OXFORD, Miss. – The Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs honored 19 faculty members as recipients of 2008
Faculty Research Program grants totaling more than $209,000
at its annual luncheon Monday (April 7).
Each of the fellows receives a certificate and funding to
support a research project for the upcoming year. The list
of honorees comprises 12 faculty from the College of
Liberal Arts, three from the School of Pharmacy, two from
the School of Applied Sciences and one each from the
schools of Engineering and Business.
“The proposals selected for funding this year confirm the
quality of research and scholarly pursuits of our faculty
and staff,” said Alice Clark, vice chancellor for research
and sponsored programs. “The diversity of the departments
represented in this year’s class is impressive as well.”
Winning proposal subjects range from the practicality of
theatre lighting design to the abstract search for
gravitational waves. Mirroring an election year in which
race and religion are prominent themes, other proposals
focus on the role of legislative black caucuses and
distinctions of the word “holy” in early Christianity and
Islam.
The program is designed to provide initial support for
projects that will be of interest to external funding
agencies, with priority given to junior faculty who are
establishing research programs. Proposals are screened by
internal peer review committees.
Recipients of this year’s Faculty Research Program grants
are Michael Barnett in theatre arts, Marco Cavaglia in
physics and astronomy, Yunhee Chang in family and consumer
sciences, Asok Dasmahapatra in the National Center for
Natural Products Research/pharmacology, Ali Gungoraydinoglu
in economics, Nathan Hammer in chemistry and biochemistry,
Philip Jackson in art, Jacob Kathman in political science,
Peter Reed in English, Daniel Riche in pharmacy practice,
Christopher Sapp in modern languages, Mohammad Sepehrifar
in mathematics, Cristiane Surbeck in civil engineering,
Mary Thurlkill in philosophy and religion, Dwight Waddell
in health, exercise science and recreation management,
Jeffrey Watt in history, Jonathan Winburn in political
science, Yi Yang in pharmacy administration and Ahmet
Yukleyen in sociology and anthropology.
For more information about the Office of Research and
Sponsored Programs, visit