GRANT NEWS   

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

August 2014

Dear Proposal Writer,

 

This newsletter is for you! We take pride in celebrating each month the external funding obtained to support innovate research and creative programs. Faculty, staff and administrators give generously of their expertise and hard work to obtain discretionary grants to improve their programs and support students and research. If you received this newsletter from someone else and would like to receive your own copy directly, please send your name and contact information to [email protected].

Congratulations to those who obtained grant awards!

      Sincerely,

In This Issue
OSU GRANTS
UCO GRANTS
NSU GRANTS
OCCC GRANTS
CUR OK COUNCILERS
OCAST GRANTS
OSU GRANTS

Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation - $120,000

The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation announced the distribution of $1.8 million in grants to 20 journalism organizations nationwide, including funding to the OSU Foundation to further increase the community impact of the KOSU Film Row studio through the addition of audio and video capabilities in the Hart Beat Performance Studio. The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation's mission is to invest in the future of journalism by building the ethics, skills and opportunities needed to advance principled, probing news and information.

  

US Department of Agriculture - $1 million

The first cattle in a $1 million drought adaptation study have been put on feed. The OSU School of Agriculture recently received grant money to develop climate adaptation tools for beef producers with a focus on water management. That might mean breeding cows that need less water someday, but it's not a simple process. There exist tried-and-true rules about how much water an animal will consume a day based on the temperature and size. But there is actually a lot of individual animal variations involving water intake. This is the first study that will look at large-scale animal water use.

The second major objective of the study is to expand and refine the cattle comfort index, a weather-based guide that helps producers adjust their animal management processes throughout the season. Comfortable livestock means less stress and better meat production for market. Cattle producers have been selling their herds down in recent years because of low water and grazing resources, or discomfort for the cattle. Given the world's ever-increasing population, it's more important than ever to develop and promote beef production systems that are economically sustainable for both producers and consumers while also fostering environmental stewardship. Megan Rolf, an animal scientist with OSU's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, is the project's principal investigator.

 

National Science Foundation - $3.2 million

Associate professor of botany Andrew Doust at OSU will be studying genetic regulation of specialized branches in grasses that are known as tillers. OSU says tillers play important roles in grain yield and biomass accumulation - but all the genes that contribute to their initiation and growth are largely unknown. The project also includes researchers at Brigham Young University, West Virginia University and the Plant Gene Expression Center in Berkeley, California.
 

UCO GRANTS

UCO Gang

National Science Foundation - $304,745

Dr. Evan Lemley, Professor of Engineering & Physics and Assistant Dean of the College of Mathematics & Science, has received a cluster supercomputer grant. A cluster supercomputer allows multiple users to work on problems much larger than any one computer or user could handle alone. The computer will support research and education for students, faculty members and staff members at the university, as well as researchers across the state. Dr. Gang Qian, Professor and Chair of Computer Science, serves as Co-PI. The computer is to be named Buddy - a nod to the school's mascot, Buddy Broncho.
  
 Earth Science Tech, Inc. - $10,000

Wei Chen, Professor of Engineering and Physics, received funding for the Antitumor Effect of Hemp Oil. This project will study the in-vitro effect of hemp oil, particularly its main ingredient, cannobidiol (CBD), a non-toxic compound, using different cells.






US Department of Agriculture - $5,500

Christopher Butler, Biology, received funding for "Migratory connectivity in Yellow Rails, Le Conte Sparrow, and Sedge Wrens." This project uses stable isotope analysis to examine migratory connectivity in Yellow Rails, Le Conte's Sparrows and Sedge Wrens that migrate through Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma.

  

OUHSC - $872UCO Jicheng Fu

Jicheng Fu, Computer Science, received funding for a needs assessment for an intervention to prevent obesity in Hispanic preschool children. This project is to conduct a needs assessment using the first step of the Intervention Mapping (IM) protocol as a guide to gather information on the promoters and barriers that challenge healthy eating among Hispanic preschoolers.

 

Oklahoma Arts Council - $5,000

Greg White, Department of Music, College of Fine Arts and Design, received funding for Broadway Tonight's 2014-2015 season. The theme, "Oklahoma Voices," will present five different productions showcasing state natives who have become top artists in the music performance industry.

 

Oklahoma Arts Council - $1,500

Jill Priest, Department of Dance Productions, College of Fine Arts and Design, received funding for the High School Dance Festival. This project is to showcase the many educational and performance opportunities available for dance students while also providing an understanding of dance as an art form and cultural fixture. Student participants can take a variety of classes, interact and share choreography with peers, showcase their school programs through performances and learn about careers in dance.

