel, and Retail Studies

This interdisciplinary initiative will leverage VR and AI to create immersive, evidence-based training tools that prepare students and professionals for the evolving cybersecurity and apparel supply chain workforce. Award amount: $71,909.

Category III Awardee: Responding to critical and urgent health and wellness needs
Production and Modification of an Anti-Cancer Drug Lead. Dr. Jonathan Chekan and Dr. Nicholas Oberlies, Chemistry and Biochemistry

This research will develop scalable and sustainable methods to produce a promising and novel anti-cancer compound, Verticillin D, enabling the discovery of new therapeutic analogues with potential clinical impact. Award amount: $75,000.

Category IV Awardee: Advancing critical technologies
Toward Trustworthy and Privacy-Preserving AI for Next-Generation Medication Assistance: A Multimodal Learning Copilot. Dr. Yingcheng Sun, Dr. Minjeong Kim, and Dr. Qianqian Tong, Computer Science

This program is directed towards the creation of a privacy-preserving, multimodal AI copilot that supports clinicians with medication guidance, clinical trial matching, and patient care while safeguarding sensitive health data. Award amount: $75,000.

The selected projects, which launch in September 2025, exemplify growth in research and the CITR goals of fostering innovative, interdisciplinary work; cultivating strategic partnerships; and generating outcomes that have measurable and lasting impact. Each demonstrates a clear plan to build external partnerships, engage students in research, and lay the foundation for future grant opportunities.

The CITR program is administered by the Division of Research and Engagement and funded by the Office of the Chancellor.

Photography by Burt VanderVeen, VanderVeen Photographers

A UNCG student looks at a specimen through a microscope.

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UNC Greensboro

Study Smarter, Not Harder! Three Starter Skills from UNCG Peer Coaches

Posted on August 22, 2025

UNCG peer coaches peer around corners of the Academic Achievement Center. — UNCG peer coaches peer around corners with the Academic Achievement Center's assistant director Erin Mason (center).

Even with renovations ongoing at Jackson Library for the next two years, the Academic Achievement Center (AAC) remains open. Its staff invites students to keep visiting the AAC on the ground floor through the College Avenue entrance. The staff and students who work there all share a commitment to helping UNC Greensboro students thrive.

Peer coaches are popular because they understand the stress that students face first-hand. They’ve juggled classes, clubs, new friends, and figuring out where the best pizza on campus is. They understand what it’s like to be launched into college life at full speed. That’s why they’re here to help you stay on track (and maybe even ahead).

Whether it’s time management or just trying to survive your first semester, a visit to the AAC could be the smartest move you make.

Ugochi Nwauwa

Major: Master of business administration
Extracurriculars: Legal Association, African Student Union

Favorite food on the go: Pepperoni pizza
Favorite hang-out spot: The Library or the EUC’s third floor
Favorite campus event: The Homecoming Bonfire
A class that you enjoyed the most: CED 274 Stress Management
Music or no music when studying: Music! I listen to Boyish, NewDad, Sasha Alex Sloan, Flower Face, and Mree.

Peyton Wilson

Major: Communication studies and political science with a concentration in American politics
Extracurriculars: Track

Favorite food on the go: Protein shakes and applesauce
Favorite hang-out spot: Taylor Garden
Favorite campus event: Tennis matches and soccer games
A class you enjoyed the most: PSC 260 Introduction to Comparative Politics
Music or no music when studying: No music

Jazlyn Lee

Major: Sociology with a minor in mental health, literacy, and wellness
Extracurriculars: Resident Assistant, Sociology and Criminology Club, Bridging Basics

Favorite food on the go: A quick Spartan Meal or fast food lunch
Favorite hang-out spot: Taylor Garden
Favorite campus event: The men’s first basketball game of the semester
A class that you enjoyed the most: ADS 260 Understanding Race
Music or no music when studying: I prefer a quiet space, but sometimes, listening to Lofi-radio helps me focus.

Who are the coaches? Meet your academic allies

It’s important to know that peer coaches are not the same as tutors, and they are not the ones to ask for answers to a specific assignment. Wilson admits she gets mistaken for a tutor at times. “The classes that I help students with are not classes I’ve taken,” she explains. “So, I can’t teach them the specific material of that class. That’s what a tutor is for.”

Coaches are there to work on long-term skills that can be applied to current and future courses. “We’re focused more on things like procrastination, time management, things that affect your study habits,” says Nwauwa.

