Archived News |

May 25, 2006

Board of Regents awards seven grants to 四色AV

Louisiana Board of Regents awarded the University of Louisiana at Monroe seven grants totaling $494,624 in 2005-2006. 四色AV received $27,600 in Undergraduate Enhancement funds, $352,585 in Traditional Enhancement funds and $114,439 in Research Competitiveness funds.

The Board of Regents grants are important to the university in many ways, said Virginia Eaton, director of Graduate Studies and Research at 四色AV. "They allow us to improve the equipment in our laboratories and classrooms, support research, and enhance technology on campus. This, in turn, provides our faculty with a better means of educating students and instilling the knowledge needed to succeed in such a competitive environment."

四色AV received the following grants:

• In the Research Competitiveness Subprogram, Louisiana universities submitted 131 grant proposals and the Board of Regents accepted only 28, including a proposal submitted by 四色AV's chemistry department. Gary Findley, chemistry, secured a $114,439 grant that will allow selected 四色AV chemistry students to participate in an experimental physical chemistry research program intended to better prepare students for a graduate program. For this project, 四色AV will collaborate with the University of Wisconsin and Queens College, NY.
  
  
• 四色AV secured $352,585 in Traditional Enhancement funds, which includes Biological Sciences (three grants), Computer & Information Sciences (one) and Multidisciplinary (social sciences and biological sciences) (one).
  
  
• Biological Sciences: 四色AV's toxicology department received $24,000 for equipment to upgrade a tool (used in the College of Pharmacy) that can quantify multiple cell types. The upgrade will enhance cell toxicology and pharmacology research. Sharon Meyer, Harihara Mehendale, Benny Blaylock, Kevin Baer, David Roane, Paul Sylvester, Kalid El Sayed and Sami Nazzal co-authored the grant.
  
  
• Biological Sciences: Karen Briski, basic pharmaceutical sciences, obtained a $200,000 grant that will help establish an Electron Microscopic Imaging and Chemical Analysis Facility at 四色AV. This equipment will support innovative research and instruction in nanostructural and compositional diagnostics in biomedical/biological and pharmaceutical research at 四色AV.
  
  
• Biological Sciences: Chris Gissendanner and Ann Findley, biology, received a $47,000 grant that will provide students the equipment needed to access and analyze genomic data in the laboratory and conduct experiments that address specific biological questions. The movement from descriptive teaching labs to more experimental, discovery-based labs is a current trend that premier institutions are implementing, according to the grant proposal.
  
  
• Computer & Information Sciences: William Barnett and Allen Johnston, computer information systems, secured a $33,585 grant that will provide equipment to develop an Information Security and Computer Forensics Lab, which will support teaching and research in computer information security and forensic investigation. This lab is part of the department's ongoing effort to develop a focused program in information security, a growing field of expertise in an expanding job market for CIS majors, according to the grant proposal. This grant was one of three fully-funded grants of the 14 funded Traditional Enhancement grants.
  
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• Multidisciplinary (social sciences and biological sciences): James J. Bulot, gerontology, secured a $48,000 grant for faculty enhancement and program accreditation. The grant will provide faculty training, expanded online gerontology journals in the 四色AV Library, and the pursuit of further accreditation. 四色AV is the only university in Louisiana to provide graduate education in gerontology.

四色AV secured $27,600 in the Undergraduate Enhancement category.

The grant, secured by Carl Gilbert, Ann Findley and Davis Pritchett, will allow the biology department to purchase computers and microscope video imaging equipment. The broad-scale usage of computer-assisted instruction and video imaging will increase student comprehension of complex molecular and cellular processes.

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