ASU to receive $20 million in federal appropriations for research

Feb. 11, 2010 -- Arkansas State University will receive more than $20 million in funding as part of federal government appropriations for the state’s research institutions. The funding was made possible through the efforts of Arkansas Congressman Marion Berry and his staff, Arkansas senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and their staffs,  and the late Congressman John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

A large part of the funding comes from the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 3326, which was passed in December and signed into law by President Barack Obama. Congressman Berry and Senator Pryor serve respectively on the House and Senate appropriations committees which allowed them the opportunity to help formulate the bill.

“We are deeply grateful to Congressman Berry and Senators Lincoln and Pryor  and their staffs for their support of these appropriations,” said Chancellor Robert L. Potts. “Our thanks also go to those whose efforts were crucial in writing the proposals and making federal budget requests. Congressional funding is critical as we continue to advance our research agenda by establishing a foundation for more competitively-awarded grants in the future, and by gaining recognition as a research intensive institution.”

The appropriations total $21.6 million including $1.6 million provided to ASU’s Beck PRIDE Center for America’s Wounded Veterans for expansion and development of programs benefitting returning veterans and their families.

The following special appropriations will provide ASU researchers and staff with continuing funds to work on their important projects.  The funding is as follows:

• $8.5 million, Defense Bill: Standoff Hazardous Agent Detection and Evaluation System (SHADES).  Principal investigator is Dr. Roger Buchanan, Professor of Neurobiology.
• $1.6 million, Defense Bill: Spectroscopic Materials Identification Center.  Principal investigator is Dr. Susan D. Allen, Distinguished Professor of Laser Applications and Science
• $4.8 million, Defense Bill: Standoff Improvised Explosive Device Detection Program (SIEDP).  Principal investigator is Dr. Susan D. Allen.
• $3 million, Defense Bill:  Biological Air Filtering Systems Technology (BAFST).  Principal investigator is Dr. Susan D. Allen.
• $1.6 million, Defense Bill: Beck PRIDE (Personal Rehabilitation, Individual Development and Education) Center for America's Wounded Veterans.  Principal investigator is Dr. Susan Hanrahan, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Professions.
• $500,000, Energy and Water Bill: Ethanol from Agriculture project.  Principal investigator is Dr. Elizabeth Hood, Professor of Molecular Biotechnology.
• $1 million, Energy and Water Bill: Mid-South/Southeast Bioenergy Consortium, a partnership project with University of Arkansas.  ASU principal investigator is Dr. Greg Phillips, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Technology.
• $600,000, Agriculture Bill: Agricultural Research Service researcher to be employed by ARS and housed on the ASU campus.

Dr. Glen Jones, senior associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research and executive assistant to the chancellor for diversity, is instrumental in building relationships between the ASU campus and federal organizations. He noted the $600,000 appropriation through the U. S. Department of Agriculture represents ongoing funding in the budget of the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) for placement of a researcher on the ASU campus, who will work closely with researchers at the ARS facilities near Oxford, Miss. 

“We look forward to establishing a significant, long-term relationship with ARS as our respective researchers work collaboratively to address issues related to water quality and water quantity in the Lower Mississippi River basin and beyond,” said Dr. Jones.

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