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Sponsored Research News
February 2011
 Grants.Gov Eliminates Error Correction Window, Effective January 25, 2011. As a reminder, the NIH, AHRQ, and NIOSH will eliminate the two day correction window for the Grants.gov submission process for all electronic applications due on and after January 25, 2011. This correction window has been a commonly used option at UC Denver. We encourage research faculty and staff to incorporate this change into timing of proposal submissions.
With elimination of the error correction window, please remember the routing deadlines for all electronic grant applications:
- The routing and grant proposal is due in Grants and Contracts by the end of the 20th business day prior to the submission deadline.
- The Final electronic version must be received by Grants and Contracts by the end of the 10th business day prior to the submission deadline date.
The notice about the error correction can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-10-123.html.
Information about the NIH’s policy on late submission of Grant Applications can be found at: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-035.html.
July-August 2010
Catherine Clark, Associate Dean, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Schmid College of Science, has been named a member of the Sponsored Research Million Dollar Club. She has, as a principal participant, been involved in proposals that have resulted in the accumulation of more than one million dollars in grants being awarded to Chapman. Along with this recognition, the award consist of an engraved crystal cube and her name being added to a perpetual wall plaque
May-June 2010
Eyal Amitai, Associate Professor, Schmid College of Science, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, was awarded a grant on June 7, 2010 from NASA in response to an unsolicited proposal for a project entitled, "Verifying Satellite Precipitation Estimates and Supporting Satellite Algorithm Development with NOAA Q2." Comparisons of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite (known as TRMM) and ground-based estimates of rain-rate show significant discrepancies for some overpasses. A major objective of the proposed research is to identify and understand the sources of these large discrepancies in order to improve satellite algorithms and products. The award (NASA NNX10AK46G) is in the amount of $150K, including $41K in facilities and administrative costs, for a period of 18 months, from 8/1/2010 - 1/31/2012. Please contact Prof. Amitai for further details.
Michael Fahy, Professor, and Adrian Vijiac, Associate Professor, School of Computational Sciences, Schmid College of Science, were awarded a grant from the California Mathematics and Science Partnership in cooperation with the Centralia School District on June 3, 2010. The project is entitled "Collaboration for Leadership and Improvement in Math Education." The project will take place over three consecutive summers, starting June 1, 2010. During the first Summer Math Institute (SMI), Dr. Michael Fahy is scheduled to be the algebra professor. For the second SMI Dr. Fahy will provide algebra support for the participants and Dr. Vajiac will provide instruction in Measurement and Geometry. For the third and final SMI, Dr. Fahy will again provide algebra support, support in geometry and measurement, and instruction in probability and statistics. The amount of the award is $42,606, including $3,156 for facilities and administrative costs. Please contact Profs. Fahy and Vajiac for further details.
Lilian Were, Associate Professor, Food Science Program, Schmid College of Science, was awarded a grant from the Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section on May 19, 2010 to be used toward the purchase of a FLUOstar OMEGA microplate reader for the measurement of oxygen radical absorbance capacity -fluorescein (ORACFL) values. Such measurements are warranted due to the role of free radicals in the deterioration of foods and onset of pathogenesis of various diseases including cardiovascular and heart disease. The amount of the award is $5,600, and the project period is the fall 2010. Please contact Prof. Were for further details.
Anuradha Prakash, Professor, Food Science Program, Schmid College of Science, was awarded a grant from the Southern California Institute of Food Technologists Section on May 19, 2010 to be used toward the purchase of a The TA.XTPlus and Texture Exponent Upgrade. This instrument offers a broad spectrum of analytical functions directly applicable to food development and analysis including resistance, compression, extension, elasticity, adhesiveness, crispness, and other attributes. The integrated software allows students to design testing protocols, manipulate testing parameters, and analyze test data. Tremendous advances have been made in instrumentation used for texture analysis in the past decade. The TA.XTPlus incorporates many of these advances and offers many features that are useful food product quality and development. This instrument will improve student training in a variety of courses. The amount of the award is $12,883. The instrument will be installed in the summer of 2010, and ready for use in the fall semester 2010 and beyond. Please contact Prof. Prakash for further details.
January-February 2010
David Dowling, Visiting Assistant Clinical Professor, School of Law, received a grant from the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) on January 15, 2010 in support of the Chapman University School of Law Mediation Clinic. The Clinic provides mediation services to low- to moderate-income people in Orange County. With the funding from the OCBA Charitable Fund, Mediation Clinic students will be able to assist members of the community who need help in resolving a dispute but are unable to afford court fees. The amount of the award is $25,000, and the period of performance is 1/15/2010 - 12/15/2010. Please contact Prof. Dowling for further details.
November-December 2009
Laura Glynn, Associate Professor, Schmid College of Science, School of Health and Life Sciences, received a sub-award from UC Irvine as the prime recipient to NIH effective 12/4/09. She will supervise the assessment of maternal prenatal history and provide expertise on the analysis and interpretation of data assessing prenatal factors that are associated with preterm delivery and the potential implications for child development. The Prime Award No. is HD-51852, and the UCI sub-award No. is 2009-2309. The amount of the sub-award is $37,825, including $10,561 for facilities and administrative costs. The period of the sub-award is 10/1/09 - 6/1/10. Please contact Prof. Glynn for further details.
