Ten colleges, universities share $378K in Education Enhancement Grants
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The
North Carolina Biotechnology Center has awarded nine grants totaling
$377,760 to boost biotechnology research and teaching at 10 community
colleges, colleges and universities statewide.
The Education Enhancement Grants (EEGs) range from an $89,455 award to
Campbell University in Buies Creek for the purchase of a liquid
chromatography-mass spectrometry instrument, to $8,852 for educators at
Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem and Rowan-Cabarrus
Community College in Salisbury to jointly evaluate the need for a short
non- credit course for technical service providers, such as welders and
plumbers, who maintain or construct life-science research facilities.
"We're delighted with the increasing number and diversity of the EEG
requests we're seeing," said Dr. Kathleen Kennedy, the Biotechnology
Center's vice president, education & training program. "These awards
represent investment in public as well as private institutions, as
biotechnology takes on ever-greater relevance for North Carolina's economic
future."
The EEG program is one of several administered by the Biotechnology
Center to support biotechnology education and workforce training.
Following are the grant recipients' descriptions of their EEG projects:
- Daniel Shin, associate professor, and Lewis M. Fetterman Jr., assistant
professor, pharmaceutical sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek,
$89,455. "A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) instrument
will be purchased to enhance seven bachelors and masters level courses
in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Campbell University.
LC-MS instruments are indispensable in the pharmaceutical and
biotechnology industries today. The department is committed to
providing highly skilled graduates for these industries in North
Carolina."
- Jeanie H. Moore, vice president of continuing education programs, and
Tori Torres, student services counselor, Rowan-Cabarrus Community
College, Salisbury, $61,109. "'Train the Counselor' workshops will
ensure a seamless continuum of biotechnology career preparation from
middle school through post-secondary programs. Workshops will be
delivered to multiple audiences in the Charlotte region. Formative
assessments will be conducted to ensure quality and relevance to
workforce development needs."
- John Cavanaugh, professor of molecular and structural biochemistry,
North Carolina State University, $20,000. "The grant will support the
planning and development of a new undergraduate course in integrative
structural biosciences."
- Ashley A. Hagler, genetics lecturer/lab coordinator, University of
North Carolina-Charlotte, $13,010. "Students will incorporate DNA-based
hands-on biotechnology techniques in an introductory genetics
laboratory course."
- Paul J. Bartels, professor of biology at Warren Wilson College,
Asheville, and Sean O'Connell, assistant professor of microbial
ecology, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, $62,010. "Discovery of
cryptic biodiversity requires state-of-the-art microscopy, digital
image analysis, and DNA sequence analysis. Field work, lab work and
discovery of new species offer an exciting combination to introduce
undergraduates to biotechnology. We will enhance the undergraduate
educational experience by creating a photomicroscopy facility at Warren
Wilson College and upgrading the DNA analysis capability at Western
Carolina University. Technology exchange between WWC and WCU will
multiply training opportunities.
- Denise Young, director of educational programs and Jeff Hill, director
of marketing and business ventures, Morehead Planetarium and Science
Center, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, $62,824. "The Science
360 platform incorporates live demonstrations and multimedia elements
into educational presentations for large groups. Morehead Planetarium
and Science Center's biotechnology initiative will create three
presentations for this platform, which will serve the 130,000 North
Carolinians (many from rural counties) who visit MPSC annually.
Podcasts and a Web site extend this programming to global audiences.
- Libby Puckett, assistant professor of chemistry and director of the
forensic science program, Appalachian State University, $48,500. "One
of the goals of the department of chemistry at Appalachian State
University is gaining accreditation for our forensic science program.
This award will help restructure the current program to incorporate
interdisciplinary, lab-based coursework in forensic chemistry to
specifically train our majors to work in forensic analysis."
- Russ Read, director of the National Center for Biotechnology Workforce,
Forsyth Technical Community College, Winston-Salem, and Jeanie H.
Moore, vice president of continuing education programs, Rowan-Cabarrus
Community College, Salisbury, $8,852. "Two BioNetwork NCCCS community
colleges (Forsyth Tech and Rowan-Carbarrus) which support workforce
training for their respective research parks wish to determine the
specific need and provide a non-credit certificate course for service
technicians (HVAC, welders, plumbers, electrical, internet/telephone)
that either help build or maintain life science park buildings'
systems, including highly regulated laboratories. The curriculum would
be given to the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the North
Carolina Community College System BioNetwork for statewide use."
- Gregory J. Cole, senior research scientist, Kara A.M. Battle, director
of education and Dr. Ken Harewood, director, Biomedical/Biotechnology
Research Institute at North Carolina Central University, $12,000. "This
project is designed to enhance biotechnology education at North
Carolina Central University (NCCU), targeting NCCU faculty, and
graduate and upper level undergraduate students. This will be achieved
by a Distinguished Interdisciplinary Seminar Series hosted by the
Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute
(JLC-BBRI) and Biomanufacturing Research Institute & Technology
Enterprise (BRITE) at NCCU, that will allow nationally respected
speakers to address students and faculty on topics related to various
aspects of biotechnology and biomedical sciences."
The Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation supported
by the N.C. General Assembly. Its mission is to provide long-term economic
and societal benefits to North Carolina by supporting biotechnology
research, business and education statewide.
Visit the Biotechnology Center's Web site at http://www.ncbiotech.org.
SOURCE North Carolina Biotechnology Center
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Related links:
http://www.ncbiotech.org
CONTACT:
Jim Shamp, news & publications editor, North
Carolina Biotechnology Center, +1-919-541-9366, or
jim_shamp@ncbiotech.org
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