Research Highlights

Welcome Letter

Awards

Table 1: Awards by Campus Area FY98
Table 2: Awards by Major Funding Source FY98
Table 3: Ten Years of Funding: Grant and Contract Awards FY89 to FY98
Table 4: Dollars Awarded by Type: FY97 vs. FY98

Focus on Faculty - Dennis C. Moore.Ed.D.
Focus on Faculty - Kristine A. Bludau Scordo, Ph.D., R.N.
Figure 1: Dollar Amount Awarded by Major Funding Source 1997-98
Figure 2: Number of Awards by Major Funding Source 1997-98

Focus on Faculty - Michelle G. Wheatly, Ph.D.
Focus on Students - George Ekema, B.S.
Figure 3: Dollar Amount Awarded by Campus Area 1997-98
Figure 4: Number of Awards by Type 1988-89 vs. 1997-98
Figure 5: Proposal Success Rate: Five-Year Trend (1993-97)
Figure 6: Return on Ohio Board of Regents Investment in Public Ph.D./Ed.D. Granting Institutions

Focus on Faculty - Carl F. Brun, Ph.D.
Table 5: Federal Obligations for Science and Engineering R & D at Ohio Universities and Colleges Fiscal Year 1996

Sponsors

1997-98 Grant and Contract Awards Sponsor List

Overview of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Dr. Betty Yung, Associate Professor, School of Professional Psychology, awarded $243,333 from the Health Resources and Services Administration for the "Violence Prevention Training Institute."

Joseph F. Thomas, Jr.
Dean, School of Graduate Studies, and
Associate Provost for Research

Table 1: Awards by Campus Area FY98

Table 2: Awards by Major Funding Source FY98

Table 3: Ten Years of Funding: Grant and Contract Awards FY89 to FY98

Table 4: Dollars Awarded by Type: FY97 vs. FY98

Dennis C. Moore, Ed.D.
Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Issues (SARDI)

Anyone who spends time with Dr. Dennis Moore of Wright State University's Department of Community Health and SARDI (Substance Abuse Resources and Disability Issues) Program can feel the enthusiastic rush given off by this extraordinary man. Whether he is describing the challenges faced by the millions of Americans with disabilities or touting the virtues of teaching his teenage son to sailboard, Moore's passion for both his work and play is evident.

The mission of SARDI is the exploration of the interaction of substance abuse and disabilities. The devastation of substance abuse (abuse of illicit drugs, alcohol, and/or prescription medication) is well publicized; the annual impact on the U.S. economy alone is a staggering $240 billion in lost wages and medical expenses. To further complicate the problems faced by those with substance dependence, perhaps a fifth of this population has additional disabilities which impair their ability to benefit from intervention efforts.

Among the disabilities researched in SARDI's client base are arthritis, visual impairment, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and mental illness, which compound efforts to successfully provide intervention and treatment services. Recognizing the risks for substance dependence among persons with disabilities, SARDI has focused its rehabilitation efforts on three functions: research, direct clinical treatment, and prevention education to serve those in need of assistance.

In large part due to Moore's tireless networking efforts and SARDI's growing reputation as one of the nation's leaders in the field of substance abuse and disability, the goal of sustaining the project's research efforts has been amply fulfilled. Since SARDI's inception in 1990, Moore has successfully competed for over $5 million in federal and state funding. Recent research endeavors fall under the umbrella of the Rehabilitation Research Training Center (RRTC), funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). With anticipated funding of $600,000 per year over the course of five years (through September 30, 2002), this ambitious project focuses on improving vocational rehabilitation (VR) outcomes for individuals with a secondary disability of substance dependence.

There is a dearth of research about the relationship between substance abuse and vocational rehabilitation outcomes, although nearly half a million persons per year utilize state vocational rehabilitation services in the United States. A multi-state epidemiology study conducted by Moore indicates that over 20% of this clientele has a substance abuse problem. The need for detailed knowledge in this area has led Moore to collaborate with colleagues at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, The Ohio State University, New York University, Miami Valley Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, and the National Association for Alcohol, Drugs, and Disability (NAADD). What is known is that when both substance abuse and VR services are provided to those in need in a simultaneous, coordinated, and seamless manner, each supports the other. Thus, the partnership of RRTC experts, key SARDI project staff, and a highly visible Advisory Board has bolstered the prospects for success for this multi-disciplinary model.

