Research Interests
Dr. Singh has been conducting research on Open Source Software (OSS) for about 20 years and has investigated OSS communities from multiple lenses. Currently, she is devoting most of her time in understanding the under representation of women in OSS. She is very passionate about Gender and IT and Women participation in STEM fields. Related to similar issues, Dr. Singh is an advocate for social justice, diversity and inclusion and technology based development in rural Appalachia. She was a Co-PI on three grants from IMLS to educate rural librarians from the South Central Appalachian region with a focus on technology competence and another grant from IMLS to study the differences between proprietary and Open Source Integrated Library Systems.
Dr. Singh teaches online courses in the SIS masters program and therefore she is invested in understanding and improving online learning environments. A recent stream of her research is concerned with understanding the research on Online Learning in the past 25 years.
Dr. Singh is interested in Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Usability and Human Computer Interaction.
Her trans-disciplinary research interests are evident in her funded research and publications. She received the College of Communication Faculty Research Award in 2021.
Dr. Singh’s Publications are listed here.
Funded Research
RESEARCH GRANTS (13 in number, totaling up to 3 million dollars)
Currently in progress
2018 – 2019 Online Learning fusion grant Funded by Office of Research, University of Tennessee Knoxville, V. Singh and Shteynberg, G. ($10,000)
Completed
| 2016-2017 Assessment of Rural Librarians’ Role in Community Engagement in the Southern & Central Appalachian Region: Mobilization from Change Agents to Community Anchors (CA2CA@SCA-RL) Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), B. Mehra. & V. Singh (Co-PI) ($48,758) |
| 2012 – 2016 Rural Library Professionals as Change Agents in the 21st Century: Integrating Information Technology Competencies in the Southern and Central Appalachian Region (Part II) (ITRL2) Funded by: Institute of Museum and Library Services, Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program , B. Mehra, PI and V. Singh, Co-PI. ($478,258) |
| 2014-2015 CCI Deans Summer Research Grant $2000 |
| 2009 – 2014 “ScienceLinks2” PhD. Principal Investigator: Suzie Allard (SIS), Co-Principal Investigators: Sally McMillan (Advertising/PR), and Carol Tenopir (SIS). Academic Mentor V. Singh, L. Normore. Funded by: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) $711,727. |
| 2012-2013 CCI Deans Summer Research Grant $2000 |
| 2012 – 2013 iLearn? Magazine platform production and adaptive learning, Funded By: Office of Research, University of Tennessee, Co-PIs V. Singh and Elizabeth Hendrickson $3,600 |
| 2009 – 2013 Information Technology Competencies for Librarians Funded by: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Award Amount: $567,660 Dr. Bharat Mehra, (PI), Dr. Kimberly Black and Dr. V. Singh, Co-PIs |
| 2009 – 2013 Comparison of Technical Support for Open Source vs Proprietary Integrated Library Systems Funded by: Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Early Career Grant$321,178 V. Singh, PI |
| 2009 – 2012 Identifying Practices and Tools to Promote newcomer Participation in Cyber learning Environments. Funded by: National Science Foundation (NSF) IEEE-Exploratory Grant V. Singh, PI ($200,000) |
| 2009 – 2011 Increasing Biodiversity Information Sources (IBIS) Principal Investigator: C. Tenopir. Co-Principal Investigators: S. Allard, L. Normore, V. Singh. Funded by: United States Geological Society (USGS) –National Biological Information Infrastructure $498,518 |
| 2007 – 2008. Technical Support in Open Source Software – Peer to Peer Digital Knowledge Creation, Sharing and Re-Use Funded by: University of North Texas under Junior Faculty Research Grant. V. Singh, PI ($10,000) |
| 2007- 2008. The Texas Course Redesign Learning Object Repository: Research and Development for a Production System. Funded by: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board V. Singh, Co-PI. Funds $250,000 |