Contact: Maridith Geuder
Sandra H. Harpole
A veteran Mississippi State faculty member and the director of a campus research center is being named interim associate research vice president at the university.
Sandra H. Harpole of West Point, an MSU physics faculty member since 1987, also will continue to direct MSU's Center for Science, Mathematics and Technology, which she founded in 1996.
"Dr. Harpole has a distinguished record of attracting external funding from major national agencies, as well as developing applications that directly benefit Mississippi," said Jonathan W. Pote, interim vice president for research. She has generated more than $4.3 million in research funding, including five major grants from the National Science Foundation.
"Dr. Harpole's success rate with NSF in particular--one of the nation's most selective granting agencies--is a clear indication of her commitment to the highest possible quality in proposals and performance," Pote said.
In her new role, he said Harpole will build on her record of making innovative linkages between the state's needs and potential funding sources, provide faculty assistance in the proposal process and help faculty expand connections to major federal agencies.
Among a number of efforts led by Harpole are:
--An NSF-funded project that provides research experiences for high school teachers by taking them to work in industries. The "Research Experiences in Industry" program last week was featured in a nationally distributed NSF publication highlighting projects the agency funds;
--A U.S. Golf Association-funded project to teach science, mathematics and engineering principles to middle school students by teaching them golf. Titled "Science on the Green," it is featured in the August issue of Golf Journal and has been featured in other national publications such as American Airlines' AmericanWay; and
--A competitively awarded NSF scholarship effort to increase participation in computer science, engineering and mathematics. Through the program, 40 undergraduate and graduate fellows annually receive scholarship awards, one-on-one faculty mentoring, and the chance to participate in research and design projects and a variety of professional activities.
A former physics teacher at West Point High School, Harpole in 2000 received a Distinguished Service Citation from the American Association of Physics Teachers, an organization serving more than 11,000 teachers around the nation.
She twice has been selected for Outstanding Faculty Woman awards at MSU and has been honored with John Grisham Master Teacher and Faculty Achievement Awards.
In 1994, the Mississippi Science Teachers Association presented Harpole with its College Science Teaching Award.
She holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Mississippi State.