About the Gallaudet Research Institute

Gallaudet, as an institution, has a mandated obligation to contribute knowledge likely to benefit the nation’s deaf and hard of hearing people, particularly in the areas of education and human services. The University therefore supports the Gallaudet Research Institute (GRI), a staff unit of the Graduate School and Professional Programs within the Division of Academic Affairs.

Mission

The Gallaudet Research Institute (GRI) strives to fulfill the university's legislated obligation to support and conduct research, and disseminate findings, on topics of concern to deaf people and those who live, work with, and educate them. To this end, GRI aspires to stimulate students, faculty, and staff in pursuit of new knowledge of value to their scholarly growth and to their discipline, by supporting on-campus research and lectures. GRI researchers conduct studies of language and learning processes in American Sign Language and English among deaf people from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. The GRI continues its long tradition as the preeminent source of demographic and educational data about deaf youth throughout the United States.

Essential Functions

• Leading and supporting a range of studies, based at GRI and in other units on campus.
• Serving as an information clearinghouse about deaf and hard of hearing children, through longitudinal projects such as the Annual Survey and SAT-10 norming.
• Advising and teaching research methodology to students and faculty (advising on design, serving on thesis & dissertation committees, mentoring and teaching students.)
• Monitoring innovations in data management & technology for adapting to campus research.
• Providing research grants to students & faculty and showcasing their research in lecture series.

Funding

Since FY05, GRI has attracted more than one million dollars in external monies for a range of deliverables, such as proposed studies, state surveys of school children, sale of SAT materials, and reimbursed contributions to campus centers such as VL² and RERC-HE.

Currently, GRI staff are preparing grant proposals, revisions or subcontracts for submission to HHS (conditions of American Indian infants w/ disability), NIH–NIDCD (Speech Loudness Perception During Vocalization), AERA (secondary data analyses-disability datasets), and NCDHR (CDC-funded center on deaf health, Deaf Weight Wise project). Also, with VL² and RERC-HE, we co-write grants (both as P.I. on studies and as technical specialists).