Seed-funding awards aid research initiatives

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A. Sue Weisler

Recipients of this year’s seed funding awards include (top row from left) Hans Schmitthenner, Hinda Mandell, Ivan Puchades, Wei Le, (bottom from left) Jennifer Adams, Susan Lane-Outlaw, Christine Monikowski and Patricia Taboada-Serrano. They’re joined by David Bond, director of Sponsored Research Service (bottom right).

RIT’s Sponsored Research Services is again offering its assistance to some of the university’s newer research participants. Fourteen principal investigators have been awarded $5,000 each in seed funding to support their explorations.

The recipients and their winning proposals are as follows:

• Poorna Kushalnagar, research assistant professor of imaging science, development and validation of quality of life among adults with hearing loss instrument
• Hans Schmitthenner, professor of imaging science, molecular scaffolds for targeted molecular imaging agents
• Wei Le, assistant professor of computing and information sciences, analyzing graphical-diffs to understand and verify changes of software
• Ivan Puchades, professor of electrical and microelectronic engineering, development of MEMS resonators, filters and switches
• Mark Wambach, assistant professor of information and computing studies, MOTE: mind on task experiment
• Michael Schrlau, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, manipulating nanoscale objects from a remote location
• Christine Monikowski, professor of ASL and interpreting education, access services in post-secondary education
• Susan Lane-Outlaw, assistant professor of secondary education, a descriptive study of separate day schools for the deaf
• Raja Kushalnagar, instructional faculty in information and computing studies, viewing devices: enhancing classroom access
• Amanda Bao, assistant professor of environmental management and safety, investigating an innovative hybrid nano-fibered concrete subject to compression
• Hinda Mandell, assistant professor of communication, conflicted messages: Nazi relics in contemporary Jewish homes
• Patricia Taboada-Serrano, assistant professor of chemical engineering, combined cyclic voltammetry and scanning probe microscopy as a tool to investigate ion removal
• Jennifer Adams, associate director for the Center for Education Research Partnerships, online learning among deaf and hard-of-hearing students in developmental English at NTID
• Tywanquila Walker, assistant professor of psychology, baby steps: an early childhood intervention program for parents and infants

The awards resulted from participation in the annual Grant Writers’ Boot Camp, which provides insights into the fundamentals of securing external research funding. Attendees at last November’s two-day workshop came prepared with individual proposals eligible for seed funding.

“I am very pleased that we could make seed funding awards to 14 of the 26 participants this year,” says David Bond, director of Sponsored Research Services. “I wish we could have made more. The quality of the proposals was extremely high across the board, and I’m sure each of the participants will be fully engaged in research and scholarship.”