Funded Proposals (7/1/2013- 7/31/2013)
CONGRATULATIONS!
The following UTC faculty and staff recently attracted $294,075 in external grant and contract awards:
Dr. David Aborn, Associate Professor of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, attracted $3,500 from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for year two of a Saw-whet owl population research project in South Cherokee National Forest. The study provides information about the population and distribution of this poorly understood species, which is listed as threatened in Tennessee.
Dr. Jennifer Boyd, Assistant Professor of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, attracted $18,926 from the Tennessee Army National Guard to continue long-term monitoring of the endangered large-flowered skullcap wildflowers that grow on Tennessee Army National Guard property. Dr. Boyd and a team of students will document each plant’s location, growth and reproductive status, age, and damage caused by herbivores or fungal infection.
Ms. Sandy Cole, Executive Director of the Center for Community Career Education (CCCE), secured $120,000 from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to continue and re-focus the successful Each One Reach One (EORO) program. In addition to offering various avenues of support and resources, the CCCE will focus on clinical experiences to prepare pre-service teachers for the realities of education, recruit candidates for critical needs areas of Hamilton County’s public schools, and provide early intervention and preparation for the PRAXIS exam.
Dr. Lucien Ellington, UC Foundation Professor of Education, attracted $2,000 from the Jack Miller Center to support a Constitution Day Lecture on the UTC campus in September. The Constitution Day Lecture program was founded two years ago by Professor Wilfred McClay. The 2013 lecture will be on the classical and Christian origins of the American founding.
Ms. Shirl Gholston, Director of Student Support Services, secured $269,854 from the U.S Department of Education to continue the work of UTC’s Student Support Services (SSS) Program in the 2013-2014 academic year. The SSS Program works to ensure retention and graduation of UTC students who come from underrepresented backgrounds by providing peer mentoring and peer tutoring.
Dr. Linda Hill, Associate Professor of Nursing, secured $25,146 from the Health Resources and Services Administration to continue the Nurse Anesthetist Traineeship program, which provides scholarships for full-time nurse anesthesia students. The goal is to increase the number and diversity of nurse anesthetists and to encourage graduates to practice in health professional shortage areas.
Dr. Hunter Huckabay, Director of the Center for Community Career Education’s GEAR UP initiative in Hamilton County, attracted $624,066 from the U.S. Department of Education to continue the work of GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) in the third year of a 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. Linda Johnston, Associate Professor and Acting Director of the School of Education attracted $232,956 from Tennessee State University to continue the work of the Strengthening Tennessee Elementary Schools – Focus on Mathematics (SITES-M) project at UTC, which was started by Dean Valerie Rutledge. The SITES-M consortium was formed to address the issue of low performance of minority students in mathematics.
Drs. Barbara Ray and Carol Brand, Professor and Lecturer, respectively, in the School of Education attracted $165,345 from the Tennessee Department of Education (TN DoEd) to continue the Special Education Summer Institute and the Licensure Program through June 2014. In addition, Dr. Ray received $12,675 from TN DoEd to continue the Early Childhood Special Education Summer Institute through June 2014. 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.
Drs. Carolyn Schreeder and Dr. Chris Smith, Assistant Professor and Interim Director, respectively,in the School of Nursing acquired $475,376 from the Health Resources and Services Administration for year two of a three year program, InterProfessional Collaborative Practice Approach for Geriatric Education Strategies. The program will prepare nurses to work in collaborative, interprofessional teams to provide patient-centered, safe, and effective care to older adults.
Dr. Chris Smith, Interim Director of the School of Nursing, recently attracted a number of awards from the Health Resources and Services Administration:
- $604,945 for year two of a four year project to provide scholarships for financially disadvantaged and underrepresented nursing students pursuing graduate degrees.
- $368,015 for year two of a three year program, Providing Advanced, Culturally Competent Care through Clinical Training (PACT) for Interprofessional Geriatric Care.
- $341,098 to continue the Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship grant that will cover tuition and other expenses for nursing students.
Ms. Karen Vann, Director of the Center for Community Career Education’s Talent Search Program, secured $217,971 from the U.S. Department of Education to continue the Talent Search Program, which gives academic and social support to economically disadvantaged, potentially first-generation college-bound middle and high school students. Some areas of support include academic counseling, connections to tutoring services, assistance with college applications and preparation of entrance exams, understanding student aid programs and applying for financial aid.
Dr. Miriam Zwitter, Assistant Professor of Nursing, attracted $298,547 from the Health Resources and Services Administration for year three of the Get Healthy Project. This project support service learning activities for School of Nursing undergraduate and graduate students to provide supervised, integrated health promotion services in collaboration with community based agencies that serve individuals with severe, persistent mental illnesses (SPMI).
Submitted Proposals (7/1/2013 – 7/31/2013)
GOOD LUCK!
The following UTC faculty and staff members submitted proposals with the potential to generate over $523,820 in external funding, if awarded:
Ruth Grover (Cress Gallery) and Angela Dittmar (Art) – $89,549 from the National Endowment for the Humanities to establish a collections management system and online searchable database system of the work of Weimer Pursell, a graphic designer and illustrator who was prominent in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. In addition, UTC will organize an exhibition of Pursell’s illustrations, sketches, and iconic war time posters.
Dr. Deborah McAllister (School of Education) requested $12,750 from the Tennessee Space Grant Consortium to conduct workshops that will be an early professional development experience for elementary and middle grades preservice teachers. The goals of the workshops are to improve participants’ skills in mathematics and science and encourage them to plan math and science experiences and activities in which their future students will actively participate.
Dr. Jonathan McNair (Music) requested $2,000 from the Tennessee Arts Commission to bring the Marian Anderson String Quartet, an acclaimed African American Chamber Ensemble, to Chattanooga. During their four-day residency, the artists will participate in a panel discussion, teach a master class, and hold a public performance.
Ms. Laurie Melnik (Southeast Center for Education in the Arts) requested $2,000 from the Hamilton County Department of Education for a professional development workshop at Barger Academy. The workshop will focus on the subject of literacy and the arts.
Dr. Joey Shaw (Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences) requested $277,521 from the National Science Foundation to develop the Tennessee Herbarium Consortium Virtual Herbarium. The THC will ensure that statewide botanical data will be digitized, up-to-date, and easily accessible for research and educational purposes.
The SimCenter Research Team recently submitted a number of proposals to SimCenter Enterprises:
- $35,000 to develop a simulation system capable of generating predictions fast enough for use by first-responders in evacuation planning.
- $35,000 to create an efficient tool for simulating flooding events, including simulation of how contaminants would be transported by floodwaters.
- $35,000 to simplify the SimCenter’s existing modeling software so it can operate faster yet maintain accuracy of results.
- $35,000 for an evaluation of the current commercial tools that classify LiDAR data (a remote sensing technique similar to radar) into terrain and building data.