- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Nielson Named Research Editor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

John Hill — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 13:46:38 +0000

Stevie Nielson has been named the new editor for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. “I am really excited to join ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” Nielson said. “I was working in journalism before, so I think this is a great way for me to use those skills and also bring the technical writing skills I learned in my master’s program together. I am excited to put that degree to use, and I look forward to getting people excited about the research taking place at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” In the new position, Nielson will be responsible for writing research articles, editing grant proposals, social media management, website maintenance, and serving as editor for Research in the Rock, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s annual research magazine produced by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. “ORSP is very excited to have Stevie on board,” said Lydia Perry, ORSP grant writer. “Stevie will be a great asset to principal investigators at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and be able to showcase the wonderful research, creative projects, and community service programs that happen at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” Nielson joins the university from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, where they worked for 14 years as the city desk clerk, copy editor, online editor, and newsletter editor. Nielson helped design and launch the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Sunday Digest and Coronavirus Update newsletter. A graduate of Little Rock Central High School, Nielson earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a writing concentration from Rhodes College. They will also graduate from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock this semester with a Master of Arts in Professional and Technical Writing. During the graduate program, Nielson served as a technical writing intern with Affirmative Risk Management and the university’s IT Services. Nielson, who has been writing since childhood, is looking forward to using their skills to share tales of innovative research at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, an R2 research university. “I was often writing stories growing up, and since I’ve gone out in the working world, the opportunity to tell the stories of real people has been fascinating,” Nielson said. “I’m very excited to talk to people doing research at the university and share those wonderful stories in Research in the Rock.”

��Vlog��ý Little Rock accepting applications for expanded Student Research and Creative Works Expo

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 18:03:13 +0000

Registration is open, and applications are being accepted for the expanded Student Research and Creative Works Showcase on Thursday, April 18. The 2019 Student Research and Creative Works Expo will be part of a campus-wide research event, “Research and Creativity in the Rock,” that will include the College of Social Sciences and Communication Research Showcase as well open houses at the College of Engineering and Information Technology, College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences, and College of Education and Health Professions. This year’s showcase will be in the Jack Stephens Center from noon to 3 p.m. All currently registered ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate and undergraduate students are eligible to present their research or creative work as posters, exhibits, installations, performances, or oral presentations individually or as a group. Students may register their project for inclusion in the 2019 showcase here. Priority registration is March 8. Students who submit a finalized poster by this date will have their printing costs covered through the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. Once their proposal has been approved by the SRCW committee for presentation at the Expo, students will receive instructions for submission of the electronic copy of their poster. This event is an opportunity for students to showcase their research and creative efforts. Students can submit their project to one of 13 categories: computer science/information science, creative work, economics, education, engineering, health science, humanities, interdisciplinary, life science, physical science, service work/professional application, social science, and social work. Applicable submissions include, but are not limited to, theses and dissertations, honors and capstone projects, independent study projects, and course-related work. Questions or comments should be directed to the Student Research and Creative Works Committee Co-chairs Elizabeth Ann Lee at ealee@ualr.edu or Larry Smith at ldsmith11@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, applied science doctoral students, from left, Diamond McGehee, Zoya Faruqui, Kamal Pandey and Sudha Shanmugam, with Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya, right, are researching the heat tolerance of rice. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock awards funding to six projects in Seed Grant Competition

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 14:22:04 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has awarded funding to six research projects by ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty members through the 2018-19 Seed Grant Competition. This year, the competition accepted research proposals in two tracks. Four projects were awarded funding of $6,000 each in Track A, while two projects were awarded $12,000 each in Track B. The grant period for each award is from Aug. 16, 2018, to Aug. 15, 2019. The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Seed Grant Competition aims to kickstart compelling research projects that can later be funded by external support after the term of the seed grant. The Track A winners and their projects include:

Annie Childers and Liangfang Lu, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, “Placement and Retention in Developmental Mathematics at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock”
Amar Kanekar, School of Counseling, Human Performance, and Rehabilitation, and Joseph Williams, Department of Rhetoric and Writing, “Health Quest – A Training Simulation for Health Education Students and Workers”
Rebecca Glazier, School of Public Affairs, and Heidi Skurat Harris, Department of Rhetoric and Writing, “Identifying Reliable Indicators of Instructor-Student Rapport in Online Classrooms”
Fusheng Tang, Department of Biology, “Osh6-Mediated Sterol Redistribution Extends the Lifespan”

The Track B winners and their projects include:

