The University of Delaware is committed to excellence in undergraduate and graduate education, research and service. From its roots as a private academy in 1743, the institution today is a research-intensive, technologically advanced university with global impact.

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One hundred years ago today, University of Delaware Professor Raymond Kirkbride led eight students to France for an academic year to promote cross-cultural understanding and peace. It was the first for-credit study-abroad program in the United States and became a model for global education around the world. A century later, UD continues to be a national leader and innovator in global education, with unique programs like World Scholars and a growing community of international students on campus.
Watch this video to learn more about how UD is celebrating and expanding Professor Kirkbride’s bold vision.

July 7, 1923: The Day UD Changed the World

Coastal cities of the future need creative climate change adaptation tools today. University of Delaware disaster researcher A.R. Siders believes managed retreat— the purposeful movement of people, buildings and other assets from areas vulnerable to hazards—can be a powerful tool for expanding the range of possible solutions to cope with rising sea levels, flooding and other climate change effects when used proactively or in combination with other measures. 

Read more: 
https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2021/june/managed-retreat-ar-siders-coastal-cities-future-climate-change

Managed retreat—a powerful tool for future climate change adaptation

The mission of the Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research is to support and advance research, education, and clinical training in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. We are interested in supporting researchers in conducting clinical and translational research to improve the timeliness and accuracy of the diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, person-centered clinical care, and quality of life for patients across the continuum from typical aging to dementia and families. We combine clinical, academic, and research experience in medicine, neuropsychology, physiology, and engineering from the University of Delaware and ChristianaCare Health System.

Learn more about DECCAR: https://sites.udel.edu/memory-research/

The Delaware Center for Cognitive Aging Research

University of Delaware students created a listening device for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to become composers of their favorite childhood songs. The students reached out to Autism Delaware and visited the Sensory Room at the Route 9 Library and Innovation Center to pilot the listening device, developed by UD researchers Daniel Stevens, a professor of music theory in the School of Music within the College of Arts and Sciences, Matthew Mauriello, assistant professor of computer and information sciences in the College of Engineering.

They applied for and were awarded $50,000 from the Maggie E. Neumann Health Sciences Research Fund to advance their research. The fund specifically targets interdisciplinary research and innovation that aims to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

For more information on the project, email asdmusic.ud@gmail.com

Children with autism become composers using listening device

What you plant in your backyard or community can have a significant impact on the ecosystem. In this video, University of Delaware researcher Doug Tallamy shares one simple action we can all take to better support birds and other wildlife. Tallamy, an expert on the science of plant-insect interactions, is the T.A. Baker Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UD. He is also a New York Times’ bestselling author of such works as Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope and The Nature of Oaks.

Plan for the Planet: Doug Tallamy

Vita Nova is UD's student-operated fine-dining restaurant, offering an award-winning lunch buffet Monday through Friday and an elegant five-course meal. Vita Nova serves as a learning laboratory for students in the University of Delaware Lerner College of Business & Economics Department of Hospitality and Sport Business Management.

Each student gets a diverse educational experience by rotating through 17 different positions both in the dining room and in the kitchen. Students gain invaluable culinary, service and management experience in this learning lab.
https://lerner.udel.edu/centers/vita-nova-restaurant/

Uniquely UD: Vita Nova Restaurant

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Rethinking AI in the classroom: A literacy-first approach to generative technology

University of Delaware professor Rachel Karchmer-Klein offers a new approach for educators in this new age of AI.

As schools nationwide navigate the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence, educators are searching for guidance that goes beyond fear, hype or quick fixes. Rachel Karchmer-Klein, associate professor of literacy education  at the University of Delaware, is helping lead that conversation.

Her latest book, Putting AI to Work in Disciplinary Literacy: Shifting Mindsets and Guiding Classroom Instruction, offers research-based strategies for integrating AI into secondary classrooms without sacrificing critical thinking or deep learning. Here is how she is approaching the complex topic. 

Q: Your new book focuses on AI in disciplinary literacy. What is the central message?  Karchmer-Klein: Rather than positioning AI as a shortcut or replacement for student thinking, the book emphasizes a literacy-first approach that helps students critically evaluate, interrogate, and apply AI-generated information. This is important because schools and universities are grappling with rapid AI adoption, often without clear guidance grounded in learning theory, literacy research, or classroom practice. 

Q: What inspired this research?  Karchmer-Klein: The book grew directly out of my work with preservice teachers, practicing educators, and school leaders who were asking practical but complex questions about AI: How do we use it responsibly? How do we prevent over-reliance? How do we teach students to question what AI produces? I also saw a gap between public conversations about AI which often focused on fear or efficiency and what teachers actually need: research-informed strategies that support deep learning. My long-standing research in digital literacies provided a natural foundation for addressing these questions.

