Contact: Jim Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A mini-grant program funded by the Office of Research and Economic Development at Mississippi State is back for a second year after a productive launch to the program last fall.
The cross-college grants are designed to bring together researchers from throughout campus and across academic disciplines to foster collaboration, according to the university administrator overseeing the effort.
"We have been pleased with the results so far, and are excited about the possibilities of year two," said Ray Vaughn, associate vice president for research.
"Last year's efforts have yielded funded research proposals of approximately $1.2 million with $29 million pending from external sources, which makes the initial cost well worth our investment," the Giles Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering added.
A $2,000 grant to each of the 40 teams will support the initiation of new proposals, as well as help enhance multi-disciplinary collaboration of existing projects. A second year of funding to 12 of the initial grant recipients also is provided.
"We are committed to growing our research portfolio for the benefit of every Mississippian," said David Shaw, the land-grant institution's vice president for research and economic development. "Providing faculty members additional opportunities to share ideas and work together to move their research forward is a priority for us."
Participating teams include (alphabetically by principal investigator and department, with proposal title and college):
--Peter Allen; wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture, "Year 2: Environmental Health Effects of Water Contaminants," College of Forest Resources;
--Mark Bricka, chemical engineering, "Year 2: Collaboration Focus Group to Investigate the Environmental, Human Health Impacts and Disposal of Coal Fly Ash and other Airborne Particles," Bagley College of Engineering;
--David Chevalier, biological sciences, "Year 2: Understanding Heat Stress and Foliar Bleaching Mechanisms," College of Arts and Sciences;
--Donna Clevinger, communication, "Shakespeare and the Classics: From Page to Stage and the Stuff in Between," Arts and Sciences;
--Linda Coats, leadership and foundations, "Nurturing Students of Color Academic Potential," College of Education;
--Ron Cossman, Social Science Research Center, "Year 2: The MSU Modeling Collaborative;"
--Brian Davis; wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture, "Migratory Connectivity between Breeding and Wintering Populations of Mallard Ducks," Forest Resources;
--Jenny Du, Electrical and Computer Engineering, "Applied Image Processing Working Group," Bagley College;
--Islam El-Adaway, civil and environmental engineering, "Year 2: Working Group for Research and Education in Natural Hazard Management" and "Working Group for Construction Ecology," Bagley College;
--Vicki Gier, psychology, "Year 2: Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Promote Wellness Through the Health Sciences: Health Care Administration, Psychology and Counselor Education," Arts and Sciences;
--Rebecca Goldberg, counseling and educational psychology, "Year 2: The Human-Animal Bond: An Interdisciplinary Research Grant," Education;
--Alexis Gregory, architecture, "Designing a Habitat for Humanity House Prototype," College of Architecture, Art and Design;
--Andreas Kavazis, kinesiology, "The Effects of Obesity, Limb Immobilization and Exercise on Muscle Dysfunction," Education;
--Seong-Gon Kim, Center for Computational Sciences, "Year 2: Magnetic Materials for Nanoelectronics Research Group," Arts and Sciences;
--Jun Liao, agricultural and biomedical engineering, "Biomechanical Characterizations of the Novel Biomaterial Injection Treatment for Myocardial Infarction," College of Agriculture and Life Sciences;
--Hyeona Lim, mathematics and statistics, "Cross-Disciplinary Undergraduate Research and Education" and "Image Processing in Bio-inspired Materials Design," Arts and Sciences;
--Job Lopez, biological sciences, "The Ecology of Relapsing Fever Spirochetes," Arts and Sciences;
--Tony Luczak, Institute of Golf, "The Golf Science Working Group;"
--Joseph Massey, plant and soil sciences, "Water Sustainability and Climate," Agriculture and Life Sciences;
--Bart Moffatt, philosophy and religion, "Empirical Approaches to Research Ethics Working Group," Arts and Sciences;
--Kathleen Morris, Geosystems Research Institute, "Risk Perception Working Group;"
--Nan Niu, computer science and engineering, "Year 2: Information Foraging in Software Maintenance," Bagley College;
--Rodrigo Nobrega, Geosystems Research Institute, "Brazil Research Collaborative Group;"
--Mabel Okojie, instructional systems and workforce development, "Expanding Access in Technical Education among Women, Veterans and Minority Groups in the State of Mississippi," Education;
--Linda Pote, basic science, "Transmission of Disease between Wildlife, Domestic Animals and Humans," College of Veterinary Medicine;
--Kathleen Ragsdale, Social Science Research Center, "eHealth Research Group: Risk Behavior Prevention among Rural and Minority Youth;"
--Sam Riffell, wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture, "Year 2: Sustainable Native Grass Based Biofuel Production Working Group," Forest Resources;
--Judy Schneider, mechanical engineering, "Year 2: Materials Working Group," Bagley College;
--Chander Sharma, poultry science, "Pre- and Post-Harvest Control of Foodborne Pathogens in Poultry Products," Agriculture and Life Sciences;
--Glenn Steele, Energy Institute, "Energy Institute Working Group;"
--Mary L. Tagert, Water Resources Research Institute, "Year 2: Water and Watersheds Working Group;"
--Gary Templeton, management and information systems, "Using the Two-Step Transformation to Normal in Healthcare Economics," Business;
--Erdem Topsakal, electrical and computer engineering, "fMRI Devices Working Group," Bagley College;
--Merrill Warkentin, Management and Information Systems, "IT Security-Criminology and Forensics Research Working Group," Business;
--Ron Williams, food science, nutrition and health promotion; "Health Impact Assessment of Local Community Health Initiatives," Agriculture and Life Sciences;
--Kui Xie, instructional systems and workforce development, "Improving Learners' Problem Solving Skills with Games and Simulations," Education;
--Chien Yu, instructional systems and workforce development, "Using Technology to Enhance Facilitating of Learning for Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering," Education;
--Song Zhang, computer science and engineering, "Early Detection of Myocardial Infarction in Pig Model with Diffusion Tensor Imaging," Bagley College.
For more about MSU research, visit www.research.msstate.edu.