Funded Proposals (2/1/2014 – 2/28/2014)
CONGRATULATIONS!
The following UTC faculty and staff recently attracted $375,047 in external grant and contract awards:
Dr. Lucien Ellington UC Foundation Professor of Education and Director of the UTC Asia Program, attracted $25,000 from the Apgar Foundation for the implementation of two teacher institutes by the Center for Reflective Citizenship and the enhancement of UTC’s annual Constitution Day Lecture. The topic for the Constitution Day Lecture 2014 is “The Constitution and the Larger Culture,” and the institutes will focus on “American Politics and Citizenship: Past, Present, and Future” and “America’s National Interests and US Foreign Policy.”
Dr. Yukie Kajita Research Assistant Professor of Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences, secured $349,697 from the National Science Foundation to transfer her SEES Fellow grant from the University of Kentucky to UTC. Dr. Kajita will continue a bio-economic study relating to agricultural systems, design an undergraduate/graduate seminar on sustainability, and engage in outreach activities relating to sustainability education.
Ms. Laurie Melnik, Director of Theatre Education and Interim Director, and Mr. Joel Baxley, Director of Visual Arts Education at the Southeast Center for Education in the Arts, attracted $350 from the Public Education Foundation to conduct a workshop for the faculty of Red Bank Elementary school. The topic will be “Introduction to Arts Integration.”
Submitted Proposals (2/1/2014 – 2/28/2014)
GOOD LUCK!
The following UTC faculty and staff members submitted proposals with the potential to generate over $1,276,087 in external funding, if awarded:
Dr. Emily Blackman, Ms. Lindsey Wendorf, and Ms. Andrea Patton (Athletics – Student Support Services Department), requested $44,866 from the NCAA to support the Literacy Enrichment Assistant Program (LEAP) for student athletes. The LEAP program is designed to increase academically at-risk student-athletes’ reading comprehension, reduce stress associated with achieving academic success, and improve athletes’ overall well-being.
Dr. Bryan Ennis (Civil and Chemical Engineering), in partnership with Grainflow Dynamics, Inc. requested $48,856 from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Small Business Innovation Research program. The proposed research seeks to improve the accuracy of discrete element computational models that simulate the behavior of materials (such as crushed coal) for real, irregular particle shapes, as used in gasifiers and reactors.
Dr. Zibin Guo (Sociology, Anthropology, and Geography) requested $22,534 from Paralyzed Veterans of American to develop a website and instructional video devoted to teaching Seated/Wheelchair Tai Chi. The project will make wheelchair/seated Tai Chi Chuan exercise routines more accessible to people with spinal cord injuries or disease.
Dr. Nick Honerkamp (Sociology, Anthropology, and Geography) requested $958 from St. Simons Land Trust to carry out archeological survey and testing at Cannon’s Point, located on St. Simons Island, Georgia. This project will build on 2013 research and will include digital mapping, archaeological testing, and surveying of specific locations on the island.
Dr. Ralph Hood (Psychology) requested $43,717 from the Templeton Foundation via UT Knoxville to investigate the question, “Do different people see Jesus differently in their mind’s eye?” The study will use innovate techniques that will allow undergraduates and community members to depict their individual, visual images of Jesus.
Mr. Justin Pohl (Dean of Students Office) requested $5,000 from the Kappa Delta Foundation to support the “I am Enough” program at UTC. The week-long campaign will focus on the issues of healthy body images, involving students in a variety of campus activities, including a discussion from Kjerstin Gruys, renowned author and body imaging activist.
Mr. Brent Rollins, Drs. Bryan Ennis, Ignatius Fomunung, Joseph Owino, and Weidong Wu (Civil and Chemical Engineering) requested $504,478 from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to develop and offer multiple sessions of a two-week “Concrete Technology and Codes” course for top industry professionals over the next five years. The course will include hands-on experiences for participants in the department’s fundamental concrete laboratory and a site visit to a local concrete producer.
The SimCenter Research Team requested $295,208 from the National Science Foundation for research using computational simulations to study pulmonary airflow through the human respiratory system. Results from the study will benefit patients with chronic respiratory conditions.
Drs. Li Yang, Joseph Kizza, and Mina Sartipi (Computer Science and Engineering) requested $190,590 from the National Science Foundation to improve student learning and knowledge on big data analytics. The collaborative project will impact curricula, students and faculty at universities in three states: Tennessee (UTC), North Carolina (North Carolina A&T State University), and Texas (Prairie View A&M University).
Drs. Li Yang, Joseph Kizza, Ms. Katherine Winters (Computer Science and Engineering) and Dr. Jennifer Ellis (School of Education), in collaboration with colleagues from North Carolina A&T State University and Old Dominion University, requested $119,880 from the National Science Foundation to build a national portal for hands-on security education. The Portal will both store Information Assurance (IA) educational outcomes and connect potential users and developers of IA hands-on labs and case studies.