Tri-Cities faculty earn summer research grants

RICHLAND, Wash. – A record of nine faculty members at Washington State University Tri-Cities received year-end awards and summer research grants totaling about $100,000.

“These awards demonstrate the high quality of our faculty,” said James R. Pratt, interim chancellor of WSU Tri-Cities.

“Research is critical to the development of our campus and our community,” he said. “Students participating in these faculty-led research projects will be well positioned to take on leadership roles in the future.”

The grant funding provides salaries and covers the hard costs related to academic research. The faculty members all hold Ph.Ds. They represent three colleges.

 

College of Education

Amy Roth McDuffie won the Faculty Excellence in Research Award from the WSU College of Education for her work in math education. An associate professor of teaching and learning, she is involved in research funded by the National Science Foundation, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and the Ben and Nancy Ellison Faculty Fellowship. She joined WSU Tri-Cities in 1998.

“Dr. Roth McDuffie is a nationally recognized scholar who enlightens educational professionals on culturally responsive methods of teaching and learning math concepts and skills,” said Elizabeth Nagel, assistant vice chancellor of professional programs at WSU Tri-Cities. “She is engaged in making meaningful change at the local, state and national levels. Amy is a local treasure, and the Tri-Cities region benefits from her commitment to enhancing learning in all our communities.”

Judy Morrison, associate professor of teaching and learning, received the Berry Family Faculty Fellowship for her leadership in science education. Morrison, who joined WSU Tri-Cities in 2001, will receive $20,000 towards her research efforts, split over the next two years.

“Dr. Morrison has provided the leadership for a team of scholars as they examined the attributes of our local award-winning STEM school, Delta High,” said Nagel. “Her work has led to a greater understanding of the ways in which schools focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics can uniquely foster the teaching practices that enhance student ability to view the world from an investigative lens. The fellowship will expand Judy’s scholarship to explore the effective practices at another STEM school, Aviation High School in Des Moines, Wash.”

College of Arts and Sciences

Nikolaos Voulgarakis, assistant professor of mathematics, received $29,000 from the WSU New Faculty Seed Grant Program for his work in “Hybrid Molecular and Continuous Mechanics for Nanoscale Modeling of Gene Delivery.” Voulgarakis just completed his first year at WSU Tri-Cities.

Andréa D. Davis, assistant professor of English, received a WSU New Faculty Seed Grant of $20,000 for her project, “Analyzing American Settler and Native Intercultural Relations through Archival Records.” In addition, she received the English department’s inaugural Buchanan Summer Research Fellowship, which includes $4,000 for research. She has taught at WSU Tri-Cities since 2009.

Andrea Aebersold, clinical assistant professor of English, received a 2013 Summer Research Fellowship of $3,000 from the WSU Department of English. Aebersold is working on the Hanford History Partnership, a collaborative effort of WSU Tri-Cities and regional organizations to compile Hanford oral histories. She is working to identify and secure grants to support digitalization and archiving of the oral histories, public programming and future interdisciplinary courses.

“I am very proud of Dr. Voulgarakis, Dr. Davis and Dr. Aebersold,” said Michael Mays, assistant vice chancellor of the College of Arts and Sciences at WSU Tri-Cities. “Their success in garnering these very competitive university-wide awards is a reflection of the remarkable strength of the entire spectrum of our arts and sciences faculty and programs.”

College of Business

The College of Business awarded summer research grants to four faculty members at WSU Tri-Cities.

Jesse Catlin, assistant professor of marketing, is focusing on, “Deconstructing Sustainability: The Different Effects of Pro-Environmental and Pro-Social Attributes on Consumer Behavior. Catlin joined WSU Tri-Cities in 2012.

Sheen Liu, associate professor of finance, is working on “Examining Bond Price Volatility: To decompose the bond price volatility into information and liquidity components.” Liu has taught at WSU Tri-Cities since 2011.

Paul Skilton, assistant professor of management, is examining, “Food Hubs: Complex Cooperatives and the Creation of Value.” Skilton arrived at WSU Tri-Cities in 2010.

Li Xu, assistant professor of accounting, is studying the Jumpstart Our Business Start-ups Act that President Obama signed into law one year ago. The JOBS Act encourages funding of U.S. small businesses by easing various securities regulations. Xu joined WSU Tri-Cities in 2012.

In addition to the faculty awards, Melanie Casciato was named the 2012-2013 Outstanding Staff Member of the Year by the WSU College of Business. Casciato is principal assistant in the Office of Professional Programs at WSU Tri-Cities where she helps coordinate the business, education, engineering and nursing academic programs.

WSU Tri-Cities is located along the scenic Columbia River in Richland, Wash. Established in 1989 with upper division and graduate programs, WSU Tri-Cities expanded in 2007 to a four-year undergraduate campus offering 18 bachelor’s, 10 master’s and six doctoral degree programs. Learn about the most diverse campus in the WSU system at http://tricity.wsu.edu.

 

 

Contacts:
James R. Pratt, WSU Tri-Cities Interim Chancellor, 509-372-7258, chancellor@tricity.wsu.edu
Kari Tutwiler, WSU Tri-Cities Communications Coordinator, 509-372-7323, tutwilerk@tricity.wsu.edu