Research Highlights

Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR S3OK researchers Drs. Chris Zou and Rodney Will, professors of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University (OSU) collaborated with Dr. Lixia Lambert and Mr. Joshua Everett also from OSU to study land and water system dynamics (i.e., runoff and sediment yield) that were related to the conversion of a marginal grassland watershed to a switchgrass biomass production system. The research team used two experimental watersheds that were previously established at OSU’s Range Research Station. One watershed served as the untreated Control Watershed and the second as the Impact Watershed that was converted into “Alamo” switchgrass production system.

How will New Mexico’s energy transition policies impact YOU? Learn now through a story map PhD candidate Jason Banegas made for Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department of New Mexico/New Mexico EPSCoR.

KY INBRE’s weekly newsletter series introduces the 2022 KY INBRE funding recipients. This week, meet Dr. Diane Lickenbrock, Western Kentucky University, recipient of a KY INBRE IDeA award: “The funding from KY INBRE has helped us purchase equipment and supplies needed for the project. It has also funded graduate students, as well as summer student research assistants who help with the project. The data from this project has supported NIH grant applications for funding to continue examining contributors of infant emotion regulation development.”

Ustad will remain the lead Principal Investigator (PI) on the current five-year NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) Track-1 award that involves six South Dakota public universities, two private universities, three tribal colleges, and state agencies. The project’s objective is to develop South Dakota’s research infrastructure, support STEM education and technology-based economic development.

KY INBRE’s weekly newsletter series introduces the 2022 KY INBRE funding recipients. This week, meet Dr. Christopher Lennon, Murray State University, recipient of a KY INBRE Postdoctoral Fellow award: “Through this award, we are investigating the emerging regulatory role of inteins, as well as exploiting these elements in novel ways to develop useful applications in protein engineering.”

Dr. Kazi Javed took a small Kentucky NSF EPSCoR grant for nanotube research at the University of Kentucky and evolved it into a program at Kentucky State University supporting hundreds of undergraduate students.

In July 2022, Dr. Javed retired, concluding his work as a teacher, mentor, and leader. “I mean this from the bottom of my heart, it’s not about me. It’s about how we started, how we performed, and how we can sustain it. I’d like to think of myself simply as the catalyst.”

With Kazi’s retirement, Dr. Suzette Polson, his longtime faculty colleague, is picking up the torch. “Dr. Polson has been coordinating the PLTL organic and biochemistry workshops since the inception of the program. I trust she will continue to grow the program. If it continues to have the impact, it is still worth supporting. For the STEM pipeline, and as the only HBCU university in the Commonwealth, it is incredibly important to do the best we can for our STEM students to succeed. I’ll be rooting for their success in every way I can.”

The Iowa Space Grant Consortium was recently at STEM Day at the Iowa State Fair. ISGC Interim Director, Sara Nelson (right), met with Iowa Governor, Kim Reynolds (left).

Prizes were given out. Attendees participated in a variety of STEM activities and filled out postcards to go out on a rocket to space.

SC INBRE researcher Mike Giuliano, College of Charleston, and lab have recently published, “The neuropeptide galanin adopts an irregular secondary structure,” in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Said Giuliano, “Happy to share the the outstanding work of CofC Chem undergrad researchers Rachel Wilkinson, Katie Kraichely, and Cecilia Hendy! [Thank you to] SC INBRE for their support of my lab, and flexibility in funding during the pandemic – that let me pay our first author and rockstar Rachel Wilkinson.”

Each year, the North Dakota EPSCoR State Office accepts competitive proposals for equipment that helps advance scientific inquiry and R&D. Turtle Mountain Community College (TMCC) received an award to procure a carbon flux measurement instrument. This instrument is designed to provide detailed measurements for carbon and water fluxes at a field scale, as well as detailed weather and soil information important to climatic effects on net ecosystem carbon gains and water losses. TMCC is working with the Tribal Agriculture and Natural Resources Departments to assist them with research pertaining to environmental quality and the effects of land management on carbon sequestration.

Little is known about what drives rare biodiversity in cities. Rare plant species in urban gardens may be the answer. The plants in turn attract rare bee and bird species, according to a Dartmouth College-led study looking at urban gardens in northern California.

The NSF-supported results, published in Ecological Applications, show that women, older gardeners, and those who live near the gardens tend to curate more rare plants. "There appears to be a cascading effect of people planting uncommon species on the accumulation of other uncommon bee and bird species," says lead author Theresa Ong.