“I went to university in Russia, and in Russia all textbooks were free to students,” Laskin said. “They were provided by the university. It was always shocking to me that in the U.S. students have to buy the books that the university requires them to use.”

The $500 grant, which will be distributed over a three-month period, will help bring additional free educational resources into the university’s curriculum.

“I am trying to identify open-access materials, and then I’ll review them to determine if they are high-quality and appropriate materials for our students,” said Laskin. “If they are appropriate, I will recommend them to the department for the adoption consideration.”

Laskin’s findings will culminate in a report for the state of Connecticut as well as the university community that will be available for public access.