Jeff Tollaksen, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Computational Science and Engineering was awarded a grant on Nov. 22, 2009 from the Office of Naval Research for funds to support the development of an optical cryocooler for a small-form-factor, high efficiency, and low-power consumption cryogenic system capable of reaching below 4 degrees Kelvin, based on anti-Stokes luminescence in fiber optics structures. This basic research can lead to important applications by overcoming the size, maintainability, and expense limitations of the cryocooler, which are major hurdles for widespread use of superconductors in commercial products as well in defense applications. Dr. Armen Gulian contributed significantly to the preparation of the application for this grant. This is ONR award #N00014-10-1-0025 which is entitled, "Development of Fiber-optics 4K-Cryocooler." The amount of the award is $450K, including $7,455. in indirect costs. Please contact Prof. Tollaksen for further details.
September-October 2009
Jeff Tollaksen, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Computational Science and Engineering was awarded a grant on September 24, 2009 from the Office of Naval Research for funds to conduct a workshop on quantum entanglement at Chapman. The funds are to support a one week workshop in early 2010 to consider future progress on quantum entanglement, with an emphasis on microwave and solid state systems. Such systems have potential to revolutionize radar, secure communications, and even gravity anomaly sensors. Radar systems with greatly reduced power-on-target are theoretically possible. This is ONR award #N00014-09-1-1183. The award amount is $6,500., including $1,587 in indirect cost recovery. Please contact Prof. Tollaksen for further details on this planned workshop.
Marisa Cianciarulo, Associate Professor, School of Law, oversees the Congressionally Selected grant from the Department of Justice to support the Chapman University Family Violence Clinic Since to assist victims of domestic violence, sex crimes and elder abuse with legal representation for matters arising from the abuse they have suffered. The grant was awarded on September 18, 2009. The needs the clinic addresses are those that are beyond the scope of the services provided by police, prosecutors and victims’ advocates. Family Violence Clinic currently assists victims with domestic violence-related immigration relief and crime victim immigration relief. The clinic also assists victims with obtaining temporary and permanent orders of protection against abusers. The award (2009-D1-BX-0003) is in the amount of $300,000, including $86,317 for facilities and administrative costs. The period of the award is 8/1/09 – 7/31/12. Please contact Prof. Cianciarulo for further details.
Hesham El-Askary, Assistant Professor, Physics, Computational Science and Engineering, received an award from the National Science Foundation for a project entitled, "Studying Air Quality Dynamics using A Linear Genetic Programming Approach over Remotely Sensed Atmospheric Parameters: case study (Cairo, Egypt)" on September 16, 2009. The project involves study of excess aerosol episodes (namely dust storms and pollution) that occur over Cairo and other cities in the region. Trends in water vapor content confirm the aerosol contribution to possible local climate change. The plan is to use various aerosol derived satellite parameters over a long time period coupled with linear genetic programming (LGP) technology for better understanding and modeling the effects of different air pollution episodes over Cairo. Such coupling will provide insight into the microphysics of the air dynamics and enhance the understanding of the role of different atmospheric parameters under investigation. The results can be utilized for the identification and control of pollution sources to provide first hand corrective actions, proper management and policy recommendations. This project will generate opportunities for independent research for undergraduate students and in the future graduate students. It will also initiate collaboration between Chapman University and public school educators, and between Chapman University and other research institutes and centers, internationally. The award (NSF #OISE-0922772) is funded in the amount of $59,880 over two years with $7,238 in recovered indirect costs. Prof. El-Askary should be contacted for details.
Christine Hughey, Assistant Professor, Chemistry, and co-Investigators, Jennifer Funk and Jason Keller, Assistant Professors in Biological Sciences, received an award from the National Science Foundation's Major Research Instrumentation Program on September 13, 2009. The objective of this grant is to acquire a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer for interdisciplinary research and teaching in chemistry and biology. A triple quadrupole mass spectrometer is a tandem mass spectrometer in which analytes (ions) of interest are selected by the first quadrupole, fragmented in the second quadrupole, and scanned again by the third quadrupole. This configuration is selective and, therefore, allows the reproducible detection of low concentration analytes (parts per trillion) in complex mixtures. It also allows the detection of analytes that span 4-6 orders of magnitude in concentration. Specifically, the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer will be used for: small molecule quantitation in fundamental negative ion electrospray (ESI) studies (Hughey); small molecule quantitation of polar intermediates formed during the anaerobic decomposition of wetland organic matter (Keller and Hughey) to better understand the dynamics of CO2 and CH4 (important greenhouse gases) produced in wetland ecosystems; and targeted quantitation for plant proteomics (Funk and Hughey) to elucidate differences in native vs. non-native plant function by identifying and quantifying key proteins involved in photosynthesis, growth and nutrient uptake. Acquisition of this instrument will also have a significant impact on the integrated research/educational experience of undergraduate students. Eight to thirteen students will work with the co-investigators as paid interns or for course credit in chemistry and biology. The award (NSF # CHE-0922935) is in the amount of $414,521 for one year to purchase and set up the instrument, including $3,721 in recovered indirect costs. Please contact Prof. Hughey for details.
Anuradha Prakash, Professor, Food Science Program, Schmid College of Science, was awarded a grant from Boskovich Farms, Inc. on 9/3/2009 to determine the efficacy of electron beam radiation on eliminating E. coli O157:H7 in whole green onions. Irradiation is a cold technology that can be used to eradicate O157:H7 and other human pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria from fresh produce. When used at low dose levels, irradiation does not significantly affect the quality (sensory, texture, color and aroma) of the produce. However, the effect of irradiation on whole green onions and on E.coli in green onions is unknown. The amount of the award is $5,000, including $800 for facilities and administrative costs. The period of the award is 9/1/2009 – 5/31/2010. Please contact Prof. Prakash for further details.
