About

The Research Institute for Scholars of Equity (RISE 2.0) at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) provides upper-level undergraduates with experiences in conducting mixed-methods education research while preparing participants for doctoral study. RISE 2.0, originally funded by IES in 2016, is a partnership between NCCU and the University of Southern California. Over the course of the 5-year grant, RISE 2.0 will offer up to 58 students 1-year fellowships.

The interdisciplinary training program's theme focuses on the ongoing inequities in education found in American schooling, especially for preK-20 African American and Latino/a students. As part of the year-long training program, Fellows will receive training in education research, conduct research with peers and faculty mentors, and receive assistance in applying to doctoral programs. One core feature of the fellowship is the 8-week summer research institute in which fellows will be introduced to mixed-methods research techniques as a means of studying issues such as teacher quality, education policy, and race and social justice in education. During this institute, fellows study the sociocultural contexts of American schooling and learn how to formulate culturally competent research questions. In addition to completing coursework, fellows will conduct several short research projects and begin conducting research related to the RISE 2.0 theme as part of research interest groups (RIGs) under the supervision of their faculty mentors. Fellows will continue to conduct research through their RIGs during the academic year.