The Institute for Justice and Well-Being

The Institute for Justice and Well-Being stands against systemic racism as we advance knowledge through scholarship and research, and educate ourselves and others in order to foster inclusivity, humility and empathy. The Institute is committed to developing, sharing and applying evidence that leads to the eradication of all forms of oppression and injustice.

About Us

Binghamton University faculty lead the Institute for Justice and Well-Being, a research institute that advances global health, progressive education and well-being for marginalized populations. The institute implements cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research and educational opportunities with communities and people across the lifespan and the globe.

The Institute for Justice and Well-Being was founded in 2009 at Binghamton University's College of Community and Public Affairs. As one of the most interdisciplinary research centers at the University, the institute fosters rich collaboration across University and community organizations. Our research associates span professions and disciplines including counseling, education, engineering, human development, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, psychology and social work.

Spotlight

Requests for Proposals for the Ellyn Uram Kaschak Institute for Social Justice for Women and Girls 2023-2024 Faculty Fellowships.

Faculty are invited to apply for research support for projects based on the experiences of women and girls, with an emphasis on social justice and gender equality in climate change (adaptation or mitigation). Fellows receive a one-course release for the 2023-24 academic year and an award of $2,500 to support their research. Co-investigators submitting a single successful project will share the award. Two projects can be funded in 2023-24. The deadline for applying is Friday April 14, 2023. Fellows are expected to be active participants in Kaschak Institute events during the year of their award. More information and application details are available on the Kaschak Institute website.

Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund Deadline Approaches.

The SUNY Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development issued a Request for Plans (RFP). Here you can find more information about the RFP, proposal and budget template. Submissions are due by April 5, 2023. Questions should be submitted to research@suny.edu with the reference “RFP 23-03-SUMMER” in the subject line.

NIH Resubmission and NSF Revised Submission Support Awards under the SUNY Research Seed Grant Program deadline approaches Friday, March 31, 2023.

The goals of the SUNY Research Seed Grant (RSD) Program are to catalyze and support SUNY faculty in the pursuit of external grants. This RFP specifically supports SUNY faculty’s efforts to resubmit or prepare revised proposals to National Institute of Health (NIH) or National Science Foundation (NSF) that previously scored favorably but were unfunded. A FAQ document shares common questions asked during the previous two funding rounds. Questions can be directed to rsg@suny.edu with the reference “RFP 23-01-RSG” in the subject line.

IJWB Highlighted As Center for Community and Change.

The Institute for Justice and Well-Being was highlighted by BingUNews as a leader in the community to create positive change and community partnerships that aim to advance the state of current social problems. The article applauds the Institute on housing the vast interests and expertise of Binghamton University's best researchers, while fostering interpersonal relationships that drive their work, which includes advancing community schools, providing research opportunities to students, and working within the IJWB and others extending their work on a global scale. Read the article here.

Binghamton University continues its ongoing dedication to the advancement of social justice for all individuals and populations.

The Office of the Provost has created a website to highlight that a number of institutes and centers have been established across disciplines at the University to promote research, ideas, communication and critical discourse in areas including human rights, equality for women and girls, and global health, progressive education, and well-being for marginalized populations. Like the Institute for Justice and Well-Being, these centers and institutes exist to raise awareness of issues of historical, systemic injustices, and to explore ways to rise above these injustices to the benefit of the world’s underrepresented. Learn more here about the institutes and centers here.

Binghamton University Applauded for Diversity and Inclusivity.

Donald E. Hall, Vice Provost of Binghamton University, recently wrote an op-ed for the Miami Herald as he spotlights Binghamton University for its commitment to diversity, equity, and freedoms for all, in comparison to the limitation of LGBTQ+ rights for youth in Florida. He also notes that Binghamton University aims to embody community, acceptance and inclusivity for all learners and thinkers by implementing recruitment strategies for students and faculty who might find New York as a safe haven for one to be who they want to be. Read more of Dr. Hall's article here.

GenCyber Teacher Program Revolutionizes Technology in Classrooms.

Associate Professor and Research Affiliate, Dr. Amber Simpson is leading GenCyber, a new initiative that will educate teachers about how to navigate today's cybersecurity risks and foster students' interests in cybersecurity careers. By helping educators better understand New York State's digital fluency learning standards, Dr. Simpson aims to create a bigger impact by translating this work to various topic areas in the classroom when teaching curriculum and help guide the next generation of cybersecurity experts through research-based instructional practices, collaboration, and support. Learn more about GenCyber here.

