Kent State is set to receive $1.5 million in federal grant money that will go toward three science research projects. 

The majority of the grant money comes from the National Science Foundation. 

One of the projects headed by Oleg Lavrentovich is “Collaborative Research: Materials Engineering of Columnar and Living Liquid Crystals via Experimental Characterization, Mathematical Modeling, and Simulation.”

Another project, under the direction of Ye Zhao, is “GeoVisuals Software: Capturing, Managing, and Utilizing GeoSpatial Multimedia Data for Collaborative Field Research.” 

Both of these projects are set to receive $500,000.

According to the project’s National Science Foundation page, “Videos, photos, and narratives (audio, text, graphics) enriched with geospatial coordinates can be used to capture spatial data and associated contextual information for a variety of challenging environments. These data can fill gaps where no data exists, capture ephemeral or constantly changing information, and provide contextual insights that elevate local knowledge beyond more traditional methods.”

The last project, directed by Lothar Reichel, is “Matrix Functions and Network Analysis.” This project received $150,000. 

Other than the science projects receiving grants, the Department of Health and Human Services also granted the university $161,115 for their Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program. 

The Department of Education McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program awarded $241,556 to prepare for higher learning projects to help disadvantaged college students and doctoral study.

McKenna Corson is the assigning editor. Contact her at [email protected]