Direct clinical services are offered by SARDI to persons with substance dependence and a severe, co-existing disability. These services are offered in conjunction with Miami Valley Hospital and Eastco, a vocational rehabilitation division of a local community mental center. Sixty clients are now being served by WSU faculty and staff at these sites, and School of Professional Psychology practicum students also take advantage of the educational opportunities presented by interaction with these patients.

Prevention education rounds out the triad of SARDI's challenging mission. While the NIDRR funding focuses on the training of vocational rehabilitation agency personnel in various states to elicit changes in policy, prevention education efforts are funded and centered on Ohio locales. With support from the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, the Ohio Department of Education, and the Ohio Drug Free Schools, the goal is to furnish disabled youth with the skills they need to resist substance abuse risks. This statewide training is unique in that it attracts members of the community, parents, school personnel, and teachers; its need is evident in the waiting list necessary to accommodate future participants.

One gets the sense that Dennis Moore is a truly compassionate human being who uses his training in counseling psychology and special education to empathize with the particular problems faced by those suffering from the substance abuse-disability enigma. While he ponders the amount of work-related traveling he does (one to two days per week), he admits to the practical advantages in visiting sites where similar work is under way. He balances that hard work with his love of sailing, and talks enthusiastically about sailboarding on Ohio's Cowan Lake and a future excursion to some tropical paradise. During the course of the discussion, he casually mentions plans for starting a chemical dependency program at a facility that serves youth with mental retardation who are under guard or have been adjudicated. That the facility is in South Dakota and serves a population that is 50% Native American is only part of the intrigue that motivates Dr. Dennis Moore and the staff of SARDI.

Kristine A. Bludau Scordo, Ph.D., R.N.
College of Nursing and Health

The skyrocketing cost of healthcare has forced a great many changes in the health profession. Licensed registered nurses now impact patient care much more directly than ever before. To fill the need for advanced nurse training, Dr. Kristine Scordo, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing and Health, has been awarded a three-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration for nearly $600,000 to create the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program (ACNP). Only one of two such programs in Ohio, ACNP applicants must meet rigorous admission requirements. At the conclusion of the intensive program of study, graduates will be eligible for certification as Acute Care Nurse Practitioners, whose range of practice encompasses acute or critically ill patients.

Scordo commutes to Wright State University from Cincinnati, where she has worked with a group of cardiologists for 18 years. Her interests in cardiology and acute care nursing complement her research in mitral valve prolapse syndrome (MVPS), a clinical condition whose symptoms are often mistaken for heart attack. Scordo's research has shown that nutritional approaches, regular cardiovascular exercise, and stress reduction techniques may be more successful than traditional medications in treating MVPS symptoms. She sees the nurse's role as one of educating patients to the options for therapy available to those diagnosed with MVPS. The second edition of Scordo's book, Taking Control: Living with the Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome, was published in 1996. To sample the work, excerpts are available at http://www.nursing.wright.edu/anp/mvphtm.htm.

A native of New York, Scordo joined the faculty of the College of Nursing and Health in 1995. She holds a Ph.D. in Nursing and Cardiac Physiology from The Ohio State University and enthusiastically speaks of the opportunities for nurses as acute care practitioners. She would also like to spread the word about MVPS, a condition which affects 7 to 16% of the U.S. population and women three times more often than men. Involving campus and community groups in MVPS educational seminars could benefit the many individuals who wish to take more control over their quality of life. By expanding nursing program options to include adult cardiology, Scordo wants to "make a name for nursing" at Wright State University. With $600,000 in hand from federal grant funding, Scordo is well on her way.

Michele G. Wheatly, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences

Wright State University surely has a winner, women and minorities in science have a role model, and disabled students have a champion for their rights to accessible science. The multi-talented individual who can lay claim to these attributes is Michele G. Wheatly, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. Wright State University's great fortune in persuading Wheatly to forsake her professorial duties at the University of Florida in 1994 was a decision she claims she has "not regretted for one second."

Born and educated in the United Kingdom, Wheatly is internationally known for her research in comparative physiology and in 1988 was the recipient of the prestigious Presidential Medal from the Society for Experimental Biology. She has published 70 journal articles and book chapters, and her research lab has been continuously funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) since 1985. Most recently her research focuses on the regulation of expression of genes coding for calcium transporting proteins. She recently obtained funds to collaborate with a team in Brazil to look at the evolution of calcium transport in the rich fauna of the rain forest. She also works with molecular evolutionists at the University of Florida to reconstruct phylogenetic trees based on these highly conserved and ancient molecules.

