JMU researchers awarded $45,650 in 4-VA grants
Recipients of the 4-VA awards pose in the Leeolou Great Room with JMU Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Jerry Benson (back row, far left) and JMU President Jonathan Alger (next to Benson).
Researchers from JMU received more than $45,000 in 4-VA
grants Friday, Feb. 15 to stimulate collaborative research projects or to
redesign courses.
Dr. Costel Constantin, assistant professor of physics and
astronomy, received the program's first $20,000 scale-up grant to involve
students in a project he directs with a colleague at the University of
Virginia, Dr. Patrick Hopkins in the department of mechanical and aerospace
engineering. Students from both schools involved in the research will be
exposed to a wide variety of instruments, including a state-of-the-art laser
system built for time domain thermo-reflectance measurements.
The research data obtained during summer 2013 will be used
as preliminary data in seeking external funding from the National Science
Foundation and other available funding agencies. The collaboration will enhance
JMU's ability to motivate students to pursue an advanced degree in physics and
engineering. U.Va. is matching the grant with $20,000.
In addition to the scale-up grant, six 4-VA mini-grants totaling
$25,650 were awarded to seven JMU researchers.
The mini-grant recipients are:
- Dr.
Louise Temple, professor of integrated science and technology, who received
$4,100 for a collaborative research proposal that will develop a faculty and
student partnership in authentic research that will be ongoing for the next two
to three years. JMU students involved in the project will preform research in
the summer and spend several weeks at Virginia Commonwealth University
partnering with Dr. Gordon Archer and a doctoral student. Students at JMU will
build on a pilot study conducted in an advanced ISAT research class at JMU and
work by a clinician and a graduate student at VCU. To enhance collaboration,
researchers will utilize the video conferencing capabilities at both
universities to hold virtual lab meetings every month. In addition, the grant
will fund research that will lead to the submission of a joint proposal to the
Commonwealth Research Board in Fall 2013.
- Dr. Susan
Halsell, associate professor of biology, who received $1,550 for a collaborative
research project with George Mason University on drosophila research. Students
will be trained in new techniques and will hold periodic lab meetings via the
4-VA technology. Co-authored presentations will occur at national meetings such
as the Drosophila Research Conference and at regional meetings. JMU
undergraduates will be included as presenters at these meetings.
- Dr.
Roshna Wunderlich and Dr. Mark Gabriele, associate professors of biology,
received $5,000 to redesign the Bio 290 Human Anatomy laboratory class at JMU so
students will be introduced to laboratory concepts prior to the lab so they
arrive prepared to use the concepts. This will reduce the amount of time
faculty spend introducing material and increase the amount of time using
material. The project also will provide a visual database of images and videos
that students can utilize after lab. The project could expand the collaboration
to both undergraduate and graduate medical faculty at other institutions in
Virginia.
- Dr.
Michele Estes, assistant
professor of learning, technology and leadership education, who received $5,000
to address the challenge of distributed labs in STEM. Estes and Dr. Stephanie
Moore at the University of Virginia have extensive experience in accessibility
and universal design, which plays an important role in the development of
online labs and will help ensure they are designed to serve the greatest number
of learners to the greatest extent possible. Estes and Moore will articulate
common learning objectives and outcomes that indicate characteristics of
instructional quality of online labs and develop a plan and instructional strategy
for the development and evaluation of online labs. In addition, the grant will
fund research that will lead to a submission for a National Science Foundation
proposal.
- Dr.
Robert Prins, associate professor of engineering, who received $5,000 to
support faculty-led collaborative research in electric mobility. The proposal
aims to fund JMU student(s) to participate in an applied research project with
Moto Electra LLC, thus strengthening the relationship between JMU and its
corporate collaborator.
- Dr. Anne
De Piante Henriksen, professor of
integrated science and technology, who received $5,000 to collaborate with the
department of biochemistry and molecular genetics, and with the Center for
Public Genomics, at the University of Virginia. Henriksen will participate in
world-class research in the areas of neuroscience, neuroendocrinology and cell
signaling. The experience will enable Henriksen to bring valuable insight and
experience back to JMU undergraduates. The project will also allow for a strong
relationship to develop, which could lead to future collaborations with U.Va.
The 4-VA consortium was organized in 2010 by the presidents
of JMU, George Mason University, University of Virginia and Virginia Tech, in
an effort to foster collaboration and to meet the needs of the Commonwealth
indentified by the Governor’s Higher Education Commission and his Jobs
Commission.
JMU President Jon Alger said the consortium not only
highlights the "great research being done here at JMU," but also provides a model for solving the
day's big problems through teamwork.
4-VA scale-up grants will be awarded twice a year to faculty
who already have an established research agenda, have an established
partnership in the research, can demonstrate promise and past progress and are
about to launch a proposal for an externally-funded grant.
The 4-VA mini-grants, which range from $1,000-$5,000, could
be awarded as often as once a quarter—subject to funding availability and
qualified proposals—to support faculty efforts that contribute to 4-VA
initiatives related to research and instruction. Potential outcomes include
shared courses, redesigned courses or collaborate research projects.
Faculty can apply for the state-funded grants anytime.
Awards are typically announced during the last week of July, October, January
and May. More information about the program, including an application, can be
found at http://www.jmu.edu/4-va/resources-for-faculty.shtml.
Feb. 15, 2013
