Albany State University’s Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP) hosted its annual Principal Investigator (PI) Appreciation Day. This signature event celebrates the dedication, achievements, and impact of ASU’s faculty and staff who work tirelessly to secure external funding for research, scholarship, and programming that benefits the university, the Southwest Georgia region, and the nation.

The event also served as a platform for active awardees to share their funded projects and explore new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.

This year’s featured speaker was Dr. Jia Lu, Professor of Geography and Urban Planning at Valdosta State University. Dr. Lu presented “Empowering STEM Diversity and Research Capacity through Applied Geospatial Analysis: A Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration,” offering insights into community-driven research and opportunities for partnership across institutions to strengthen student learning and public engagement.

Faculty Achievements in Sponsored Programs

During FY 2025, ASU faculty demonstrated exceptional productivity and competitiveness in securing external funding. Collectively, faculty:

• Submitted 33 proposals totaling more than $30 million

• Received 29 awards totaling over $10 million in grants, contracts, and subawards

These accomplishments are especially notable given the university’s identity as a primarily undergraduate teaching institution, where faculty balance significant instructional responsibilities alongside rigorous research and sponsored program activities.

“The level of commitment our faculty show in writing, managing, and implementing externally funded projects is exceptional,” stated Dr. Louise Wrensford, Executive Director of ORSP. “Their work directly enhances ASU’s research enterprise and elevates the educational experiences of our students.”

Dr. Dorene Medlin Receives 2025 Service and Grantsmanship Award

A highlight of the ceremony was the recognition of Dr. Dorene Medlin, Chair of the School of Education), who received the Outstanding Service and Grantsmanship Award.

Dr. Medlin was honored for her exemplary leadership in research oversight and external funding, including:

• Serving as Chair of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) since 2018, following her prior service as a committee member. Her leadership ensures ASU maintains full compliance with federal regulations governing human subjects research.
  
  
• Demonstrating outstanding success in grantsmanship as both Principal Investigator and Co-Principal Investigator.
  
  
• Securing over $4 million in external funding as Principal Investigator across multiple federal agencies.

Her funded projects include:

• Noyce: Citizen Science—A Pathway to Increase and Diversify the STEM Teaching Force in Rural Georgia
  $1.487 million — NSF
  Team: Medlin, DeCuir, Foreman
  
  
• CCAMPIS: Albany State University—Caring for the Next Generation of Golden Rams
  $2.4 million — U.S. Department of Education
  PI: Medlin
  
  
• Broadening Participation Research Project: Genre Theory as a Catalyst for Broadening Underserved Students’ Participation in STEM Discourse Communities
  $349,000 — NSF
  Team: Medlin, Foreman, Lemon

Additionally, Dr. Medlin’s collaborative scholarship has contributed to subawards with partner institutions such as the University of Georgia and Georgia State University.

“Dr. Medlin exemplifies what it means to be a scholar-leader at Albany State,” said Wrensford. “Her commitment to compliance, grant stewardship, and transformative educational research has had a profound impact on our institution.”

Celebrating ASU’s Research Community

The event concluded with recognition of faculty whose research and grant-funded initiatives enrich academic programs and expand opportunities for students. Presenters during the Funded Projects Showcase included:

• Dr. Yong Jin Lee, Professor of Biology

• Dr. Jean Medastin, Executive Director, ASU Global

• Dr. Chinenye Ofodile, Professor & Chair, Department of Mathematics, Computer Science & Physics

• Dr. Arun Saha, Professor and Coordinator of Pre-Engineering

• Dr. John Williams, Associate Professor & Chair, Department of Natural Sciences

• Dr. Dorene Medlin, Chair, School of Education/Business