Department Funding Achievements
WGSS was especially pleased to accept an unexpected gift of $62,500 in March 2026, from Jennifer Hamer, professor of African American studies, and Clarence Lang, Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts. The Hamer-Lang WGSS Support Fund supports both undergraduate and graduate students’ experience within the department through programming support, honoraria for visiting scholars and lecturers, support for student conference participation, and emergency assistance for individual students in need. Thank you to the Hamer-Langs!
In collaboration with colleagues in the College of Engineering and the Eberly College of Science, Jes Matsick, the director of undergraduate studies and associate professor in WGSS and psychology, was awarded $700,000 from the Henry Luce Foundation in April 2026. The Clare Boothe Luce (CBL) Program for Women in STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics) Grant allows her to study how expansive, interdisciplinary definitions of academic excellence can support junior faculty to succeed at Penn State.
Finally, Andrea Miller is co-PI on a seed grant of $152,000 awarded in January 2026 from The Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence. The research team includes: Faculty members Sara Liao; Hil Malatino; FemTechCultures lab manager (and Dual-Title Ph.D. alum) Fouz Aljameel; Humanities and Social Sciences Librarian Salah Seoudi (Penn State Libraries); and WGSS graduate students Cora Butcher-Spellman and Benji Davis.
The project, “Ambiguities and Tensions in Trans Crowdfunding: Viral Visibility Under Surveillance,” explores “how trans and gender non-conforming (TGN) individuals use online crowdfunding to relocate to safer regions while facing increasing scrutiny and surveillance. Using interviews and discourse analysis, the research examines how platform systems and AI-driven oversight shape the opportunities and risks experienced by TGN crowdfunders, aiming to provide new insight into survival strategies, care practices, and support needs for TGN communities” (Penn State Today). One of seven proposals to receive funding, this project “was evaluated by peers for its connection to the center’s mission, intellectual merit, and potential for securing external funding. The awards will support the formation of interdisciplinary research teams and early-stage projects that demonstrate strong potential to obtain external funding. Projects are expected to start spring 2026 and last one to two years.” Congratulations to Andrea and her team!
Miller’s FemTechCultures Lab was also the recipient of $50,000 anonymous gift, adding to seed grant described above for supporting this innovative, collaborate space. The FemTechLab hosts the collaborative work of students and faculty in both WGSS and Communications, and related fields. The young lab space is off to a great start!