Braun Fellowships awarded to SVSU professors of economics, education

May 12, 2026

Braun Fellowships awarded to SVSU professors of economics, education

The impact of multinational companies and science education for early learners are topics that will be further explored by the latest recipients of the SVSU Braun Fellowship.
Zachary Cohle, associate professor of economics, and Anne Tapp Jaksa, professor of education, will each receive an award of $37,500 over three years to support their respective research projects.

Through his project, "The Effect of Globalization on Innovation, Health, and Happiness," Cohle will study how increased spending by multinational firms impacts technological innovation, health and happiness in the countries in which they operate. Cohle explained that by understanding how large economic shifts impact health, interventions can be implemented to prevent widespread health declines.

About winning a Braun Fellowship, Cohle said, "I am thrilled. This is a great way that I'll be able to give back to the community at SVSU and the, hopefully, the intellectual community at large."

Cohle joined SVSU in 2021. He holds a Bachelor of Science in economics-mathematics and philosophy from the University of Pittsburgh and master's and doctorate degrees in economics from the University of Florida.

Tapp Jaksa's project is "Discovering Wonder: A Science Education Framework for Early Learning," which is designed to transform science education for very young children - birth to age 3. Tapp's intention is to create both a comprehensive textbook and educator framework for early science instruction that are aligned to standards Next Generation Science Standards, which begin at kindergarten, and are appropriate for the different developmental stages of children in the age range.

"I chose to focus on birth to kindergarten because young children are natural scientists," Tapp Jaksa said, "yet science and engineering are still too often overlooked in early childhood settings. The early years are a critical time for curiosity, inquiry, identity formation and rapid brain development, so I believe children deserve rich, equitable science learning opportunities from the very beginning.

In addition to her teaching role at SVSU, Tapp Jaksa is also the co-director of SVSU's Center for Experience, Research & Design and Usability Research Team. In addition, Tapp Jaksa serves as educator in residence at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and as director of professional development for the University of Michigan Center for Digital Curricula. Tapp Jaksa is in the final year of her term as chair of the board of directors of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) and also serves on board of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Tapp Jaksa joined SVSU in 2002. She holds a Doctor of Education degree from Wayne State University.

The Braun Fellowship program was created in 2005 through a $1.5 million endowment from the Saginaw-based Harvey Randall Wickes Foundation. Administered by the Saginaw Community Foundation, the program's purpose is to recognize the exceptional accomplishments and potential of select SVSU faculty and staff. It is named in honor of the late Ted and Ruth Braun.