New award funds projects with real-world impact

A Carolina faculty member working to improve homeless people’s access to healthcare and three others who are addressing critical issues affecting teens and young adults received the first Translating Innovative Ideas for the Public Good Awards.

The TIIP awards, a key initiative under Innovate Carolina’s Design and Innovation for the Public Good, support innovative projects with up to $50,000 in funding.

Award recipients represent Carolina faculty from across departments, each leading a project that transforms academic insights into real-world impact. These projects cover critical areas such as mental health support for adolescents, interventions to prevent high-risk alcohol use, community health initiatives and financial literacy programs for juvenile offenders.

“We are thrilled to invest in the development and scale of these critical projects through the TIIP Awards,” says Bill Romani, director of Design and Innovation for the Public Good. “These projects are poised to significantly impact public health, social work and community development, showcasing the University’s dedication to transforming innovative ideas into tangible societal benefits.”

The TIIP Awards are open to any UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff or venture that is developing an idea, project or company that will translate the University’s best ideas to benefit the state of North Carolina and beyond.

Community co-design for street medicine in Burke County

William Oscar Fleming, assistant professor, public health leadership and practice department, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Fleming’s initiative is a collaborative approach to developing effective street medicine practices for unhoused populations engaging the community — county leaders, community members and homeless people — in the design process. The project aims to improve upon a pilot program that delivered high quality care in sites like parks and encampments but struggled with staffing and sustainability.

Developing resources for parents to support adolescents with mental health concerns

Desiree Murray, senior research scientist, UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Gillings School of Global Public Health

In her research, Murray has developed mindfulness-based trainings for teachers and school counselors in middle and high schools to help students manage stressful situations and strong emotions. Her new project focuses on how parents can help their teens use mindfulness strategies like “Press the Pause” and “Tune In” to their thoughts and feelings to make healthy decisions. In focus groups, the research team will hear from parents about what type of resources would be most helpful to them to support their teens. These resources might include conversation starters about how teens can cope with stress and strategies parents and teens can practice together. With other University partners, the researchers will develop a parent resource tool that can be shared broadly.

Building a smartphone app to address high-risk alcohol use

Melissa Cox, assistant professor, health behavior department, Gillings School of Global Public Health

This project aims to help young adults (ages 18 to 25) reduce their alcohol consumption and avoid drinking-related consequences. A smartphone app will send messages tailored to different situations, like drinking at a party or at home with friends. Examples of the tips include how to set limits on drinking and avoid risky situations. The app will also encourage users to take safety steps like letting a friend know where they are and using a ride service to get home instead of driving after drinking.

Enhancing juvenile offender’s reintegration into communities

David Ansong, associate professor and faculty fellow with Global Social Development Innovations, UNC School of Social Work

Ansong’s pilot study seeks to improve financial literacy and stability among young offenders, making it easier for them to re-enter the community and avoid prison in the future.