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For more information contact mark.a.kinders@uwrf.edu or brenda.k.bredahl@uwrf.edu.

UWRF Grants Reach New Heights

MARCH 7, 2008--The University of Wisconsin-River Falls received $3.65 million in faculty and staff grants for the 2006-07 school year, a record high for the university.

A total of 43 grants was awarded to faculty for projects including conferences, forums, research and scholars programs. A total of 62 proposals were submitted to various programs, with 43 granted and five still outstanding.

While many grants went to new proposals, a large portion of the funding went to continuing programs such as the UWRF Upward Bound program, the McNair Scholars program and the Student Support Services program.

The College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences received 15 grants, totaling $774,978. Plant And Earth Science Associate Professor Michael Crotser of CAFES received $459,849 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish a sustainable agriculture major at UWRF. Agricultural Economics Assistant Professor Brenda Boetel received a $99,943 grant from the USDA Risk Management Agency for a comprehensive risk management education program for Midwest dairy and beef producers. Plant and Earth Science Professor Steve Carlson received a $50,000 research grant from UW System and WiSys Inc., working with BioDiagnostics and Brown Seed Co., for his project "Capturing Commercial Value of Super High-Oil Corn Through Molecular Marker Assisted Breeding."

The College of Arts and Sciences received eight grants totaling $855,986 and representing more than double the amount from the previous year. Biology Professors Mark Bergland and Karen Klyczek received a $447,381 grant from the National Science Foundation to continue their case-based learning software project, called Case-It!   Physics Professor Jim Madsen along with Francis Halzen, from UW-Madison, received a grant from the NSF for $173,727. Madsen's "International Collaborative Experience" will help support teaching post-docs and undergraduate researchers in the IceCube Project. Biology Associate Professor Tim Lyden received $72,896 from UW System and WiSys Inc. for "Developing of Artificial-Tissues for Potential Vaccine Production."

The College of Business and Economics was awarded four grants totaling $90,500. Jude Rathburn, an assistant professor of management and marketing, and Karen Ryan, instructional program manager in the education technology center, received a grant from UW-System OPID Curricular Redesign for $66,500 to be put toward "Using Technology to Enhance the First-Year Experience: Implications for Academic and Co-Curricular Learning."

The College of Education and Professional Studies received nine funded grants, totaling $943,017 and constituting about one-fourth of the UWRF total. Jennifer Borup, an associate professor of social work and director of the Western Wisconsin Partnership received grants totaling $478,225 to help support WWP, which trains social workers in this part of the state. CEPS Associate Dean Mary Manke also received grants totaling in $109,530 for three programs for the college. Jill Moe, director of the UWRF Upward Bound program, also received a continuing grant for $291,662 per year for the next four years in support of the program, which prepares participants in skills needed for postsecondary education.

The student affairs area received six grants totaling $587,875, including $231,448 for the UWRF McNair Scholars Program from the U.S. Department of Education as well as funding for the next four years totaling $924,000. Phil George, director of student support services, submitted a successful grant proposal for $278,292 from the USDOE for programs supporting first-generation or low-income students along with students who have disabilities.

The Office of Outreach and Graduate Studies received funding for two grants. A grant titled, "Stronger Together: An Educational Partnership for the Changing Economy," received $498,231. The grant was funded by the U.S. Department of Education and was submitted by Katrina Larsen, director of the outreach office. Another grant, submitted by Kristen Allen, a program manager with outreach, was received for the St. Croix River Institute from the McKnight Foundation totaling $50,000. The program will assist in collaborative research, student internships, organization partnerships and outreach courses.

A list of faculty and staff grants is available online from the "annual report" area at www.uwrf.edu/grants/.

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