Research Interests
Professor Allen's research examines organizational and systems change processes in the response to intimate partner violence and sexual assault; cross-sector collaboration and its contributions to community change; survivors’ experiences as they navigate complex formal and informal systems; and the effectiveness of survivor-centered, advocacy interventions that aim to alter the contexts of individuals’ lives to promote health and well-being. Professor Allen often conducts research and evaluation in close collaboration with community partners. She values university/community research partnerships that aim to promote individual and community well-being, and currently works in collaboration with the Champaign County Mental Health and Disabilities Boards to build local program evaluation capacity and at the state-level with the Illinois Department of Public Health to conduct research on statewide sexual assault prevention efforts. Professor Allen has also worked within the university community to address the complex issues associated with sexual misconduct on college campuses, including a partnership with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affair to facilitate campus climate assessments and participation on campus and system level committees to review and improv policies and practices. For more information about Dr. Allen and her research team see: https://actionresearch.web.illinois.edu
Research Description
See above.
Education
Ph.D. from Michigan State University
Grants
- 2020 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funded Programs. N. Allen & M. Aber, Co-Principal Investigators. $80,198.
- 2020 Illinois Department of Public Health. Evaluation of the Center’s for Disease Control Rape Prevention and Education in Illinois. N. Allen, Principal Investigator, $97,000 for Year 2 (of five years).
- 2019 Illinois Department of Public Health. Evaluation of the Center’s for Disease Control Rape Prevention and Education in Illinois. N. Allen, Principal Investigator, $49,903 for Year 1 (of five years); $97,000 anticipated in Year 2.
- 2019 Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority. A Proposal to Evaluate the Implementation of Police Department Based Victim Assistance Programs. N. Allen & J. Shaw, Co-Principal Investigators. $100,000.
- 2019 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funded Programs. N. Allen & M. Aber, Co-Principal Investigators. $78,792.
- 2018 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funded Programs. N. Allen & M. Aber, Co-Principal Investigators. $50,000.
- 2018 Urban Institute, Washington D.C. Center for Victim Research: Research to Practice (R2P) Fellowship. N. Allen, Principal Investigators. I. Griffiths, K. Gehrt, Co-Investigators. $15,000.
- 2017 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funded Programs. N. Allen & M. Aber, Co-Principal Investigators. $50,000.
- 2016 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funded Programs. N. Allen & M. Aber, Co-Principal Investigators. $50,000 funded.
- 2015 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Evaluation of Mental Health Board Funded Programs. N. Allen & M. Aber, Co-Principal Investigators. $50,000 funded.
- 2014 System of Care Statewide Expansion Implementation Grant. Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration Children’s Mental Health Initiative via State of Illinois. M. Aber & N. Allen, Principal Co-Directors of Research Component. $541,760 over four years.
- 2014 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Psychological Services Center Mental Advocacy Programs. N. Allen & E. Shpungin, Co-Principal Investigators. $28,000 funded.
- 2010 Champaign County Community Mental Health Board. Psychological Services Center Mental Health Outreach Initiative. E. Shpungin, N. Allen, & G. Hunt, Principal Investigators. $165,149 funded.
- 2009 Substance Abuse Mental Health Administration Children’s Mental Health Initiative via State of Illinois. N. Allen, & M. Aber, Principal Co-Directors of Research Component. $1,800,000 over six years.
Awards and Honors
- 2020 Big Ten Academic Alliance Academic Leadership Program Fellow
- 2017 Julian Rappaport Professorial Scholar in Psychology
- 2016 University Scholar, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
- 2016 Fellow, American Psychological Association (APA)
- 2015 Fellow, Society for Community Research and Action, Division 27 of the American Psychological Association (APA)
- 2015 Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (APS)
- 2015 Campus Award for Excellence in Public Engagement for the Psychological Services Center Advocacy Project Director
- 2011 Dazzling Woman Faculty Award, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Women’s Resource Center Annual Awards
- 2009 Helen Corley Petit Scholar for Outstanding Record as an Assistant Professor
External Links
Academic Service
- 2009/2010 Helen Corley Petit Scholar
- 2003 Graduate Student Organization Instructional Award for Outstanding Teaching and Advising of Graduate Students, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.
- 2011 Dazzling Woman Faculty Award, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Women’s Resource Center Annual Awards.
- 2015 Campus Award for Excellence in Public Engagement for the Psychological Services Center Advocacy Project. Project Director.
- 2015 Fellow, Association for Psychological Science (APS)
- 2016 University Scholar, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign
Recent Publications
Menon, S. V., & Allen, N. E. (2021). Community Organizing and Counter Narratives in the Response to Domestic Violence in India. American journal of community psychology, 67(1-2), 184-194. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12426
Meno, C. G., & Allen, N. E. (2020). Exploring Community Narratives of Violence Against Women among Domestic Violence Responders in Guam. American journal of community psychology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12476
Menon, S. V., & Allen, N. E. (2020). Community Organizing and Transformative Change in the Response to Domestic Violence in India. American journal of community psychology, 66(1-2), 106-118. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12427
Fitts, J. J., Aber, M. S., & Allen, N. E. (2019). Individual, Family, and Site Predictors of Youth Receipt of Therapy in Systems of Care. Child and Youth Care Forum, 48(5), 737-755. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-019-09504-w
Trawick, E. S., Aber, M., Allen, N., & Fitts, J. (2019). The strength of youth voice: exploring the influence of youth strength-perspectives on desired outcomes for youth enrolled in system-of-care services. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community, 47(2), 104-124. https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2019.1582146