Lee agrees, “You’re not going to find some ‘cheat codes’ for you to pass your test. We’re not ChatGPT. You still need to put in the work to get the results you want.”

UNCG student Jazlyn Lee looks at her laptop.

UNCG peer coaches Ugochi Nwauwa, Peyton Wilson, and Jazlyn Lee study at a table.

The coaches apply for the job and are selected after an interview process. They get oversight and guidance from staff in the Division of Student Success, including Assistant Director for Campus Outreach and Coaching Erin Mason. Nwauwa says her own coach in academic counseling suggested she apply. “I needed two recommendation letters,” she says. “I got one from my counselor and another from a professor. Then I got an interview with Erin. We have to take some lessons on Canvas. Erin also taught us in person.”

They can also refer students to other units on campus for extra help. Wilson says a greater knowledge of the University-side services is one of the benefits of her job. “Before I became a peer coach,” she says, “I just remembered hearing about these services at orientation. Now, as a coach, I recommend those resources to fellow students.”

Peyton’s Key Skill to Learn in Your First Year

Definitely notetaking. I talk to a lot of students about college being different from high school. In high school, the teachers can be much more engaged because of smaller classes. But here, in the big lecture halls, the professor spouts off the information and then you leave. It’s up to you to take good notes that you understand. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever had a session where we did not talk about prioritizing goals. That’s one, too.

What’s in it for me?

Even students who got top marks in high school may find the college curriculum daunting. The fast pace, stringent course requirements, and large lecture halls may be such a dramatic change that they struggle to keep up.

In many ways, Lee says college can feel like a reset. “All the resources and support systems I had grown over the past four years of high school was pretty much out of my reach. I had to build up a new system, learn about campus, restructure how I take notes and do homework. I had to recalibrate how I do my extracurricular activities and academics, while also trying to maintain my social life.”

The AAC provides help in many ways: peer-to-peer tutoring for specific courses, workshops, and coaching to develop successful academic habits. Students may ask for peer coaching so they can sit down with a fellow student to discuss topics like motivation, time management, concentration and more. Or, if they get a referral, they can join executive coaching and join a cohort of students across majors who meet regularly and develop strategies over time.

Before becoming a coach, Lee went to the AAC for help with Spanish and formed a great relationship with her tutor. “It’s very interactive, very hands-on, and you get to know your tutor or coach on a personal level.”

UNCG students Ugochi Nwauwa and Peyton Wilson laugh while studying.

Erin Mason and Jazlyn Lee talk in the UNCG Academic Achievement Center.

When it comes to asking for help, Nwauwa says not to feel ashamed. “It is hard adjusting to putting yourself out there,” she acknowledges, “But you miss a lot of opportunities if you don’t.”

Ugochi’s Key Skill to Learn in Your First Year

I would say time management and figuring out your schedule. I always have a specific day where I do homework, so that for the rest of the week, I have time to do other things. If you don’t have that time management, you can end up putting too much stuff on yourself and then feeling burnt out. It’s definitely a skill to learn your first year.

How will it help me succeed?

Because they are all students, AAC coaches respect the need for school-life balance. “A lot of people think they have to hit the books hard all the time,” says Wilson. “And I say, you can get burnt out very easily. You should definitely be attending club meetings, hanging out with friends, or taking breaks to prevent that.”

The coaches say it’s fulfilling to know that they are passing along long-term skills that they learned when they first came to UNCG. And, like those who come to them for help, they are still getting better. “I always take each lesson and say, ‘Okay, maybe next time when I talk to a student, I can do this better,'” says Nwauwa. “It brings me a lot of comfort and joy helping people with things I struggled with myself.”

“If there’s something you could change, something to switch about your normal routine, I would say try the center,” says Lee. “The resource is there for you.”

Jazlyn’s Key Skill to Learn in Your First Year

Being a mental health minor, I’ll say taking care of yourself is always the number one priority. You’re not a robot. You can’t function on two hours of sleep. Taking care of yourself means finding a good balance in your school, work life, and personal life. It definitely took me many months and semesters to find a good balance. Prioritize yourself first, and everything else can come later.

Story by Janet Imrick, University Communications
Photography by Sean Norona and Chase Cofield, University Communications

Academic Achievement Center peer coaches Ugochi Nwauwa, Peyton Wilson, and Jazlyn Lee talk while studying around a table.