To take proactive steps toward encouraging relevant and timely interdisciplinary research, Dr. Vimal Chaitanya, NMSU's Vice President for Research, Graduate Studies and International Programs, has established the Interdisciplinary Research Grants (IRG) program. The purpose of the IRGs is to provide seed money for ideas that are innovative, of critical importance to New Mexico and the nation, and lead potentially to breakthrough discoveries. Faculty members are expected to create significant opportunities for students to participate in the funded projects. A maximum of $50,000 was awarded to the selected projects, which are listed below:
- Title: "Weeds: A Guide to Identify Water Efficient Biofuel Crops for the Southern Great Plains"
PI: Sangamesh Angadi, Plant and Environmental Sciences, [angadis@nmsu.edu, (505) 985-2292]
Co-PIs: Tracy Sterling, Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science, [tsterlin@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-6177]
Mark Marsalis, Extension Plant Sciences, [marsalis@nmsu.edu, (505) 985-2292]
Victor Cabrera, Extension Animal Resources, [vcabrera@nmsu.edu, (505)985-2292] - Title: "Integrating Life Sciences and Mechanics in Bio-engineering Context"
PI: Joe Cecil, Industrial Engineering [(jcecil@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-2950)]
Co-PIs: Soumitra Ghoshrov, Biology [(sghoshro@nmsu.edu (505) 646-3268)]
Jing He, Computer Science [(jinghe@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-6256)]
B. Shashikanth, Mechanical Engineering [(shashi@me.nmsu.edu, (505) 646-4348)] - Title: "Large Section Cortical Bone Repair and Regeneration"
PI: Vincent Choo, Mechanical Engineering [(vchoo@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-2225)]
Co-PIs: C.B. Shuster, Biology [(cshuster@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-1325)]
D.H. Zhang, Chemistry and Biochemistry [(dhzhang@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-2505)] - Title: "Influence of Fungal Entophyte on Cellulosic Attachment by Ruminal Microorganisms"
PI: Shanna Ivey, Animal and Range Science [(sivey@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-4650)]
Co-PI: Rebecca Creamer, Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science [(creamer@taipan.nmsu.edu, (505) 646-3068)] - Title: Development of Microbial Fuel Cells for Electricity Production from Organic Solid Wastes
PI: N. Khandan, Civil Engineering (nkhandan@nmsu.edu)
Co-PIs: Shuguang Deng, Chemical Engineering; (sdeng@nmsu.edu)
G. Smith, Biology [(gsmith@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-6080)] - Title: "Development of an Intelligent Robotic System for Neural Rehabilitation"
PI: Ou Ma, Mechanical Engineering [(oma@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-6534)]
Co-PIs: Robert Paz, Electrical and Computer Engineering; [(rpaz@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-4933)]
Son Tran, Computer Science [(stran@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-1930)] - Title: "Multiscale Modeling of Core-Shell Nanostructures"
PI: Young Ho Park, Mechanical Engineering (ypark@nmsu.edu)
Co-PI: Igor Vasiliev, Physics (vasiliev@nmsu.edu) - Title: "Detection and Functional Analysis of Promoter Elements of Genes Involved in N Assimilation in
Plants"
PI: Champa Sengupta-Gopalan, Plant and Environmental Sciences (csgopala@nmsu.edu)
Co-PIs: Desh Ranjan, Computer Science [(dranjan@nmsu.edu (505) 646-4600)] - Title: "Development of Novel Small Molecule Inhibitors for Cancer Research"
PI: Charles Shuster, Biology [(cshuster@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-1325)]
Co-PI: Jeffrey Arterburn, Chemistry and Biochemistry [(jarterbu@nmsu.edu, (505) 646-2738)] - Title: "Computational Modeling of Gene Regulation in the Development of Electric Organ for Muscle Cells in Electric
Fish"
PI: Joe Song, Computer Science (joemsong@cs.nmsu.edu)
Co-PI: Graciela Unguez, Biology (gunguez@nmsu.edu)