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WIU Anthropology Professor Heather McIlvaine-Newsad is pictured in Grand Isle, LA, after Hurrican Katrina, where her disaster research first began.
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WIU Professor Part of Grant Review Panel to Study Climate Hazard Proposals

February 6, 2023

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MACOMB, IL – During her time at Western Illinois University, Anthropology Professor Heather McIlvaine-Newsad has performed extensive research with the help of grant funding.

However, a new project has McIlvaine-Newsad on the other side of the grant-writing table, this time evaluating grant proposals for the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, which will award millions of dollars for the Gulf Health and Resilience - Gulf Research Program.

The evaluation team includes researchers from across the country to consider proposals which deal with advancing the understanding of the effect of climate hazards on communities that are overburdened by environmental hazards. The program will award a total of $5.5 million for the between three and five winning, three-year proposals.

Winning proposals will be named in March.

McIlvaine-Newsad was invited to serve on the review panel and is lead reviewer on two of the 12 proposals being considered.

"I am delighted to work with colleagues from several R-1 institutions," said McIlvaine-Newsad. "We are meeting over Zoom and talking about the proposals. I am the only social scientist on the panel. There are some economists, hydro-engineers, costal engineers and professionals in public health and water safety."

McIlvaine-Newsad has conducted a variety of projects in disaster research, including an extensive project in Puerto Rico with help from a National Science Foundation grant. Some of her research projects are done in partnership with other WIU faculty.

For more information about WIU's Anthropology program, visit wiu.edu/anthropology.

Posted By: Jodi Pospeschil (JK-Pospeschil@wiu.edu)
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