205 awards totaling nearly $21.5 million received in fiscal year 2015
Members of WKU’s Five Million Dollar Club were among those recognized Dec. 9 by Cheryl Davis, interim Associate Provost for Research and Creative Activity. Above left: Nahid Gani, Geography and Geology; above right: Martha Sales, TRIO Programs. (WKU photos by Bryan Lemon)
An awards reception was held Wednesday (Dec. 9) to honor the efforts of WKU faculty and staff engaged in grant activities during fiscal year 2015. The Office of Sponsored Programs, the central support unit for grants administration, hosted the annual event at Downing Student Union along with the Office of Research and Creative Activity.
Fiscal year 2015 saw an increase in sponsored programs activity as WKU submitted 236 grant proposals for $56,956,653 in external funding. The funds requested augment internal resources to promote research, instruction, outreach and other types of externally funded activities at WKU.
A total of 205 grant awards were received in fiscal year 2015 for a total of $21,467,966. This compares with 172 grants received in fiscal year 2014 totaling $20,913,079.
“We are always excited to honor the efforts of the dedicated WKU faculty and staff who go above and beyond to seek grant funding each year,” said OSP Director Nancy Parker. “Their efforts truly enhance the academic and research quality of WKU. It is a pleasure to recognize their hard work and celebrate their remarkable achievements.”
Provost David Lee spoke at the Dec. 9 awards reception hosted by the Office of Sponsored Programs and the Office of Research and Creative Activity. (WKU photo by Bryan Lemon)
The awards presented at the Sponsored Programs Recognition Reception include the following:
First Time Awardees
In recognition of those who received their first extramural grant award at WKU as Principal Investigators during FY 2015.
- Neale Chumbler, Dean, College of Health and Human Services
- Fred DeGraves, Agriculture
- Josh Durkee, Geography and Geology
- Chandra Emani, Biology (WKU-Owensboro)
- Rachel Goodman, Campus and Community Events
- Dominique Gumirakiza, Agriculture
- Timothy Hawkins, Marketing
- Donielle Lovell, Sociology (WKU-Elizabethtown)
- Jill Maples, School of Kinesiology, Recreation and Sport
- Christina Noel, School of Teacher Education
- Morteza Nurcheshmeh, Engineering
- Timothy Rich, Political Science
- Amber Schroeder, Psychological Sciences
One Million Dollar Club
In recognition of the faculty and staff members with $1 million or greater in awards throughout their careers at WKU.
- Yan Cao, Chemistry
- Rodney King, Biology
- Eve Main, School of Nursing
- Jason Polk, Geography and Geology
- Michael Smith, Biology
- Chris Watkins, Training and Technical Assistance Services
- Cate Webb, Chemistry
Five Million Dollar Club
In recognition of the faculty and staff members with $5 million or greater in awards throughout their careers at WKU.
- Nahid Gani, Geography and Geology
- Martha Sales, TRIO Programs at WKU
Ten Million Dollar Club
In recognition of the faculty and staff members with $10 million or greater in awards throughout their careers at WKU.
- Marce Verzaro-O’Brien, Training and Technical Assistance Services
Most Prolific Proposer
In recognition of those faculty and staff who submitted four or more grant proposals as either Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator in FY 2015.
- David Brinkley, Public Radio Services
- Yan Cao, Chemistry
- Michael Carini, Physics and Astronomy
- Jennifer Cribbs, School of Teacher Education
- Raja Dakshinamurthy, Chemistry
- Vladimir Dobrokhotov, Physics and Astronomy
- Chandra Emani, Biology
- Ali Er, Physics and Astronomy
- Xingang Fan, Geography and Geology
- Dominque Gumirakiza, Agriculture
- Sanju Gupta, Physics and Astronomy
- Muhammad Jahan, Architecture and Manufacturing Sciences
- Elizabeth Madariaga, Counseling and Testing Center
- Rezaul Mahmood, Geography and Geology
- Matthew Nee, Chemistry
- Christina Noel, School of Teacher Education
- Hemali Rathnayake, Chemistry
- Eric Rappin, Geography and Geology
- Bruce Schulte, Biology
- Matthew Shake, Psychological Sciences
- Michael Smith, Biology
- Ajay Srivastava, Biology
- Kevin Williams, Chemistry
- Cate Webb, Chemistry
- Bangbo Yan, Chemistry
Early Investigators Award
In recognition of those assistant professors within the first five years of their appointment who received a grant in FY 2015.
- Noah Ashley, Biology
- Brent Bjorkman, Folk Studies and Anthropology
- Fred DeGraves, Agriculture
- Chandra Emani, Biology
- Nahid Gani, Geography and Geology
- Dominique Gumirakiza, Agriculture
- Timothy Hawkins, Economics
- Nancy Hulan, School of Teacher Education
- Muhammad Jahan, Architecture and Manufacturing Sciences
- Moon-Soo Kim, Chemistry
- Jill Maples, School of Kinesiology, Recreation and Sport
- Christina Noel, School of Teacher Education
- Leslie North, Geography and Geology
- Morteza Nurcheshmeh, Engineering
- Stephen O’Connor, Psychological Sciences
- Peggy Otto, English
- Timothy Rich, Political Sciences
- Kandy Smith, School of Teacher Education
Contact: Sponsored Programs, (270) 745-4652
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