Northeastern State University celebrates 2025 DaVinci Institute winners

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – Northeastern State University is celebrating the 2025 class of DaVinci Institute award winners.

The DaVinci Institute has selected Dr. Kari Henry Hulett, assistant professor of education, as a 2025 Creativity in Education Fellow.

Hulett’s proposal, "Fostering Creative Minds: Examining the Impact of Transformative Learning Strategies on Creativity in Online Graduate Students," focuses on how intentional course design can impact graduate students' creative and critical thinking.

“Receiving this award is both humbling and deeply meaningful, as it recognizes the importance of fostering creative and critical thinking in online education, which I am passionate about,” Hulett, said. “It also provides the opportunity to drive further growth and innovation in online course design.”

The DaVinci Institute has also selected Dr. Christopher Burba, professor of chemistry in the Department of Physical Sciences, as the 2025 DaVinci Fellow.

Burba’s proposal, "A Nanoconfinement Approach to Designing Lithium Rechargeable Battery Electrolytes" focuses on a new approach to designing electrolyte solutions for advanced lithium-ion batteries. His work aims to address safety issues facing modern lithium batteries such as the potential for battery fires or explosions.

“The project I proposed is one that I’ve been thinking about for some time now, and this fellowship award will enable me to do this exciting work,” Burba said. “I am immensely grateful to the DaVinci Institute and Northeastern State University for supporting my work as I embark on this new research direction.”

The DaVinci Institute has selected Dr. Elizabeth Waring, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and the program chair of Freshwater Sciences and Integrative Biology, as a 2025 Creativity in Education Fellow.

Waring’s proposal, "The Buffalo River: Exploring Creativity on America's First National River" focuses on integrating creative expression into scientific field research through a multidisciplinary field course on the Buffalo National River, fostering collaboration among students from multiple institutions.

“I am grateful to work at an institution that values and supports outdoor, experiential learning opportunities, such as the field course I am teaching on the Buffalo National River in spring 2025,” Waring said. “Recognition from the DaVinci Institute helps to validate the importance of integrating creative and field-based pedagogies into science education.”

In addition to recognizing established academics, the DaVinci Institute also selected two NSU students, Chloe Blan of Haskell, Oklahoma and Avi Delap of Collinsville, Oklahoma as 2025 DaVinci Institute Scholars.

Blan’s proposal, "Time to Feed the Horses: Exploring Long Division Through Service" focuses on immersing her future students in high-engagement learning opportunities to make mathematics relevant. Blan was mentored by Dr. Martha Parrott, assistant dean of the Gregg Wadley College of Science & Health Professions during the project.

“The DaVinci Fellow and DaVinci Scholar awards are significant not only because of their statewide recognition in higher education but perhaps most importantly because they represent the creative endeavors of our exceptional NSU faculty and students,” Parrott, said.

About the DaVinci Institute

The DaVinci Institute is organized exclusively for charitable, scientific and educational purposes, more specifically to serve as an Oklahoma think tank whose mission is to promote a statewide creative renaissance through lectures, workshops, professional development, research and advocacy.

For more information about the DaVinci Institute and this year’s winners, visit https://academicaffairs.nsuok.edu/nsudavinciawards.aspx.

###

Photo 1 from left to right: Dr. Goldie Thompson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Dr. Christopher Burba, NSU Chemistry Professor and Davinci Institute award recipient, Dr. Von Underwood, Chair and Professor at Cameron University

Photo 2 from left to right: Dr. Kari Hulett, NSU Assistant Professor and Davinci Institute award recipient, Dr. Goldie Thompson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Dr. Amanda Smith, professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Photo 3 from left to right: Dr. Von Underwood, Chair and Professor at Cameron University, Avi Delap, NSU student and Davinci Institute award recipient, Dr. Goldie Thompson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Photo 4 from left to right: Dr. Von Underwood, Chair and Professor at Cameron University, Chloe Blan, NSU student and Davinci Institute award recipient, Dr. Goldie Thompson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Photo 5 from left to right: Dr. Von Underwood, Chair and Professor at Cameron University, Dr. Elizabeth Waring, NSU Associate Professor and Davinci Institute award recipient, Dr. Goldie Thompson, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Dr. Amanda Smith, professor at Southwestern Oklahoma State University