What drew Wheatly to WSU was the challenge of leading one of the largest and most respected departments on campus. However, one quickly learns that this department chair does not spend her time behind a desk. She enthusiastically and successfully juggles multiple roles as teacher, administrator, researcher, and mentor to faculty and students alike. Her teaching responsibilities range from teaching large sections of introductory biology, to an honors seminar titled "Women in Science." She actively mentors graduate and undergraduate research students. Committed to diversity and the needs of the underrepresented students in her classroom, Wheatly has effectively demonstrated her concern by coordinating efforts aimed at promoting women and minorities in science. During her career, she has mentored more than 50 students, of whom more than one-half were women and one-third were ethnic minorities or international students.

In her brief tenure at Wright State University Wheatly has generated nearly $1 million in external support from the NSF. This includes a large curriculum development grant ($585,000) aimed at Creating Laboratory Access for Students in Sciences (CLASS, for short). In traditional environments, disabled students are at a great disadvantage in the laboratory setting, which equates to underrepresentation. The CLASS Project represents a collaboration between Biological Sciences (Drs. Wheatly and Tim Wood) and WSU's Office of Disability Services (Mr. Steve Simon and Jeff Vernooy). The Biology Department had offered an adaptive laboratory section of the general education program for several years. Wheatly recognized this as an opportunity to translate departmental expertise in this area into a prominent national training program.

The CLASS Project has just wound up a successful first year. This involved development of adaptive laboratory exercises and a desk reference manual that should end up on the desk of every science educator in the U.S. The most ambitious undertaking was a two-week summer workshop in June 1998 which recruited college and high school educators to learn the process involved in making laboratory exercises accessible. In the second week they were joined by six profoundly disabled high school students who performed sophisticated laboratory experiments such as DNA extraction and breadmaking, and who savored their first experience at independent living. In the midst of the 1998 workshop a National Visiting Committee (NVC) from the NSF arrived and observed two days of activities. In their subsequent written report, members of the NVC offered their support and endorsement of the project, citing the excellence of the staff, the outstanding institutional commitment, and most importantly noting, "the participants appear to be receiving learning opportunities of high quality." It is the hope of Wheatly and the NVC that Wright State University could become the center for the scientific education for people with disabilities in the natural and physical sciences.

The fruits of Dr. Michele Wheatly's energy and intensity are evident in her successful grantsmanship efforts, her ability to motivate faculty, and her willingness to mentor students and colleagues from all walks of life. Whether addressing an international group of scientists or rolling up her sleeves to feed a disabled student, Wheatly shows no hesitation in taking on those challenges. As a leader and a woman, she relishes her role as one empowered to make change. If Wheatly's accomplishments thus far are any indication of what the future portends, those changes bode well for placing Wright State University at the forefront of world-renowned science and accessible science education.

George Ekema, B.S.
Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. Program

Dayton, Ohio is a long way from the Republic of Cameroon. The two worlds have crossed paths, though, because of a graduate student's attraction to Wright State University's unique Ph.D. Program in the Biomedical Sciences (BMS). Born in Cameroon, George Ekema arrived in Dayton in 1995 armed with an undergraduate degree from Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota. While Minnesota may seem an unlikely climatic choice for one whose idea of cold was 55 degrees (above zero), Ekema nevertheless earned a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry and set his sites on graduate school.

For Ekema, WSU's allure came in the form of a brochure provided by his undergraduate advisor. What caught his attention and proved to be the impetus for his move to Dayton, was one unusual word used to describe WSU's BMS Ph.D. Program: interdisciplinary. This interdisciplinary approach gives students the opportunity to take advantage of the expertise of faculty from both Wright State's School of Medicine and College of Science and Mathematics. In Ekema's estimation, the sharing of resources inherent in the interdisciplinary approach has proved to be "better than advertised." Ekema's doctoral research is mentored by Dr. Luo Lu of the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and focuses on molecular genetics and molecular neurophysiology. A recent finding, based on Ekema's dissertation work, has the potential of providing a clearer understanding of the effects of certain drugs, including barbiturates to anesthetics, on certain parts of the brain.

A recently awarded predoctoral fellowship from the American Physiological Society (the first national fellowship awarded to a student enrolled in WSU's BMS Program) frees Ekema to concentrate on his research, which he approaches with great enthusiasm. Another milestone in his graduate career to date was his presentation of his own work at the November 1998 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Los Angeles.

