National Science Foundation grants spark innovative programs

National Science Foundation grants not only support university research but also are helping two-year institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to design new academic programs, develop scholarship programs, conduct research, and recruit and retain students to pursue careers in high demand fields. Examples include:

Johnson Center for Virtual Reality
The Johnson Center for Virtual Reality at Pine Technical College in Pine City recently received a National Science Foundation grant for a three-year project in collaboration with the Digital Technology Center at the University of Minnesota and the Automotive Refinishing division of DuPont.

The project will involve creating realistic automotive painting simulations that could lead to widespread use in training automotive painters worldwide. About $200,000 per year will be split evenly between the two institutions, with Pine Technical College as the lead partner.

Cyber Security Project
Inver Hills Community College is part of a Midwestern consortium of six two-year colleges and the University of Illinois-Springfield to receive National Science Foundation funding in 2004 to design a degree in network security and information assurance. The $3 million grant includes course development, faculty development, faculty externships and student internships.

The associate degree in network technology and security will be offered starting in fall 2005. Inver Hills already offers industry certification in networking, network security and wireless LANS.

Nanoscience Technology Program
Dakota County Technical College last fall launched the second program in the nation to train technicians for the growing number of jobs demanding skills in measuring, testing and manipulating material at the molecular level. The college received the $895,654 National Science Foundation grant in May 2004 to fund the new nanoscience technology program. Several Minnesota companies were involved in developing the curriculum for the two-year degree program. The University of Minnesota is a partner in the grant and will provide students with a fourth semester capstone in the university's state-of-the-art clean room laboratories.

Educational Training Academy, SciMath Scholars Program
Normandale Community College received two National Science Foundation grants in 2004 to establish an Educational Training Academy to strengthen the college's teacher education program by partnering with local school districts and to establish a "SciMath Scholars" program for academically talented, low-income students in computer science, engineering and math. The $74,924 planning grant to establish an Educational Training Academy on campus will encourage future teachers to choose a math or science middle school specialty.

The $385,655 grant to create a "SciMath Scholars" program will support annual scholarships through 2008 to encourage students to pursue computer science, engineering and math degrees by providing financial and academic support to improve retention and graduation rates.

Encouraging careers in science
A $385,000 National Science Foundation grant to Anoka-Ramsey Community College is helping low-income, academically talented students pursue careers in science. The new scholarship program has awarded scholarships to five students for the spring 2005 semester.

The college anticipates awarding about 28 annual scholarships of $3,125 through August 2008. In addition, a one-credit Scholars Seminar will help scholarship recipients learn about career options to help prepare them academically.

Recruiting for science, technology, math
Itasca Community College recently received a National Science Foundation Science, Technology, Engineering and Math grant of $489,827 over five years. Goals are to increase enrollment and success in science, technology, engineering and math programs.

More than 4,000 high school students will be exposed to careers in these fields through high school design competitions, on- and off-site visits, faculty mentoring, Technology Days, Engineering Days and summer engineering camps, plus one-on-one follow-up.

Training for jobs in high demand
St. Cloud Technical College in 2003 received a National Science Foundation grant of $206,248 to recruit nontraditional students to academic programs at the college that train students for employment in high-demand careers. To date, the college has distributed 15 scholarships a year for $3,125 per student.

State university grants
Examples of recent National Science Foundation grants to the system's state universities include:

Minnesota State University, Mankato, has a $212,565 grant for its Department of Mechanical and Civil Engineering to acquire equipment for research on materials in portland cement and asphalt cement concrete and for undergraduate and continuing education.
St. Cloud State University's grants include $105,455 for a collaborative research and education project by biology and chemistry faculty in which students learn how to operate an automated DNA Sequencer and understand why sequencing is important.
Winona State University's grants include $119,856 for a project, "The Power of Moving Sediment: Integrating Experimental Sedimentology into the Undergraduate Geoscience Curriculum," and received $125,847 toward the cost of a 300-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance instrument to improve chemistry lab and research experiences for students.