Recent Awards

 

Awarded Grant for “Computer-aided Diagnosis for Gastrointestinal Bleeding Using Wireless Capsule Endoscopy”

Three professors from UNT’s Computer Science and Engineering Department, Drs. Xiaohui Yuan, Bill Buckles, and JungHwan Oh, have been awarded $112,944 from The Higher Education Coordinating Boards Advanced Research Program to “develop novel video/image analysis tools to advance the diagnostic and therapeutic value of” wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE). This new tool, WCE, “is a recently established technology that requires no wired devise intrusion and that can be used to examine the entire small intestine non-invasively.” Non-invasive procedures are crucial to the comfort of medical patients and the reduction of risk involved in medical procedures. We wish Drs. Yuan, Buckels, and Oh luck in their research endeavors.

 

New Studies in ADHD Treatment to be Conducted

Drs. Trent Petrie and Patricia Kaminski, from the department of Psychology at UNT, have been awarded $268,733 by NeuroResearch Clinics, Inc. to study the effects of amino acids as supplements for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study is vital to the treatment of ADHD in children because of the adverse side effects of many prescription medications, and also the unknown effects of long-term use of these prescriptions. The use of “Amino Acid (AA) supplementation could [a]ffect the production of neurotransmitters that are needed for attentional processes, improved motivation, and effective inhibition of behavior….” This study will be unique in studying only children that have been correctly diagnosed with ADHD. All of us at the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development wish Drs. Petrie and Kaminski luck in their research project. Thank you for your dedication to this important cause.

 

 

Awarded Grant for “Electrochemical Investigation of Cu Corrosion in Cu-CMP and Post-CMP Solution Environments”

Dr. Oliver Chyan, Professor of Chemistry, has been awarded $100,000 from the Research Foundation of State University of New York. SUNY is funding Dr. Cyan’s research to “[p]rovide better understanding of Cu corrosion mechanisms in Cu-CMP and Post-CMP cleaning solution environments to aid practical BEOL designs for improved reliability.” This research will also provide Semiconductor Research Companies “with a better understanding of Cu/barrier corrosion and bias-induced Cu corrosion in BEP processing environments.” Congratulations, Dr. Chyan, and good luck.

 

UNT Professors Awarded Grant to Study Cilia and Neurons

The Higher Education Coordinating Board’s Advanced Research Program has awarded Drs. Jannon Fuchs and Harris Schwark, of UNT’s Biological Sciences Department, $100,000. The biologists will be studying the “role of primary cilia in the birth, function, and survival of neurons, by evaluating mice lacking cilia or Sst3, under normal conditions and with epilepsy as a challenge to neuron survival.” Drs. Fuchs and Schwark hope this research will “lead to breakthroughs in understanding this fundamental ‘new’ organelle (primary cilia) in neurons and will suggest novel approaches for preventing neuron death in stoke, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative diseases.” We wish Drs. Fuchs and Schwark good luck in their research endeavors.

 

 

Awarded Grant for “Accurate Energetics Across the Periodic Table”

Dr. Angela Wilson, Associate Professor of Chemistry, has received $397,458 from the National Science Foundation to study accurate energetics across the periodic table. This project aims “to model larger and more diverse compounds to high accuracy [in order to] bring computational chemistry to a transformative level of usefulness, enabling necessary fundamental understanding of areas of significance, ranging from industrial catalysts to biological enzymes, novel materials for optical applications, and advanced electronics.” We would like to wish Dr. Wilson all the best of luck in her research and thank her for her continued dedication to UNT.

 

Award Given to Develop a Center for Computational Epidemiology at UNT

In a truly multi-disciplinary effort, three UNT professors have been awarded $473,707 from the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a Center for Computational Epidemiology at UNT. Dr. Sam Atkinson (from the UNT Department of Biological Sciences), Dr. Armin Mikler (Computer Science and Engineering), and Dr. Joseph Oppong (Geography) will be working together to establish a “high-performance computing and visualization infrastructure that shall be used to develop computational models that aide in the preparation for bio-emergencies.” This center “will be used to train students, researchers, and Public Health experts in the utilization of computational models in analyzing public health threats and to plan adequate responses.” This project is an excellent example of the ongoing collaborative research at UNT. All of us at the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development wish Drs. Atkinson, Mikler, and Oppong luck in their research.