Hirak Patangia, College of Engineering and Information Technology, “An Experimental Investigation of a Faster Voltage Equalizer for a String of Batteries in Electric Vehicles”
Shanzhi Wang and Brian Berry, Department of Chemistry, “Investigation of the Pre-steady State of MTANs from Borrelia burgdorferi”

Kanekar and Williams’ project involves testing a digital simulation that will train health education students in how to conduct public health initiatives by learning aspects of program planning and evaluation for preventing a condition/disease of public health importance. “My co-investigator, Dr. Joe Williams, and I feel great about winning this grant as we believe that this pilot project may open up doors for extending educational games for student learning in other health courses and looking into advanced gaming projects for student learning,” Kanekar said. Proposals were judged based on the significance of the research or creative activity, quality of the research plan, expected outcomes and direct impact to the community, strength of plan to seek external support, ability to enhance and acquire external support, and qualifications of the researchers. “The quality of the proposals for this year’s Seed Grant competition blew me away,” said Jerry Damerow, chair of the Dean’s Science Council for the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences and one of judges for the seed grant competition. “The quality was so good it made judging very difficult.” Damerow said the judges looked for projects that would give ��Vlog��ý Little Rock a competitive advantage and projects that could lead to commercially viable products or services. “In this regard, Dr. Childers and Dr. Lu’s project to improve outcomes in developmental mathematics has the opportunity to give ��Vlog��ý Little Rock an advantage in retaining and graduating students versus other universities that use a more traditional approach,” Demerow said. “Dr. Patangia’s project aimed at improving the efficiency of charging a string of batteries has important potential in the rapidly growing field of alternative energy.”

College of Social Sciences and Communication to host research showcase Feb. 26-27

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 16:16:25 +0000

The ��Vlog��ý Little Rock College of Social Sciences and Communication will host its annual Research and Creative Works Showcase Feb. 26-27 in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter Hall. The showcase will highlight the research of students, faculty, and staff from the College of Social Sciences and Communication and feature guest speakers and workshops. An awards reception will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the Student Services Center Auditorium to honor the showcase’s participants as well as reveal the winners of six student awards and one faculty member award. The event will feature three spotlight sessions on the art of positive communication, online learning, and crime in Little Rock. Dr. Julien Mirivel, interim dean of the College of Social Sciences and Communication, will present “The Art of Positive Communication” from 8:30-10 a.m. Feb. 26 in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter C. With personal examples and stories, the session will invite participants to practice concrete behaviors that will have a positive effect at home, work, and in the community. The second spotlight session, “If We Build It, They Will Come: Building Sustainable Online Programs,” will begin at noon Feb. 26 in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter C. The panel provides ideas for administrators and faculty members who are considering or offering fully or partially online programs. The panelists include Dr. April Chatham-Carpenter, chair of the Applied Communications department; Dr. Elizabeth Sherwin, chair of the Department of Psychology; Dr. Mary Parker, chair of the Criminal Justice department; and Dr. Heidi Skurat-Harris, associate professor of rhetoric and writing. They will discuss challenges in building online programs, how to assess effectiveness of programs, and the major takeaways from their experiences. The “Crime in Little Rock” panel will feature scholars from the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Department of Criminal Justice who will review the trends and spread of crime citywide along with applications from several issues central to the discussion about crime in Little Rock, including research on gang violence, inmate reentry, and campus crime. The panel will begin at noon Feb. 27 in Donaghey Student Center Ledbetter C. Panelists include Criminal Justice faculty members Dr. James Golden, Dr. Tusty ten Bensel, Dr. Timonthy Brown, and James Hurst. View a schedule of the College of Social Sciences and Communication Research and Creative Works Showcase here.

Head to Chipotle Feb. 10 to raise money for student travel grants

Ajani Oyindamola — Mon, 29 Jan 2018 10:20:13 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Graduate Student Association is holding a fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 10, to raise money for travel grants. The fundraiser will take place from 4-8 p.m. at Chipotle Restaurant, 100 S. University Ave. in Little Rock. In order to raise money to support student travel grants, tell the cashier that you are supporting the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Student Association, bring in a copy of this, or show it to the cashier on your smartphone. Chipotle will donate 50 percent of the proceeds to the Graduate Student Association. All funds raised will be used to help graduate students earn valuable experience by presenting their research at professional conferences. For more information, contact Venant Habamungu at 501-247-3769 or vxhabamungu@ualr.edu.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock appoints interim dean for research and graduate studies

Janea Snyder — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 21:46:20 +0000

