Research Awards

April 2025

  Dr. Radesh Palakurthi, IHG Endowed Chair of Excellence / professor and dean in Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality & Resort Management, was awarded $1,315,268 from the State of Tennessee for his project “HOSPITRAIN - Hospitality Integrated Training Network: Forging Tomorrow's Hospitality Leaders; From Classrooms to Careers in Greater Memphis.”   Dr. Thomas R. Sutter, professor and W. Harry Feinstone Chair of Excellence in Molecular Biology, was awarded $364,583 from The National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project “Cellular Determinants of AH Receptor Signaling.”   Dr. Janey Camp, research professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, was awarded $225,000 from The Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) for her project “Developing an Asset Inventory and Vulnerability Analysis of TN Water and Wastewater Utility Infrastructure - Phase I,” and $39,995 from the U.S. Department of Energy (US DoE) for her project “Empowering Minorities in Clean Energy: A Solar Workforce Development Initiative for African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans.”   Dr. Kristoffer Berlin, professor, Clinical (Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies) in Psychology, was awarded $122,004 from The National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project “Family mHealth Intervention to Improve Health Outcomes in Black Youth with Type 1 Diabetes: A Multi-Center Randomized Controlled Trial.”   Dr. Brian Waldron, associate professor in Civil Engineering and director for the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering (CAESER), was awarded $83,334 from West Tennessee River Basin Authority for his project “WTRBA drones and sensors.”   Dr. Amy Cook, assistant professor and Undergraduate Coordinator in Computer Science, was awarded $63,961 from National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her project “NIH SEPA: The Memphis STEMM Ecosystem Scientists Communicating Research to Students (SCoReS) Program.”   Dr. Mark Gillenson, professor in Management Information Systems (MIS), was awarded $61,250 from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for his project “Testing & Evaluation Course Instruction and Research in Support of Information Technology Systems.”   Dr. Mohammed Yeasin, professor in the Institute for Intelligent Systems, was awarded $60,628 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project “Machine Learning Prediction of 1-Year Mortality and Recurrence after Ischemic Stroke Using Enriched EHR data.”   Dr. Nathan DeYonker, associate professor in Chemistry, was awarded $58,241 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his project “Examining Fundamental 3d Transition Metal Bonding: A Combined Spectroscopic and Theoretical Approach.”   Dr. Chidambaram Ramanathan, research associate professor in the College of Health Science, was awarded, a $55,601 from the GTS Biotech LLC for his project “Exploring the potential of cinnamon extract in reducing programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in human skin cell lines exposed to UV radiation.”    Dr. Sabyasachee Mishra, professor in Civil Engineering and director of CEAT and C-TIER, was awarded $30,000 from the East Tennessee Clean Fuels for his project “Initial Experiential EV Ride & Drive events.”   Leonard Schranze, Viola in the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music, was awarded $30,000 from Interlochen Arts Academy for his project “Guest Artist - Interlochen Arts Academy.”   Dr. Han Yu, assistant professor in Economics, was awarded $28,319 from the Social Security Administration for his project “Racial/Gender Disparities in Early Retirement Decisions During the COVID-19 Pandemic.”   Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, executive vice president for the Division of Research & Innovation, was awarded $25,000 from Launch Tennessee for his project “TTAC Proof of Concept Grant Program.”   Dr. Jeremy Whittaker, associate dean for Student Success and Inclusion in the Loewenberg College of Nursing, was awarded $25,000 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for his project “Supporting the Retention of Next Generation Registered Nurses (STRONG-RNs).”   Dr. Yong Hoon Lee, assistant professor in Mechanical Engineering, was awarded $20,000 from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy for his project “Wind Energy with Integrated Servo-control (WEIS): Phase II.”   Cindy Muzzi, assistant director in The Center for Research in Educational Policy (CREP), was awarded $15,579.75 from the Tennessee Higher Educ Commission (THEC) for her project “2025 High School Senior Opinion Survey (HSSOS).”   Dr. Kristoffer Berlin, professor in Clinical (Child, Adolescent, and Family Studies) Psychology, was awarded $10,850 from The National Institutes of Health (NIH) for his project “Effect of time-based energy intake goals on weight loss during obesity treatment.”   Dr. Joel Bumgardner, professor in Biomedical Engineering, was awarded $9,213 from The Hera Health Solutions Inc for his project “Resorbable Device evaluations.”   Yangbin Park, program coordinator in Art and Design, was awarded $1,309 from the Bradury Art Museum at Arkansas State University for his project “DNSPE Print Symposium.”   Dr. Ruoxu Wang, associate professor in Journalism and Strategic Media, was awarded $600 from Sweetland Bakery for her project “Website Design for a Cake Shop.”