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Joseph Albertson is spending this summer studying Hindi in Jaipur, India, with a fellowship from the American Institute of Indian Studies. This is his second fellowship from the institute, which funded his studies in Jaipur last summer as well. Albertson is pursuing his master’s degree in religious studies at UNC Charlotte.

People who live in food deserts in Charlotte struggle to find healthy fresh food. Lauren Whipp, who as an undergraduate anthropology major began researching the topic, takes this issue personally. While she has long been interested in the topic, Whipp expanded her formal research into food access issues as an undergraduate Charlotte Research Scholar in the summer of 2013.

As competition for talent heats up worldwide, UNC Charlotte researcher Qingfang Wang has identified critical factors that appear to give some communities a competitive edge. Wang’s research considers highly skilled immigrants and immigrant entrepreneurs – what attracts them, what fosters their growth and what deters them from fully using their skills and knowledge.

One way to think about sustainability is as a three-legged stool, with environmental, economic and social sustainability as the legs. Social sustainability is the wobbliest of the three legs, because it is less defined and studied. To help address this aspect of sustainability, various UNC Charlotte faculty have organized the Integrated Network for Social Sustainability.

UNC Charlotte students this summer are creating an innovative theatrical production that combines works of two significant playwrights, while delving into topics including diversity, theatrical performance, language, history and the craft of writing. These students are studying in England, collaborating with Kingston University students, British theater professionals and a UNC Charlotte scholar.

Effective volunteers are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations. Without them, nonprofits can wither and even die, so understanding their needs is critical. UNC Charlotte’s Volunteer Program Assessment helps nonprofits understand and respond to their volunteer programs’ strengths and weaknesses. Since 2009, VPA has helped over 120 organizations in 20 states address their needs.

UNC Charlotte researcher Margaret M. Quinlan has teamed with WOUB Center for Public Media and received a regional Emmy nomination for the documentary series, The Courage of Creativity. The series showcases the role of artists in fostering storytelling and well-being in health-related contexts.

During a spring break studying abroad for nine days in England alongside 15 other students in UNC Charlotte’s ‘Shakespeare in England’ class, undergraduate Lauren Dockery learned to live in the moment and to leave familiarity behind.

Even as the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 takes place, U.S. education is becoming less diverse. To examine this issue of increasingly segregated schools, researchers from UNC Charlotte joined with educators, legal scholars and practitioners, and social scientists from around the country at a June civil rights conference hosted by Penn State’s College of Education.

Charlotte Teachers Institute has accepted a new cohort of 104 Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools teachers into its innovative, interdisciplinary seminars for 2014, involving new partnerships with Discovery Place and the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture.