2024 NSF ITEST. Collaborative Research: Developing and Testing Innovations: Early childhood maker literacies: Fostering computational thinking among Navajo youth and educators. BC: $566,643 (PI: Avneet Hira, Co-PI: Marina Bers) Total award: $1,240,345 (PI: Kristin Searle, Utah State University)
2024 NSF RET Site: Researching Cellular Agriculture: Bridging engineering and plant science to cultivate future engineering teachers $599,568 (PI: Avneet Hira, Co-PIs: Glenn Gaudette, Ali Salifu, Luke Perreault, Helen Zhang, & Mike Barnett)
2024 NSF DRK-12. Building Teacher Capacity for Teaching Across Science Disciplines Using “Smart” Greenhouses. BC: $1,589,209 (PI: Mike Barnett, Co-PIs: Helen Zhang, Avneet Hira & Jacqueline DeLisi) Total award: $2,977,449
2024 Cummings Foundation grant to Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation for The Charles River Collaboratory $150,000(Co-leads: Bob Perry, Mike Barnett, Avneet Hira & Helen Zhang)
2024 Constellation’s E2 Energy to Educate grant. Engaging Youth and their Families in Learning About Alternative Energies through Food Justice $25,000 (PI: Mike Barnett, Co-PIs: Helen Zhang & Avneet Hira)
2023 NSF CAREER. CAREER: Engineering in Youth-led Technology-rich Settings: Promoting Belonging and Preventing Harm $594,440 (Role: PI)
2023 NSF ITEST. Developing and Testing Innovations: Restorative Gardening: Growing youth empowerment through learning & teaching about artificially intelligent community sustainable urban gardens $1,299,256 (PI: Mike Barnett, Co:PIs: Lacee Satcher, Avneet Hira, Helen Zhang, & Maureen Kenny)
2023 Schiller Institute SI-RITEA Type A. Promoting Community Climate Resilience and Wellbeing in Northern Kenya through Peace Education $50,000 (PI: Avneet Hira, Co-PIs: Justin Henriques (James Madison University), Ahmed Mohamed (Garissa University))
2023 Schiller Institute SI-RITEA Type B. A strategic partnership: Creating a Collaboratory for Environmental Science $50,000 (PI: MIke Barnett, Co-PI: Bob Perry, Helen Zhang, Avneet Hira)
2022 Boston College Research in Formative Education. Great Resignation or Great Transformation?: Purpose-Driven Engineers $14,880 (PI: Dr. Avneet Hira, Co-PI: Dr. Belle Liang)
2022 Lynch School Collaborative Fellows Grant. Supporting Youth in Engaging the Community in Environmental Justice Issues $121,674 (PI: Dr. Mike Barnett, Co-PIs: Dr. Avneet Hira & Dr. Helen Zhang)
2022 Schiller Institute Grants for Exploratory Collaborative Scholarship (SIGECS). Digital Mental Health Innovations to Support Scaling Out a Family Strengthening Intervention for Afghan Refugee Families: An Interdisciplinary Collaboration $50,000 (PI: Dr. Theresa Betancourt, Co-PIs: Dr. Nam Wook Kim, Dr. Avneet Hira, Prof. Sunand Bhattacharya)
2022 Boston College Academic Technology Innovation Grant (ATIG). Transdisciplinary Learning across contexts: Blending Tissue Engineering and Learning Sciences $36,425 (PI: Dr. Mike Barnett, Co-PIs: Dr. Helen Zhang, Dr. Avneet Hira, Dr. Glenn Gaudette)
2021 NSF ITEST. Building a Youth-Led Learning Community through Automating Hydroponic Systems $1,414,733 (PI: Mike Barnett, Co:PIs: Helen Zhang, Maureen Kenny, Jacqueline DeLisi, Claudia Rinaldi, & Avneet Hira)
2021 Schiller Institute Grants for Exploratory Collaborative Scholarship (SIGECS). Engaging families in growing their own food through home-based STEM learning experiences $50,000 (PI: Dr. Mike Barnett, Co-PIs: Dr. Avneet Hira, Dr. Helen Zhang)
2021 Center for Social Innovation in the School of Social Work at Boston College. Using Human Centered Design to Develop a School-Personnel Training to Improve Transgender Adolescents’ Mental Health $22,220 (PI: Dr. Maggi Price, Co-PIs: Dr. Paul Poteat, Dr. Avneet Hira )
