UVA Batten associate professor Benjamin Castleman has received the 2024 University Public Impact Focused Research Award for his outstanding scholarship and public service to improve college success and job opportunities for America’s lower-income populations.

The award is given by the University of Virginia’s Office of the Vice President for Research to faculty who help improve lives and serve society through demonstrated public impact, whether by dissemination of their research or by directly partnering with public organizations.

“I am deeply honored and appreciative that the university recognizes that research can produce both rigorous scholarship and meaningful impact in people’s lives,” said Castleman, associate professor of public policy and education.

“We are thrilled to honor Professor Castleman for this well-deserved recognition,” said Batten Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Eileen Chou. “His work exemplifies the power of evidence-based research in expanding opportunities and improving lives.”

Castleman’s research focuses on two primary areas for increasing economic mobility among lower-income populations: postsecondary education and workforce training. His work over the past decade shows that college degree completion rates increase with improved access to personalized advising and mentoring. Castleman’s work also shows the positive impacts that stem from targeted skills-based training programs for lower-skilled workers seeking high-demand jobs.  

Castleman prioritizes sustained research collaborations with his partners, which include a variety of nonprofits and governmental entities. These long-term partnerships have generated numerous projects and policy-relevant findings, supporting partners to make evidence-informed decisions about the programs and policies they invest in to support students, workers and families in Virginia and beyond.