Western Kentucky University

CARES ACT: HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND - INSTITUTIONAL, WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

CARES ACT: HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND, WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

HEAD START

PA-22 FYPD PA-20 T&TA/CDA

HEAD START

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.

HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START

FY 2009 TEACHER QUALITY PARTNERSHIPS GRANTS

KENTUCKY SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM.

CARES ACT: HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND - STRENGTHENING INSTITUTIONS PROGRAM, WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

EARMARKS

WKU TRIO TALENT SEARCH - SURROUNDING COUNTIES (ETS I)

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

THE KENTUCKY MESO-SCALE ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING NETWORK

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY UPWARD BOUND

COLLABORATIVE APPRENTICESHIPS FOR RURAL EDUCATORS (PROJECT CARE)

EARMARKS

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM- AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

MEP CENTER FOR KENTUCKY, ADVANTAGE KENTUCKY ALLIANCE-MEP (AKA-MEP)

THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCE PROGRAM AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKU SSS

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY UPWARD BOUND

UPWARD BOUND

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY VETERANS UPWARD BOUND

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

VERSATILE BIOSENSING PLATFORM FOR MONITORING BONE MARKERS FOR SPACE MEDICINE THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT - INCLUDING MICROGRAVITY - IS KNOWN TO INDUCE ME

DIRECTED GRANTS

WKU TRIO TALENT SEARCH - BARREN & SIMPSON COUNTIES (ETS III)

WKU TRIO TALENT SEARCH - WARREN COUNTY (ETS II)

TRIO - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES - STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES PROGRAM

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER AT WKU

TRIO UPWARD BOUND VETERANS PROGRAM

ESTABLISHMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL TECH LAB WITH A CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED BED COMBUSTION SYSTEM

UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES-DISABILITY

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

SEE NOTICE OF AWARD, ATTACHMENT 1 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS, ATTACHMENT D, STATEMENT OF WORK, ABSTRACT.

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

JAVITS GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS EDUCATION ACT

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTER AT WKU

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY VETERANS UPWARD BOUND

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS PROGRAM

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY CENTERS PROGRAM

UPWARD BOUND VETERANS PROGRAM

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY - BOWLING GREEN DATA CENTER BUILD-OUT

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIP

TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION WORKFORCE

TAS::89 0321::TAS WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION BIODIESEL PROJECT

RUI: PHYSIOLOGY OF SLEEP AND ASSESSMENT OF THE COSTS OF EXPERIMENTAL SLEEP LOSS IN ARCTIC-BREEDING SONGBIRDS

FARMERS MARKET PROMOTION PROGRAM

WATER AND WASTEWATER TECHNICIAN TRAINING INSTITUTE

WKU SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS ALLIANCE FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF TEACHERS (WKU SMARRT)

DIMENSIONS OF EMOTION REGULATION IN NONSUICIDAL SELF-INJURY AND SUICIDE IN ADOLESCENTS

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

PREPARING RURAL EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONALS OF STUDENTS WITH HIGH-INTENSITY NEEDS (PREP)

FUNCTIONALIZED NANOSPRING-MATS FOR DETECTION OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS

COMBINED PRIORITY FOR PERSONNEL PREPARATION

SYMPATHETIC REGULATION OF INFLAMMATION FROM SLEEP FRAGMENTATION

HIGHER EDUCATION

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** WITH THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR LOCAL FOODS, FARMERS MARKETS ARE BECOMING A SIGNIFICANT AND INTEGRATED PART OF THE LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM. WITH MANY FARMERS MOVING INTO THE BUSINESS OF PROCESSING AND SELLING THEIR OWN MEAT AND POULTRY, IT IS BECOMING MORE EVIDENT THAT THESE PRODUCTS ARE GENERALLY LESS REGULATED AND MAY COME WITH THEIR OWN FOOD SAFETY RISKS. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL, INTERDISCIPLINARY, INTEGRATED PROJECT IS TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF MEAT AND POULTRY AT FARMERS MARKETS AND OTHER SOURCES OF DIRECT FARMER-TO-CONSUMER SALES THROUGH INTEGRATING EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES. THIS GOAL WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY 1) ENHANCING THE FOOD SCIENCE CURRICULUM AND RESEARCH CAPACITY AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, 2) TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SCIENCE STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENTIAL SKILLS, 3) COLLECTING MUCH-NEEDED DATA ON MICROBIAL SAFETY OF PROCESSED MEAT AND POULTRY, 4) ASSESSING KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF FARMERS MARKET VENDORS, 5)EVALUATING CONSUMERS' PERCEPTIONS OF MEAT AND POULTRY SAFETY RISKS, AND 6) ESTABLISHING AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SMALL MEAT AND POULTRY PROCESSORS AND VENDORS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO CONTROL PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS ON MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS AND TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE TO ENSURE BOTH FOOD SAFETY AND THE PROFITABILITY. THIS PROJECT IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY, AND WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER AND DIVERSITY OF STUDENTS ENTERING FOOD AND AGRICULTURE-RELATED SCIENCE AND ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY THAT WILL LEAD TO PROMOTING RURAL PROSPERITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO MEAT AND POULTRY FARMERS.

KENTUCKY EPSCOR: EFFICACY OF COUNTERMEASURES TO CARDIOVASCULAR DECONDITIONING IN MEN AND WOMEN DURIN

TRIO - TALENT SEARCH - TALENT SEARCH PROGRAM

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

MOST FLARE MODELS ASSUME THAT ELECTRONS ARE ACCELERATED IN A CORONAL POINT SOURCE. HOWEVER THE APPEARANCE OF EXTENDED CORONAL SOURCES SHOWS THAT THE ACCELERATED ELECTRONS CAN BE FULLY STOPPED IN THE CORONA AND RHESSI DATA ON THE VARIATION OF HXR SOURCE SIZE WITH ENERGY POINT TO A MODEL IN WHICH TRANSPORT INVOLVES BOTH COLLISIONS AND DIFFUSIVE SCATTERING (AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IN MHD RECONNECTION) OCCURRING COSPATIALLY. THIS REQUIRES THAT WE PUSH MODELS BEYOND A POINT-SOURCE INJECTION SCENARIO TOWARD A MORE PHYSICALLY REALISTIC SCENARIO INVOLVING AN EXTENDED REGION IN WHICH ACCELERATION AND TRANSPORT OPERATE UNDER A UNIFIED PHYSICAL MODEL. THE INVESTIGATION WILL ADDRESS ELECTRON ENERGIES FROM A FEW KT UPWARDS A RANGE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR MOST OF THE ACCELERATED ELECTRON ENERGY CONTENT BUT ALSO FOR DETERMINING THE COEFFICIENTS OF THERMAL AND ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY. OUR APPROACH WILL USE THE CONCEPT OF EFFECTIVE MEAN FREE PATH. FOR COLLISIONS THE ANGULAR DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT D~1/V^3 AND THUS?~V/D~V^4. FOR DIFFUSIVE SCATTERING THE CHARACTERISTIC MEAN FREE PATH?_T WILL HAVE A VELOCITY DEPENDENCE DETERMINED BY THE SCATTERING MECHANISM PARAMETRIZED AS?_T =?_0 V^A. THUS IN THE PRESENCE OF BOTH COLLISIONS AND TURBULENT ACCELERATION THE ELECTRON TRANSPORT IS CHARACTERIZED BY A MEAN FREE PATH?(V) =?_CE (V/V_E )^4/( R (V/V_E )^(4-A) + 1); R =?_CE/?_0 . IN THE PRESENCE OF BOTH A TEMPERATURE GRADIENT DT/DX AND AN ELECTRIC FIELD E THE ELECTRON DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION CAN BE WRITTEN AS A CHAPMAN-ENSKOG EXPANSION ABOUT A MAXWELLIAN FORM F0 WITH A FIRST-ORDER ANISOTROPIC TERM F1(V ) = -?(V)[((V/V_E)^2-5/2) D LN T/DX + EE/KT]F0 . (1) SUBSTITUTING THIS IN THE RESPECTIVE EXPRESSIONS FOR THE HEAT FLUX AND CURRENT DENSITY Q =? M_EDV V^5D F1(V ); J = -2?EDV V^3D F1(V ) (2) GIVES THE THERMOELECTRIC RELATIONS Q = - K DT/DX E ; J =?E +? DT/DX WHERE K ? ? AND ARE DETERMINED FROM EQUATIONS (1) AND (2). PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOW THAT THESE COEFFICIENTS GENERALLY DECREASE WITH R AND CAN ALSO EXHIBIT SOME INTERESTING SIGN CHANGES AS A RESULT OF THE MORE COMPLICATED VELOCITY DEPENDENCE OF?. WE PROPOSE TO EVALUATE K ? ? AND FOR DIFFERENT TURBULENCE MODELS AND USE THE RESULTS TO PREDICT OBSERVATIONALLY TESTABLE QUANTITIES SUCH AS THE COOLING TIME PROFILE FOR CORONAL PLASMA. MODEL PREDICTIONS WILL BE COMPARED WITH RHESSI/AIA IMAGING SPECTROSCOPY DATA IN ORDER TO INFER THE VALUE OF?_T AND HENCE CONSTRAIN THE TURBULENT SCATTERING MECHANISM AND TO GENERATE REVISED ELECTRON ENERGY TRANSPORT MODELS FOR USE IN CALCULATING THE ATMOSPHERIC HEATING PROFILE. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH ADDRESSES DECADAL SURVEY GOALS 1 (DETERMINE THE ORIGINS OF THE SUN S ACTIVITY) AND 4 (DISCOVER AND CHARACTERIZE FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES THAT OCCUR BOTH WITHIN THE HELIOSPHERE AND THROUGHOUT THE UNIVERSE). THE RESULTS WILL HAVE IMPACT IN SEVERAL AREAS. FOR EXAMPLE CORONAL PLASMA IS OBSERVED TO BE SUSTAINED AT HIGH TEMPERATURES WELL BEYOND THE CONDUCTIVE COOLING TIME LEADING TO THE GENERAL SUPPOSITION THAT ADDITIONAL ENERGY IS INJECTED INTO THE CORONA AFTER THE IMPULSIVE PHASE HAS CEASED. HOWEVER SUCH LONG COOLING TIMES COULD ALSO BE A CONSEQUENCE OF A DECREASE IN THE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY COEFFICIENT K. LOWERING K WOULD ALSO LEAD TO A HIGHER STEADY-STATE CORONAL TEMPERATURE POSSIBLY ACCOUNTING FOR LOOPTOP CORONAL HARD X-RAY SOURCES. A REDUCTION IN THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY? ENHANCES OHMIC LOSSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BEAM-NEUTRALIZING RETURN CURRENT AFFECTING NOT ONLY ELECTRON TRANSPORT DYNAMICS BUT ALSO THE ASSOCIATED HEATING PROFILE AND HENCE THE HYDRODYNAMIC RESPONSE OF THE SOLAR ATMOSPHERE. AND BECAUSE THE HARD X-RAY PRODUCTION OF A POPULATION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRONS DEPENDS INVERSELY ON THE ENERGY LOSS RATE THE RESULTS WILL IMPACT THE TOTAL ENERGY CONTENT IN ACCELERATED ELECTRONS

ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION WORKFORCE

DEVELOPING SAFE, EFFICIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR THE USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, SOUTHCENTRAL KENTUCKY FARMERS MARKET, COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET, BOWLING GREEN FARMERS MARKET, FOUNDATION FOR CONNECTING COMMUNITIES, AND NEED MORE ACRES FARM HAVE ESTABLISHED A CONSUMER-ORIENTED PARTNERSHIP TO WAGE A MARKETING CAMPAIGN, INVIGORATE/REVITALIZE PRE-COVID SUCCESSES, DEVELOP NEW STRATEGIES, AND EXPAND AWARENESS AND ACCESS TO DIRECT PRODUCER-TO-CONSUMER MARKET OUTLETS. OVERALL, THIS PARTNERSHIP'S PRIMARY PURPOSE IS TO WIDEN DIRECT PRODUCER-TO-CONSUMER MARKET OUTLETS AND INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF LOCALLY-GROWN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ARE TO: (I) WAGE A MARKETING CAMPAIGN BOTH ONLINE AND OFFLINE TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO ATTEND FARMERS MARKETS AND OTHER DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKET OUTLETS, (II) INVIGORATE/REVITALIZE PRE-COVID SUCCESSES IN MAKING FARMERS MARKETS MORE CONVENIENT AND IN PROVIDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, (III) DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR PARTICIPATING FARMERS MARKETS TO DIVERSIFY VENDORS AND PRODUCE ITEMS AND FOR GROWERS TO DIVERSIFY THEIR MARKET PORTFOLIO, AND (IV) EXPAND AWARENESS, ACCESS, CONSUMPTION, AND AVAILABILITY OF LOCALLY-GROWN FARM AND RANCH PRODUCTS AMONG MAJORITY AND MINORITY CONSUMERS, INCLUDING LOW-INCOME AND PREGNANT WOMEN. THESE OBJECTIVES ALLOW WIDE PARTNERSHIP TO MEET THE NEED OF PROMOTING LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS AND OTHER DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKET OUTLETS. MAJOR EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE: (I) INCREASED AWARENESS ABOUT DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKET OUTLETS BY AT LEAST 40%, (II) ACCELERATED PACE OF RECOVERY FROM COVID-19 EFFECTS, (III) INCREASED DIVERSITY AT FARMERS MARKETS AND IN DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER MARKET PORTFOLIO BY AT LEAST 15%, (IV) EXPANDED ACCESS AND CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL/REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS BY AT LEAST 30% AND INCREASED REVENUES FOR LOCAL/REGIONAL FARMERS BY AT LEAST 20%.

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC., AKA CARES

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY-ASSOCIATED MAJORS

MILITARY STUDENT SERVICES - A CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR VETERAN STUDENT SUCCESS

PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEM GRANT

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

TURBULENCE IN THE ACTIVE SUN

MECHANISMS OF TELOMERE MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION - TELOMERES ARE REPETITIVE DNA STRUCTURES AT THE ENDS OF EUKARYOTIC CHROMOSOMES THAT PREVENT DEGRADATION AND RECOGNITION OF THE ENDS BY THE DNA REPAIR MACHINERY. THE CHROMOSOME ENDS RESEMBLE DNA DOUBLE-STRAND BREAKS (DSBS) AND, THEREFORE, MUST BE PROTECTED FROM UNWANTED REPAIR THAT CAN LEAD TO CHROMOSOME FUSIONS AND OTHER FORMS OF CHROMOSOME INSTABILITY. TO DISTINGUISH TELOMERES FROM OTHER REGIONS OF THE GENOME, TELOMERES ARE BOUND BY PROTEIN COMPLEXES THAT SHIELD THE ENDS FROM THE DNA DAMAGE RESPONSE (DDR). THE MAJOR TELOMERE PROTECTION COMPLEX IS CALLED SHELTERIN. OUR PRELIMINARY DATA POINT TO A NOVEL ROLE OF ANOTHER TELOMERE-ASSOCIATED COMPLEX, CST (CTC1-STN1-TEN1), IN TELOMERE PROTECTION. CST IS A SINGLE-STRANDED DNA BINDING PROTEIN THAT FUNCTIONS IN TELOMERE REPLICATION AS WELL AS DNA REPLICATION AND REPAIR. MUTATIONS IN CST CAUSE THE TELOMERE BIOLOGY DISORDERS COATS PLUS AND DYSKERATOSIS CONGENITA AND CST DYSFUNCTION HAS ALSO BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A VARIETY OF CANCERS. YET, THE CELLULAR ROLES OF CST AND HOW THEY RELATE TO HUMAN DISEASE ARE STILL INCOMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD. PREVIOUS WORK DEMONSTRATED THAT LOSS OF CST LEADS TO HYPEREXTENSION OF THE TELOMERIC G-RICH SINGLE- STRANDED DNA OVERHANG, LEADING TO THE ASSOCIATION OF DNA REPAIR AND DAMAGE RESPONSE FACTORS. SURPRISINGLY, DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF THESE DDR FACTORS, TELOMERES REMAIN MOSTLY PROTECTED IN CELLS LACKING CST, SUGGESTING A NOVEL MECHANISM OF TELOMERE PROTECTION. PRELIMINARY DATA SUGGEST THAT THE DDR KINASE ATR IS NECESSARY FOR THIS PROTECTION. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO DELINEATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF CST DELETION ON TELOMERE PROTECTION AND GENOME STABILITY AND HOW CST DEFICIENCY LEADS TO DISEASE. AIM 1 WILL DEFINE THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH TELOMERES IN THE ABSENCE OF CST TO IDENTIFY HOW THEY REMAIN PROTECTED. AIM 2 WILL IDENTIFY WHETHER CST DISEASE MUTATIONS AFFECT TELOMERE PROTECTION AND ATR SIGNALING. THIS PROPOSAL WILL USE A COMBINATION OF WELL- ESTABLISHED MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR ASSAYS THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DELVE INTO THE MECHANISMS OF TELOMERE PROTECTION. COMPLETION OF THESE AIMS WILL SIGNIFICANTLY ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CHROMOSOME END PROTECTION AND HOW CST DYSFUNCTION PROMOTES DISEASE AS WELL AS PROVIDE IMPORTANT TRAINING EXPERIENCES TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.

EARMARKS

THE WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY PROJECT WILL INCREASE MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND REINFORCE AND EXPAND REGIONAL FARMERS MARKETS AND OTHER DIRECT PRODUCERTOCONSUMER MARKET OUTLETS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT LOCAL GROWERS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES SUCH AS NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AND SPECIALIZED ASSISTANCE FROM FIELDBASED EXPERTS. IT WILL ALSO WORK TO AUGMENT SALES OF LOCALLY GROWN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS PARTICULARLY AMONG SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED LOCAL GROWERS REINFORCE PREVIOUSLY SUPPORTED FARMERS MARKETS AND EXTEND OUTREACH EFFORTS TO MORE MARKETS IN THE REGION.

INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IN THE WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY APPLIED RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

BREAD: DEVELOPMENT OF AUTOMATED SYSTEMS TO INCREASE CROP YIELD BY REDUCING GROUP FORAGING INTENSITY BY CROP PESTS

MANDATED HEALTH CARE PROJECTS

CAREER: HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED ATMOSPHERIC AND ENERGETIC FORCINGS OF EASTERN UNITED STATES SNOW ABLATION -THE RAPID MELTING OF SNOW CAN BE HAZARDOUS, RESULTING IN FLOODING AND THE TRANSPORTATION OF EXCESSIVE NUTRIENTS AND POLLUTANTS INTO WATERWAYS. THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOWMELT IS DEPENDENT ON THE AVAILABILITY OF SNOW AND THE OCCURRENCE OF SPECIFIC WEATHER PATTERNS THAT TRIGGER MELTING. BY ASSESSING THE WEATHER PATTERNS SUITABLE FOR SNOWMELT, FURTHER INSIGHTS CAN BE GAINED INTO HOW AND WHY RAPID SNOWMELT OCCURS AND WHAT IMPACTS CAN FOLLOW. PARTICULARLY IN THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL UNITED STATES, THE SNOWPACK TYPICALLY COMPLETELY MELTS AND RE-ACCUMULATES MULTIPLE TIMES PER SEASON, WHERE THE VARIABLE RELEASE OF WATER FROM THE SNOWPACK CAN POSE CHALLENGES TO PREDICTING AND PREPARING FOR LARGE AND RAPID EVENTS. USING HISTORICAL ARCHIVES OF SNOW AND METEOROLOGICAL DATA, THIS RESEARCH AIMS TO EVALUATE THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF WEATHER PATTERNS THAT RESULT IN RAPID SNOWMELT AND ASSESS HOW VARIATIONS IN WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO VARIABILITY IN SNOWMELT IN THE RECENT PAST. THE INVESTIGATOR WILL THEN ASSESS FUTURE PROJECTIONS OF SNOWMELT CONDITIONS AND ASSOCIATED WEATHER PATTERNS USING A SUITE OF NUMERICAL MODELS UNDER MULTIPLE FUTURE SCENARIOS. THROUGH THIS PROJECT?S RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES, OVER 20 STUDENTS PER YEAR WILL BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN RESEARCH EFFORTS. AN IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESSES LEADING TO SNOWMELT, THE ROLE OF ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION ON REGIONAL ENERGY BALANCES, AND THE PROJECTED VARIABILITY OF FUTURE SNOWMELT CONDITIONS WILL BETTER INFORM WATER RESOURCE AND RISK MANAGERS OF POTENTIAL OUTCOMES. SUCH INFORMATION ALLOWS FOR APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE AND HAZARD MITIGATION PLANS TO BE DETERMINED FOR IMPACTFUL SNOWMELT EVENTS. SYNERGIES BETWEEN RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES WILL FURTHER ALLOW FOR THE CREATION AND DISSEMINATION OF A VARIETY OF OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS THAT WILL ADVANCE STEM EDUCATION BEYOND THE INVESTIGATOR?S INSTITUTION AND FACILITATE THE TESTING OF ADDITIONAL UNDEREXPLORED HYPOTHESES BY STUDENTS. THE INVESTIGATOR WILL TRANSFORM EXISTING COURSEWORK IN HYDROCLIMATOLOGY INTO A SERVICE-LEARNING PEDAGOGICAL FRAMEWORK, WHERE STUDENTS, THE INVESTIGATOR, AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS COLLABORATE TO ENGAGE IN DEVELOPING NOVEL, COMMUNITY-RESPONSIVE RESEARCH. ADDITIONALLY, THE DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES BY THE INVESTIGATOR AND STUDENT TEAM WILL ENHANCE THE CLIMATE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WITHIN KENTUCKY AND THE BROADER UNITED STATES. THIS PROJECT IS JOINTLY FUNDED BY THE ATMOSPHERE CLUSTER WITHIN THE DIVISION OF ATMOSPHERIC AND GEOSPACE SCIENCES (AGS) AND THE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (EPSCOR). THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN ANALYTICAL TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPE WITH CRYOGENIC IMAGING CAPABILITES FOR RESEARCH AND TEACHING AT A PUI

BINGOCIZE: A NOVEL MOBILE APPLICATION TO HELP MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE OLDER ADULTS' HEALTH, FUNCTION, AND COGNITION

