Principal Investigators: Robert Stensrud & Matt Bruinekool
Project Title: Council of State Administrators of Vocational
Rehabilitation (CSAVR) -Drake VR Counselor Support Network
Project Summary: This project will provide scholarships to students who pursue MS degrees in rehabilitation counseling and agree to take positions with state vocational rehabilitation agencies for internship and employment. The project also will create a national clearinghouse for matching open internship and job positions with students willing to travel to those locations. Guest speakers will be involved in speaking to classes via Skype, mentoring students via email, and assisting faculty in showing alternate employment settings.
Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Amount Awarded: $199,999

Principal Investigator: John Harrell
Project Title: Impact of Sedentary Time Accumulation on Cerebrovascular Reactivity
Project Summary: Funds will be used to test increases in cerebral blood flow in highly sedentary and non-sedentary young adults. Further, the research is aimed at investigating a specific mechanism (cyclooxygenase) of cerebral vasodilation.
Funding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Iowa Space Grant Consortium
Amount Awarded: $10,000

Principal Investigator: Adina Kilpatrick
Project Title: Using Synthetic Biology and Molecular Biophysics Tools to Design and Characterize Auto-Fluorescent Biosensors
Project Summary: Funds will be used for the development of a project-based molecular biophysics laboratory course for the spring 2016 semester. The goal of the project is to use tools from synthetic biology and molecular biophysics to design and characterize fluorescent biosensors that can be used in the detection of ions or to investigate protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. Biosensors containing cyan and yellow fluorescent proteins will be used to investigate the calcium-dependent interaction between calmodulin and the ryanodine receptor, two proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling in muscle cells.
Funding Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration – Iowa Space Grant Consortium
Amount Awarded: $5,000

Principal Investigator: Neil Hamilton
Project Title: Logistical Support for Conference on Soil and Water Policy
Project Summary: Funds will be used to host a conference at Drake on soil and water policy on Nov. 19-20, to determine the interface between science and policy in protecting and enhancing soil and water resources.
Funding Agency: USDA Agricultural Research Service
Amount Awarded: $5,000

—Submitted by Jayne Smith, Director, Sponsored Programs and Grant Management