Grants Resources & Services

The PREParation for Appalachian and Asheville Research Experiences (PREPARE) is a customized grant mentoring program for grant-interested faculty at Appalachian State University and UNC Asheville. Each inter-institutional cohort is introduced to a mentor network that meets regularly throughout the Spring semester in an effort to increase the capabilities and competitiveness of faculty to navigate and receive external funding.

PREPARE provides grant development and grant submission training for up to ten faculty from App State (five faculty) and UNC Asheville (five faculty) during the Spring semester. Faculty are introduced to a mentor network (scientific, senior, staff, and peer) to support establishing a realistic research agenda, improving grantsmanship skills, seeking appropriate external funding sources, and promoting compliance with internal and external protocols in an effort to increase successful grant submissions. Participants are required to meet regularly with their peer network throughout the program and anticipate preparing and submitting a grant proposal within 12-24 months.

This program is largely self-paced and designed for the participant who is dedicated to attending the educational sessions, growing their research network, and who will dedicate the writing time to write a grant proposal.

Ideal candidates are those not yet a PI on a large grant but are seeking external grant funding.

The application window opens every Fall and the cohort meets in the Spring. Sessions are remote. To see if the application window is open, please visit the InfoReady Review Application Portal.

What participants have to say about the program:

"I’ve found this program really helpful for learning about the resources, skills, and tools needed for pursuing grant opportunities. As a new professor, I had no idea where to start and it is very overwhelming. This program made it feel more understandable and less terrifying."  - Psychology faculty

"Most valuable aspect of PREPARE for me is the mentor. I learn how to do it in the workshops, but to have someone showing me how it is actually done is immensely helpful. So I focus on those interactions." - Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences faculty

"For the first time in my career, I feel like I am equipped with the tools that I need to be successful. Grant writing is an immensely important part of my work. And over the course of this program I have forced myself to commit to the program and follow through. As a result I have discovered that it is much easier to complete and submit a proposal that I had previously thought and dare I say fun." - Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences faculty

For more information about the program, please contact Grants Resources & Services at grs@appstate.edu

Past Participants

2026 (First inter-institutional cohort)

Appalachian State University

• Rachel Askew, PhD., Department of Learning, Teaching and Curriculum
• Trivia Eggers, Student Success
• Tinghao Feng, PhD., Computer Science
• Elizabeth Parks, Theatre and Dance
• Annie Preaux, PhD., Departments of Kinesiology and Public Health

UNC Asheville

• Courtney Clark-Hachtel, PhD., Biology
• Angela Du, English
• Sarah Frate, Phd., Health Sciences
• Amanda Mirabella, PhD., Education
• Tacci Smith, First Year Experience

2025

Pia Albinsson, PhD., Marketing & Supply Chain Management
Nancy Asen, PhD., Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences
Daniel Chi-Wei Chen, PhD., Biology
Mark Hills, PhD., Computer Science
Jennifer Kurtz, PhD., Departments of Kinesiology and Public Health
Yeganeh Madadi, PhD., Computer Science
Matthew Meier, PhD., Psychology
Candice Peters, PhD., Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education
Erin Peters, PhD., Art
Nazia Sharmin, PhD., Computer Science

2023-24

YeJun Bae, PhD., Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum
Brandy Bryson, PhD., Leadership & Educational Studies
Mac-Jane Crayton, PhD., Government & Justice Studies
Christopher Marier, PhD., Government & Justice Studies
Todd Stincic, PhD., Biology
Qingqing Sun, PhD., Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment
Bhuwan Thapa, PhD., Geography & Planning
Wei Xie, PhD., Computer Information Systems

2022-23

Tempestt Adams, PhD., Curriculum & Instruction
Hye-Sung Kim, PhD., Government & Justice Studies
Savannah Murray, PhD., Rhetoric and Writing Studies
Kelly Renwick, PhD.,  Interdiscplinary Studies
Cara Schriber, Biology
Kevin Sutton, PhD., Curriculum & Instruction
Marketa Zimova, PhD., Biology

2021-22

Eduardo de Campos, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences
Rachel Bleich, PhD., Biology

2020-21

Reagan Breitenstein, PhD., Psychology
Anastacia Schulhoff, PhD., Sociology
Roshani Silwal, PhD., Physics & Astronomy
Christian Wallen, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences
Juhee Woo, PhD., Sociology

2019-20

College of Fine & Applied Arts

Aniseh Bro, PhD., Sustainable Development
Kelly Chernin, PhD., Communication
Karis Foster, PhD., Applied Design
Chelsea Helms, Applied Design
Lynette Holman, PhD., Communication
Greg Perrault, PhD., Communication
Bert Stabler, PhD., Art Education
Mira Waits, PhD., Art
Rebecca Witter, PhD., Sustainable Development

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2019-20
College of Arts & Sciences

Basset Hamza, PhD., Computer Science
Ercan Oruc Duygu, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences
Marc Kissel, PhD., Anthropology
Michael Reddish, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences

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2019-20
Beaver College of Health Sciences

Jennifer Buff, PhD., Communication Sciences & Disorders
Jordan Hazlewood, PhD., Communication Sciences & Disorders

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2018-19
College of Arts & Sciences

Emanuele Alves, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences
Craig Caldwell, PhD., History
Jackie Hersh, PhD., Psychology
Quinn Morris, PhD., Mathematical Sciences
Folarin Oguntoyinbo, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences
Michael Opata, PhD., Biology
Nicholas Shaw, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences
Dieter Weber, PhD., Chemistry & Fermentation Sciences

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2017-18
funded by a grant from the National Council of University Research Administrator (NCURA)
Beaver College of Health Sciences

Dana Brackney, PhD., Nursing
Richard Christiana, PhD., Health & Exercise Science
Beth Fiske, PhD., Nursing
Emily Lakey, PhD., Communication Sciences & Disorders
Sandi Lane, PhD.,  Nutrition & Healthcare Management
Kim McCullough, PhD., Communication Sciences & Disorders
Marco Meucci, PhD.,  Health & Exercise Science
Kyle Thompson, PhD., Nutrition & Healthcare Management
Becki Turpin, PhD., Nursing