Peltier Receives 2025 Open Education Initiative Grant
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Professor of Environmental Health Sciences Richard Peltier is among the eight UMass Amherst faculty members receiving 2025 Open Education Initiative (OEI) grants. The awards, announced by the Office of the Provost and the University Libraries, recognize outstanding faculty-led projects that embrace the principles of open education by increasing access, enhancing affordability, and improving student engagement.
A total of $25,000 in funding has been awarded to support the adoption, adaptation and creation of Open Educational Resources (OER) and the integration of open pedagogical practices across multiple disciplines.
Peltier received a $1,000 award to create an open textbook and question bank for PUBHLTH 203.
The projects were selected through a competitive application process that prioritized proposals focused on student impact, accessibility, innovation and reusability. They reflect the university’s continued commitment to educational equity and innovation, reducing financial barriers for students while enabling instructors to customize and share course materials that are relevant, accessible and inclusive.
Overall, this year’s projects are expected to save students more than $185,000 annually on course materials.