UD to inject $500K into faculty STEM research

Engineers and visitors at the new University of Dayton Research Institute Structures & Materials Assessment, Research and Test (SMART) Laboratory discuss the sensors used to test the landing gear of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane. The SMART lab is a 12,000-square-foot building designed specifically to allow for much larger aircraft parts, such as wing and tail sections and landing gear from commercial and military manufacturers. It features a 40-foot ceiling clearance with two overhead cranes to maneuver parts to the testing stands. It also has a 10-foot-deep floor pit for additional testing height. TY GREENLEES / STAFF

Engineers and visitors at the new University of Dayton Research Institute Structures & Materials Assessment, Research and Test (SMART) Laboratory discuss the sensors used to test the landing gear of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo plane. The SMART lab is a 12,000-square-foot building designed specifically to allow for much larger aircraft parts, such as wing and tail sections and landing gear from commercial and military manufacturers. It features a 40-foot ceiling clearance with two overhead cranes to maneuver parts to the testing stands. It also has a 10-foot-deep floor pit for additional testing height. TY GREENLEES / STAFF

The University of Dayton announced today that it will invest $500,000 in science, technology, engineering and math research.

UD’s college of arts and sciences, school of engineering and Hanley Sustainability Institute, will invest funds to support faculty and staff research in STEM fields over the next two summers.

The funding will be offered for summer research because a significant amount of faculty and student research is done between the spring and fall academic semesters, according to the university. The money will help foster and support sustainable, interdisciplinary research programs on campus that can successfully transition to external funding, said Eddy Rojas, school of engineering dean.

“This award is specifically focused on faculty and programs that have the potential and desire to achieve a national level of recognition,” said Doug Daniels, executive director of UD’s SupraMolecular Applied Research and Technology Center, who will coordinate the new fund’s review committee. “We are encouraging research programs that can clearly articulate their societal impact to underscore the alignment of scientific research on campus with the university’s Catholic, Marianist mission.”

The program comes in response to recommendations that emerged during the college’s strategic planning process, said college of arts and sciences dean Jason Pierce.

It also addresses a key goal of the college to create and incentivize opportunities for faculty research, according to the university.

5 HIGHER ED MUST READS

UD warns students as St. Patrick’s Day, NCAA First Four approach

Central State president met with Trump in Washington

3 things to know about Wright State’s next president

National Science Foundation awards UD researcher more than $500K

Area college named ‘most beautiful Christian’ campus in Ohio

About the Author