FINDING NOVEL PLATINUM(II) COMPLEX ANTI-CANCER DRUGS WITH REDUCED OTOTOXICITY

EVALUATION OF AN INTERACTIVE MOBILE PHONE-BASED BRIEF INTERVENTION TO REDUCE SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING AMONG EMERGING ADULTS - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT DRIVING AFTER CANNABIS USE (DACU) AND DRIVING AFTER SIMULTANEOUS ALCOHOL AND CANNABIS USE REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS. RATES OF SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING REMAIN ESPECIALLY HIGH AMONG EMERGING ADULTS, AND TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS REMAIN THE LEADING CAUSE OF SUBSTANCE-RELATED DEATH AMONG THIS POPULATION. BRIEF INTERVENTIONS (BIS) HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE ALCOHOL AND CANNABIS USE IN EMERGING ADULTS, BUT TO DATE NO STUDY HAS SELECTED EMERGING ADULTS ON THE BASIS OF RECENT DACU AND EVALUATED THE EFFICACY OF A MOBILE-BASED SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING BI. THE PRESENT STUDY WILL BE THE FIRST TO EXAMINE WHETHER A MOBILE PHONE-BASED SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING BI, INCLUDING INTERACTIVE TEXT-MESSAGING, SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASES DACU AMONG EMERGING ADULT SUBSTANCE USERS COMPARED TO PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK ONLY. RESEARCH PARTICIPANTS WILL BE 160 EMERGING ADULTS (AGES 18-25) WHO ENDORSE DRIVING AFTER CANNABIS USE AND/OR SIMULTANEOUS CANNABIS AND ALCOHOL USE AT LEAST THREE TIMES IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS. AFTER COMPLETING BASELINE MEASURES, PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO RECEIVE EITHER: A) SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK OR B) A SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK INTERVENTION PLUS INTERACTIVE TEXT MESSAGES. PARTICIPANTS WILL COMPLETE COMPREHENSIVE FOLLOW-UPS 3- AND 6-MONTHS POST-INTERVENTION. REPEATED MEASURES MIXED MODELING ANALYSES WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES DACU OVER TIME. THE PROJECT HAS TWO SPECIFIC AIMS: 1) TO EVALUATE A MOBILE PHONE-BASED SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING INTERVENTION IN A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL, AND 2) TO DETERMINE WHETHER COGNITIVE FACTORS IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS RESEARCH (E.G. PERCEIVED DANGEROUSNESS AND CONSEQUENCES, PEER NORMS, EXPECTANCIES) MEDIATE INTERVENTION OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY IS INNOVATIVE BECAUSE IT UTILIZES CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY TO DELIVER THE ENTIRE INTERVENTION, ENABLING THE STUDY TO REACH A LARGE NUMBER OF EMERGING ADULTS IN A SHORT TIME PERIOD IN A COST-EFFECTIVE MANNER. THE STUDY IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT WILL CONTRIBUTE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING LITERATURE BY IDENTIFYING AN INTERVENTION THAT CAN DECREASE SUBSTANCE-IMPAIRED DRIVING AMONG THIS HIGH-RISK POPULATION. ADDITIONALLY, THIS STUDY WILL ADD TO THE RAPIDLY GROWING TECHNOLOGY-BASED INTERVENTION LITERATURE BY INCLUDING MOBILE-BASED ASSESSMENT, PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK, AND INTERACTIVE TEXT-MESSAGING.

KENTUCKY NASA EPSCOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMTHE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE KENTUCKY

RUI: "PROMOTED" HYDROCARBON MEDIA FOR ORTHO-LITHIATIONS; ENHANCEMENTS AND BENEFITS

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A LASER SCANNING CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE FOR RESEARCH AND INSTRUCTION AT A PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION

RUI: IN PLANTA SYNTHESIS OF GOLD NANOPARTICLES: AN INTEGRATIVE ECO-FRIENDLY "GREEN ENGINEERING" APPROACH

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

ROLE OF EPIGENETIC CHANGES IN INTRACELLULAR SURVIVAL AND REPLICATION OF LEGIONELL PNEUMOPHILA - 1 LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA IS AN OPPORTUNIST PATHOGEN THAT INFECTS AN IMMUNE-COMPROMISED HOST AND CAUSES 2 INFLAMMATORY PNEUMONIA IN THE LUNGS TERMED AS LEGIONNAIRE’S DISEASE. L. PNEUMOPHILA INFECTS ALVEOLAR 3 MACROPHAGES WITHIN THE LUNGS AND USING A TYPE IV SECRETION SYSTEM, DISCHARGES AN ARRAY OF MORE THAN 300 4 PROTEINS CALLED EFFECTORS THAT INTERFERE WITH THE CELL’S BIOCHEMICAL PATHWAYS TO PREPARE A COZY NICHE FOR THE 5 BACTERIAL REPLICATION. SEVERAL RECENT STUDIES ALSO INDICATE THAT L. PNEUMOPHILA INFECTIONS IN PRIMARY MOUSE 6 MACROPHAGES AND PROTOZOAN CELLS MANIPULATE HOST TRANSCRIPTOME AND RESULT IN DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION IN THE 7 INFECTED HOST CELL TO FACILITATE THEIR SURVIVAL AND EVASION OF THE IMMUNE MECHANISMS. HOWEVER, THE MECHANISMS 8 INVOLVED IN GENE EXPRESSION ALTERATIONS ARE NOT CLEAR AND UNDEFINED. A COMPREHENSIVE LOCALIZATION ANALYSIS OF 9 LEGIONELLA EFFECTORS USING GFP-TAG REVEALED THAT A FEW OF THESE LEGIONELLA EFFECTORS TRANSLOCATE INTO THE NUCLEUS 10 OF THE CELL. AN EFFECTOR PROTEIN WITH AN OBJECTIVE LOCALIZATION INTO THE NUCLEUS TO MODULATE GENE EXPRESSION OF THE 11 HOST IS CALLED NUCLEOMODULIN. RECENT STUDIES INDICATE THAT SEVERAL BACTERIAL PATHOGENS PRODUCE NUCLEOMODULINS 12 THAT AID IN SURVIVAL AND PATHOGENESIS THROUGH TRANSIENT OR LONG-TERM EPIGENETIC MODIFICATIONS. IN OUR PRIOR WORK, 13 WE IDENTIFIED FIVE LEGIONELLA NUCLEOMODULINS WITH UNKNOWN FUNCTION AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ELUCIDATE 14 THE ROLE OF THE LEGIONELLA NUCLEOMODULINS IN UNDERSTANDING THE PATHOGENESIS OF L. PNEUMOPHILIA. 15 TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EFFECT OF LEGIONELLA NUCLEOMODULINS ON THE HOST CELLS AND DETERMINE THEIR FUNCTION 16 DURING THE GROWTH OF LEGIONELLA PNEUMOPHILA, WE EXAMINED THE DIFFERENTIAL GENE EXPRESSION PATTERN BY 17 PERFORMING RNA SEQUENCE ANALYSIS ON RNA EXTRACTED FROM MAMMALIAN CELLS EXPRESSING LEGIONELLA 18 NUCLEOMODULIN. THE PATHWAYS AND GENES IDENTIFIED THROUGH FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF RNA-SEQ DATA SUPPORT 19 EPIGENETIC MODIFICATIONS OF HOST CELLS THROUGH METHYLATION AND HISTONE MODIFICATIONS. THE FIRST OBJECTIVE OF THIS 20 STUDY IS TO EXAMINE THE DNA METHYLATION PATTERN ON MACROPHAGES INFECTED WITH L. PNEUMOPHILA USING BISULFITE 21 SEQUENCING AND METHYLATION ASSAYS IN COMPARISON TO UNINFECTED MACROPHAGES. THE SECOND OBJECTIVE EXAMINES 22 INTERACTION OF LEGIONELLA NUCLEOMODULIN WITH HISTONE AND NON-HISTONE PROTEINS BY USING CHROMATIN 23 IMMUNOPRECIPITATION SEQUENCING AND CO-IMMUNOPRECIPITATION ASSAYS. 24 THE PROPOSED RESEARCH AIMS TO DETECT TRANSCRIPTIONAL RESPONSES OF A CELL TO ITS ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE SUCH 25 AS INFECTIONS AND UNDERSTAND HOW BACTERIAL NUCLEOMODULINS MEDIATE REGULATORY CONTROL THROUGH EPIGENETIC 26 CHANGES DURING AN INFECTION BY INTRACELLULAR PATHOGENS TO TRIGGER ALTERED GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS IN THE HOST CELL 27 AND MANIPULATE CELLULAR PROCESSES. AS THESE MECHANISMS ARE AMBIGUOUS, THIS STUDY WILL CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER 28 UNDERSTANDING OF BACTERIAL NUCLEOMODULINS AND THEIR ROLE IN BACTERIAL PATHOGENESIS WHICH CAN HELP IN DESIGNING 29 NEW THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND RESEARCH AND EDUCATION EXPERIENCE FOR 30 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA: A CRITICAL EDITION [THIS THREE-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA WILL PRODUCE THE FIRST-EVER CRITICAL EDITION OF WHITEHEAD AND RUSSELL?S LANDMARK <EM>PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA</EM>. THE RESULTING SCHOLARLY EDITION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN PRINT AND DIGITAL FORMATS WITH CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS IN 2025. THE NEW EDITION OF <EM>PRINCIPIA </EM>WILL (1) ENABLE US TO PLACE OURSELVES IN THE MATHEMATICAL CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH <EM>PRINCIPIA </EM>WAS WRITTEN BY INDICATING THE TEXTS AND AUTHORS WHOSE THEOREMS AND PROOFS WHITEHEAD AND RUSSELL LOGICALLY ANALYZED IN WRITING <EM>PRINCIPIA</EM>, AND (2) REVEAL THE LOGICAL STRUCTURE OF <EM>PRINCIPIA?S </EM>TEXT FOR THE FIRST TIME, PRODUCING FROM A DATABASE OF <EM>PRINCIPIA?S</EM> STARRED NUMBERS TABLES INDICATING WHICH THEOREM IS USED WHERE, AND WHAT IS USED TO PROVE ANY GIVEN THEOREM, IN SIMPLE AND EASILY SURVEYED TABLES. THIS FIRST-EVER CRITICAL EDITION WILL BE AN IMPORTANT STAGE IN THE ONGOING MODERNIZATION AND REHABILITATION OF<EM> PRINCIPIA?S</EM>&NBSP;LOGICIST FOUNDATION FOR MATHEMATICS.]