July-August 2009
Chris Kim, Assistant Professor, Chemistry, was awarded a grant through the prestigious NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program on August 31, 2009. The proposed research will reveal previously uncharacterized yet fundamental trends in elemental concentrations, speciation, correlations, and bioaccessibility as a function of particle size of potentially toxic mine wastes. These elements are released during the mining process, and pose threats to both human health as well as the local and regional environments surrounding the mines. The project involves a systematic, integrated, multidisciplinary approach to determine the relationships between particle size and the physical and chemical properties of mine waste materials in order to better predict the distribution and bioavailability of arsenic and mercury. The work will allow a better prediction of trace metal bioavailability in natural systems, and represents a potentially transformative contribution to the understanding of the environmental geochemistry of mine waste materials. This project involves a fully integrated plan of research and education by generating opportunities for independent research and fieldwork to undergraduate students, and by providing undergraduates with experience at national synchrotron research facilities. High school science students from traditionally underrepresented groups will be recruited for summer research internships, while schoolteachers will be brought to Chapman through a release program that provides them with the opportunity to learn about and participate in novel scientific research. The project (NSF Award #EAR-0847811) is funded in the amount of $409,542 with $91,000 in recovered indirect costs. Please contact Prof. Kim for details.
Warren de Bruyn, Associate Professor, Chemistry, was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for a project entitled: "Collaborative Research: Air/Sea Gas Exchange Studies of CO2, DMS, and Acetone by Eddy Correlation" on Aug. 27,2009. This project involves shipboard measurement of air-sea gas fluxes. Fluxes and sea surface concentrations of CO2, dimethylsulfide (DMS), and acetone will be measured. These gases are important in terms of their impact on atmospheric chemistry and climate. The results will provide insight into the process of air/sea gas exchange and improve gas transfer and global biogeochemical models. This project involves education, outreach, and the societal importance of understanding and predicting atmospheric reactivity and climate change. The proposed field studies contribute to the development and verification of global models that play a role in developing a national climate policy. The project (NSF Award #ATM-0851068) involves a collaboration with colleagues at UC Irvine and SUNY Albany. Chapman is funded in the amount of $77,667 with $20,000 in recovered indirect costs. Please contact Prof. de Bruyn for details.
Karen Gallagher, Instructor of German, Department of Languages, received a grant from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany oversee events in connection with the Freedom Without Walls program at Chapman in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The grant was awarded on August 1, 2009 in the amount of $5,000. Several events running through October and November 2009 were held on campus. Please contact Dr. Gallagher for details.
Bill Wright, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences, received a supplement from the National Science Foundation to his NSF funded research on July 25, 2009. The research focuses on the response of sea hares (Aplysia californica) to predatory stimuli, and how this response reduces the risk of subsequent predation. One predator used in this study is lobster. However, spontaneous attack by the lobsters used on the sea hares was limited. The supplemental funding supports a promising direction that involves using lobster from a preserve where fishing of any animals has been prevented. Therefore, the supply of invertebrate food items is greatly reduced making these lobsters more enthusiastic predators of the sea hares. This predatory behavior will help focus experimental design and interpretation of the adaptive reaction of the sea hares and advance the researchers understanding of the predator-prey relationship. The amount of the supplement is $50K with an additional $9K in recovered indirect costs. This is a supplement to NSF grant #IOS-0721800. Please contact Prof. Wright for details.
May-June 2009
Pilar Valenzuela, Assistant Professor of Spanish, was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation (Award No. BCS-0853285) on May 28, 2009. The project is entitled "Collaborative Research: The Kawapanan Project: Building Flexible Data for the Documentation of Shiwilu (JEB) and Shawi (CBT)." The main goal of the project is the documentation of the only two extant members of the Kawapanan (also, Cahuapanan) group: Shiwilu (JEB) and Shawi (CBT). Both languages are spoken in relative proximity to one another in the Peruvian Amazon. Documentary work is especially urgent for Shiwilu, since it is in immediate danger of complete disappearance with only a few elderly fluent speakers remaining. Another goal is the creation of reusable software to aid in the production of scientific materials for the linguists and pedagogical materials for community members. The software will aid data re-purposing where the same data will be used for the production of both types of materials.
The award is for $89,812 over two years with full recovery of indirect costs. The project will be conducted in collaboration with Prof. Valenzuela's colleague, Professor Scott Farrar, who will be funded separately at the University of Washington, with Valenzuela as the lead investigator. Please contact Prof. Valenzuela for details.
March - April 2009
Christine Hughey, Department of Chemistry, was awarded a grant from the Society for Analytical Chemists (Undergraduate Research Program Committee) on April 20, 2009 . The project is entitled, "Effect of mobile phase modifiers on chromatographic separation and negative ion electrospray ionization (ESI) response." The aim of the research is to systematically and quantifiably determine how solution flow rate, analyte chemistry, analyte concentration and solution composition affect negative ion ESI response. Three undergraduate students will work on this project, each investigating a separate compound class. The amount of the award is $10,000 through the summer 2009. Please contact Prof. Hughey for details.