 

 

 

UNT Professors Provide Autism Research and Training

Dr. Shahla Ala’i-Rosales, Assistant Professor in Behavior Analysis will spearhead a collaborative effort between UNT’s departments of Behavior Analysis, Applied Anthropology, and Educational Psychology. Dr. Ala’i-Rosales has been awarded $212,380 to “provide technical expertise, training and services to the ESNT Autism Intervention Program.” This will be an excellent opportunity for six graduate students to gain experience in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) coaching. Congratulations, Dr. Ala’i-Rosales, and thank you for all of your efforts in this incredibly important area of research.

 

UNT Professor to Create Testbed for Next Generation 9-1-1 Services

Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Dr. Ram Dantu, has been awarded $650,000 from the prestigious National Science Foundation to “develop a testbed that will enable research on understanding and analysis of next generation 9-1-1 services.” This study will be vital to updating emergency systems to allow for new technology such as text messages, cell phone pictures, video clips, and automatic crash notification messages (such as those provided by commercial services like OnStar). Currently only a voice-supported system, traditional 9-1-1 services dates back to the 1970’s and are in desperate need of modernization to keep pace with “the rapid increase of residential, nomadic and mobile VoIP [(voice over internet protocol )] usage.” Thank you, Dr. Dantu, for committing yourself to this imperative research.

 

 

Center for Nonlinear Science Professor Awarded $300,000

Dr. Paolo Grigolini, Professor of Physics at UNT, has been awarded $300,000 from the Army Research Office to conduct research through UNT’s Center for Nonlinear Science. This project will be focused on collecting and analyzing statistical data concerning human action. Ultimately, “the results of this analysis will be used to develop a Complex Adaptive Network (CAN) for the main purpose of shedding light into the processes of self-organization.” Congratulations, Dr. Grigolini, and good luck in all of your research endeavors.

 

US Department of Education Awards Grant to UNT Professor

Dr. Zachary Sneed, Assistant Professor in the department of Rehab, Social Work, and Addictions has been awarded $374,992 by the US Department of Education to study “rehabilitation long term training: undergraduate education in the rehabilitation services.” This project will focus on “increase[ing] the number and skill level of persons who pursue careers in or in support of the public vocational rehabilitation program.” The department of Research and Economic Development wish Dr. Sneed luck in his endeavors and congratulate him on this wonderful award.

 

UNT Chemistry Chair Awarded $210,000 Extramural Funding

The Welch Foundation has award Chemistry Department Chair, Dr. Michael Richmond, a $210,000 grant to study “synthesis and reactivity…of polynuclear clusters.” This project will “provide researchers a better understanding of the factors involved in chelate-assisted substrate activation, leading to more efficient production of commodity pharmaceutical chemicals via alternative transition-metal mediated methodologies.” With the rising costs of prescription medications and health care, this project is a great step in the direction of developing efficient practices that will hopefully lead to lower health care costs. Congratulations, Dr. Richmond, and good luck in your research endeavors!

 

 

 

Welch Foundation Awards UNT Chemistry Professor

In another outstanding award for the Chemistry Department, Dr. Mohammad Omary has been given $210,000 by The Welch Foundation to study “molecular spectroscopy and bonding of coordination compounds.” This project is a continuation study addressing some outstanding issues in relation to transition metal and lanthanide complexes. However, this study is also working towards “new advances in the areas of: (a) excited-state structure and bonding, (b) photomagnetism, (c) coordination-based inorganic dendrimers, and (d) multi-step energy transfer in lanthanide complexes. The office of Research and Economic Development would like to commend Dr. Omary for his continued efforts and his dedication to UNT. Congratulations!

 

Last Updated: June 17, 2008

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