School of Mines researchers and professors received $266,583 in research and development funding during January 2009. This brings the current Fiscal Year 09 total to more than $11.5 million, with five months remaining. In comparison, the total amount awarded for FY08 was $10.1 million.
The awards are funding research in departments across campus. Some research is basic, and is designed to create new knowledge or to add to the literature on a given topic. Other research is applied, and is meant to produce real-world products. The School of Mines has placed an emphasis on applied research to benefit the state, region and nation.
The School of Mines, an engineering and science university in Rapid City, is home to several research institutions and centers, and plans are underway to expand the number of graduate degrees and to enhance the technology-transfer process.
The January award highlights:
Dr. Dana Medlin, Nucor Professor, materials and metallurgical engineering; and Dr. Jon Kellar, chair and professor, materials and metallurgical engineering, received $50,000 in additional funding from Radiance Technologies, Inc. for the project, "Advanced Electronic Rosebud Integration (AERI) Research and Development Program."
Dr. Lance Roberts, assistant professor, civil and environmental engineering, received $53,251 from the United States Department of Transportation for the project "LRFD Deep Foundation Design Method." Roberts also received $30,000 from the Federal Highway Administration - South Dakota Department of Transportation for the project, "Evaluation of Warm Mix Asphalt Concrete Pavement in South Dakota Conditions."
Dr. Steve Smith, associate professor, nanoscience and nanoengineering, received $133,332 in additional funding from the United States Department of Energy- National Renewable Energy Laboratory for the project, "Development of Super-Resolution Optical Microscopy Techniques for Visualization of Plant Cellular and Cellulose Enzyme Activity."
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