Menas Kafatos, Founding Dean of the Schmid College of Science, Director of the Center of Excellence on Quantum Studies and Earth Observing, and Vice Chancellor for Special Projects, was awarded a grant from the Institute for Global Change on April 17, 2009. Anup Prasad, Research Assistant Professor of Physics, is a co-Investigator on the grant. The project is entitled, "Aerosol Studies utilizing Remote Sensing and other Observations over India and their Significance for the Climate System." The researchers propose to validate multi sensor satellite data (MODIS Terra and Aqua) and compare them with ground data in characterizing aerosols. They will study the role of long term impacts on the climate (radiative forcing) and natural resources (vegetation, snow and hydrological cycle) in the Indo-Gangetic plain (IG) regions of India. The proposed work will particularly emphasize the long term validation of MODIS Terra and Aqua Aerosol data (2001-2009) as well as related tasks. The grant is in the amount of $75,000 over one year. Please contact Dr. Kafatos or Prof. Prasad for details
Chris Kim, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, is the recipient of a portion of a Cooperative Agreement from the Evironmental Protection Agency on March 5, 2009. The prime awardee is the CA Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). The project is entitled, "CA DTSC Arsenic Charterization of Mine Scarred Land." The overall goal of the project is to develop tools that would allow stakeholders, consultants, and risk assessors to reliably predict the in vivo RBA (Relative Bioavailability) of arsenic in soil samples from mine sites in a scientifically sound, defensible, and cost-efficient manner. The assessment tools can then be used in a tiered approach to characterize mining sites. DTSC would produce an arsenic bioavailability guidance document that would assist in the proper characterization of former mine sites. Prof. Kim will provide expertise in size fraction, surface area analysis, speciation, and extraction of collected samples. The EPA Agreement Number is 83415101-0. The portion of the award allocated to Chapman under Dr. Kim's directorship is $132,000 over five years. Please contact Professor Kim for details
January - February 2009
American Recovery & Reinvestment Act
The American Recovery Reinvestment Act (ARRA) is now fully enacted. How these funds will be disbursed from the agencies is yet to be determined. Detailed implementation plans are required from each agency by May 1, 2009. Information below is distilled from the agency releases regarding their implementation plans to date. Stay tuned as more information becomes available.
Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) summary of OMB Guidance
The Office of Management and Budget on February 18 issued initial implementation guidance to the federal agencies on spending the economic recovery funds -
NIH and NSF have issued general statements about their plans to use the funds they will receive under the Economic Recovery Act. However, all of the agencies' plans will need to be reviewed and approved by OMB.
Among provisions of interest in the OMB document are those relating to the allocation of grants and cooperative agreements and the extensive new reporting requirements for entities that accept Recovery Act funds. As stated at the COGR meeting February 20, we will work with OMB and agency officials to minimize reporting burdens as much as possible, given the requirements of the Act.
Guidance on Grants and Cooperative Agreements
Page 32 of the OMB guidance addresses grants and cooperative agreements, noting that although the Recovery Act calls on agencies to spend the funding as quickly as possible, "this statement, by itself, does not constitute a sufficient justification to support award of a federal grant on a non-competitive basis."
Agencies are expected "to follow the same laws, principles, procedures, and practices in awarding discretionary grants with Recovery Act funds as they do with other funds," and to promote competition "to the maximum extent practicable." It adds, "Agencies may want to consider the appropriateness of limited competitions among existing high-performing projects versus full and open competitions and formula allocations."
Guidance on Significant New Reporting Requirements
Beginning on page 14, OMB describes the detailed reporting requirements for recipients of economic recovery funds.
"As required by Section 1512 of the Recovery Act and this guidance, each recipient, as described above, is required to report the following information to the Federal agency providing the award 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter, starting on July 10th.
These reports will include the following data elements, as prescribed by the Recovery Act:
(1) The total amount of recovery funds received from that agency;
(2) The amount of recovery funds received that were obligated and expended to projects or activities. This reporting will also included unobligated Allotment balances to facilitate reconciliations.
(3) A detailed list of all projects or activities for which recovery funds were obligated and expended including:
(A) The name of the project or activity;
(B) A description of the project or activity;
(C) An evaluation of the completion status of the project or activity;
(D) An estimate of the number of jobs created and the number of jobs retained by the project or activity; and
(E) For infrastructure investments made by State and local governments, the purpose, total cost, and rationale of the agency for funding the infrastructure investment with funds made available under this Act, and name of the person to contact at the agency if there are concerns with the infrastructure investment.
(4) Detailed information on any subcontracts or subgrants awarded by the recipient to include the data elements required to comply with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-282), allowing aggregate reporting on awards below $25,000 or to individuals, as prescribed by the Director of OMB.
The final guidance issued by OMB for the Recovery Act will lay out in more detail specific reporting instructions and how the data collection for this reporting will work government-wide."
NIH Implementation Information
Earlier this afternoon Dr. Raynard Kington, NIH Acting Director, participated in a conference call with representatives of the American Association of Universities to discuss ARRA funding to NIH funding. While many details are not yet available, we wish to share the summary provided by Dr. Kington regarding the anticipated use of this funding.
Approximately $8.2 billion of the $10.4 billion to be provided to NIH between now and September 2010 is expected to be committed to science research. The vast majority of this ($7.4 billion) will be distributed to the I/Cs (and the Common Fund, which supports the Roadmap Initiative) in amounts proportional to their budgets.
There will be three broad categories for distribution of this $7.4 billion:
a) The institutes will review meritorious currently pending proposals (primarily R01s) for which progress with only two years of funding is feasible.
b) Administrative supplement requests will be accepted in a range of themes, which are yet to be determined.
c) A smaller portion (in the range of $100-200 million) will be used to fund challenge grant RFAs in individual I/Cs; the priority areas are yet to be determined.
Some funding will also be made available for renovations, shared instrumentation.
Dr. Kington made the point that these funds must be obligated within two years, and will not be base building for NIH. He anticipates distributing more information, and having more answers to our questions about the application processes, review mechanisms and negotiation of shorter-term awards soon. We will share information as we receive it, and expect to have a web page on the RSP site for up-to-date information on how NIH and other federal agencies will handle stimulus package funding next week.
