Faculty Research Grants Announced

Twelve grants for faculty research and scholarly activity totaling $71,851 were approved by the faculty grants committee. The recipients and their projects are:

• Kevin Foley (Clinical Lab Sciences): “Comparison of Oxidized Lipid Assays for Predicting Cardiovascular Risk.” The purpose of this study is to use patient blood samples and perform two different tests on the blood for atherosclerosis, and from this determine which would be better for clinical assessment of patients’ cardiovascular health.

• Ronald Johnson (English): “Part Three of The Last Rodeo: Completion of a Novel.” The object of this project is to secure a course release to enable a draft of the last section of the novel The Last Rodeo, and submit the manuscript for publication consideration. 

• James McCommons (English): “Waiting on a Train.” Research will be done on the European rail network, its facilities, stations and passenger equipment for a narrative nonfiction book titled Waiting on a Train: Anticipating the Revival of the American Passenger Rail System.

• Neil Russell (Physics): “A Compilation and Analysis of Lorentz Tests.” The aim of this project is to produce a manuscript presenting a collection and critical analysis of all recent theoretical and experimental results testing the accuracy of the theory of relativity.

• Mark Shevy (Communication and Performance Studies): “Perception of Non-Diatonic Music Pitch-Class Set Changes.” This initial experiment will examine whether listeners are able to perceive pitch-class set changes in modern music as they do in classical music, and the extent to which pitch-class order facilitates or inhibits this perception.

• Jaspal Singh (English): “Trauma, Resistance, Reconciliation in Post-1994 South African Writing." Singh will be conducting research on South African Literature at the University of Cape Town’s library in order to complete an anthology by the same name.

• Katherine Teeter (Biology): “An Investigation of Selfish Genetic Elements in Wild House Mice Populations.” As a rule to classic genetics, offspring has a 50 percent chance of receiving a particular allele, however it is known that the transmission is far greater than 50 percent. This study is designed to examine the frequency of this phenomenon in mice.

• William Tireman (Physics): “Precision Measurement of the Neutron Internal Charge Distribution.” This study will focus on new developments in the internal structure of the neutron and proton. The project will be making a precision measurement of the neutron’s internal charge distribution in a region where the charge is changing rapidly.

• Greg Warchol and Dale Kapla (Criminal Justice): “Conservation Crimes and Routine Activities.” This research will examine the problem of illegal hunting in South Africa’s Kruger National Park through the application of Routine Activities Theory.

• Phillip Watts (Heath, Physical Education and Recreation): “Changes in Metabolic Cost and Economy with Long-term Repeated Performance in Rock Climbing.” The purpose of this study will be to observe oxygen uptake and energy expenditure variability with repeated ascents of the same climbing route over a 10-week period.