Grants Make Research a Reality
By: Marga H. Row
In the last few decades, research grants at Penn State Berks have increased exponentially. Sixty percent of the 115 full-time faculty members conduct research in addition to their teaching duties, and much of this research is funded through grants from external agencies. In the 2009/10 academic year, Penn State Berks had twenty-eight active grants that totaled $1,499,814 in funding over the period of five years, from July 2005–June 2010.
A total of nineteen proposals were submitted between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010 requesting a total of $4,356,385. Of the nineteen proposals submitted, thirteen are pending.
Five new grants were awarded in fiscal year 2009/10 totaling $462,596. These grants include:
Dr. Mike Fidanza, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, IR-4 Project Headquarters
The IR-4 Project Headquarters at Rutgers has awarded Dr. Michael Fidanza, Associate Professor of Horticulture, a $36,000 grant in support of his project, “Delivery of Information To Facilitate the Integration of a Biological Product for Turfgrass Disease Control in the Golf Course Segment of the Green Industry.” The purpose of Fidanza’s research is to demonstrate the effective use of EcoGuard, a new biological fungicide product, in key geographic U.S. regions for control of dollar spot disease, one of the most common and troublesome diseases of turfgrasses on golf courses worldwide, and to deliver information to the golf course superintendents and other turfgrass management practitioners on the potential opportunities and benefits of using EcoGuard. This award is effective on April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011.
Dr. Robert Forrey, National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Dr. Robert Forrey, Professor of Physics, a research grant under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) in the amount of $199,896 in support of his project titled, “Quantum Mechanical Studies of Hydrogen Atoms and Molecules in Various Environments.” The project includes theoretical investigations, which are important for understanding fundamental experiments in ultracold physics and for astrophysical models of the early universe, including the origin of molecular hydrogen and its critical role in the subsequent formation of the first generation of stars. Theoretical studies of the chemical reactivity of metallic clusters towards hydrogen will also be undertaken, which may lead to better catalytic processes to be designed for industrial applications. This award is effective September 1, 2009 through August 31, 2012.
Walter Fullam, Department of Community and Economic Development
The Department of Community and Economic Development has awarded Walter Fullam, Director of Continuing Education, a $50,000 grant in support of a project to create a Center for Agriculture and Food Innovation in Berks County. Grant funds will be matched by the Berks County Industrial Development Authority. The purpose of this project is to help the food and agricultural industry become more efficient, competitive, and responsive to ever-changing food trends and agricultural practices, as well as to focus on research, development, and processing of foods for the future, including nutraceuticals, and organic and natural, health and wellness, ethnic, and specialty foods. The goal of the project is to help develop a more efficient means of transferring technology from university and government labs to food manufacturers. This award is effective April 2, 2010 through April 1, 2011.
Dr. Leonard Gamberg, Department of Energy
The Department of Energy has awarded Dr. Leonard Gamberg, Associate Professor of Physics, a $145,000 research grant in support of his project, “Transverse Spin and Momentum Structure of Hadrons in QCD.” Gamberg’s research focuses on the role that spin and momentum correlations play in our understanding of the transverse structure of the nucleon in terms of its basic constituents (quarks and gluons). He uses electron-nucleon scattering as a framework to study these correlations. In these scattering reactions, the electron is used as a probe to image the nucleon’s transverse spin and momentum correlations. The major goal of his research is to map out the transverse structure of the nucleon in terms of the nucleon’s constituents and shed light on how these quark and gluon degrees of freedom bind together to form the proton and neutron. This award is effective November 15, 2009 through November 14, 2012.
Dr. Sadan Kulturel-Konak and Dr. Janelle Larson, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance
The National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance has awarded Dr. Sadan Kulturel-Konak, Associate Professor of Management Information Systems, and Dr. Janelle Larson, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics and Division Head of Engineering, Business, and Computing, a $31,700 grant in support of their project, “Course and Program Grant: Internationalizing Entrepreneurship Education Program.” The main objectives of this program are to globalize the college’s Entrepreneurship minor through innovative programs; to build an ongoing program educating and engaging Penn State Berks and Kenyan university students in international and interdisciplinary projects; and to foster a sense of responsibility for environmental sustainability and the welfare of others by creating virtual Entrepreneurship Teams (e-teams), which will focus on economic, social, and environmental issues in two settings: a multi-faceted program for former street-dwelling children in Kenya and a program for the Latino community of Reading, Pennsylvania. This award is effective July 1, 2010 through August 31, 2013.