As of July 2009, Virginia Tech researchers have received 18 grants through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), totaling $6.763 million, announced Robert Walters, vice president for research. Project topics range from research experiences for undergraduates to the development of advanced materials and studies of disease-causing mosquitoes.
Fifteen of the grants are funded by the National Science Foundation and three are National Institutes of Health grants. The economic stimulus aspect of the grants takes the form of providing more than 50 people with summer-time, part-time, or full-time employment.
The support means opportunities for students to pursue their studies. A number of postdoctoral researchers are also being employed. "The students and staff live in the local community and spend their wages locally, so their jobs benefit the local economy," says Roderick Hall, associate vice president for research.
The research experience for undergraduates (REU) grants offer summer research opportunities to students from across the nation. "These programs contribute to workforce development in cutting-edge emerging technologies," says Beth Tranter, chief of staff with Virginia Tech's Office for Research.
No comments:
Post a Comment