REU SITE: SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE ON THE IMPACTS OF LAND USE AND LAND COVER IN THE UPPER GREEN RIVER WATERSHED OF WESTERN KENTUCKY USA

EQUIPMENT: MRI: TRACK 1 ACQUISITION OF A SINGLE CRYSTAL X-RAY DIFFRACTOMETER FOR STRUCTURE DETERMINATION OF MOLECULES AND MATERIALS AT PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTIONS -THIS MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION (MRI) AWARD, JOINTLY FUNDED BY THE DIVISION OF MATERIALS RESEARCH (DMR), AND THE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (EPSCOR), SUPPORTS THE ACQUISITION OF A SINGLE CRYSTAL X-RAY DIFFRACTOMETER SYSTEM, WHICH IS CENTRAL TO SEVERAL RESEARCH PROJECTS AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY (WKU). IN ADDITION, COLLABORATION WITH FACULTY AT THREE OTHER UNIVERSITIES (CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY, LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF FINDLAY) EXPANDS AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO A WIDER GROUP OF PERSONNEL. THIS ADVANCED EQUIPMENT PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ADDRESSING FUNDAMENTAL INQUIRIES IN THE FIELDS OF CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, AND GEOLOGY THAT DEMAND ACCURATE AND PRECISE MEASUREMENTS OF THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURES OF CRYSTALLINE COMPOUNDS AND MINERALS. FURTHER, IT OFFERS VALUABLE TRAINING AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT WKU, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AT REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING GATTON ACADEMY STUDENTS WHO ARE GIFTED STUDENTS PURSUING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL COURSES IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING ON THE WKU CAMPUS. THE SYSTEM FEATURES A MICROFOCUS SEALED-TUBE MO SOURCE, A MULTI-AXIS GONIOMETER WITH OPTICAL ENCODERS AND ALL AXES WITHIN A SPHERE OF LESS THAN 7 MICROMETERS, A PHOTON AREA DETECTOR SUPPORTING SHUTTERLESS DATA COLLECTION, AN AIR-COOLED GENERATOR, AND A LOW-TEMPERATURE DEVICE FOR SAMPLE TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 80 K AND 400 K. THE SOFTWARE SUITE PROVIDED WITH THE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A COMPREHENSIVE SUITE OF RELIABLE ROUTINES FOR COLLECTING AND INTEGRATING FRAME DATA FROM SINGLE CRYSTALS AND FOR SOLVING, REFINING, DISPLAYING, AND PUBLISHING STRUCTURAL RESULTS. PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THIS INSTRUMENT ADVANCE THE STATE OF KNOWLEDGE FOR 1) METAL-OXO CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOCATALYSIS ON HOW TO GENERATE HEME-LIKE METAL COMPLEXES AND HOW TO CONTROL THEIR STRUCTURES TO CONTROL THEIR PHOTOCATALYSIS; 2) METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORK CHEMISTRY ON HOW TO TUNE THEIR STRUCTURES TO GAIN DESIRED PHOTOCATALYTIC OR ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, 3) ORGANIC MOLECULAR CHEMISTRY ON SOLID-STATE PACKING STYLES OF PHENANTHROIMIDAZOLE-BASED DERIVATIVES, AND HOW TO SYNTHESIZE PERFLUORINATED FUSED-RING PYRIDAZINES, HALOGENATED TRICYCLOOCTANES/TRICYCLODECANES, AND AMINO ACID ANALOGS, 4) SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY ON HOW TO MAKE METAL OXIDES AND DOUBLE PEROVSKITES, 5) TYPES, DISTRIBUTION, AND STRUCTURES OF RARE MINERALS AT MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THE WKU TACWQ GOAL IS TO HELP SMALL SYSTEMS MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT AND ENSURE PUBLIC HEALTH. THE RECIPIENT SERVES TO S

REU SITE: SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCE IN INVESTIGATIVE BIOTECHNOLOGY

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A METER-CLASS TELESCOPE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

MRI: ACQUISITION OF A 400 MHZ NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE (NMR) SPECTROMETER

RUI: PRODUCTION OF HIGHLY REACTIVE METAL-OXO SPECIES WITH MOLECULAR OXYGEN AND VISIBLE LIGHT FOR THE SELECTIVE OXIDATIVE CATALYSIS

TAS::89 0211::TAS RECOVERY GEOLOGIC SEQUESTRATION TRAINING AND RESEARCH FOR NEW AWARD ENTITLED, "RECOVERY ACT: NOVEL OXYGEN CARRIERS FOR COAL-FUELED

EQUIPMENT: MRI: TRACK 1 ACQUISITION OF A FLUORESCENCE-ACTIVATED CELL SORTER (FACS) TO ENHANCE RESEARCH CAPABILITIES AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY -AN AWARD IS MADE TO WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY (WKU) TO OBTAIN A FLUORESCENCE-ACTIVATED CELL SORTER (FACS) TO ENHANCE LEARNING AND RESEARCH TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENT COMMUNITY AT A PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE UNIVERSITY. IT WILL ENABLE THE DIVERSE, UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION TO GAIN HANDS-ON SKILLS WITH USING UP-TO-DATE TECHNOLOGY IN PRODUCING HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH DATA. BESIDES UNDERGRADUATE AND MASTER?S STUDENTS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE CAROL MARTIN GATTON ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE WILL PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH ENABLED BY THE FACS SYSTEM. THE USE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL ENRICH STUDENT LEARNING AND RESEARCH EXPERIENCE THROUGH ACQUISITION OF NEW RESEARCH SKILLS, DATA ANALYSIS AND COMMUNICATION OF RESEARCH THROUGH PRESENTATIONS AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES. THE ACQUISITION OF FACS WILL FURTHER PROMOTE UNIQUE LEARNING AND RESEARCH TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENT AS WELL AS PROVIDE FACULTY RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AT WKU AND IN THE SOUTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY REGION. THE CELL SORTING MACHINE WILL ENABLE STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS TO USE MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO PERFORM SINGLE CELL ANALYSIS AND GAIN INSIGHTS OF IN-VIVO MOLECULAR CHANGES DURING NORMAL AND STRESS-RELATED CONDITIONS SUCH AS AN INFECTION, CANCER, SLEEP APNEA, OR EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS. THUS, THE AWARD TO ACQUIRE FACS WILL FAVORABLY IMPACT WKU FACULTY RESEARCH IN DIVERSE FIELDS INCLUDING MICROBIOLOGY, IMMUNOLOGY, CANCER BIOLOGY, CELL CYCLE PROGRESSION, TOXICOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, ENDOCRINOLOGY, AND NEUROBIOLOGY. IT WILL LEAD TO BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE MOLECULAR AND SIGNALING PATHWAYS FOR NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF THE CELLS. THE INSTRUMENT WILL EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN RESEARCH AND ENHANCE RESEARCH AT WKU. THE FACS WILL BE USED IN IMMUNOLOGY AND CELL BIOLOGY LABORATORY COURSES TO ENABLE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT WORKING IN RESEARCH LABORATORIES TO LEARN THE CONCEPTS AND APPLICATION OF FLOW CYTOMETRY AND CELL SORTING WHICH WILL BUILD A SYSTEMATIC UNDERSTANDING FROM ACQUISITION AND PROCESSING OF SAMPLES TO COUNTING, SORTING, AND CHARACTERIZING DIVERSE CELL TYPES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

BUILDING CAPACITY OF FOOD SCIENCE CLUSTER AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY TO CONTROL PATHOGENS ON FRESH PRODUCE AT KENTUCKY FARMERS` MARKETS

A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PROCESSES LEADING TO ENERGY RELEASE IN SOLAR FLARES, IN PARTICULAR THE PROCESSES THAT LEAD TO SUCH C

REU SITE: ADVANCING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH WITH TECHNOLOGY

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIP

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES - DISABILITY (WKU SSS-D)

COLLEGE COURSE MATERIALS RENTAL INITIATIVE

WKU STUM MASTER PROGRAM IN HOMELAND SECURITY

RUI: PRODUCTION OF HIGHLY REACTIVE METAL-OXO SPECIES WITH MOLECULAR OXYGEN AND VISIBLE LIGHT FOR THE SELECTIVE OXIDATIVE CATALYSIS

EPSCOR RESEARCH FELLOWS: NSF: REGENERATIVE CAPACITY OF MECHANOSENSORY NEURONS WITHIN THE LAMPREY SPINAL CORD -THIS RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT EPSCOR RESEARCH FELLOWS PROJECT PROVIDES A FELLOWSHIP TO AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AND TRAINING FOR A GRADUATE STUDENT AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY. THIS WORK IS CONDUCTED IN COLLABORATION WITH DR. JENNIFER MORGAN AT THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. THROUGHOUT THE FELLOWSHIP, THE PI WILL INVESTIGATE CHANGES IN SPINAL SENSORY NETWORKS ASSOCIATED WITH SPINAL CORD REGENERATION. SPECIFICALLY, THE PI WILL QUANTIFY REGENERATION IN SPINAL SENSORY NEURONS AFTER A SPINAL CORD INJURY IN THE LARVAL SEA LAMPREY, A SPECIES THAT IS KNOWN FOR ITS ABILITY TO REGENERATE ITS SPINAL CORD. EXAMINING THESE CHANGES IN SPINAL SENSORY NETWORKS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LOCAL SPINAL CIRCUITS RESPOND TO NEURAL TRAUMA AND SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY. THIS PROJECT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH CAPACITY FOR UNDERGRADUATES AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY. THIS PROJECT WILL EXAMINE CHANGES IN PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MECHANOSENSORY NEURONS AFTER A TRAUMATIC SPINAL CORD INJURY IN THE LARVAL LAMPREY. THIS WORK WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LOCAL SPINAL CIRCUITS RESPOND TO NEURAL TRAUMA AND SUBSEQUENT RECOVERY AND WILL PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE STUDIES ON HOW SENSORY FEEDBACK INFLUENCES FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY. THE PI WILL UTILIZE INTRACELLULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY TO RECORD FROM AND FILL MECHANOSENSORY DORSAL CELLS. RECORDED CELLS WILL BE SUBSEQUENTLY IMAGED USING HIGH-RESOLUTION MICROSCOPY TO QUANTIFY MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THE PI WILL ACQUIRE AN INTRACELLULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY RIG WHICH WILL FORM THE FOUNDATION OF A COLLABORATIVE NEUROPHYSIOLOGY CORE AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY. THE ACQUISITION OF THIS EQUIPMENT WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE TOOLS TO LEARN ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE AT THE CIRCUIT-LEVEL USING THE LAMPREY MODEL. THE DATA COLLECTED DURING THE PROPOSED EXPERIMENTS WILL BE UTILIZED IN UNDERGRADUATE COURSES TAUGHT BY THE PI TO PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES FROM REAL NEURON IMAGES AND RECORDINGS. THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY THE EPSCOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM: EPSCOR RESEARCH FELLOWS, WHICH SUPPORTS EARLY- AND MID-CAREER INVESTIGATORS IN ELIGIBLE JURISDICTIONS TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIONS AT THE NATION?S PRIVATE, GOVERNMENT OR ACADEMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN

