A university’s ability to produce knowledge and innovation through research initiatives sets premier/flagship institutions apart from their competitors. Albany State University is taking steps to bolster its stature in the area of research. To support Albany State University faculty and staff engaged in research that benefits the Southwest Georgia community, interim ASU President Dr. Art Dunning launched the Presidential Research Awards Program, called PRAP.  A total of 14 projects were submitted and 10 received funding up to $5,000 each. The winning proposals focused on health disparities in Albany and surrounding areas, the impact of retention on adult learners and the role of social media in increasing health and nutrition awareness.

On Thursday, June 5, the Albany State University Office of Research and Sponsored Programs will host an orientation meeting for the recipients of the PRAP award. The program begins at noon in the International Trade Center located in ACAD 172.

“While we have several faculty members who have outstanding track records of receiving and managing grants, we created the Presidential Research Awards Program to position more ASU faculty to be strong competitors for federal funding,” said ASU interim Vice-President of Institutional Advancement Dr. Chanta M. Haywood. “More importantly, the PRAP seed money enables ASU faculty to focus on research and develop initiatives that respond to issues that impact ASU students, and Albany and Southwest Georgia communities,” she added.

A total of $50,000 was awarded to the following PRAP recipients:

Dr. Devi Akella, Retention of Adult Learners in the MBA Program

Dr. Anilkumar Devarapu, Mathematical Modeling of Nanofluid Mixed Convection

Dr. Li Feng, Needs Assessment for High School Mathematics in Southwest Georgia

Dr. Jeffery Mack, African American Mixed Media Poetry Project

Dr. Ghislain Mandouma, Synthesis of Substituted Benzo[c]cinnolines and Dibenzo[c,h]cinnolines Potential Inhibitors of Topoisomerases I and II

Drs. JoAnn McCrary, and Shayla Williams, Enhancing Learning Through Graphic Novels

Vanessa McRae, Project SCORE:  Student success, Critical thinking, Originality (self-expression), Research (multidisciplinary, civic and community based), and Engagement

Dr. Judith Rosenbaum, Picture This: Using Social Media to Increase Health and Nutrition Awareness

Dr. Arun Saha, Prospect of Carbon Coated Ferrite Nano Particiles (CFN) in Breast Cancer Treatment by Microwave Radiation and

Dr. Charles Williams, Humanities Initiatives in HBCUs: Digital Repository for the Arts

For more information contact the ASU Office of University Communications at 229-430-4671.