These sponsored program projects are a few of the various activities that our faculty and staff are engaged in as part of their teaching, scholarly work and research at Missouri State University, during fiscal year 2009.

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Dr. Chris Barnhart, Professor of Biology, was the recipient of an award from the Missouri Department of Conservation, in the amount of $33,000 for the project entitled “Propagation of Endangered Native Mussels for Research and Recovery.”  This project will continue critical research that has advanced our understanding of endangered mussel species distribution, host requirements, and reproductive biology.

Robert DeLong, Assistant Professor, and Richard Garrad, Associate Professor, of Biomedical Sciences, along with Kartik Ghosh, Associate Professor of Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science and Adam Wanekaya, Assistant Professor of Chemistry received $189,575 from the National Institutes of Health for their project entitled Anti-Cancer RNA Nanoconjugates.  This research will identify a way forward to bind RNA to the Au, Zn or Mn oxide nanoparticles such that it retains structure, functionally delivers the siRNA and SSO into human tumor cells and therefore potently inhibits an important anti-cancer model target (B-Raf).

Dr. Chris Craig, Associate Provost for Faculty, received $554,067 from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for Project Access.  Project Access is Missouri’s technical assistance and dissemination agency for autism.  This agency focuses on enhancing and developing the professional skills of Missouri teachers serving students with disabilities – particularly Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Dr. Arlen Diamond, Director of Broadcast Services, and Ms. Tammy Wiley, General Manager of KSMU Radio and Ozarks Public Television, received $629,485 from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the Television Community Service Grant.  These funds will be used to supplement KOZK-TV’s annual operating expenses.

Ms. Regina Bowling, Director of the Southwest Missouri Area Health Education Center, was the recipient of an award from Missouri Foundation for Health, in the amount of $665,693 for the Missouri Health Literacy Enhancement Center.  This Center will utilize and build upon the existing MAHEC network and partners to create a multifaceted center with comprehensive outreach, providing access to plain language health care information; offering educational resources that help providers communicate effectively with patients; improving health literacy through education and community collaborations; and strengthening the evidence base for health literacy.

Lynda Plymate, Professor of Mathematics, received $183,696 from the Missouri Department of Higher Education for Building and Connecting Mathematical Concepts Through In-Depth and Technology-Rich Explorations.  This project will bring together teams of high school mathematics teachers, from rural high need school districts in southwest Missouri, to study the use of in-depth and technology-rich explorations for improved math learning.