Finally, we would like you to be aware that this funding will carry significant additional requirements. Examples Dr. Kington provided were more frequent reports (both financial and programmatic) and additional details in those reports, such as number of jobs created by the project.
NSF Implementation Information
"The National Science Board (NSB) will hold its first meeting of the new year related to national science and engineering policy issues and oversight of the National Science Foundation (NSF) on Monday, Feb. 23 through Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009. High on the meeting's agenda will be deliberations about spending and oversight of the portion of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act directed to NSF, $3 billion, to enable U.S. investment in America's scientific enterprise."
At the COGR meeting February 19, NSF officials provided some general details regarding the stimulus funds. According to the NSF officials they do not intend to provide supplemental fnding to existing awards.
As provided in the Act, within Research and Related Activities, NSF's core research account, $2.0 billion would go to research grants distributed through NSF's regular peer review process, and this will largely be to award grant applications already peer-reviewed and deemed of high quality but that could not be due to lack of funds. The bill would also provide $300 million to the Major Research Instrumentation program of competitively awarded instrumentation grants for university researchers, and $200 million to restart the Academic Research Infrastructure program, for competitively awarded laboratory construction grants, primarily for universities. The $100 million education and human resources appropriation would provide $60 million to the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, $25 million to the Math and Science Partnerships program, and $15 million to a new Professional Masters Science Program authorized in the America COMPETES Act. Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction spending of $400 million would accelerate the construction of major research facilities with unique capabilities at the cutting edge of science.
Currently supplemental funding requests are submitted via Fastlane. We are awaiting guidance as to how such supplemental requests will be handled for the Recovery Act funding.
Jeff Tollaksen, Associate Professor, Department of Physics, Computational Science and Engineering was awarded a grant from the Office of Naval Research on January 30, 2009. The project is entitled, "Stimulated Brillouin and Raman scattering for fiber-optic digital data transfer." In this project, the research team will explore a new optical modulator concept aimed at resolving the long-standing problem of high-bandwidth data output from a cryogenic environment to a room-temperature one with an operationally acceptable heat-load. An outcome of this research will be that fiber-optic cabling can be used to transfer the data instead of transferring it by connventional wires. The amount of the award is $356,659 over three years. The ONR Award Number is: N000140910222. Professor Tollaksen should be contacted for details.
October - December 2008
Jeff Tollaksen, Associate Professor, and Yakir Aharonov, Professor, Department of Physics, Computational Science and Engineering were awarded a grant from the Science and Transcendence Advanced Research Series (STAR) on October 15, 2008 for a project entitled "Subjective Experience as a Window on Foundational Physics." The amount of the award is $91,445. The aim of the project is to investigate the areas of tension between objective scientific description and our conscious experience. Although there is no consensus concerning the tensions between these different descriptions or of the role of the observer, recent advances in the foundations of physics and quantum theory offer hope for a fresh approach. As one example, a recent reformulation of quantum mechanics provides a very different picture of the nature of time, suggesting that a reconciliation of subjective temporal passage and the static, or block time, of orthodox physics might lie with the linkage between future and past states. Indeed, the researchers' general methodology for addressing the profound questions outlined above will be to investigate different approaches and formulations of quantum mechanics (our most basic and successful scientific theory), to shed new light on the sources of tension with our everyday experience, in the hope of illuminating aspects of the character of what could be called ultimate reality, be it purely physical reality or reality inclusive of such phenomena as mind and consciousness. Professor Tollaksen should be sought for further details.
September 2008
Eyal Amitai, Associate Professor in the Department of Physics, Computational Science, and Engineering has successfully transferred two more grants to Chapman University:
On September 17, a project entitled "Utilizing the National Network for Statistical Verification of Satellite Rainfall Estimates" was transferred by NASA to Chapman. This is the first NASA grant to be brought to the University. This research focuses on verification of satellite instantaneous precipitation products over a variety of climatic regimes.The distribution of rain rate is of great interest in many fields. For example, hydrological applications such as flood forecasting depend on an accurate representation of the excess rainfall--driven by rain rate--that does not infiltrate the soil. The key objective is to identify and understand the sources of large discrepancies between surface-based and satellite estimates of rain rate in order to evaluate and improve satellite algorithms and products, and to predict algorithm performance in different meteorological regimes. The NASA award (#NNX08BA53G) is for $327K over two years. Professor Amitai should be contacted for details.
On September 22, a project entitled "Rainfall estimation accuracy and classification from deep underwater sound measurements" was transerred by NSF to Chapman. This research with collaborators will use the sound produced by rainfall underwater to quantitatively measure rainfall at sea. It will lead to a better understanding of how to use passive ambient sound to monitor the marine environment is and will contribute to the ability to monitor important climate processes globally. Improving our ability to measure rain over the oceans is critical to describing the global water cycle and understanding potential trends in climate change. The NSF award (#OCE-0853631) is for $97,288 over three years. Professor Amitai should be contacted for details.
July - August 2008
Eyal Amitai, a new Associate Professor in Chapman's newly formed Department of Physics, Computational Science, and Engineering, received a subaward on August 19, 2008 from the University of California, Irvine from a NASA grant. The subaward is in the amount of $53,480. Prof. Amitai will collaborate with Prof. Soroosh Sorooshian at UCI to study the challenges of utilizing satellite precipitation data for hydrologic applications and will participate in the evaluation effort of the satellite precipitation products. The work will contribute to the development of merging techniques of multiple data sources from satellites, radar and gauge observations to advance knowledge in this area. Professor Amitai (Eyal.Amitai@nasa.gov) shouldbe consulted for details of this research.
