The College of Applied Science and Technology (CAST) has named three distinguished faculty members as recipients of the CAST Research Fellowship.

The CAST Research Fellows is a competitive program designed to provide tenured faculty additional time to devote to scholarship or funded research opportunities as an investment in the research mission of the college and in recognition of the exceptional scholarly activities of faculty. Dr. Xing Fang, Dr. Scott Pierce, and Dr. Dawn Beichner-Thomas have been selected for their innovative research projects, each addressing critical issues in education, sport leadership, and social justice.

Dr. Xing Fang—AI for Enhanced Learning

Fang, an associate professor of computer science in Illinois State’s School of Information Technology (IT), is developing an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform to improve student learning experiences. Inspired by an AI diagnostic tool he encountered at a research seminar at Northwestern University, Fang is designing a system that provides AI-assisted tutoring, study, and debugging support.

Fang’s project seeks to enhance the academic experience of tutors and students at the School of IT’s Learning Center. The platform will consist of three key components: a study module that breaks down complex topics into manageable segments, a tutoring function that offers step-by-step guidance on assignments, and a debugging tool to help students troubleshoot coding errors. Tutors will oversee and validate the AI-generated outputs, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

Fang and his graduate assistant, Akhil Raghava Kalal, are currently in the development phase, integrating the system into a Python-based framework for initial testing. He hopes the platform will streamline tutoring services as well as to improve student engagement and performance.

Dr. Scott Pierce—Leadership Development in Youth Sports

Dr. Scott Pierce, an associate professor in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation, focuses on the psychological development of young athletes through sports. His research examines how sports participation fosters leadership and life skills, preparing athletes for success both on and off the field.

In collaboration with the Michigan High School Athletic Association, Illinois High School Association, and the National Federation of State High School Associations, Pierce helped develop a series of online leadership courses for high school athletes and coaches. These courses, launched in 2023, teach critical leadership skills such as motivation, team dynamics, emotional regulation, and effective communication. Over 15,000 student-athletes and coaches have completed the program.

Pierce’s current research evaluates the effectiveness of these courses through self-assessments and data-driven analysis. The second phase of his research will entail a longitudinal study to compare leadership growth between athletes who completed the training and those who did not. This phase will include control trials to identify barriers to leadership development and explore strategies for enhancing leadership education in sport.

“My work has always been based on the premise that sports provide young people with an opportunity to develop psychological, social, and life skills,” Pierce said. “We shouldn’t overlook the importance of mental health, well-being, and personal development in sports.”

Dr. Dawn Beichner-Thomas—Addressing Challenges of Rural Prisoner Re-Entry for Women

Dr. Dawn Beichner-Thomas, a professor of Criminal Justice Sciences, is working on a monograph that examines the challenges faced by women returning to rural communities after incarceration. Her research addresses the unique barriers to successful re-entry, including limited social services, employment opportunities, and stigma within small-town environments.

Beichner-Thomas has dedicated over a decade to studying the experiences of incarcerated women, conducting interviews with individuals before their release to understand their concerns and re-entry plans. While prisoner re-entry is often discussed in the context of urban areas, little research has been done on the specific difficulties faced by women in rural settings, where resources such as housing, healthcare, and counseling are scarce.

Through her research, she aims to bridge these gaps by identifying strategies to improve access to essential services. She notes that while digital solutions such as telehealth and online resources can help, rural areas often suffer from technological limitations, including unreliable internet access.

Her work also highlights the broader implications of incarceration policies. She emphasizes the need for alternatives to incarceration, particularly for nonviolent offenses, as excessive reliance on imprisonment disrupts families and communities.

“The U.S. leads the world in mass incarceration, particularly of women,” Beichner-Thomas said. “If we understand the harms of incarceration and focus on alternatives that allow people to remain in their communities, we can reduce the long-term negative impact on individuals, their families, and society as a whole.”

Dr. Chad McEvoy, dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology, discussed how the CAST Fellows program supports the research mission of the college.

“CAST faculty perform amazing research that truly makes a difference in our disciplines and communities. We are excited to support the work of these three scholars as CAST Research Fellows for 2025-2026 and look forward to seeing the results of their work,” said McEvoy.

CAST is currently seeking applications for a second cohort of the CAST Research Fellows Program, with a deadline of April 1. Email applications and questions to Dean Chad McEvoy and Executive Associate Dean Cara Rabe-Hemp.