The University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) has named Dr. Bruna Damiana Heinsfeld, Assistant Professor of LT, as a recipient of its 2025–2026 Global Signature Grant. Her funded project, “Decolonizing Academic Writing: A Workshop for Educators in the Complexo de Favelas da Maré,” will deliver an intensive academic writing workshop for educators and students at UniFavela in Rio de Janeiro. 

In partnership with UniFavela – a grassroots educational initiative serving marginalized communities in Rio’s Complexo da Maré - the workshop curriculum is being co-designed with local educators. The goal is to shift away from one-size-fits-all academic standards and to validate the rich knowledge that community educators bring to scholarship.

🌍💡Alignment with LT’s Equity and Global Mission

This initiative exemplifies the Learning Technologies program’s commitment to equity, global collaboration, and critical pedagogy. The UniFavela project puts these values into practice by blending international expertise with local knowledge – uplifting marginalized voices and using technology and critical discourse to challenge inequitable academic norms.