Dave Porter, Professor, Argyros School of Business and Economics and the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics in the Wilkinson College of Letters and Sciences, was awarded a grant from the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE) on July 18, 2008. The grant in the amount of $25,000 is provided to support a speaker series held at the Economic Science Institute at Chapman, of which he is a member. .
Bart Wilson, Professor, Economics, ASBE, and Professor of Law in the School of Law, received an additional grant from the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE) on July 18, 2008. The grant in the amount of $17K is to provide additional support to workshops, directed by Professor Wilson, hosted by the Economic Science Institute at Chapman, of which he is a member.
May - June 2008
Bart Wilson, Professor, Economics, ASBE, and Professor of Law in the School of Law, received a grant from the National Science Foundation on June 20, 2008. The award in the amount of $169,066 over three years supports research to examine the hypothesis that nonhuman primates and humans share basic economic decision making strategies. The NSF award number is SES-0833310. Please contact Professor Wilson for details.
Christopher Kim, Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department, received an award from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Department of the Interior, on June 6, 2008. The award, in the amount of $95,000 for one year, is to support a program to study the relationship of the grain size of mine tailings as it relates to the release of arsenic to aquatic environments. This is BLM award number BAP080070. Please contact Professor Kim for details.
Dave Porter, Professor, Argyros School of Business and Economics and the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics in the Wilkinson College of Letters and Sciences, and Steve Rassenti, Professor, Economics, ASBE, received a subaward from University of Massachusetts, Amherst from an award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on May 30, 2008. The award, in the amount 308,622 over three years, is to support research on market mechanisms and incentives, involving case studies and experimental testbeds for new environmental trading programs. Both investigators are members of the new Chapman University Economic Science Institute. Please contact Profs. Porter and Rassenti for details.
 2008 Sponsored Research Million Dollar Club Award: Frank Frisch, Professor, Biological Sciences, and Roxanne Greitz Miller, Assistant Professor, School of Education, once again were the recipients of this award, presented on May 9, 2008. This award is given to faculty members who have obtained more than one million dollars in external support for their scholarly work. Profs. Greitz Miller and Frisch received this award last year, and have, since then, achieved this honor again by winning grants in excess of one million dollars this year!
February - April 2008
Bart Wilson, Professor, Economics, ASBE, and Professor of Law in the School of Law, received a grant from the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE) on March 15, 2008. The grant in the amount of $94,000 is to support workshops, directed by Professor Wilson, hosted by the Economic Science Institute at Chapman, of which he is a member. The program will entail a visiting graduate student workshop in experimental economics, a Vernon L. Smith High School Workshop in Experimental Economics, and a summer internship program for top high school students and undergraduates. IFREE was established with funds from the Nobel Prize won by Vernon L. Smith, Ph.D., who has recently joined the faculty at Chapman along with Professor Wilson. Please contact Professor Wilson, who has arrived this June, for details.
Fred Caporaso, Professor, Food Science, secured a grant for $3,400 from Puluome Wildwood, Inc. to support sensory testing on April 10, 2008. Pulmuone Wildwood Inc., a Korean based company selling organic food products will be conducting descriptive sensory testing for a TOFU project.
Catherine Clark, Associate Professor, Chemistry, and Warrren de Bruyn, Associate Professor, Chemistry, were awarded a grant from the American Chemical Society - Petroleum Research Fund on April 4, 2008. The grant in the amount of $64,681 over three years for a project entitled, "Solution medium effects on the kinetics and mechanism of photolysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous medium." The researchers will focus on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic fused ring compounds present in petroleum. They will seek to further the understanding PAH processing in the environment, by elucidating photolysis kinetics and mechanisms in aqueous media as a function of solution medium. The results will be of broad interest to the scientific community. This work will significantly advance teaching at Chapman through the participation of undergraduate students in research. The ACS-PRF grant number is 47790-B4. Please contact Profs. Clark and de Bruyn for details.
January 2008
Dave Porter, Professor, Argyros School of Business and Economics and the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics in the Wilkinson College of Letters and Sciences, was awarded a grant from the International Foundation for Research in Experimental Economics (IFREE) on Jan 1, 2008. The grant in the amount of $50,000 is provided to support research to develop software and conduct experiments in financial economics. IFREE was established with funds from the Nobel Prize won by Vernon L. Smith, Ph.D., who has recently joined the faculty in the Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman, along with three others on his team, David Porter, Ph.D., Bart Wilson, Ph.D. and Stephen Rassenti, Ph.D. Please contact Professor Porter for details on his research.
November - December 2007
Jennifer Funk, Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on December 1, 2007 for a program entitled, "Mechanisms of success among invasive plant species: nitrogen partitioning, biochemical fingerprints, and remote sensing." Prof. Funk transferred this award from Stanford University. The research will examine inter-specific variation in nitrogen partitioning within leaves between photosynthetic, structural, and defensive compounds, and assess how differences in N partitioning contribute to carbon assimilation in invasive plants across environmental gradients. The research will then investigate how this variation could be used to identify species distribution and dispersal using remotely sensed data. The research will specifically test the hypotheses that: 1) invasive plants display high ratios of photosynthetic to non-photosynthetic N pools, 2) invasive plants are more plastic in N partitioning in response to variation in resource availability, 3) patterns of N partitioning and associated plasticity are adaptive. The award is effective from December 1, 2007 through November 30, 2009, and the total funding is $124,955 for the two-year period. The USDA Award Number is 2008-35320-18721. Please contact Prof. Funk for details on the program.
