Fall Grants Showcase Academic Excellence and Innovation

Seven faculty members in the College of Science and Engineering have received grants this fall, demonstrating the innovative and collaborative academic leadership of SU faculty in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and the expansion of programs vital to undergraduate research.

“At the College of Science and Engineering our faculty are addressing complex challenges and their work and scholarship is transforming the workplace and communities,” says Dean Amit Shukla, PhD. “These awards reflect the purpose and impact of faculty work in shaping the future of STEM enterprise at the national level.”

The awards include:

• Dr. Agnieszka Miguel, professor of electrical and computer engineering, was awarded $800,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF)—alongside Dr. Barbara Marino at Loyola Marymount University and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA)—to increase diversity among electrical and computer engineering (ECE) faculty by supporting women and others from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in ECE fields.
  
  
• Professor of Mathematics Dr. John Carter received funds from the American Mathematical Society (AMS) through the AMS-Simons Research Enhancement Grant for Primarily Undergraduate Institution Faculty program to study mathematical models of waves on deep and shallow water.
  
  
• Dr. Hughes Clark, associate professor of physics, received a grant from the NSF—along with collaborators at three other primarily undergraduate institutions—to obtain and analyze new observations of some of the oldest stars in the Galaxy to understand which originated from “globular clusters”—spherical groups of thousands of stars bound together by gravity.
  
  
• Teaching Professor of Chemistry Jennifer Sorensen, PhD, was awarded an NSF grant to support recruitment and preparation of K-12 STEM teachers from historically marginalized backgrounds. With funding from the NSF, Dr. Sorensen and her collaborators from five public universities in Washington state will partner with community leaders to develop strategies that address systemic barriers to recruiting and supporting K-12 STEM teachers from underrepresented backgrounds.
  
  
• Professors Dr. Wes Lauer (civil and environmental engineering), Dr. Teodora Shuman (mechanical engineering) and Dr. Shiny Abraham (electrical and computer engineering) received funds from the American Society for Engineering Education for its One Planet Mini-Grant program. Funding supports the team in developing cross-disciplinary curricular modules that will equip SU engineering students with skills, knowledge and understanding around environmental sustainability.

“My motivation in helping diversify STEM education and its career fields is rooted in the belief that innovation flourishes in diverse communities,” says Dr. Miguel. “The chance to contribute to society through technology should be accessible to all, regardless of background. I’m inspired to help remove barriers that women and underrepresented minorities often encounter, making academia a more inclusive and welcoming place.”