Dr. Mariya Khodakovskaya has been appointed interim associate dean for research and graduate studies in University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s College of Arts, Letters and Sciences. She has been a professor of applied science, and since 2014, she has served as the graduate coordinator for the Department of Biology, mentoring master and doctoral degree candidates through their academic careers. “What I like about working with graduate students is the magnitude of the impact we have on their lives,” she said. “When a student comes to your graduate program, they finish a different person. The work is a total transformation which we can observe.” Khodakovskaya will serve the college on matters of research and graduate study; including planning, programs, curriculum, facilities, and grant funding. Additionally, she will be the liaison for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Graduate School. Khodakovskaya received her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Biology from Far Eastern Federal University, specializing in plant physiology in 1992. In 1997, she received her Ph.D. from Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences. “All my life I have studied plants and have been interested in the improvement of plants through genetic engineering,” she said. “Then, when the technology came along, I became interested in understanding how nanomaterials would affect plants, and what kind of applications that would have. That’s how my research program developed here at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.” She also co-edited a book, “Plant Nanotechnology: An Overview on Concepts, Strategies, and Tools,” sharing her and other academics’ discoveries in this pioneering interdisciplinary research field.

Application deadline for Signature Experience Awards is Oct. 16

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 12 Oct 2017 20:26:02 +0000

Undergraduate students at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock are eligible to receive $1,000 to fund a signature experience during the spring 2018 semester. Applications for the Undergraduate Research Signature Experience Awards are due Monday, Oct. 16. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock is providing 50 $1,000 grants so students can participate in a one-semester signature experience, such as a research project, creative activity, or community service project. Chancellor Andrew Rogerson announced the new program this fall to inspire ��Vlog��ý Little Rock undergraduate students to conduct research and creative projects to enrich their academic experience. In order to apply, students must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average and a tenure-track faculty member to oversee the project. Projects must be completed by the end of the 2018 spring semester. Student award recipients will present their findings from the projects at the 2018 spring . Applications can be submitted to the Office of the Provost, Room 415 in the Student Services Center, or by email as a single PDF file to Ross Bradley at rabradley@ualr.edu. For more information, contact Dr. Jeremy Ecke at jsecke@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, Emerging Analytics Center Student Researcher Loki Rasmussen explores Pirate Island in the CAVE. Photo by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock puts spotlight on research and creative activities

Ajani Oyindamola — Thu, 21 Sep 2017 19:20:00 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock celebrated the amazing research and creative endeavors of talented faculty and staff as well as their role in mentoring students in that endeavor. Faculty and staff gathered in the Jack Stephens Center on Sept. 14 to attend the “Research in the Rock” reception, which celebrated the 2017 edition of Research in the Rock magazine produced by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. “��Vlog��ý Little Rock has steadily progressed to become one of the top research institutions in the state of Arkansas,” said Tammie Cash, director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. “Our mission at ORSP is to make it as easy as possible for you to bring your ideas into reality.” During the 2017 fiscal year, faculty and staff from ��Vlog��ý Little Rock received more than $29 million in funding from state, federal and private agencies and produced an enormous body of research that encompasses science, humanities, medicine, engineering, business, education, community service, and more. Chancellor Andrew Rogerson and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Velmer Burton detailed plans to increase student research opportunities with faculty members by offering 50 $1,000 grants to students participating in one-semester signature experiences. “When students collaborate with faculty on research, they learn firsthand how experts think and how they solve practical problems,” Rogerson said. “Their teachers become their role models, mentors, and guides for lifelong learning.” In an effort to increase student and faculty research, Dr. Abhijit Bhattacharyya, interim vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School, announced several changes for the Student Research and Creative Works Expo. Those changes include doubling the monetary awards for the graduate student winners of the expo and introducing an identical level of awards for undergraduate student winners, increasing the type of presentations, and exploring moving the expo to the Jack Stephens Center. In addition, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research will increase funds provided for conference travel so that graduate students can have more opportunities to present their research at academic and professional conferences. An equal amount of funds is being made available for undergraduate students as well. “These actions come at a time when the chancellor has called for a substantive signature research experience for undergraduate students, and the provost has called for the embracement of the teacher-scholar model by the faculty,” Bhattacharyya said. “Their vision is simply a recognition that while pedagogy does formally begin in the classroom, it seamlessly transitions to the research lab, art studio, and any other venue of creative activity,” Bhattacharyya said. “Their vision also sets us on the path of a pervasive research and creative activity enterprise across the campus.” In the upper right photo, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Velmer Burton speaks with Tom Clifton, dean of the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences, during the Sept. 14 “Research in the Rock” reception at the Jack Stephens Center. Photo by Joe Cline Jr./��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock student honored for cruise passenger rights research