WESTERN KENTUCKY MATH SCIENCE PARTNERSHIP

CURATORIAL OPERATIONS AND MUSEUM MANAGEMENT

CAS-CLIMATE: RUI: SYSTEMATIC TRENDS OF STRUCTURE-PROPERTY RELATIONS OF METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS BUILT FROM MIXED TRANSITION METAL IONS -PART 1: NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY THE NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES BECOMES ESSENTIAL FOR THE GROWING GLOBAL POPULATION WITH THE DWINDLING FOSSIL DEPOSITS ON EARTH. MOREOVER, SEVERE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY POLLUTANTS FROM FOSSIL FUELS ARE ALSO IMPERATIVE DRIVING FORCES FOR SEEKING RENEWABLE GREEN ENERGY SOURCES. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTIONS UNDER SUNLIGHT AND APPROPRIATE PHOTOCATALYSTS ARE A TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL TECHNOLOGY FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM. WITH THE SUPPORT FROM THE SOLID STATE AND MATERIALS CHEMISTRY PROGRAM IN THE DIVISION OF MATERIALS RESEARCH, BANGBO YAN AND PAULINE NORRIS OF WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, A PREDOMINANTLY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION, DEVELOP NEW METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORK (MOF) MATERIALS, WHICH CONTAIN NEW METAL COMPLEXES WITH TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRANSITION METAL IONS THAT ARE CONNECTED BY AN ORGANIC LIGAND. THESE MATERIALS POSSESS AN ESSENTIAL FEATURE: THEY CAN ABSORB VISIBLE LIGHT THROUGH ONE TYPE OF METAL CENTER AND BY ELECTRON TRANSFER, FOR EXAMPLE, CATALYZE CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION REACTIONS THROUGH THE OTHER TYPE OF METAL CENTER USING THIS LIGHT ENERGY. THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS AND THEIR STUDENTS STUDY HOW THE IDENTITY OF THE TRANSITION METAL IONS AND LIGANDS COULD AFFECT THE PHOTOCATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF THE NEW MOFS. THESE NEW MOFS AND FUNDAMENTAL MATERIALS CHEMISTRY INSIGHTS GAINED FROM THIS STUDY CAN HELP CONTROL CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARBON FOOTPRINT IF THEY ARE INTEGRATED INTO DEVICES FOR HARVESTING SOLAR ENERGY AND CATALYZING CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION IN THE FUTURE. BEYOND THESE SCIENTIFIC AND POTENTIALLY TECHNOLOGICAL IMPACTS, THIS PROJECT ALSO PROVIDES VALUABLE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN STEM TO UNDERGRADUATES AT WKU AND TO LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, INCLUDING THOSE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. PART 2: TECHNICAL SUMMARY FOR THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE SOLID STATE AND MATERIALS CHEMISTRY PROGRAM IN THE DIVISION OF MATERIALS RESEARCH, THE PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS SYNTHESIZE AND STUDY NOVEL MOFS CONSISTING OF METAL-COMPLEX SENSITIZERS AND REACTIVE CENTERS. THEY HYPOTHESIZE THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO DESIGN MOFS THAT ABSORB VISIBLE LIGHT THROUGH ONE TYPE OF METAL CENTER AND BY ELECTRON TRANSFER, FOR EXAMPLE, CATALYZE CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION REACTIONS THROUGH ANOTHER TYPE OF METAL CENTER WITH AN OPEN METAL SITE USING THIS LIGHT ENERGY. TO THIS END THEY PURSUE THREE DISTINCT OBJECTIVES AIMED AT STUDYING THE SYNTHESIS AND STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATIONS AT THE FUNDAMENTAL MATERIALS CHEMISTRY LEVEL: THE FIRST OBJECTIVE IS TO DESIGN AND STUDY THE ROLE AND EFFECT OF THE IDENTITY OF 3D TRANSITION METAL IONS IN HETERO-METAL MOFS; THE SECOND OBJECTIVE IS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF CHANGING THE IDENTITY OF METAL IONS (3D, 4D, OR 5D) AS A SENSITIZER IN HETERO-METAL MOFS; AND THE THIRD IS TO IDENTIFY THE LIGAND EFFECTS FOR HETERO-METAL MOFS AS PHOTOCATALYTIC REDUCTION OF CARBON DIOXIDE. THE DISCOVERIES ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE AN ESSENTIAL THEORY FOR THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MOFS WITH POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS AS PHOTOCATALYSTS AND BEYOND. SUCH NEW MATERIALS FOR SOLAR ENERGY HARVESTING AND CARBON DIOXIDE REDUCTION CAN POTENTIALLY HELP CONTROL CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONTROL THE CARBON FOOTPRINT. IN ADDITION, RESEARCH STUDENTS (INCLUDING UNDERGRADUATE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS) RECEIVE TRAINING AND EDUCATION IN CHEMISTRY THROUGH THIS RESEARCH PROJECT. THROUGH THEIR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE, SCIENTIFIC WRITING, AND PRESENTATION AT REGIONAL/NATIONAL CONFERENCES, STUDENTS GAIN VALUABLE TRAINING IN CRITICAL THINKING, SCIENTIFIC METHODS, WRITING SKILLS, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

RUI: PRODUCTION OF HIGHLY REACTIVE METAL-OXO SPECIES WITH MOLECULAR OXYGEN AND VISIBLE LIGHT FOR THE SELECTIVE OXIDATIVE CATALYSIS

THIS PROJECT WILL SUPPORT CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS THROUGH A SERIES OF UTILITY MANAGEMENT TRAINING COURSES. THE COURSES W

INTEGRATION OF NMR INTO THE CHEMISTRY CURRICULUM AT WKU AND ECTC AND ASSESSMENT OF FACTORS LEADING TO A SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION BETWEEN 2- AND 4-YEA

IRES: APPLICATION OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY FOR REAL-WORLD TASKS IN PPUBLIC HEALTH AND BIOMEDICINE

THE KENTUCKY MUSEUM AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY WILL UNDERTAKE A PROJECT TO ESTABLISH GREATER INTELLECTUAL AND PHYSICAL CONTROL OVER ITS EXTENSIVE HOLDINGS BY CONDUCTING THE FIRST FULL INVENTORY SINCE IT BEGAN COLLECTING IN 1939. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF PREVIOUS IMLS-FUNDED AWARDS, THE MUSEUM WILL USE GRANT FUNDS TO HIRE A FULL-TIME INVENTORY MANAGER AND SEVERAL STUDENT INTERNS, WHO WILL WORK IN A DIGITAL-FIRST, MENTORSHIP-BASED MODEL THAT ALIGNS WITH THEIR MISSION AS A TEACHING MUSEUM. OVER THREE YEARS, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL INVENTORY COLLECTIONS HOUSED AT THE MUSEUM’S OFF-SITE STORAGE FACILITY, WHERE MOST COLLECTIONS ARE STORED. THIS PROJECT IS A KEY GOAL OF THE MUSEUM’S STRATEGIC PLAN AND LEADS INTO SEVERAL OTHER GOALS INCLUDING FULFILMENT OF PRESERVATION EFFORTS, REVISING THE EXHIBIT PLAN, AND INCREASING FACULTY AND STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS.

PATHWAYS: USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO STUDY THE SOCIAL BEHAVIORS OF A CHARISMATIC RARE BAT SPECIES AT MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK

NEIGHBORHOOD INITIAT

RUI: CAS: PRODUCTION OF HIGHLY REACTIVE METAL-OXO SPECIES WITH MOLECULAR OXYGEN AND VISIBLE LIGHT FOR THE SELECTIVE OXIDATIVE CATALYSIS -WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CHEMICAL CATALYSIS PROGRAM IN THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY, PROFESSOR RUI ZHANG OF WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY (WKU) WILL STUDY THE REACTION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS WITH OXYGEN FROM THE ATMOSPHERE USING CATALYSTS, IN A PROCESS CALLED CATALYTIC AEROBIC OXIDATION. THIS PROCESS IS WIDELY USED DAILY ON A LARGE SCALE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF VALUABLE CHEMICALS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF POLLUTANTS, AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF ENERGY. DR. RUI ZHANG AND HIS STUDENTS AT WKU ARE WORKING TO DEVELOP BIO-INSPIRED PHOTOCATALYSTS THAT CAN UTILIZE SUNLIGHT TO ACTIVATE AND INCORPORATE ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN INTO INEXPENSIVE MATERIALS FOR PRODUCING HIGH-VALUE COMMODITY CHEMICALS. THE USE OF ABUNDANT SOLAR ENERGY AND ATMOSPHERIC OXYGEN RATHER THAN A CHEMICAL REAGENT IN THE OXIDATION OF BULK CHEMICALS GENERATES LESS CHEMICAL WASTE, IS MORE CHEMICALLY SUSTAINABLE, AND POTENTIALLY REDUCES THE ECONOMIC COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROCESS. THE RESEARCH WILL IMPACT THE FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF GREEN CHEMISTRY. IN ADDITION, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR THE PARTICIPATING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS, INCLUDING UNDERSERVED STUDENTS AND WOMEN IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) DISCIPLINES, THEREBY TRAINING FUTURE STEM PROFESSIONALS. HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE NATIONALLY RENOWNED GATTON ACADEMY, THE RESIDENTIAL MATH AND SCIENCE ACADEMY LOCATED ON WKU?S CAMPUS, WILL ALSO PERFORM RESEARCH IN THE LABORATORY AND LEARN ABOUT CATALYSIS RESEARCH. IN THIS RESEARCH, PROFESSOR RUI ZHANG AND HIS TEAM WILL STUDY METAL PHTHALOCYANINE COMPLEXES (MPC?S) AS SUSTAINABLE AND ?GREEN? OXIDATION CATALYSTS IN VIEW OF THEIR EASY ACCESSIBILITY AND OUTSTANDING REDOX AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES. THIS RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON MECHANISTIC STUDIES AND THE GENERATION OF METAL-OXO OXIDIZING SPECIES INVOLVED IN MPC-BASED CATALYSIS, AND WILL USE THE NEW KNOWLEDGE OBTAINED TO DEVELOP VIABLE AND PRACTICAL CATALYTIC METHODS FOR CLEAN OXIDATIONS. ALTHOUGH MPC?S ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE AND ARE WIDELY APPLICABLE CATALYSTS IN MANY OXIDATION PROCESSES, MECHANISTIC ASPECTS OF MPC-CATALYZED OXIDATIONS AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE MPC-BASED METAL-OXO REACTIVE INTERMEDIATES ARE STILL UNDERDEVELOPED. HIGH-VALENT TRANSITION METAL-OXO OXIDANTS IN DIFFERENT MACROCYCLIC SYSTEMS CAN BE GENERATED PHOTOCHEMICALLY AND USED FOR OXIDATIONS THROUGH DISPROPORTIONATION REACTIONS. IN THIS PROJECT, DR. ZHANG AND HIS STUDENTS AT WKU AIM TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS TO PROBE THE NATURE OF ACTIVE OXIDIZING SPECIES AND ELUCIDATE MECHANISMS EXTANT IN MPC-MEDIATED CATALYSIS. IMPORTANTLY, A VARIETY OF NEW MPC-BASED CATALYSTS THAT CONTAIN PHOTOABSORBED UNITS WILL BE SYNTHESIZED AND INVESTIGATED FOR PHOTOCATALYTIC AEROBIC OXIDATIONS. THIS RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE IN METAL-OXO CHEMISTRY AND PHOTOCATALYSIS AND TO HAVE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS FOR THE CONVERSION OF SOLAR ENERGY IN CATALYSIS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: PURSUIT: SPECIES DIVERSITY AND EVOLUTION OF PARASITIC MICROFUNGI

AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO ENHANCE THE SAFETY OF LOCALLY GROWN FRESH PRODUCE THROUGH RESEARCH AND EXTENSION

