Two doctoral students awarded Public Impact Fellowships

​UCI School of Education doctoral students Sharin Jacob and Jennifer Renick are two of 14 UCI graduate students selected for 2021 Public Impact Fellowships. 

​Jacob, a fourth-year doctoral student (pictured right), was named a 2021 Public Impact Distinguished Fellow, one of four graduate students university-wide to receive the honor. As part of her research, Jacob is developing, implementing, and evaluating a curriculum that is being integrated into elementary schools across Santa Ana Unified School District as well as in San Francisco Unified and Chicago Public Schools.
 
“This curriculum leverages what is known about linguistic scaffolding, instructional design, and culturally relevant pedagogy to help English learners and other diverse students leverage their own and their community resources for greater success and entry into the field of computing,” Jacob said.
 
“Sharin's contributions have been critical to three grants we have been awarded for this work,” said Professor Mark Warschauer, Jacob’s advisor. “These grants include a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, a $3 million grant from the National Science Foundation, and most recently, a grant from the American Educational Research Association to  hold the first national conference on this topic, which Sharin is now helping to organize. It is an honor to work with such a brilliant graduate student so dedicated to serving the public interest.”

​Jacob will receive $12,000 to support her research.

​Renick, also a fourth-year doctoral student, is one of 10 UCI graduate students honored as a 2021 Public Impact Fellow. As a part of her research, Renick will facilitate a youth-participatory action research project in partnership with a local middle school, where a group of students will identify an aspect of school climate that they would like to improve and then design their own research project to investigate the issue, implement a solution, and study its impact.
 
“Engaging adolescents as co-creators of research, rather than just subjects, allows us to leverage their expertise on issues they experience directly to generate research with greater accuracy and practical implications to improve their school community,” Renick said.
 
“Students know a lot about the challenges they experience at school and have many ideas about what might make schools feel more inclusive and supportive,” said Professor Stephanie Reich, Renick’s advisor. “Jennifer’s dissertation acknowledges these youth’s expertise and helps build their capacity to use research to make meaningful changes in their school. Her dissertation will not just benefit this school, but also will provide insights into how to elevate student voice in schools, design sustainable interventions, and improve school climate.”

​Renick will receive $1,000 to support her study.
 
Public Impact Fellowships highlight and support graduate students whose research has the potential to "substantially impact the public sphere" and "significantly improve or enrich the lives of Californians and/or national and global communities."