Research Affiliate Awarded NSA Grant.

The IJWB would like to congratulate Dr. Amber Simpson, Associate Professor and IJWB Research Affiliate, as she was awarded a $136,000 grant from the National Security Agency! This grant will fund GenCyber, a free eight-day cybersecurity camp for 25 middle school and high school teachers to provide hands-on training opportunities for K-12 teachers in local schools. With this training, K-12 teachers will learn fundamental cybersecurity concepts and diverse topic areas to help teachers and students stay safe online and forward interest in the cybersecurity field. Congrats again Dr. Simpson on your amazing work!

Assistant Director of the Institute for Justice and Well-Being and research affiliate Dr. Kim Brimhall has been awarded the Promoting Diagnostic Excellence Across the House of Medicine Grant.

Binghamton University's Institute for Justice & Well-Being Assistant Director and social work faculty member, Dr. Kim Brimhall has been awarded the Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) Promoting Diagnostic Excellence Across the House of Medicine Grant as part of a research team for $100,000 for October 2022 through October 2023. This grant promotes diagnostic excellence across the field of medicine and funds a diverse array of projects that support the development and dissemination of resources and programs focused on diagnostic excellence, to improve the timeliness, accuracy, safety efficiency, patient-centeredness, and equity of diagnostic outcomes for patients in the United States. Dr. Kim Brimhall will work with primary investigator Diana Cardona, MD, FCAP who is an Associate Professor of Pathology at Duke University and Yael Heher, MD of Harvard Medical School on a study titled Towards a Patient-Centered Pathology Report: A Mixed-Methods Diagnostic Excellence Study. See the press release here.

Research affiliate and doctoral candidate Kelley Cook will receive the Graduate Student Award for Excellence in Service and Outreach.

Kelley will receive this award at a reception on Wednesday, March 22, 2023; it honors graduate students who distinguish themselves in service to their departments, academic programs, schools and/or the University, and recognizes students who have used their graduate education to make outstanding contributions to the community beyond the University. As a doctoral student in the College of Community and Public Affairs, Community Research and Action program, Kelley has significantly contributed to the Broome County and University communities through her work with the Institute as a research affiliate and graduate assistant, as part of a project to provide telehealth services to local families, and on different faculty research projects. Kelley created and implemented a Telemental Health program with research affiliate Dr. Youjung Lee, in collaboration with the Binghamton University Community Schools (BUCS) that offered much needed mental health services and support to local youth and families during the pandemic, while simultaneously providing field experiences for social work students when placements were sparse. Kelley worked with Dr. Lee to develop the training and offer this to two cohorts of Binghamton University social work students. Kelley continues her contribution to the university through assisting in the development of a Research Lab for the Institute with Dr. Kim Brimhall.

New Community School Webinar Series.

Presented by the Central/Western Community Schools Technical Assistance Center and The National Center for Community Schools (NCCS) at Children's Aid, this webinar series highlights the importance of partnerships and their impact on the successful operation of a community school. This two-part series will explore practical strategies and potential challenges that arise when aligning with partners, as well as how to leverage connections to strengthen engagement and meet community aspirations. Learn more about this webinar series and register for this event here.

Calling All Researchers: New Initiative by NSF!

The National Science Foundation, in partnership with other federal agencies, has announced a new initiative which aims to link researchers directly with federal agencies seeking to answer research questions captured in their Learning Agendas in five equity-related research themes. By doing so, this will advance the equity, efficiency, and effectiveness of government investments through research and support the greater dissemination of knowledge and scientific advances for the benefit of all. Learn more about the new initiative here.

Research Affiliate Travels to Continue Work in Uganda.

Dr. KarenBeth Bohan, Research Affiliate and Professor in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, is embarking on a two-week long trip to Makerere University's Pharmacy School in Uganda! Back in 2014, Dr. Bohan first assisted in implementing the Pharmaceutical Care Skills Lab at the university, so she will be returning to develop a series of demonstration and training videos to foster the work being done there. Read more about Dr. Bohan's work here and we wish her safe travels!