President’s Blog
SOU Grants and Contracts
September 04, 2007
Well, it’s happening again: summer is drawing to a close, and we’re gearing up once again for fall. As we make plans and set our goals for the new academic year, we should think about how grants and contracts add significantly to the teaching and learning experience here at SOU. Successful grant and contract initiatives enhance the experiences of students and faculty and provide tangible benefits to the campus and external community.
A few examples:
Dr. Darlene Southworth’s work involves research on biocomplexity in an oak woodland ecosystem. Her project, funded by the National Science Foundation under their Research at Undergraduate Institutions program, seeks to expand understanding of how fungal networks below ground access and distribute soil resources to plants. Funds directly support students. Every year, Dr. Southworth hires about six students who conduct field research. This excellent experience prepares students for their work after college and provides data that informs scientific papers, master’s theses, and senior capstone projects.
In October 2003, Dr. Dee Southard was awarded $880,000 from the U.S. Department of Education for the McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program, a national program established in 1989 to increase the number of underrepresented students in doctoral programs. Every year, Dr. Southard’s program has exceeded national benchmarks and has been awarded renewed funding. Her program, which works with 27–30 students per year, has numerous success stories—including Carla Nelson, who received the Jack Kent Cooke scholarship of $50,000 per year (renewable for 6 years) while she completes her graduate study.
Dr. Mark Tveskov’s vision since 1998 has been to develop a Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) that enables faculty and students to conduct applied archaeological research. Projects typically include archaeological surveys and excavations to help manage cultural resources under federal laws. Dr. Tveskov works consistently to increase grant activity. Between FY 2004/2005 and 2006/2007, his support dollars rose from $40,000 to $650,000. His most recent award, from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, supports a project on the Rogue River, Marial Site, one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Pacific Northwest.
- Many former students now work for the agencies or firms with which Dr. Tveskov conducts contract work.
- SOULA provides employment opportunities for work-study students.
- Each year Dr. Tveskov mentors 3–6 students’ archaeological capstones funded by grants and contracts.
- At least 5 additional students are employed or work for class requirements in the field.
- Projects address management and preservation of cultural, fuel, and historical resources in our region.
Dr. Victoria Sturtevant’s primary research in Environmental Studies involves improving the understanding of the relationships between human communities and forests in order to identify how alternative forest management policies and practices affect different communities. Since 2001, she has been funded by the USDA Forest Service and Colorado State University. Her most recent award in the amount of $51,000 will enable her to finish writing and co-editing a book entitled Communities and Forest Management.
Dr. Greg Jones conducts applied research for the grape and wine industry in Oregon. He has given hundreds of international, national, and regional presentations on wine-related research and is the author of numerous book chapters, reports, and articles on wine economics, grapevine phenology, site assessment methods for viticulture, climatological assessments of viticultural potential, and climate change. His work has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Oregon Wine Board, and National Park Service (NPS). His most recent award from NPS for $86,000 will support vegetation mapping of all the regional national parks. Total funding for the project is estimated at $750,000.
This summer, Dr. Geoff Mills received an award from the U.S. Department of Education to support his project titled Southern Oregon Teachers for English Language Development (SOTELD). The $1.4-million grant spans five years and supports SOU’s collaboration with Southern Oregon Education Service District and thirteen school districts in Jackson, Josephine, and Klamath Counties. As a result of SOTELD, more than 100 highly qualified teachers with ESOL/Bilingual Endorsements will enter the teaching workforce to serve Limited English Proficient students.
These are only a few of the projects currently underway. With the support of Grants Administrator Deborah Hofer and others, many SOU faculty strive creatively through grants and contracts to deepen and enrich our research and teaching environment. These efforts help define the very special experience of working and studying at SOU.
Mary Cullinan
