2024 Explorer Challenge winners announced 

The Office of Research and Innovation has announced the three winners of last year’s Explorer Challenge. More information about each project can be found on the Explorer Challenge webpage

  • Laudato si’ and the Land & Water Acknowledgement: Re-mapping the Natural World into an Urban Environment 
    • Project team: Dr. Paul Gasser (project lead), biomedical sciences; Dr. Bryan Rindfleisch, history; Dr. Samantha Majhor, English; Dr. Nate LeMoine, biological Sciences; Dr. Jacqueline Schram, diversity and inclusion in the Office of University Relations 
    • A collaboration between Marquette University, Wisconsin Indigenous partners and Milwaukee community organizations, this project focuses on re-centering nature and rebuilding human connections with the natural world in urban environments, including the Marquette campus.
  • Inclusive Partnerships for Social Impact: A New Model of Community Engaged Research 
    • Project team: Dr. Abiola Keller (project lead), nursing; Dr. Dora Clayton-Jones, nursing; Dr. Kristin Haglund, nursing; Kelsey Otero, community engagement; Dr. Aleksandra Snowden, social and cultural sciences; Dr. Kathryn Wagner, economics 
    • This project reimagines how Marquette University engages in research by fostering partnerships driven by community needs and expertise. The project is a collaboration with local nonprofit and community organizations to prioritize the health challenges they face, to recognize their unique strengths, and to jointly explore effective solutions. 
  • Interdisciplinary Pro Bono Persistent Pain Program (3PM Program) 
    • Project team: Dr. David Stocker (project lead), physical therapy; Dr. Kavitha Venkateswaran, counselor education and counseling psychology; Dr. Lee Za Ong, counselor education and counseling psychology; Dr. Christine O’Neil, occupational therapy 
    • The interdisciplinary Pro Bono Persistent Pain Program (3PM Program) addresses the critical gap in accessible and comprehensive treatment for persistent pain through a collaborative effort among Marquette’s counseling psychology, physical therapy and occupational therapy programs. This initiative offers an integrated and holistic approach to improve patient mental and physical functioning, leveraging the multidisciplinary expertise of students under professional supervision.