Q: What are some of the key findings from your work?  Karchmer-Klein: AI is most effective when it is embedded within strong instructional design and disciplinary literacy practices, not treated as a stand-alone tool. The research and classroom examples illustrate that AI can support student learning when it is used to prompt reasoning, reveal misconceptions, provide feedback for revision, and encourage multiple perspectives. Another important development is the emphasis on teaching students to evaluate AI outputs critically by recognizing bias, inaccuracies, and limitations, rather than assuming correctness.

Q: How could this work impact schools, teacher education programs and the broader public?  Karchmer-Klein: For educators, this work provides concrete, evidence-based literacy strategies coupled with AI in ways that strengthen, not dilute, student thinking. For teacher education programs and school districts, it offers a research-based framework for professional development and policy conversations around AI use. More broadly, the work speaks to a public concern about how emerging technologies are shaping learning, helping to reframe AI as something that requires human judgment, ethical consideration, and strong literacy skills to use well.

ABOUT RACHEL KARCHMER-KLEIN  Rachel Karchmer-Klein is an associate professor in the School of Education at the University of Delaware where she teaches courses in literacy and educational technology at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels. She is a former elementary classroom teacher and reading specialist. Her research investigates relationships among literacy skills, digital tools, and teacher preparation, with particular emphasis on technology-infused instructional design. 

To speak with Karchmer-Klein further about AI in literacy education, critical evaluation of AI-generated content and teacher preparation in the era of generative AI, reach out to MediaRelations@udel.edu. 

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Why homelessness is more than a housing issue for students

Expert insight from University of Delaware education policy scholar Ann M. Aviles

More than 4,400 students in Delaware were identified as experiencing homelessness during the 2022–23 school year, a number that continues to rise. 

Ann M. Aviles, associate professor in the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development, studies education equity, social policy and services for children and families. She is co-author of a new book, "Serving Students Who Are Homeless: A Resource Guide for Schools, Districts, Educational Leaders, and Community Partners", which offers practical guidance for educators navigating the challenges of student homelessness.

 Nationwide, more than 1.3 million school-aged children experience homelessness annually. While housing instability is often viewed as a social services issue, research shows it has direct and profound consequences for student learning, engagement and well-being.

Housing instability affects every aspect of a student’s daily life. Students may be worried about where they will sleep, whether they will have food or how they’ll get home after school. That uncertainty makes it much harder to focus on learning, Aviles said.

A key recommendation in Aviles’ new book is stronger collaboration between schools and community organizations. She encourages districts to develop community resource maps that identify local food pantries, shelters, health providers and other support services. She also emphasizes the importance of public understanding of homelessness as a systemic issue shaped by policy, affordability and access to services.

To speak with Aviles further, email mediarelations@udel.edu. 


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Delaware study reveals higher rates of anxiety, substance use among LGBT+ youth

Nearly one in four Delaware teens identifies as LGBT+, with researchers calling for urgent, tailored support in schools and health systems.

Assistant Professor

A new study has found that LGBT+ youth in Delaware are experiencing disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression and substance use compared to their cisgender heterosexual peers.

University of Delaware’s Eric Layland, assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development, and his coauthors reported that nearly one in four Delaware teens identifies as LGBT+, a dramatic increase from earlier state surveys that put the figure closer to 5%. More than one in 20 identified as transgender or nonbinary, reflecting national trends of increased visibility among Generation Z.

The study revealed stark mental health differences. About half of cisgender heterosexual youth reported recent anxiety, compared to 75 to 80% of LGBT+ youth. These rates exceed both their heterosexual peers in Delaware and national averages for LGBT+ youth.

Substance use patterns also raised concerns. By 8th grade, LGBT+ students reported higher rates of drinking, smoking, vaping and prescription drug misuse. Researchers noted that their substance use looked more like that of 11th grade heterosexual students than their peers in the same grade, pointing to early onset of risky behaviors.

These disparities, established in middle school, largely persisted into high school. While substance use increased among all students over time, LGBT+ youth consistently reported higher rates.

Based on state population data, the findings suggest there may be 18,000 to 20,000 LGBT+ youth in Delaware, including up to 5,000 transgender and nonbinary youth. The authors say this underscores the importance of ensuring that schools, healthcare providers and community programs have the resources to meet the needs of this population.

This is one of the first Delaware-specific studies on youth health disparities by sexual orientation and gender identity using data collected after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results, researchers say, highlight an urgent need for early intervention and affirming support systems for LGBT+ youth across the state.

Layland, who specializes in LGBTQ+ development and affirmative interventions, can speak more about specific interventions. He is available by clicking his profile. 


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