Abdul-Akeem Sadiq often credits a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded mentorship program for helping to launch his teaching and research endeavors in hazards, disasters and risk. Now, the UCF School of Public Administration professor is taking the lead as principal investigator for the program’s sixth cohort.

As a previous fellow in the fourth cohort of the Enabling the Next Generation of Hazards and Disasters Researchers program — commonly referred to as the Enabling Program — Sadiq knows firsthand the importance of the initiative and its mission of shaping innovative scholars in hazards and disaster research. Designed to help early-career researchers develop their professional and scholastic careers, the Enabling Program advances interdisciplinary knowledge by empowering them to address complex issues in risk and disaster management.

During his own fellowship in the program from 2014 to 2016, Sadiq was paired with faculty mentors at Texas A&M University (TAMU) and Arizona State University. Under their guidance, he wrote and received approval on his second NSF proposal to conduct research on flood risk management — a feat he considers the launchpad for his career.

“A major goal of the program is to help people write career grants and elevate the trajectory of your career, and my experience reflected that,” Sadiq says. “The positive impact that will have on your career is incredible. I had lots of opportunities to collaborate, work alongside, publish, and present with students at both national and international levels.”

After serving as a mentor for the fifth cohort and experiencing the innovative program from both sides, Sadiq was inspired to take the reins as principal investigator for the sixth cohort. Funded by a two-year, $433,000 NSF grant, his team includes co-principal investigators Michelle Meyer (TAMU), Henry Burton (UCLA) — both former program fellows and mentors — and Jill Trepanier (Louisiana State University).

“To be able to get funding for such a key program that focuses on helping extraordinary individuals and faculty to excel was unbelievable.”

“To be able to get funding for such a key program that focuses on helping extraordinary individuals and faculty to excel was unbelievable,” he says. “We were all ecstatic, and I’m really honored to be the one leading the sixth round. We had our first planning meeting recently, and people were just saying how grateful they are to the program for helping them get to where they are today. I think the biggest challenge we’re going to have is saying no to a lot of excellent applicants.”

Using a community-driven mentorship model, the program allows participants to serve as fellows in one aspect of disaster research and practice while mentoring in another. In emphasizing teaching, mentorship and research, it creates a repository for sharing case studies and datasets.

As they promote continuity in developing future generations of researchers and educators, Sadiq and his team are taking this round of the Enabling Program a step further in expanding eligibility criteria. For the first time in the program’s history, both postdoctoral scholars and non-tenure-track research scholars are eligible to participate, along with scholars in the physical sciences, social sciences and engineering.

Ideal candidates are early-career scholars in disaster, hazard or risk who are interested in seeking resources and guidance to make a positive impact in their field. Ultimately, 20 fellows will be selected from the pool of eligible applicants and matched with mentors based on their disciplinary areas.

In the Enabling Program, mentorship opportunities are tailored to each participant’s personal and professional goals, from research and teaching to leadership and collaborative endeavors. Mentors provide guidance on topics such as identifying and applying for potential grant opportunities, reviewing articles and manuscripts for publication, establishing work-life balance, assembling pre-tenure packages, and crafting and implementing teaching philosophies — all tasks that can be daunting when navigating new territory as a young faculty member. Fellows will even participate in an NSF mock panel, where they’ll write and submit a proposal that a roundtable of mentors will then review, deliberate and provide feedback on.

By fostering a solid foundation in hazards and disaster research through this comprehensive mentoring and training program, Sadiq and his team hope to amplify the impact of the research and career development that will come from it. Lessons from this round of the Enabling Program will be published by a third-party evaluator. Sadiq’s team will disseminate program results through publications, conferences and meetings, such as the Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop.

“Without this program, I don’t think I’d be where I am today.”

“Without this program, I don’t think I’d be where I am today,” he says. “It gave me many opportunities to connect with people who are well-versed and knowledgeable in the field of hazards, disasters and risk. I was exposed to opportunities inherent in working with other people from other universities as well as publishing in journals I never thought I could. This program has so much to offer.”

For more information on the Enabling Program, including how to apply, contact Professor Abdul-Akeem Sadiq.

Researcher’s Credentials
Sadiq is a professor in UCF’s School of Public Administration, housed in the College of Community Innovation and Education. He received his joint doctorate in public policy from Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology. He also serves as program director for UCF’s Master of Public Policy program.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under award No. 2526640.

Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.