Planting Potential: How SEED and GROWTH Grants Help Researchers Take Root and Thrive

Applying for research grants is more than just securing funding—it’s an opportunity to bring innovative ideas to life, expand impact, and advance scholarly work. Grants support the exploration of complex questions, the building of collaborative networks, and provide access to critical resources including funds to support graduate students. They also demonstrate credibility, open doors to new partnerships, and contribute to meaningful change across disciplines. Whether launching a new project or scaling existing work, research grants are a vital step in advancing discovery and shaping knowledge that benefits society. 

Funded by the CSAHS Deans Office, the SEED and GROWTH grants offer $10,000 in funding to spark impactful research and fuel future success. Designed to support pilot projects that lay the groundwork for strong Tri-Agency grant applications, these grants provide a valuable launchpad for bold ideas. While open to faculty at all ranks, the program places a special focus on early career researchers, aiming to kickstart their research journeys and accelerate their path to long-term funding success. 

In 2025, five CSAHS faculty received the SEED and GROWTH grant:

Kimberley Squires, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition 
Children's outdoor play and activity levels across a four-season climate.
This study investigates young children's outdoor play behaviors and physical activity levels throughout a four-season climate in Ontario, Canada. It aims to understand how seasonal variations affect children's play and development on naturalized playgrounds. 

Kathryn Walton, Assistant Professor, Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition 
The Growth, Eating & Appetite Together (GrEAT) Babies Pilot Study
This study focuses on understanding how parent feeding practices and child eating behaviors influence child body composition from infancy. It aims to optimize body composition measurements and examine associations between responsive food parenting, infant eating behavior, and body composition.

Carolyn Yule, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology​ 
Perspectives of victims-survivors at the pre-trial phase in bail court.
This study examines the extent to which victim rights are achieved in bail court and how they are considered during decision-making processes. It aims to assess the involvement of victims in the bail process and the impact of recent amendments to the Criminal Code.

Tuğçe Ellialtı-Köse, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology 
Parenting in immigrant households, focusing on the intersections of gender, class, and culture.
This study investigates how immigrant parents of Turkish background approach parenting their children across different social classes. It explores parental strategies, decisions, and challenges in navigating the education system and labor market.

Maria Pavlova, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Prevalence and characteristics of pediatric chronic pain in youth who experienced childhood maltreatment.
This study examines the prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain in youth with documented histories of maltreatment. It aims to understand the associations between childhood maltreatment and chronic pain, and the impact of individual, family, and community-level factors.

The pursuit of research grants is not merely a quest for funding; it is a journey towards innovation, collaboration, and impactful change. As we look forward to the future, the work of these dedicated faculty members—Kimberley Squires, Kathryn Walton, Carolyn Yule, Tuğçe Ellialtı-Köse, and Maria Pavlova—highlight the diverse and profound ways in which research can shape our understanding and improve lives. With the continued support of initiatives like the SEED and GROWTH grants, we can foster a culture of discovery that drives progress and benefits society as a whole.

Learn more about CSAHS Research Support Programs