Office of University Communications 

University's external funding hits new record, nearly doubles in four years

 SPRINGFIELD — Preliminary numbers show that external funding for sponsored projects at Missouri State University has nearly doubled in four years, rising from $11 million in Fiscal Year 2003 to a record-level, approximately $21.8 million in Fiscal Year 2007. This year’s total was 20 percent higher than the Fiscal Year 2006 amount of $18.1 million.

The bulk of the funding for Fiscal Year 2007 (July 1, 2006 – June 30, 2007) came from federal sources, which show a 2 percent increase from last year for an approximate total of $13.1 million. Substantial funding increases were realized from the state (up 23 percent to $5.1 million), businesses (up 290 percent to $1.3 million), non-profit organizations (up 297 percent to $1.7 million), and international sources (up 583 percent to $282,960). The total also includes $97,265 in funding from counties and cities.

“We are obviously pleased with the rapid and sustained growth in external funds coming to Missouri State University,” said Dr. Jim Baker, the university’s vice president for research and economic development. “This growth is a direct reflection of the hard work of our faculty and staff and of the leadership of President Michael T. Nietzel and Provost Belinda McCarthy in positioning the university to better compete for these funds.”

Dr. William Alter, director of Missouri State’s office of sponsored research and projects, said there was a total of 154 grants awarded for Fiscal Year 2007. Of the divisions which received external funding, the College of Natural and Applied Sciences (CNAS) received the highest number of awards with 57 totaling $4.9 million. Research and economic development, headed by Baker, received the most funding with approximately $10.6 million, much of which was awarded for the new Roy Blunt Jordan Valley Innovation Center.

A sampling of research, education and service projects funded by external sources during Fiscal Year 2007 include:

Dr. Robert Pavlowsky, director of the Ozarks Environment and Water Resources Institute, received $108,500 from MEC Water Resources to collaborate in an assessment of the status of water quality data and pollution sources in southwest Missouri. These funds also will support the development of an on-line accessible data-base for water quality data and an environmental library for the region.

Dr. Chris Craig, acting associate provost; and Aundrayah Shermer, program coordinator for blindness skills, received $72,500 from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to provide teachers of the visually impaired, classroom teachers and administrators working with students who are blind with information and training in the specialized skills of blindness.

Dr. Ryan Giedd, director of the Center for Applied Science and Engineering; and Matthew Curry, assistant director, received $6.2 million from the Office of Naval Research to conduct research, in collaboration with Nantero, Inc. and Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc., that will lead to the development of a radiation hardened non-volatile Nanotube Random Access Memory device.

Julie Bloodworth, director of the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, received $329,764 from the DESE to coordinate a three-week residential program for approximately 200 of Missouri’s artistically gifted students who are ready to begin their junior or senior year in high school.

Dr. Kevin Evans, assistant professor; and Dr. James Miller, professor, of geography, geology and planning, received $133,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to investigate the age and origin of the Weaubleau Structure, a possible meteorite impact structure in Missouri located along Missouri Highway 13, about 75 miles north of Springfield.

Dr. Joseph Hulgus, associate professor of counseling, received $160,278 from the U.S. Department of Education, via the Springfield Public School District, to conduct the Emotional Skills Resiliency Training Program, which is a two-pronged approach to incorporating the latest information about emotional intelligence/resiliency skill building into teacher education and classroom teaching.

Dr. Charles Rovey, associate professor of geography, geology and planning, received $18,838 from NSF in collaboration with the University of Washington to support field work and laboratory preparation of samples from paleosols developed atop glacial tills in northern Missouri.

Dr. Kandiah Manivannan, associate professor of physics, astronomy and materials science, received $18,010 from DESE, via Columbia Public Schools for A-TIME for Physics First. The immediate goal is to design and implement professional development curriculum for teachers and to teach Physics First in 9th grade classrooms, thus increasing the number of highly qualified physics/physical science teachers.

Dr. David Hough, dean of the College of Education, and Kathie Lewis, coordinator of accelerated schools, received $152,666 from DESE to provide educators with technical assistance, educational materials and training regarding the Accelerated Schools Project and the Professional Learning Communities model.