October 2007
Roxanne Greitz Miller, Assistant Professor, School of Education and Frank Frisch, Professor, Biological Sciences were awarded a grant from the California Postsecondary Education Commission's (CPEC's) Improving Teacher Quality Program, formally announced on October 22, 2007. The award is for $901,404 over four years for a program, entitled Project SMART: Integrating Science, Mathematics, Reading and Technology. In describing the project, Professor Miller states that in many schools, teachers have to place reading first and science last, if science is taught at all in the early grades where it is not measured by state achievement tests. Then, when students get to the upper elementary grades where science is tested, they lack the foundation they need to succeed. Project SMART aims to change this by showing teachers that science can be used in the early grades as the “center� around which reading, math, and technology instruction can be based. The focus of the project is the improvement of science, reading, mathematics, and technology skills of Kindergarten through second graders in Anaheim public schools. The total cost of the project is $1.16M, with the balance of support coming from the STAR Institute in Chapman's School of Education, which is co-directed by Profs. Miller and Frisch. Please contact Roxanne Miller or Frank Frisch for details.
September 2007
National Endowment for the Humanities Presentation: On September 12, 2007, Nancy Martin, Associate Professor, Religious Studies, and Joseph Runzo, Professor, Philosophy and Religious Studies, led a discussion on pursuing grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities(NEH). They duscussed the structure and mission of the NEH, its current budget and how it is distributed among its programs, and how an NEH grant can enhance and validate scholarship. They outlined their experience as grantees, project directors and reviewers, and gave tips on preparing a grant. Finally, they gave details on each of the programs currently supported by the NEH. They have also graciously provided their slides, which can be viewed from here. There were approximately 8 attendees from various schools and departments.
Warren de Bruyn, Associate Professor and Catherine Clark, Associate Professor, both in Chemistry were formally awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation on September 4, 2007 for a program entitled, "The Production and Degradation of Acetone in Seawater." The research will pursue a better understanding of the production and destruction processes that control acetone concentrations in the sea, which would ultimately allow scientists to estimate the global air-sea flux of acetone and its impact on tropospheric chemistry. The project has four short-term goals: to measure acetone at nanomolar levels in seawater using a method compatible with undergraduate student research capabilities; to measure acetone in surface seawater at coastal sites in Southern California over several diurnal periods in the dry and wet rainy season; to measure the biological and photochemical production rates of acetone in seawater; and to measure the photochemical and biological degradation rates for acetone in seawater. The long term goals are to improve our overall understanding of the processing of acetone in surface seawaters and ultimately the flux of acetone across the air-sea interface. The award is effective from September 15, 2007 through August 31, 2010, and the total funding is $251,222 for the three-year period. The NSF Award Number is OCE-0727614. Please contact Profs. Clark and de Bruyn for details on the program.
Mark Axelrod, Professor, English and Comparative Literature , received formal notice on August 27, 2007 of an award from the National Endowment for the Arts for the John Fowles Center for Creative Writing. The award is made as part of the Challenge America: Reaching Every Community Program. It's purpose is to support, through Chairman Gioia's extraordinary action award, an international writers reading series. The amount of the award is $15,000, and, along with matching funds from Chapman University entities, will be used to host a series of prominant international writers, including Sir Salman Rushdie. The project will run from September 1, 2007 to May 31, 2008. The grant number is 07-7900-7035. Please contact Professor Axelrod for details.
August 2007
Faculty Briefing, Chancellor Daniele Struppa and OSR Director, Ron DiMelfi hosted a breakfast for new faculty beginning their second year at Chapman University. The Chancellor expressed his support for the enterprise of sponsored research as well as his recognition of other forms of scholarly pursuit. Dr. DiMelfi gave a brief presentation on the procedures for handling proposals and grants, the services offered by his Office, and new avenues of support provided by the OSR.
Bill Wright, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences was formally awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for a program entitled, "Predation-induced sensitization in Aplysia californica" on Aug. 7, 2007. The project has a goal of developing an understanding how we learn and remember. Experiments will be performed on a widely used model system for learning and memory: the study of sensitization in the Opisthobranch mollusk, Aplysia californica. Sensitization refers to an enhancement in defensive behaviors after a noxious stimulus. The proposed experiments will, for the first time, bring an ecological approach to the study of sensitization in Aplysia. As in other systems that employ such an approach, this will likely deepen our understanding, both adaptive and mechanistic, of sensitization in this well studied model system. The award is effective Aug. 15, 2007, and the project will be conducted over a three-year period. The total budget for the project is $363,379. Please contact Prof. Wright for details.
June - July, 2007
Walter Piper, Associate Professor, Biological Sciences was formally awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for a program entitled, "Long-term Investigation of Territorial Behavior and Population Dynamics in the Common Loon," on July 18, 2007. The project has three goals: to investigate the ultimate cause(s) of fatal fighting among loons over territory; to investigate the function(s) of the territorial yodel, a complex, individually distinctive call given by male territory owners during aggressive interactions; and to continue a fruitful collaboration between behavioral ecologists and wildlife biologists who use loons to detect anthropogenic impacts on aquatic ecosystems. The research will be conducted over five years, beginning Aug. 1, 2007, and the total funding is $444,359 for the five-year period. Please contact Prof. Piper for details on the program.
Drew Moshier, Associate Professor, Math and Computer Science was formally awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation for a program entitled, "Supporting Non-CISE (Computer and Information Science and Engineering) Majors in a Computing Community," on July 20, 2007. This project will focus on the potential of non-computing majors to make significant contributions to computing applications within their fields. Two programs to be developed in this project will be a Masters Seminar Series and a Center for Open Source Solutions. The Masters Seminar Series will bring to campus professionals from a wide variety of fields whose contributions in those fields have advanced the use of computation and technology. The Center for Open Source Solutions (COSS) will provide both physical space for collaboration and a virtual clearinghouse of resources for development of open source solutions in various disciplines. The program will be conducted over one year, beginning Aug. 1, 2007, and the total funding is $85,083 for this period. Please contact Prof. Moshier for details of the program.
