Eastern Michigan University took time out to celebrate federal earmarks — nearly $3.3 million — that it received from Congress to expand community services and increase its level of institutional research.
U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who championed EMU's federal earmarks in Congress, was on hand at a reception Feb. 20 to congratulate the EMU faculty and staff who secured the federal earmarks.
"In one sense, on substance, it's easy to advocate for you," said Stabenow in her remarks to a packed room shortly after a reception in the Student Center. "You're doing a good job in education and in cutting-edge work...With research and collaboration, you're very much involved in the community — caring about what's going on and looking for ways to help."
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CONGRATULATIONS: Subhas Ghosh, a professor in
EMU's School of Technology Studies, receives
congratulations from U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow
(D-Mich.) during a reception Feb. 20 in the Student
Center. The reception honored EMU faculty and staff
who were instrumental in securing nearly $3.3
million in federal earmarks for the University.
Freman Hendrix, EMU's chief governmental
relations officer, made the introduction. |
"With federal dollars tightening up and shrinking, relationships are key," said Freman Hendrix, EMU's chief governmental relations officer. "But, the strength of your proposals have to really stand on their own."
The federal earmarks, the amounts and what they will be used for are as follows:
The Department of Labor awarded Lynette Findley, assistant vice president for retention and student success, a $330,000 earmark for a sustainable and innovative program to support the needs of displaced workers in Michigan.
"This program has many unique features," said Don Loppnow, EMU's executive vice president and provost. "We feel it should be replicated elsewhere and be sustained at EMU."
Subhas Ghosh, a professor from the School of Technology Studies, received an $800,000 earmark from the Department of the Army to design, develop, fabricate and test new textile fabrics for the military that will completely protect soldiers from decontaminating biological and chemical agents. The grant supports phase II of Ghosh's research.
Such technology could be used to improve safety and security for the nation's citizenry as a whole, Loppnow said.
The Department of Justice awarded a $564,000 earmark to faculty from the department of special education to implement a comprehensive "wrap around" services program that will expand services for Michigan's most vulnerable families -- teen parents, parents with mental health problems, and foster children who become parents while still in care. Vernon Polite, dean of the College of Education, was instrumental in securing this earmark.
John Texter, a professor from EMU's Coatings Research Institute (CRI), is using a $1.6 million federal earmark to launch work on hybrid materials for thermal management in aeronautics. Translated, the CRI will develop protective sheathing and coatings to be applied to the surfaces of military airplanes and other military vehicles. EMU's coatings and polymers lab continues to be a critical, long-standing partner with the Department of Defense in meeting the nation's security needs.
"For a university this size, receiving one or two (federal earmarks) is good. For the state of Michigan, we've done really well," said Brian Anderson, director of EMU's Office of Research Development. "It's because we did such a great job with the proposals."
Such federal earmarks re-energize teaching, help serve the community, garner attention for the collaborative efforts of EMU's faculty, and bring in money to help faculty with research, Loppnow said.
In addition to the major federal earmarks announced, EMU was awarded more than 50 federal grants and contracts during the 2007-2008 fiscal campaign.