EMBRACE-EAR-SEED: ADVANCED PROSPECTIVITY MAPPING BY GEODATA INTEGRATION FOR CRITICAL MINERAL EXPLORATION IN MOJAVE DESERT, CALIFORNIA -CRITICAL MINERALS SUCH AS RARE EARTH ELEMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR TECHNOLOGIES THAT POWER MODERN LIFE, FROM SMARTPHONES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS TO DEFENSE APPLICATIONS. HOWEVER, LOCATING NEW SOURCES OF THESE MINERALS REMAINS COSTLY, COMPLEX, AND OFTEN HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT. THIS PROJECT, LED BY A FACULTY RESEARCHER AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, SEEKS TO DEVELOP SMARTER, MORE SUSTAINABLE WAYS TO IDENTIFY CRITICAL MINERAL DEPOSITS IN THE MOJAVE DESERT OF CALIFORNIA, A REGION RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL PRIORITY BY THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. BY COMBINING SATELLITE DATA AND ADVANCED COMPUTER ANALYSIS, THE PROJECT WILL HELP IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF MINERAL EXPLORATION. IN ADDITION TO ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING, THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE MEANINGFUL RESEARCH EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS, CREATING PATHWAYS FOR ALL STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THE GEOSCIENCES AND DATA SCIENCE TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS NEEDED FOR FUTURE CAREERS. THROUGH WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS, AND PUBLICATIONS, THE PROJECT WILL BROADLY SHARE ITS RESULTS, ENCOURAGING INNOVATION AND LEARNING ACROSS THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. IN DOING SO, THIS EFFORT STRENGTHENS NATIONAL SUPPLY CHAINS FOR CRITICAL MINERALS, SUPPORTS ECONOMIC GROWTH AND NATIONAL SECURITY, AND PROMOTES OPPORTUNITY AND PARTICIPATION IN SCIENCE FOR AMERICANS EVERYWHERE. THE TECHNICAL GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EVALUATE WHETHER INTEGRATING REMOTE SENSING DATA WITH MACHINE LEARNING CAN ENHANCE MINERAL PROSPECTIVITY MAPPING, THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING LOCATIONS WITH A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF CONTAINING VALUABLE MINERAL DEPOSITS BENEATH THE EARTH?S SURFACE. THE STUDY FOCUSES ON RARE EARTH ELEMENTS AND OTHER CRITICAL MINERALS IN CALIFORNIA?S MOJAVE DESERT, AN AREA OF BOTH STRATEGIC AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. BY COMBINING DIGITAL IMAGE PROCESSING, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES, AND FIELD-BASED VALIDATION, THE PROJECT SEEKS TO PRODUCE MORE ACCURATE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE MINERAL PROSPECTIVITY MAPS. THIS APPROACH WILL HELP IDENTIFY CRITICAL MINERAL RESOURCES MORE EFFICIENTLY, LOWERING THE FINANCIAL AND ECOLOGICAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TRADITIONAL EXPLORATION METHODS. THIS INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH BRINGS TOGETHER GEOLOGY, DATA SCIENCE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES, ADVANCING THE FIELD OF MINERAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT. THE PROJECT ALSO EMPHASIZES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY TRAINING UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN INNOVATIVE EXPLORATION TECHNIQUES AND OFFERING A FOUR-SESSION MINERAL EXPLORATION WORKSHOP, CREATING PATHWAYS FOR STUDENTS TO GAIN REAL-WORLD RESEARCH AND TECHNICAL SKILLS WHILE PREPARING THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS TO ADDRESS NATIONAL MINERAL RESOURCE CHALLENGES. RESEARCH RESULTS WILL BE DISSEMINATED THROUGH SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCES AND PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS, HELPING TO SHAPE FUTURE METHODS OF SUSTAINABLE MINERAL EXPLORATION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

EXPAND VISITOR AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN PARK MUSEUM COLLECTIONS AND MATERIALS

MRI: ACQUISITION OF AN ANALYTICAL SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPE FOR ENGINEERING AND NATURAL SCIENCES RESEARCH

RUI: MAPPING THE COLD ATOMIC MEDIUM

SCHOLARS AWARD: INSECURITY: DISABILITY, THE GREAT DEPRESSION, AND THE NEW DEAL STATE

RUI: ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED FORMATION AND RELEASE OF ADMICELLES FOR SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION

B-THRIVE: TRAINING TO SUPPORT HIGH-INTENSITY NEEDS VIA RESPONSIVE, INTERDISCIPLINARY, AND VITAL ENGAGEMENT

EXAMINATION OF ELM1, POLARITY, AND ENDOCYTOSIS FOR REGULATION OF CELLULAR MORPHOGENESIS IN BUDDING YEAST - PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF SPECIFIC CELLS IN MULTICELLULAR ORGANISMS ARE LINKED TO THE SPECIFIC MORPHOLOGIES THAT THOSE CELLS ADOPT. EXTENSIVE REGULATORY NETWORKS INCLUDING POLARIZATION, CYTOSKELETAL DYNAMICS, EXO- AND ENDOCYTIC MEMBRANE TRAFFICKING, AND CELL CYCLE CONTROL MUST BE SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY CONTROLLED TO ENSURE THAT PROLIFERATION AND CELL DIVISION OCCUR IN A STEREOTYPICAL FASHION. ERRORS IN PROPERLY ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING CELLULAR MORPHOLOGIES DRIVE CELLULAR PATHOLOGIES INCLUDING MANY CANCERS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS, AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES SUCH AS ALZHEIMER’S. WITH SO MANY DIFFERENT CELLULAR PROCESSES BEING INVOLVED, THE COORDINATION BETWEEN AND AMONG THEM HAS REMAINED ELUSIVE AND REPRESENTS A FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION IN CELLULAR MORPHOGENESIS CONTROL. DUE TO THE SIMPLICITY OF THE MODEL ORGANISM SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE, THE PROCESSES OUTLINED ABOVE HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVELY STUDIED AND ARE DIRECTLY HOMOLOGOUS TO THOSE IN HIGHER EUKARYOTES. ONE OF THE MAJOR REGULATIONS OF CELLULAR MORPHOGENESIS IN BUDDING YEAST IS THE MORPHOGENESIS CHECKPOINT COMPOSED OF THE SEQUENTIAL RECRUITMENT OF THE KINASES ELM1 AND HSL1 AND A METHYLTRANSFERASE HSL7 THAT SERVES AS A SCAFFOLD AT THE BUD NECK (I.E., SITE OF CELL DIVISION) TO SEQUESTER THE MITOTIC CDK INHIBITOR SWE1 FOR PROTEOSOME-MEDIATED DEGRADATION. THE DEGRADATION OF SWE1 THEN ALLOWS CELL CYCLE PROGRESSION, THEREBY LINKING THE MITOTIC CYCLE WITH THE FORMATION OF A BUD AFTER GENOME DUPLICATION. RECENT DATA THAT ONLY ACTIVE ELM1 CAN LEAD TO THE RECRUITMENT OF BOTH HSL1 AND HSL7, ALONG WITH PRELIMINARY GLOBAL PHOSPHOPROTEOMIC AND FLUORESCENT MICROSCOPY DATA THAT ELM1 REGULATES POLARITY FACTORS AND ENDOCYTOSIS LEADS TO THE HYPOTHESIS THAT ELM1 CAN DIRECTLY REGULATE HSL7 (IN ADDITION TO HSL1 AS PREVIOUSLY KNOWN) (AIM 1) AND HAS EXPANDED ROLES IN SYNERGY WITH THE CDC42 EFFECTOR STE20 AND THE EARLY ENDOCYTIC PROTEIN EDE1 TO CONTROL CELLULAR MORPHOGENESIS (AIM 2). BOTH THESE POTENTIAL REGULATED EFFECTORS OF ELM1 ARE KNOWN TO PLAY ROLES IN CELL SHAPE CONTROL AND EXHIBITED EXTENSIVE DIFFERENTIAL PHOSPHORYLATION WHEN COMPARED BETWEEN WILD-TYPE CELLS AND CELLS DELETED FOR THE ELM1 GENE. THE PROPOSED STUDY WILL EMPLOY AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH INCLUDING GENE EDITING, LIVE CELL IMAGING, AND BIOCHEMISTRY TO ILLUSTRATE THE REGULATORY CAPACITY OF ELM1 ON THE HYPOTHESIZED PATHWAYS. THIS STUDY WILL IMPACT THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITIES INVOLVED WITH CELLULAR MORPHOGENESIS CONTROL AND WILL FILL A CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE GAP THAT CAN GIVE INSIGHTS IMPORTANT TO HUMAN HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT.

YOUTH CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

CCLI: MULTIDISCIPLINARY INSTRUCTIONAL TRANSFORMATION IN SCIENCE AND MATH COURSES SUPPORTING TEACHER PREPARATION AND INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

UNDERGRADUATE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE-SPECIAL PROJECT NEIGHBORHOOD INITIATIVE AND MISCELLANEOUS GRANTS

ADVANCED EDUCATION NURSING TRAINEESHIPS

EFFICIENT MANAGEMENT AND USE OF ANIMAL MANURE

BUILDING TEACHING AND RESEARCH CAPACITY AT THE FOOD SCIENCE CLUSTER OF WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY TO CONTROL SALMONELLA IN CHICKEN PRODUCTS

REMOVABLE SURFACTANT PHASES ON PARTICLES AND MEMBRANES BETWEEN WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY AND NATIONAL CHUNG HSING UNIVERSITY IN TAIWAN

ENHANCING THE STUDENT-FACULTY ENGAGEMENT IN PROFESSIONAL AND PEDAGOGICAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

PROJECT TITLE NOT PROVIDED

INCLUDE STANDARD PROVISION-HOMELAND SECURITY

ARABIC SERVICE INITIATIVE: AN UNDERGRADUATE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROJECT

RUI: CHEMICAL ABUNDANCES OF GALACTIC COMPACT PLANETARY NEBULAE

STUDENT INTERN SUPPORT FOR THE CUMBERLAND PIEDMONT INVENTORY AND MONITORING NETWORK

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: AEROSOL FORMATION FROM AGRICULTURAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

UNDERGRADUATE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE

LARGE AND RAPID SNOWMELT EVENTS CAN BE HAZARDOUS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE PRESENCE OF CONCURRENT RAINFALL. RAINFALL ON A SNOWPACK, OR &QUOT;RAIN-ON-SNOW&QUOT; PRECIPITATION EVENTS, CAN GREATLY INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING, WITH LIQUID PRECIPITATION AND MELTED SNOW BOTH CONTRIBUTING TO RUNOFF, AFFECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY. FOR EXAMPLE, IN EASTERN NEBRASKA, A RAIN-ON-SNOW PRECIPITATION EVENT IN MARCH 2019 OCCURRED WITH 2-4 INCHES OF MEASURED RAINFALL AND THE RAPID MELTING OF APPROXIMATELY 8-12 INCHES OF SNOW. THE RESULT WAS CATASTROPHIC FLOODING, WITH ESTIMATED DAMAGES IN EXCESS OF $3 BILLION. DESPITE THE LARGE IMPACT THESE PRECIPITATION EVENTS CAN HAVE, RESEARCH INTO THEIR REPRESENTATION AND BIASES WITHIN NUMERICAL IS RELATIVELY LIMITED, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE ENERGIC FLUXES WITHIN THE BOUNDARY LAYER FORCING THE EVENTS. FORECASTING EFFORTS AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT WOULD BE GREATLY IMPROVED BY BETTER REPRESENTATION OF RAIN-ON-SNOW EVENTS WITHIN SIMULATIONS AN

NASA' STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE 1.4 IS TO "UNDERSTAND THE SUN AND ITS INTERACTIONS WITH EARTH AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM, INCLUDING SPACE WEATHER." THE OBJECTIVE

WATER QUALITY IMPACTS FROM SURFACE TRAIL USE AT MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK

NORTH AMERICAN MOBILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

ANTECEDENTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION EFFICACY.

