Michigan State University’s Ethics Institute recently announced the inaugural cohort of Ethics Research Fellows, awarding three $15,000 seed grants to jumpstart new scholarship and collaboration across campus. The program, funded through the Ethics Institute, supports small, focused projects that advance ethical inquiry and lay groundwork for external funding, publications, and classroom impact.
“The response to our inaugural Ethics Research Fellows program was extraordinary, with 52 letters of intent from 15 colleges. These seed grants help Spartan scholars turn ethical questions into concrete research and, just as importantly, build the cross-campus network we need to lead in this space,” said Bree Holtz, director of the Ethics Institute.
In its first cycle, proposals were reviewed by a 14-member faculty and staff committee representing diverse fields at MSU. The program takes a broad view of ethics, spanning across how we treat one another, our environment and our institutions, and emphasizing interdisciplinary teams and student engagement.
"The interest and enthusiasm for our inaugural Ethics Research Fellowship is a clear testament to the passion and commitment within our academic community,” said Laura Lee McIntyre, Ph.D., provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “This program not only supports critical inquiry into ethical challenges across disciplines but also lays a strong foundation for expanding our ethics research network in transformative and collaborative ways.”
2025-26 Ethics Research Fellows
Kune Park (School of Social Work) — Ethical Dilemmas at the Intersection of Child Protection and Juvenile Punishment
Park’s project examines how race, ethnicity, and gender shape child welfare decision-making that can channel foster youth, disproportionately Black youth, into the juvenile legal system. Using vignettes, interviews, surveys, and bias assessments, the team aims to inform policy and practice that promote equitable decisions and reduce unnecessary referrals.
“Ethics Fellowship funding is critical, as it enables us to confront systemic inequities at the intersection of child welfare and juvenile justice, elevate the voices of professionals and caregivers who make decisions affecting young people’s lives, and generate evidence to promote more equitable and ethical decision-making in child welfare.” — Kune Park
Michelle T. Pham (Center for Bioethics and Social Justice) and Megh Marathe (Center for Bioethics and Social Justice and Media and Information) — Ethical Oversight in Neural Device Research
Through ethnographic interviews, the team investigates how Institutional Review Boards understand and address ethical risks in neural device research involving people with disabilities, an area with high promise but unique concerns about exploitation, risk, and informed consent. Findings will inform neuroethics governance and participant protections.
“Ethics Institute funding provides a crucial opportunity to analyze of what it means to do ethical human participant research with implantable neural devices, particularly the ways in which Institutional Review Boards address ethical challenges in this research space.” — Michelle Pham
Courtney Venker (Communicative Sciences and Disorders) — Tales of Inclusion? Ethical Representations of Autistic Friendship in Children’s Literature
Venker’s team will code 100+ children’s books about autism to identify patterns in how friendship is portrayed often through neurotypical lenses and partner with autistic collaborators to develop ethically grounded storytelling recommendations for educators and authors.
“It is such an honor to have received an Ethics Research Fellow grant. This funding is important because it will allow us to examine how friendship is depicted in children's books about autism—a sub-genre of children's literature that is growing at an exponential rate. Though some children's books about autism may feature balanced and authentic autistic friendships, others may feature uneven friendship dynamics and encourage autistic characters to ’cover up’ their true selves to be eligible as a friend. It is important to understand the range of messages young readers of children's books about autism may receive, as some may be more helpful than others. Findings will inform recommendations for more inclusive and ethically grounded storytelling and educational practices.” — Courtney Venker
Beyond funding, fellows participate in a year-long learning community with two convenings, share regular updates, and produce public-facing materials such as a manuscript, case study, or news/podcast piece showcasing progress to MSU leaders, students, and partners.
The Ethics Research Fellows program is designed to be catalytic, providing modest resources that unlock pilot data, student roles, and interdisciplinary partnerships, which are often the first steps toward earning external grants and recognition in peer-reviewed publications. Proposed projects align with priority areas, including marginalized populations, inclusion, democracy, environment, and religious tolerance.
The next call for proposals was sent out on Oct. 29 for the spring 2026 cycle. Proposals are due Nov. 17, 2025. Visit ethics.msu.edu for more information.