 

Oklahoma Arts Council - $2,000

Ines Burnham, Oklahoma Center for Arts Education, College of Fine Arts and Design, received funding for Special Needs Arts Outreach. This project is to provide adult students, primarily diagnosed with Down syndrome and Autism, hands-on arts education, including rotating music, dance, theatre arts, fine arts and design, on an on-going basis.

 

Oklahoma Arts Council - $750

Ines Burnham, Oklahoma Center for Arts Education, received funding for the Children's Opera Arts Outreach, a project to invite elementary school-aged students from surrounding counties to participate in a 45-minute hands-on art project of a children's opera. Students will enjoy a 45-minute opera performed by UCO music majors specifically geared towards younger audiences.

 

Oklahoma Arts Council - $1,250

Tess Remy-Schumacher, Department of Music, received funding for Historic Performance Outreach. This project will expose local students and community members to the new wave in the professional classical music world: Historical Performance and Practice. The weekend will have three major components: academic, performance and a combination concert on the final day including guest artist Sarah Freiberg, Central faculty and workshop participants. 

NSU GRANTS                               
                                 
Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence - $113,447
Curtis Evans received funding for the Manufacturing Alliance to provide assistance from the NSU-BA campus to local manufacturers in various ways to make their businesses more successful.  
 

 

 

Oklahoma Arts Council - $1,250

Dr. Norman Wika received funding for the NSU Chamber Music Series to bring professional chamber and solo musicians to Tahlequah. The artists will provide performances and master classes to area music students.
 

 

 

Oklahoma Department of Commerce - $94,387

Raymond Murphy received funding for the OK Center for Rural Development to support economic development partnerships and Oklahoma community analysis reports in demographic summaries and thematic maps. 
 

National Institutes of Health through OUHSC NSU Cizar- $33,469
Dr. Cindy Cisar received funding to perform research of antifungal activity and cellular targets of modified lactoferricin peptides in collaboration with the University of Arkansas.  This study examines modifications to a natural antimicrobial, lactoferricin, in order to determine how antimicrobial activity may be increased and to better understand the effects of these modified compounds on human pathogens.


 

National Institutes of Health through OUHSC - $30,062
Dr. Sapna Das Bradoo received funding for McM10 and Polymerase Epsilon research. The overall goal of this award is to achieve a molecular understanding of the physical interaction between McM10 and polymerase epsilon and the role it may play in activating the DNA replication stress checkpoint pathway.  The impact of this study will be to significantly improve the understanding of how genome integrity is protected in actively replicating cells. 


National Institutes of Health through OUHSC - $104,276
Dr. Joseph Ahlander received funding for research project Ard1 Drosophila.  Experiments in mammalian cancer models have shown that overexpression of Ard1 promotes tumor growth, while its inhibition causes tumor cell death, yet the molecular mechanisms that underlie these observations have not been fully elucidated.  The PI's preliminary data suggest a novel mechanism for the role of Ard1 in cell survival, and this research will make an important contribution toward understanding cancer.

US Department of Education - $288,684 

Lena Deere received funding for Student Support Services to provide student services to assist students to successfully complete a program of study at NSU. The program will provide a comprehensive system of support services such as counseling, tutoring and academic enrichment activities. 

OCCC GRANTS
OCCC logo

US Department of Education - $2,249,652

OCCC's Title III funds will be used to create A Model for Improved Student Experiences: Strengthening Academic Programs and Student Services, to: 1) Strengthen Student Learning via Gateway Course Redesign grounded in established learning theory, facilitated by extensive faculty development, and incorporating best practices for teaching the at-risk community college student; and 2) Strengthening Student Learning via Comprehensive Advisement and Degree Planning including analysis and formalizing of all degree plans and implementation of Academic Planning software to improve student persistence and degree completion. Joe Swalwell will be the acting Project Director.

  

AmeriCorps Oklahoma Serves - $10,000

AmeriCorps Oklahoma in Action - $10,000

Four half-time AmeriCorps members will serve for one year in OCCC's Capitol Hill Center and the Family and Community Education Center.  Each member will receive an education award of $2,882 upon completion of the required 900 hours of service.  The award can be used to pay for tuition, pay off student loans, and other expenses associated with college education.


Council on Undergraduate      Research                                
Oklahoma Councilors - Council on Undergraduate Research

The mission of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is to support and promote high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. CUR Councilors are the governing body of CUR who devote their time and creativity to invent new programs and provide services through CUR and undergraduate research. The future of CUR and undergraduate research depends on such volunteers. Councilors serve three year terms and are elected by the CUR membership.

 

Oklahoma boasts four councilors for CUR! Dr. John Barthell, Provost for the University of Central Oklahoma, is a councilor in the at-large division.

 

 

Dr. Terry Conley, Dean, School of Science and Technology for Cameron University, is a councilor for the biology   division.

 

 

 

Dr. Diana Spencer, Biotechnology Coordinator for Tulsa Community College, is a councilor for the biology division.