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: A STUDY OF THE TRANSITION OF KNOT SPACE FROM CONFINEMENT TO RELAXATION

THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH IS TO GENERATE USEFUL KNOWLEDGE THAT HELPS EXPLAIN PHENOMENON SURROUNDING SUPPLIER'S PERCEPTIONS OF INJUSTICE (MANIFESTED

EO14042 SOLAR ECLIPSE MEGAMOVIE 2024

CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM - WORKING TOGETHER KENTUCKY: MENTAL HEALTHCARE FOR AUTISTIC ADULTS (WTK) AIMS TO EXPAND ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR AUTISTIC ADULTS RESIDING IN SOUTHCENTRAL AND WESTERN KENTUCKY AND WILL CONSIST OF A NETWORK OF PARTNERS INCLUDING WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY’S (WKU’S) CLINICAL EDUCATION COMPLEX (CEC) AND INSTITUTE FOR RURAL HEALTH (IRH), LIFESKILLS, INC., AND BLUEGRASS PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING (BPC). IN THE COURSE OF THIS ONE-YEAR PROGRAM, WTK WILL ADDRESS LEGISLATIVE AIM 1 BY CONDUCTING A COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS TO IDENTIFY THE EXISTING SERVICES FOR MENTAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF AUTISTIC ADULTS IN THE BARREN RIVER AREA DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (BRADD) AND PENNYRILE AREA DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (PADD) REGIONS OF KENTUCKY. WTK WILL ALSO CREATE A NETWORK OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THESE NEEDS FROM THE PROVIDER PERSPECTIVE, WITH THE INCLUSION OF AUTISTIC ADULTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WILL SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY. THE PROJECT GOAL IS TO ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES BY BRINGING TOGETHER A NETWORK OF MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND IDENTIFYING EXISTING SERVICES AND AREAS OF NEED. THE KEY APPROACH IS TO 1) IDENTIFY MENTAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDER LEADERS FROM THE COMMUNITY PLANNING NETWORK PARTNERS (LIFESKILLS AND BPC) WHO WILL PROVIDE INPUT FROM THEIR CLINICAL EXPERIENCES ON THE NEEDS OF AUTISTIC ADULTS IN THE BRADD AND PADD REGIONS; 2) INCLUDE THE PERSPECTIVE OF AUTISTIC ADULTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS WHO WILL SERVE ON AN ADVISORY BOARD; 3) CONVENE THE COMMUNITY PLANNING NETWORK PARTNER LEADERS TO COLLECT INFORMATION ON THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS OF AUTISTIC ADULTS; AND 4) CONDUCT A COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS. OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY PLANNING NETWORK; 2) CONDUCT A COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS; AND 3) DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN FOR ADDRESSING THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF AUTISTIC ADULTS. ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES INCLUDE 1) MORE PRACTITIONERS AWARE OF MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF AUTISTIC ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY, 2) MORE AUTISTIC ADULTS INCLUDED IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, AND 3) A STREAMLINED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING GAPS AND REDUNDANCIES. EXPECTED PRODUCTS ARE: 1) A COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS REPORT, 2) A DISSEMINATION PLAN FOR THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS REPORT; AND 3) AN ACTION PLAN BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS. THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THIS COMMUNITY PLANNING NETWORK ARE WELL-POSITIONED TO CARRY OUT THIS PROGRAM BRINGING A CAPACITY TO SERVE RURAL UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN PAST CONSORTIUMS, ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERTISE AND CAPACITY, AND EXPERIENCE WITH SIMILAR WORK. WKU’S IRH ADDRESSES HEALTHCARE CHALLENGES IN RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, AND SERVICE. WKU’S CEC HAS PROVIDED SERVICES TO AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS SINCE 2006 AND HAS LED MANY INITIATIVES THAT HAVE BROUGHT FUNDING, SCHOLARSHIPS, TRAINING, AND ADVOCACY PROGRAMS TO THE BRADD REGION. LIFESKILLS AND BPC HAVE PROVIDED DECADES OF AWARD-WINNING LEADERSHIP IN PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTHCARE NEEDS IN THE WTK SERVICE AREA. FUNDING PREFERENCES (SEE ATTACHMENT 8) 1: WTK QUALIFIES FOR THE HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREA (HPSA) FUNDING PREFERENCE BECAUSE THE ORGANIZATION IS LOCATED IN A DESIGNATED HPSA FOR MENTAL HEALTH. 2: WTK QUALIFIES FOR MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY/POPULATION THE ORGANIZATION IS LOCATED IN A DESIGNATED HPSA FOR THE MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREA (MUA/P). 3: WTK QUALIFIES FOR FOCUS PRIMARY CARE AND WELLNESS AND PREVENTION STRATEGIES BECAUSE MENTAL HEALTH IS CLOSELY LINKED TO PHYSICAL HEALTH. COUNSELING OFFERS TOOLS TO IMPROVE OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES AND REDUCE HEALTHCARE COSTS BY PREVENTING SERIOUS CONDITIONS. IT ALIGNS WITH THE BROADER GOALS OF PRIMARY CARE AND WELLNESS BY PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE, LONG-TERM HEALTH.

PROCESS AND CATALOG THE BACKLOG OF ARCHIVAL RESOURCES

HEAD START 2009 ARRA COLA QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FUNDING

COLLABORATIVE PROPOSAL: PHYLOGENY OF THE BAT FLIES OF THE WORLD - INSIGHTS INTO TRENDS IN HOST ASSOCIATIONS AND ECTOPARASITISM

CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET: LOCAL FOOD FOR EVERYONE

STUDENT INTERN SUPPORT

FULBRIGHT-HAYS GROUP PROJECTS ABROAD

III: SMALL: AN AUTOMATIC FRAMEWORK FOR PROCESSING DROSOPHILA EMBRYONIC IMAGES

NATURAL RESOURCE CONDITION ASSESSMENT FOR MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK

MACA ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: TRACKING GENES IN REAL TIME AS THEY TRAVERSE A HYBRID INVASION LANDSCAPE.

ETHNOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW AND ASSESSMENT

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: THE GREAT PLAINS IRRIGATION EXPERIMENT (GRAINEX) FOR UNDERSTANDING THE INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION ON THE PLANETARY BOUNDARY LAYER AND WEATHER EVENTS

COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: AN ALLOCATION MODEL WITH DYNAMIC UPDATES FOR BALANCED WORKLOAD DISTRIBUTION ON PATIENT CENTERED MEDICAL HOMES

WKU KENTUCKY MUSEUM/LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT PLANNING PROJECT

I-CORPS: VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING PLATFORM FOR INCREASING AWARENESS OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN INDUSTRY DECISION-MAKING -THE BROADER IMPACT/COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL OF THIS I-CORPS PROJECT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATIVE TRAINING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HEIGHTEN SELF-AWARENESS OF POTENTIAL BIASES IN WORKFORCE DECISION MAKING. THIS PRODUCT HAS APPLICATIONS TO A HOST OF INDUSTRIES WHERE EMPLOYEES MAY BE SUBJECT TO BIASES THAT CAN INFLUENCE DECISION MAKING OUTCOMES. PRACTITIONERS AND TRAINING FACILITATORS IN FIELDS SUCH AS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, CHILD AND ADULT WELFARE AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND LICENSING AND ACCREDITATION ORGANIZATIONS LARGELY RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO BETTER ENGAGE WITH CLIENTS FROM INCREASINGLY DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS AND INTERESTS. IN RESPONSE, AGENCIES AND EDUCATIONAL ENTITIES ARE ACTIVELY SEEKING WAYS TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF DECISION-MAKING BIAS AMONG PROFESSIONALS. TRADITIONAL TRAINING (I.E., SEMINARS, WRITTEN CASE STUDIES, USE OF LIVE ACTORS), IS TYPICALLY DONE IN PHYSICAL SPACES, MAY NOT BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE, AND CAN THEREFORE BE COSTLY. THE PROPOSED PRODUCT CAN BE ACCESSED REMOTELY WHICH LIFTS MANY LOGISTICAL BARRIERS TO CONSUMERS. BY PROVIDING EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE EFFICACY AND VIABILITY OF THE PRODUCT, EXPECTED OUTCOMES MAY INCLUDE IMPROVED PRACTITIONER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND COMPETENCIES. THIS WILL LIKELY ENHANCE SERVICE DELIVERY, REDUCE WORK RELATED STRESSORS, AND DECREASE WORKFORCE CHALLENGES WITH THE GOAL OF INCREASING EFFECTIVENESS OF SERVICE DELIVERY AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE CLIENT/CUSTOMER/EMPLOYEE. THIS I-CORPS PROJECT IS BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EVIDENCE-BASED SIMULATION PROGRAM TO PREPARE CURRENT AND FUTURE POINT-OF-CARE/CONTACT PROFESSIONALS (SUCH AS WELFARE WORKERS, HEALTH PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, PUBLIC SERVICE/FIRST RESPONDERS, EDUCATORS, ETC.) TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF AND RESPONSIVE TO THEIR UNCONSCIOUS BIAS. THIS PRODUCT ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO EXAMINE POTENTIAL UNCONSCIOUS BIASES USING REAL-TIME SIMULATED VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES. IN MANY INDUSTRIES, CLIENTS OFTEN ENGAGE IN SYSTEMS WITH PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE INADEQUATE TRAINING IN RECOGNIZING UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN THEIR PRACTICE. THIS LACK OF AWARENESS, AND THUS DECREASED LIKELIHOOD FOR RESPONSIVENESS, INCREASES THE RISK OF NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON DECISION MAKING. IN ADDITION TO TARGETING INCREASED AWARENESS OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS, THIS INNOVATIVE TRAINING MAY ALSO HELP TO REDUCE WORKFORCE TURNOVER, AND THEREFORE, THE REPEATED EXPENSE OF HIRING AND ONBOARDING NEW PROFESSIONALS. GIVEN THAT THE IMPACT OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN DECISION MAKING OFTEN RESULTS IN FINANCIAL COST TO ORGANIZATIONS, NEGATIVE SERVICE OUTCOMES, AND CHALLENGES WITH RECRUITMENT/RETENTION, THE PRODUCT OFFERS A POTENTIAL COST-EFFECTIVE AND ACCESSIBLE MEANS TO HELP ADDRESS NUMEROUS PAIN POINTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

TO SUPPORT PERSONNEL COSTS IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

THE KENTUCKY MUSEUM AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY WILL IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM CARE OF ITS COLLECTIONS BY UPGRADING THE MECHANICAL SYSTEM AT THE MUSEUM?S OFF-SITE, ON-CAMPUS STORAGE FACILITY. THEY WILL INSTITUTE A PROGRAM TO MONITOR THE TEMPERATURE OF INTERIOR SURFACES OF EXTERNAL WALLS AND INVESTIGATE POINTS OF EXTERNAL AIR FILTRATION IN THE BUILDING. THE UPGRADED SYSTEM AND RELATED EFFORTS WILL HELP PRESERVE THE MUSEUM?S COLLECTION OF 30,000 ARTIFACTS FOR FUTURE EXHIBITIONS, PROGRAMS, INSTRUCTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, STUDENT WORK OPPORTUNITIES, AND RESEARCH.

PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA'S SECOND EDITION IN ITS CENTURY, 1925-2025 [THIS PROPOSAL FOR A CONVENING GRANT WOULD BRING TOGETHER 12-TO-15 SCHOLARS FROM PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY, MATHEMATICS, AND DIGITAL HUMANITIES FOR A WEEK TO CONDUCT ARCHIVAL RESEARCH AND A COLLABORATIVE WORKSHOP AT THE BERTRAND RUSSELL ARCHIVES AND RESEARCH CENTRE AT MCMASTER UNIVERSITY IN HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA. THE CENTRAL TEXTS AND TOOLS FOR THE WORKSHOP WILL BE THE NEH-FUNDED EDITION OF <EM>PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA</EM> WITH ITS NEW EDITORIAL APPARATUS AND TEXTUAL NOTES, THE NEH-FUNDED PRINCIPIA MATHEMATICA MAPS AND TABLE SITE (PM-MATS), AND THE HOLDINGS OF THE BERTRAND RUSSELL ARCHIVES. THE OUTCOMES OF THIS CONVENING GRANT WILL BE AN EDITED VOLUME WITH AN ACADEMIC PRESS (LIKELY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS, WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST), PLUS INCREASED FAMILIARITY AND FACILITY OF SCHOLARS WITH TWO NEH-FUNDED WORK PRODUCTS?THE NEW EDITION OF <EM>PRINCIPIA</EM> AND THE PM-MATS DIGITAL RESOURCE. THE GRANT PERIOD WILL LAST JANUARY-AUGUST 2026.]

EDI SPECIAL PROJECTS

PRESERVATION ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - TEMPERATURE AND DEHUMIDIFICATION [THIS PROJECT WILL ENGINEER, PROGRAM, AND COMMISSION REVISED OPERATING PROTOCOLS FOR EXISTING CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND STUDY THE RESULTS OF SAID ADJUSTMENT AS PART OF THE MUSEUM'S MULTI-PHASE PRESERVATION ENVIRONMENT IMPROVEMENT PLAN (PEIP). SPECIFICALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL STABILIZE TEMPERATURES IN THE KENTUCKY ROOM AND MODIFY THE DEHUMIDIFICATION CONTROLS FOR THE 1976 BUILDING, WHICH WERE DEEMED LOW-COST, EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR ACHIEVING RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE SETPOINTS IN THE MUSEUM'S EXHIBITIONS SPACES, QUILT STORAGE, AND FINE ART STORAGE. THE PROJECT TEAM WILL THEN STUDY THE RESULTS OVER A ONE-YEAR PERIOD, COMPARING THE NEW READINGS TO HISTORICAL DATA TO DETERMINE IF THE DESIRED TARGETS ARE ACHIEVED, AND INTEGRATE FINDINGS INTO THE PEIP. THE RESULTS WILL INFORM PLANNED FUTURE STEPS OF THE PEIP, NOTABLY THE REVIEW AND SELECTION OF LARGE-SCALE, HIGH-COST MECHANICAL SYSTEM UPGRADES.]

LIGHT CURVES AND MASSES OF AGN IN THE KEPLER FIELD OF VIEW THE KEPLER MISSION WILL STARE AT THE SA

15.945: COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM CESU NETWORKPROGRAMMING SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS TO FACILITATE COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING TO INFORM SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THE STUDY UNITS FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.THIS STUDY WILL ASSESS THE POPULATIONS OF KENTUCKY CAVE SHRIMP, A POTENTIALLY RARE, THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES, IN MAMMOTH CAVE NATIONAL PARK IN KENTUCKY. STUDENTS WILL EMPLOY ENVIRONMENTAL DNA ANALYSIS AND FLUORESCENT DYE TRACING TO GATHER DATA ON THESE POPULATIONS. RESULTS WILL INFORM PARK PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT AND BE PUBLISHED ONLINE. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STUDENTS GAINING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SPECIES, AND THE PUBLIC ACCESSING STUDY FINDINGS. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL ENHANCE THE PARK S ABILITY TO PROTECT WATER QUALITY IN SPRINGS ALONG THE GREEN RIVER.

ELECTROPHORESIS IMAGING SYSTEM - PROJECT SUMMARY THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS RLI-S10 PROPOSAL IS TO ACQUIRE AN ELECTROPHORESIS IMAGING SYSTEM, TO ENHANCE RESEARCH AND TEACHING CAPABILITIES AT THE WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY (WKU). AN IMAGING SYSTEM IS A BASIC REQUIREMENT IN THE FIELD OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES WHICH IS COMMONLY USED FOR VISUALIZATION, DOCUMENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF GEL ELECTROPHORESIS AND WESTERN BLOTTING TECHNIQUES USED FOR DNA AND PROTEIN DETECTIONS. IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY AT WKU, SEVERAL INVESTIGATORS WORK ON RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT ROUTINELY NEED THIS INSTRUMENT. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY COURSES USE GEL IMAGING SYSTEM THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER FOR EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS. THESE RESEARCH AND TEACHING LABORATORIES PROVIDE HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WHICH CAN SUBSTANTIALLY ENHANCE RESEARCH QUALITY AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. THE USERS ON THIS APPLICATION ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN RESEARCH FUNDED BY INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FUNDING AGENCIES AND HAVE EXPERTISE WITH RESEARCH CAPABILITIES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH USING DIFFERENT MODEL SYSTEMS AND EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSES. THE USERS SEEK FUNDS THROUGH THIS PROPOSAL TO REPLACE THEIR 18-YEAR-OLD IMAGER, FLUORCHEM HD2 WHICH HAS LIMITED IMAGING CAPABILITIES AND IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE AS IT ONLY RUNS ON COMPUTERS WITH WINDOWS 7 THAT ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE SCARCE AND ARE NOT UPDATABLE. MOREOVER, THE MANUFACTURER IS NO LONGER SUPPORTING THIS GEL IMAGER, THUS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CHANGE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE OLD IMAGER. THE LACK OF A MODERN, HIGH-RESOLUTION, FUNCTIONAL IMAGING SYSTEM EFFECTS THE QUALITY OF DATA AND RELIABILITY OF ANALYSES IN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH. THE ACQUISITION OF A NEW CHEMDOC MP IMAGING SYSTEM FROM BIO-RAD WITH UP-TO-DATE DIGITAL IMAGING CAPABILITY WILL EQUIP RESEARCHERS, EDUCATORS, AND STUDENTS AT WKU, THE ABILITY TO OBTAIN HIGHER RESOLUTION IMAGES OF DNA AND PROTEIN GELS WITH GREATER DEPTH AND ACCURACY. THIS IMAGING SYSTEM WILL BE HOUSED IN THE BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER AT WKU AND WILL BE AVAILABLE AS A SHARED RESOURCE THAT WILL PROVIDE SEVERAL LEARNING AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE STUDENT COMMUNITY ACROSS DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND MAJORS AT OUR PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTE. IT WILL ENABLE THE DIVERSE UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION TO USE BASIC LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AND GAIN SKILLS IN PRODUCING HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH DATA. THE EQUIPMENT WILL FULFILL THE IMAGING NEEDS FOR FOUR DIFFERENT RESEARCH LABORATORIES AND FIVE DIFFERENT TEACHING LABORATORIES WHEREIN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS WILL GAIN VALUABLE FIRSTHAND LEARNING EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE USE OF THE INSTRUMENT AT OUR INSTITUTE.

RBDG RURAL BUSINESS COOP RURAL ENTERPRISE GRANT

EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENC

EXECUTE A BALANCED SCIENCE PROGRAM BASED ON DISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE ADMINISTRATION PRIORITIES AND DIRECTION FROM CONGRESS. PARTICIPATE AS A KEY PARTNER AND ENABLER IN THE AGENC

RUI: FUNCTIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF GOLD RESPONSIVE GENES AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLANT BASED SYSTEM FOR EFFICIENT SYNTHESIS OF GOLD NANO-PARTICLES

15.945: COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM CESU NETWORKPROGRAMMING SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE NETWORK OF COOPERATIVE STUDY UNITS TO FACILITATE COOPERATIVE RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION, AND TRAINING TO INFORM SCIENCE-BASED MANAGEMENT OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM. THE STUDY UNITS FACILITATE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SCIENCE AND INTEGRATED INFORMATION PRODUCTS ACROSS MULTIPLE GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM.THIS PROJECT CONSISTS OF A CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF THE SINKING SPRING AT THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BIRTHPLACE NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK. THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT NEED IS TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE LOSS OF THE ASH TREES (IF ANY) SINCE THE ASH TREES AROUND THE SINKING SPRING HAD BEEN IN PLACE 70-100 YEARS. THE LOSS OF THE TREES WILL CAUSE LOSS OF CANOPY AND ROOT SYSTEMS. THIS RESOURCE IN BOTH CULTURAL AND NATURAL IN NATURE, A TANGIBLE LINK TO THE LINCOLN FAMILY, A POPULAR VISITOR ATTRACTION AND A PRIMARY PARK RESOURCE.BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE STUDENTS GAINING HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE, THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SPECIES, AND THE PUBLIC ACCESSING STUDY FINDINGS.

TO SUPPORT AN EXHIBITION AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING DOCUMENTING THE EXPERIENCES AND TRADITIONS OF THE BOSNIAN COMMUNITY OF BOWLING GREEN KENTUCKY.

SUMMER CONFERENCE ON TOPOLOGY AND ITS APPLICATIONS

THE KENTUCKY MUSEUM WILL COMPLETE THE REHOUSING OF ITS HISTORIC QUILT COLLECTION TO IMPROVE STEWARDSHIP OF AND ACCESS TO THE COLLECTION. TO DO SO, THIS PROJECT WILL REHOUSE 126 QUILTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY STORED ON ROLLED TUBES AND PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL 39 BOXES TO ENABLE REHOUSING OF QUILTS IN BOXES THAT ARE CURRENTLY OVERCROWDED. THE REHOUSED QUILTS WILL THEN BE STORED ON TWELVE NEW MOBILE SHELVING UNITS, CAPABLE OF HOLDING UP TO 14 BOXES EACH. INTENDED RESULTS INCLUDE SAFE HOUSING FOR THE QUILTS WHICH WILL FACILITATE EASIER ACCESS TO THE COLLECTIONS FOR STAFF AND RESEARCHERS. PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND RESULTS WILL ALSO BE SHARED THROUGH PRESS RELEASES, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, AND THE MUSEUM’S NEWSLETTER.

THIS ACTION APPROVES A NEW AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $33,800 TO WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY RESEARCH FOUNDATION {WKU}. THESE FUNDS WILL FUND A PROJECT

SELECTION OF E. COLI SURROGATES WITH ATTACHMENT AND SURVIVAL PATTERNS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF HUMAN PATHOGENS ASSOCIATED WITH PRODUCE