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 01 Sep 2017 13:08:29 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student won an award for her paper researching the liability cruise ships face for the wrongful death of passengers on the high seas. Madeline Burke, a 19-year-old sophomore international and legal studies major from Little Rock, earned the top student honor, the Outstanding Student Research Paper award, at the conference Aug. 10 in Savannah, Georgia. Her paper, “The 1920 Death on the High Seas Act: An Outdated and Ambiguous Admiralty Law Shielding Cruise Lines Companies from Civil Liability,” examines how the law protects cruise lines from certain civil lawsuits. “If you have a loved one on a cruise ship and they have a wrongful death, cruise ships are using this outdated act to shield them from liability,” Burke said. “Basically, they don’t have to compensate the family as much as if you have a loved one that died in a plane crash. “The Death on the High Seas Act says that families can only recover pecuniary damages, which is what the deceased would have made for the family if the family is dependent on the person who died,” Burke said. If the person who died is unemployed, retired, or a minor, the deceased’s family would be unable to sue for monetary damages, because the family is not financially dependent on the victim, Burke said. This year, U.S. Reps. Doris Matsui, D-Calif., Ted Poe, R-Texas, and Jim Himes, D-Conn., introduced the. If passed, the act would strengthen passenger safety and rights on cruise ships.

Madeline Burke (left) and Professor Casey Rockwell (right) attend the Academy for Legal Studies in Business conference Aug. 10 in Savannah, Georgia.

The Death on the High Seas Act would be amended so that families of victims would be able to pursue compensation after a death on the high seas, the same right currently given to airline passengers. However, if the Cruise Passenger Protection Act is passed, Burke warns that passengers could potentially see an increase in ticket prices. Cruise lines could raise prices to cover the increase in insurance and legal costs. Burke was inspired to write the law review by her marketing professor, Dr. Casey Rockwell, who is helping Burke submit the paper to academic journals for publication. Burke received financial support to attend the conference from the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the Donaghey Scholars Program. In addition to being a Donaghey Scholar, Burke also volunteers at Project Zero, a nonprofit organization that helps children who are available to be adopted through the foster care system. Once she completes her undergraduate degree in 2020, Burke plans to attend law school. In the upper right photo, Madeline Burke (left) and Professor Casey Rockwell (right) attend the Academy for Legal Studies in Business conference Aug. 10 in Savannah, Georgia.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor receives $500k to improve transportation fuel cells

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 16:26:28 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock professor has received $500,000 to develop high-performance, cost-effective transportation fuel cells. Dr. Tansel Karabacak, professor of physics and astronomy at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, received a $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock will provide $100,000 in matching funds. The main goal of the research is to produce transportation fuel cells that cost less, last longer, and provide more power. The three-year project, “High Performance Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Electrode Structures,” will run until December 2019. The funds are part of a more than $3 million grant awarded to a team led by East Hartford, Connecticut-based, a global company designed to nurture innovation in commercial aerospace, defense, and building industries. In 2016, the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy established the Fuel Cell Consortium for Performance and Durability. The research consortium awarded more than to improve fuel cell performance and durability. Vehicles powered by fuel cells use hydrogen gas to fuel an electric motor. Clean energy alternatives like hydrogen fuel cells can reduce carbon emissions, Karabacak said. The research team will develop a structure to improve polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Scientists hope this specific type of fuel cell can be used for mass transit because of their high power density, high energy conversion efficiency, and low or zero carbon emission. However, the fuel cells currently cannot be used in this manner due to their limited power and poor durability. Karabacak and his team are working with the U.S. Department of Energy to create a solution for this problem. “From an environmental point, these fuel cells are a big advantage,” he said. “It reduces our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, but there are also challenges. The fuel cell cars on the market are very expensive. To reduce the cost, we need materials of lower cost and longer lifetimes.” One of the most expensive components of fuels cells is a platinum catalyst. Karabacak and his team will work to decrease the amount of platinum required and increase the performance and durability of transportation fuel cells, thereby decreasing cost and improving the life of fuel cell electric vehicles. The grant will also fund a postdoctoral researcher and a graduate assistant at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. The researchers will assist Karabacak and also have the opportunity to work with top scientists from universities, national laboratories, and companies in the U.S.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

Nielson Named Research Editor at ����Vlog��ý Little Rock

����Vlog��ý Little Rock accepting applications for expanded Student Research and Creative Works Expo

����Vlog��ý Little Rock awards funding to six projects in Seed Grant Competition