 

 

Dr. Baha Jassemnejad, Professor of Engineering and Physics for the    University of Central Oklahoma, is a councilor for the new engineering division for CUR.

 

These professional roles re-emphasize Oklahoma's high value for research as teaching. Our higher education institutions promote undergraduate research as a best practice to discover new knowledge, improve learning of all undergraduate students in their chosen fields and enhance degree completion. The primarily undergraduate institutions, with a primary mission of teaching, pursue external funding for their faculty who use undergraduate research engagement as a pedagogy. The higher levels of learning contribute excellence to the degree programs. Congratulations, Oklahoma higher education!

Quick Links

Join Our Mailing List

Send your email to [email protected] with a request to receive GRANT NEWS!                               

OCAST GRANTS
INTERN PARTNERSHIPS Receive OCAST Awards - $340,512
Nine Intern Partnership applications chosen from a field of 13 have been approved by the governing board for the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. Total funding for the projects is $340,512. Winning applicants will hire a total of 16 interns.
  
Muskogee Advantage Controls (ACI), Muskogee - $21,721
The University of Tulsa will work with ACI to develop an accurate conductivity-meter. Kaveh Ashenayi is principal investigator for the project.

ACME Engineering and Manufacturing Inc., Muskogee - $21,471
ACME designs, manufactures and installs industrial fans in a varied applications. One intern will assist in development of a Turbulator Fan under the guidance of principal investigator Kaveh Ashenayi. The University of Tulsa will provide faculty oversight.   

Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Tulsa - $60,000

The University of Tulsa will oversee the work of 2 interns who will develop and extend the previous work of two prior student interns. They will expand the types of cancer being investigated and improve guidelines and protocols to treat cervical and pancreatic cancers. Robert Sheaff is principal investigator.

 

American Airlines, Tulsa - $60,000

The University of Tulsa, principal investigator Surendra Singh   and 2 student interns will improve maintenance management to make American Airlines more competitive for new aircraft.

 

Tactical Electronics - $36,000

The University of Tulsa, principal investigator Surendra Singh and one intern will design and develop an explosive ordnance disposal specific multi-meter and manufacturing test as an improvised explosive device (IED) defeat tool.

 

SouthWest NanoTechnologies Inc., Norman - $60,000

Principal investigator Yongqiang Tan, OU, and 3 student interns sponsored by OCAST will research and develop carbon nanotubes.

 

ATC New Technologies, OKC - $28,800

Principal investigator Wayne Jones, a Rose State College faculty member and 1 student intern will develop a prototype battery pack to improve stored energy performance. Principal investigator John Dyer, OU, and 2 student interns will develop "smart" batteries capable of balancing themselves and using wireless technology.


 
Iofina RNWOSU Wickhamesources - $23,720

NWOSU principal investigator Jason Wickham and two student interns will support and conduct research to map iodine concentrations leading to increased production and an increase in the volume of iodine produced for a world market.

 

PLANT SCIENCE Research Receives OCAST Awards - $299,148
Plant pollinators, pest management, biofuel crops, plant fertility and plant pathogens are subjects principal investigators will undertake in three plant science research projects approved for funding by OCAST.

 

Genomics and Genetics - $99,468

Marc Libault of OU, received funding for "Unraveling the Transcriptional Regulation of Plant Cell Elongation." Plant cell elongation holds keys to determine the relationship with master genes and control of the different steps in plant cell development. Plant root hair cells are characterized by their lateral expansion leading to a significant increase of the surface of interaction between the plant root system and soil.

 

Agrochemicals, Ecology, Energy Crop Production - $99,944

Kristen Baum of OSU was funded for "The Interaction of Pollinators and Pest Management Strategies in Increasing Production in a First Generation Biofuel Crop." The project will evaluate the effect of insecticide applications (flonicamid, sulfoxaflor and synthetic pyrethroids) in winter canola fields on the abundance and species richness of native bees, winter canola seed set and field-level production. Results are expected to help develop pest management approaches that consider both the conservation of pollinators and control of insect pests.

 

Molecular Biology - $99,736

Sharon Kessler of OU received funding for "Conserved Mechanisms in Plant Fertility and Plant-Pathogen Interactions." Cell-to-cell signaling events are important in the propagation of plants. Such signals determine how cells sense and establish communication to allow beneficial invasions and prevent harmful invasions. This study of new target genes and pathways is designed to make these determinations and improve plant viability through growth and pathogen resistance.
Sept
 26

5th ANNUAL PROMOTING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH CONFERENCE

 

PROMOTING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH MODELS AT EVERY LEVEL:

INQUIRY, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT AND RETENTION

 

September 26, 2014 | Presbyterian Health Conference Center

Register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2014ugr

Deadline to Register: September 21, 2014