April - May, 2007
Fred Caporaso, Professor, Food Science, Frank Frisch, Professor, Biology, and Scientific Director of the STAR Institute in the School of Education, and Ken Sumida, Professor, Biology , were awarded a research grant for $500,000 from the Irvine Health Foundation on May 24, 2007. The project is entitled, "Characterization of Bone Health in Orange County Residents." The researchers will identify populations of Orange County residents with osteoporosis and develop comprehensive and specific strategies for their treatment. The grant will fund Phase I of a three-part study. This phase, to be conducted over three years, will involve characterizing the bone health of specific groups: e.g., postmenopausal females, adolescents, mature males, female athletes, ethnic groups, etc. Future phases will include the development of nutritional, exercise and pharmacologic strategies specifically for each group, and evaluation and testing to determine the efficacy of each strategy.
Christopher Kim, Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department, received an award from the National Science Foundation on May 11, 2007. The award, in the amount of $33,613, is entitled "Acquisition of a Surface Area Analyzer for Undergraduate Research and Teaching in Earth Science." The instrument purchased with these funds will be of immediate and significant benefit to Prof. Kim’s ongoing research projects in environmental geochemistry. The award is from the Earth Sciences Division/Instrumentation and Facilities Program at NSF.
Lilian Were, Assistant Professor in the Food Science and Nutrition Program, was awarded a grant in the amount of $21,834 from the Education and Research Grant Committee of the Southern California Intitute of Food Technologists for the purchase of a gas chromatograph system on May 3, 2007. Please contact Professor Were for further details on this grant.
Dept. of Education Panel Discussion: On April 24, 2007, Dr. Joel Colbert, Professor and Director of the Ph.D. in Education Program in the School of Education at Chapman led a panel discussion on pursuing grants from the U.S. Department of Education. The panel consisted of Professors Anaida Colon-Muniz, Dawn Hunter and Roxanne Greitz Miller. They offered their collective wisdom based on their experience as grantees, project directors, reviewers and, in the case of Prof. Hunter, a Branch Manager at the Department of Education, handling a $31M budget. There were approximately 15 attendees from various schools and departments. Following this discussion, Dr. Ron DiMelfi gave a brief overview on using the eCivis Grants Network to which Chapman has a subscription. He also used it to link to grants.gov to show how application to a Dept. of Education grant is handled electronically.
January - March, 2007
First Annual Million Dollar Club Award: The first annual Sponsored Research Million Dollar Club Awards were presented to Chapman University researchers on Friday, February 23, 2007 in the Malloy Performance Portico at the Leatherby Libraries on the Chapman campus. The award is given to Chapman scholars who obtain more than one million dollars in external support for scholarly work at the University. This year, the awardees are: Virginia Carson, Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the W.M. Keck Foundation Science Education Initiative; Anaida Colon-Muniz, Associate Professor of Education and Director of Project Connect; Frank Frisch, Professor of Biological Sciences and Scientific Director of the Science Technology and Research (STAR) Institute in the School of Education; Roxanne Greitz Miller (unable to attend), Assistant Professor of Education and Education Director of the STAR Institute; and Marianne Smith, Director of Project I-TEACH in the School of Education. The Million Dollar Club Award consists of a perpetual wall plaque to which awardees’ names are added, and an engraved crystal cube, which was designed by Christina Marshall, Department Assistant to the Provost. On hand to present the awards and honor the awardees were Provost Daniele Struppa; Ron DiMelfi, Director of Sponsored Research; Don Cardinal, Dean of the School of Education; Roberta Lessor, Dean of Wilkinson College of Letters and Sciences; Jeanne Gunner, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education; Raymond Sfeir, Associate Provost for Academic Administration; Ellen Curtis-Pierce, Assistant Provost for Teacher Education; and several members of the Chapman community.
NIH Presentation: On March 1, 2007, The Office of Sponsored Research hosted a visit by Dr. Gary Kreps, Mandell Professor of Health Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication at George Mason University. Prior to his appointment at Mason, he served for five years as Chief of the Health Communication and Informatics Research Branch at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Kreps gave Chapman University faculty and students a presentation on pursuing research funds from the NIH. Lisa Sparks, Professor of Communication at Chapman also gave the group the benefit of her experience as a reviewer at the NIH, during her tenure as a faculty member at George Mason University. Professor Sparks described the NIH review criteria at the meeting.
OSR Presentation: On March 21, 2007, Ron DiMelfi gave a presentation at the Faculty Forum, entitled, “Sponsored Research at Chapman University." He discussed the processes for submitting proposals and handling grants that have evolved since the Office of Sponsored Research was established. He also gave a brief tutorial on proposal preparation and discussed near-future plans for encouraging the pursuit of extramural research at Chapman. His slides may be accessed here.
November - December 2006
Christopher Kim, Assistant Professor of Physical and Applied Sciences, has received an award from the Research Corporation in the amount of $34,798, for a project entitled, "Aggregation-based growth of iron oxyhydroxide nanoparticles and associated metal sorption/incorporation processes." The proposed work addresses important environmental issues.
Lillian Were, Assistant Professor of Physical and Applied Sciences and Denise Foley, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, have received a subaward in the amount of $40,000 from the University of Florida for a USDA-funded project entitled, "Customizing Food Safety Training Programs for Ethnic Food Vendors."
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