ARIS Announces 2026 Research Fellows
Posted On: 05-27-2026
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The Center for Advancing Research Impact in Society (ARIS) is proud to announce the 2026 ARIS Research Fellows; a distinguished cohort of six researchers selected from institutions across the country.
Over the next two years, these Fellows will deepen their expertise in Research Impacts (RI) through a cohort‑based fellowship designed to provide personalized mentoring and strategic guidance from ARIS leadership. The program supports Fellows in expanding innovation, leadership, and institutional capacity for Research Impacts at their home institutions.
2026 ARIS Research Fellows
- Dr. Monica Bugallo — Stony Brook University
Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation; Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering - Dr. Casey Canfield — Missouri University of Science & Technology
Associate Professor, Engineering Management & Systems Engineering - Dr. Nicole Fahrenfeld — Rutgers University
Professor and Undergraduate Director, Civil & Environmental Engineering - Dr. Erin James — University of Idaho
Professor of English; Sustainability Certificate Director - Dr. Divya Sitaraman — California State University, East Bay
Associate Professor of Psychology
“These six researchers will be instrumental in expanding the Research Impacts community and serving as future leaders at their institutions,” said Janice McDonnell, ARIS Co‑Principal Investigator at Rutgers University.
“We are proud of the work of the inaugural cohort of ARIS Research Fellows, and we are excited to partner with this exceptional new cohort, whose leadership will leave a lasting imprint on the future of research impact. Together, we are not only strengthening BI today but helping to shape enduring change across their institutions and beyond,” said Dr. Susan D. Renoe, ARIS Executive Director.
The Fellowship will culminate in 2027, with the Research Fellows presenting their projects at the ARIS Summit. Throughout the program, Fellows will also engage in ARIS programming and share tools, strategies, and lessons learned with local, institutional, and national professional communities, extending the impact of the Fellowship well beyond the cohort itself.
Learn More About the Research Fellows