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When Jacob DeBlois received a call notifying him that he had been named one of the first inaugural Bernard D. and Louise C. Rostker IVMF fellows in September, he immediately ran down to his advisor’s office in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

DeBlois, a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate, said he knew the fellowship opportunity would accelerate his research.

“It was so good to hear that my idea was valued,” he said. “To be told that about the project idea, in general, and then to actually receive the funding to do it helps validate you as a researcher.”

DeBlois is one of five doctoral candidates at Syracuse University who received a grant from the Bernard D. and Louise C. Rostker IVMF dissertation research fund this semester. SU recognizes the fellowship as part of the Forever Orange campaign, which the university created to raise funds to advance student and faculty livelihood and research.

The fellowship, administered through the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families, specifically supports doctoral research about veteran and military topics within SU’s schools and colleges. Two of the fellows, Mariah Brennan and Adam Cucchiara, conduct research through SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. The other three – DeBlois, Kyle Leister and Rachel Linsner – have research work based in SU’s Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics.

The Rostkers created the fellowship through the IVMF in 2022 in effort to support Ph.D. candidates in the same way Bernard Rostker received support during his time at SU over 50 years ago via external funding, he said in an SU news release. Bernard Rostker served in the U.S. Army and as a Department of Defense senior executive, another SU news release states, and Louise Rostker served as a social worker and special education teacher.

The funds allocated to the five fellows – which IVMF administrators awarded funds based on the nature of the candidates’ proposals and demonstrated need – totals $50,000, said Stephanie Salanger, IVMF’s director of communications. Funds can be used toward software and equipment expenses, attending academic conferences and traveling to collect data, according to the release.

Brennan, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate, emphasized the importance of the fellowship in her ability to pursue research opportunities as a first-generation college student.

“To be able to afford to go to college and to be able to conduct this really important research is going to change the trajectory of my career,” Brennan said.

Brennan examines long-term health and employment of vulnerable populations, including female veterans and those affected by substance abuse. DeBlois plans to research the risk of cardiovascular disease among military service members.

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Leister, also a fellow from Falk, is a part-time orthotist and prosthetist. He plans to research measurements of physical activity among people with amputations and the effectiveness of their prosthetics.

“My goal has always been to be a leader in my field and to develop novel research that will improve patient care,” Leister said in a statement to The Daily Orange. “This substantial award demonstrates the Rostker Foundation’s faith in my abilities and willingness to contribute to my educational journey.”

Linsner is focusing on military families’ health and functionality. In a Cornell University alumni spotlight article, Linsner described how her research looks into improving family experiences and needs through programs and policy.

Some fellows plan to use the funding to travel for their research. Brennan visited a software workshop on statistical analysis in Washington, D.C and said she hopes to attend an out-of-state conference next year to share her research findings with a broader audience. Cucchiara, a second-year doctoral candidate and U.S. Army veteran, is also planning to travel to collect data for his research related to national security and policing.

Cucchiara said that as someone with family and friends in law enforcement, he wants to challenge assumptions made about the use of force in policing.

“Appreciating how other scholars and other students approach these issues has given me a better insight into tools and techniques that I can use to broaden my perspective, which I think is invaluable,” Cucchiara said.

The fund opens opportunities for on-site and more in-depth research for military personnel, some of the fellows said. Brennan added the fellowship fund will spotlight under-researched topics.

“We’re really going to be able to start paving the way toward impactful research for veterans,” Brennan said.

Published on December 5, 2022 at 12:36 am

Contact Lilli: laiannel@syr.edu | @LilliIannella