FUNDED PROPOSALS: (11/1/2011 – 11/30/2011)
CONGRATULATIONS!
The following UTC faculty and staff recently attracted $986,324 in external grant and contract awards:
Ms. Dianne Cox (Financial Aid) secured $96,000 from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation to continue the Tennessee Rural Health Loan Forgiveness Scholarships. The scholarships provide support for students pursuing a Master’s Degree in Nursing who agree to practice in a rural health shortage area after graduation.
Dr. Hunter Huckabay (GEAR UP), attracted $624,512 from the U.S. Department of Education to continue the work of GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) in the first year of a new 7-year award cycle. GEAR UP works with sixth and seventh grade students at five local urban schools to increase students’ academic preparation for high school and participation in postsecondary education.
Dr. Frank Jones (Chemical Engineering) received $18,771 from the National Science Foundation to conduct research on the relative abilities of various nano-scale nickel oxide structures as catalysts in biodiesel fuel production. The goal of the research is to produce biofuels with much lower processing times, lower energy use, and higher product purity than traditional industrial techniques.
Dr. John McCormack (WUTC-FM) secured $124,440 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to continue the Radio Community Service Grant for 2011-2013. McCormack and the WUTC staff strive to keep the community updated on local and national news and events.
Dr. Valerie Rutledge (School of Education) and Ms. Ginny Reese (Continuing Education) acquired $81,380 from the Tennessee Department of Education to fund the Governor’s School for Prospective Teachers in 2012. The Governor’s School encourages Tennessee’s brightest students to consider teaching as their profession.
Dr. Amye Warren (Psychology) attracted $41,221 from United Way of Greater Chattanooga to continue services for Project Ready for School and Child Care Consortium. This grant will provide funds for two graduate students and an adjunct in 2012.
SUBMITTED PROPOSALS: (11/1/2011 – 11/30/2011)
GOOD LUCK!
The following UTC faculty and staff members submitted proposals with the potential to generate over $1,530,925 in external funding, if awarded:
Dr. Nicholas Boer, Ms. Diedri White (Health and Human Performance) and Dr. Gregory Heath (Assistant Provost for Research and Engagement), in collaboration with the UT College of Medicine Chattanooga, requested $259,056 from the National Institutes of Health. Their application, “Healthy Eating and Active Living Through Health Workers (HEALTH)” proposes an initiative to prevent and control type II diabetes.
Ms. Sandy Cole (Center for Community Career Education) requested $7,950 from the Alliance of Women Philanthropists for the Postsecondary Awareness with Success (PAWS) Social Entrepreneurship Program. She also requested $38,732 from the Tennessee College Access and Success Network to continue the work of PAWS with 4th and 5th grade students at Orchard Knob Elementary.
Dr. Josh Hamblen (Physics) requested $35,000 from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement to conduct experiments that will provide benchmarks in the current understanding of weak hadronic physics and test theoretical models in the field. Using the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Spallation Neutron Source, one of the most advanced neutron science research facilities in the world, Dr. Hamblen aims to make a series of measurements at unprecedented levels of precision.
Dr. Bryon Kluesner (Office of Students with Disabilities) requested $14,947 from the Tennessee Department of Education for assistive technology materials to be used to train pre-service teachers about emerging technologies which support learning and inclusion of students with disabilities. In addition, student mentors will demonstrate the technology to incoming freshmen with disabilities and train them how to use it.
Mrs. Cynthia Wallace Long (Center for Community Career Education) submitted two proposals requesting a total of $55,000 from the Tennessee College Access and Success Network. Funds will enhance operations of UTC’s Educational Opportunity Center and extend its mission of increasing the number of college graduates from Chattanooga and surrounding areas.
Dr. Deborah McAllister (School of Education) requested $17,900 from the Tennessee Space Grant Consortium for a project titled “Robotics for Middle Grades (4-8),” which will serve twelve pre-service or in-service teachers of middle grades. The goal of the project is to improve and maintain student skills in mathematics and science and to encourage students to take an active role in planning for math and science experiences in school.
Ms. Laurie Melnik (Southeast Center for Education in the Arts) and Dr. Chris Cunningham (Psychology), in collaboration with the UT College of Medicine Chattanooga requested $11,211 from the Alliance of Women Philanthropists. The project will examine and determine the efficacy of integrating arts into the College’s curriculum. The visual and theater arts will be used to enhance the medical students’ and residents’ observational and interpersonal skills that are necessary for optimal patient care.
Dr. Gretchen Potts (Chemistry) requested $3,500 from the UT Research Foundation to perform analyses that will help the UT Health Science Center develop a method to deliver essential trace elements through the skin. If successful, the new method could be an alternative to existing methods that are hampered by dangerous shortages of therapeutic drugs.
Dr. Barbara Ray (School of Education) requested $458,440 from the Tennessee Department of Education for a Regular Special Education Summer Institute and an Early Childhood Special Education Summer Institute for 2012-2015. These programs provide coursework for teachers of exceptional students and instructional assistants who are working toward a teaching license with an endorsement in special education.
Ms. Michelle Rigler (UTC Office for Students with Disabilities) requested $15,000 from the Alliance of Women Philanthropists for an Adaptive Technology Training Program. The Office for Students with Disabilities is committed to creating an inclusive culture on the UTC campus that is both embracing and understanding of students with disabilities.
Dr. Mina Sartipi, with Drs. Yu Cao and Li Yang (Computer Science and Engineering), Dr. Nancy Fell (Physical Therapy), and Dr. Gregory Heath (Assistant Provost for Research and Engagement) requested $389,189 from the National Institutes of Health to develop a smart system which will monitor and evaluate select movement and activity levels of post-stroke patients using wearable iPod Touch/iPhone Devices.
Dr. Joey Shaw (Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences) requested $85,000 from the National Science Foundation to conduct collaborative research on endemic flora of the Southeast U.S. The research will focus primarily on climate change, species discovery, and conservation management.
Dr. Kristin Whitson (Physics) requested $35,000 from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement for research support for beginning faculty and undergraduate students in the field of basic molecular biophysics. The main emphasis will be utilizing methods of fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize physical properties and investigate structural dynamics and interactions of biological molecules.
Dr. Cecelia Wigal (Engineering and Computer Science) requested $105,000 from the Tennessee Department of Education for a project focused on designing assistive technology for children with disabilities. UTC students will help design these assistive technologies in engineering design courses.