A self-described "child of the universe," Ekema's interests are not confined to the scientific realm. Before research became his current passion, he composed poetry and dreamed of becoming a writer. He enjoys English, French, and African literature and manages to squeeze in an occasional soccer game, his favorite recreational pastime.

George Ekema's success is due in no small measure to his personal motivation and desire for excellence. His story is an inspiration to those who have the perception that the clout of a "big name" school should be the major criterion for selection of a graduate program. The Biomedical Sciences Program at Wright State University has certainly filled a niche for students in pursuit of something more: an interdisciplinary graduate education with unlimited possibilities for growth.

Carl F. Brun, Ph.D.
Department of Social Work

Wright State University has proven to be a sweet homecoming for Dr. Carl F. Brun, who returned to his home town of Dayton in 1993 to accept the position of Assistant Professor in the Social Work Department. His success in grantsmanship began with small, short-term projects funded by local social service agencies. What soon coalesced were Brun's research interest in child and family interventions, experience evaluating a Greene County Community-Based Family Resource Center, and the timely appearance of a Request for Proposal for an initiative of Ohio Family and Children First (OFCF). Those small "stepping-stone" projects were a prelude to Brun's successful bid for the $275,000 grant from OFCF to evaluate the effectiveness of Community Based Family Resource Centers (FRCs) and School Readiness Resource Centers (SRRCs) in Ohio.

Launched by the Ohio Governor's Office in 1991, the OFCF Initiative seeks to coordinate statewide efforts to meet the needs of underserved populations. The School Readiness Resource Centers provide an array of services that address problems that can interfere with student learning. Success is measured by increasing the number of students who attend school, the percentage of students who pass the proficiency test, and the graduation rates, while decreasing the drop-out rates. The Family Resource Centers focus on the prevention of child abuse and neglect. What Brun sought to develop was a standard evaluation methodology that could be used to draw conclusions between the roles of the FRCs and SRRCs and family healthiness and stability.

This complex project has taken the concept of "collaboration" to new heights. Not only has Brun tapped into faculty resources at five Ohio universities, but he coordinated the summary of data collected from 25 Family Resource Centers and 13 School Readiness Resource Centers across the state. Not intimidated by the sheer number of organizations and sites necessary to undertake the project, Brun assembled a team from WSU's Center for Urban and Public Affairs and the Center for Healthy Communities and called upon a large network of Ohio-based social work educators to carry out the evaluation.

Clearly, the massive undertaking would require more than just a part-time effort on Brun's part, and indeed, he spent the entire 1997-98 academic year working full time on the OCFC grant. He personally interacted with one-third of the 38 agencies involved, including parent and community stakeholders. His colleagues, including the Ohio Council of Social Work Educators, provided a gateway to developing a faculty evaluation team from Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, the University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, and the University of Toledo. While the year was certainly one of the most demanding of his career, Brun succinctly concluded his 60 page technical report to the sponsor with the words, "KEEP IT SIMPLE."

Fresh from a year of solid research and valuable professional connections honed during the OFCF project, Brun is gearing up to promote his theoretical model in publications, with an eye to pursuing federal funding. Wright State University should revel in the successes of this Dayton native and look forward to big things to come!

Table 5. Federal Obligations for Science and Engineering Research and Development (R&D) at Ohio Universities and Colleges: Fiscal Year 1996
[Dollars in thousands]

Educational Institutions
Boston University
Cairo University
Cleveland State University
Dayton Public Schools
Huber Heights Schools
Kent State University
Kettering-Moraine School District
Lima City Schools
Lima Technical College
Louisiana State University
Miami University
Ohio State University
Sinclair Community College
University of Cincinnati
University of Dayton
University of Illinois

Federal
Corporation for National & Community Service
DHHS, Food and Drug Administration
DHHS, Health Resources and Services Administration
DHHS, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
DHHS, National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
DHHS, National Eye Institute (NEI)
DHHS, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
DHHS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
DHHS, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
DHHS, National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR)
DHHS, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney DKD)
DHHS, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
DHHS, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
DHHS, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
DHHS, National Library of Medicine (NLM)
DoD, Advanced Research Projects Agency
DoD, Air Force, AFROTC
DoD, Air Force, Air Force Research Laboratory
DoD, Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
DoD, Army Corps of Engineers
DoD, National Security Agency
DoD, Naval Aeromedical Research Laboratory
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Institute on Disability & Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
National Science Foundation
NSF, Research Experiences for Undergraduates
NSF, Research in Undergraduate Institute
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Foreign
Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

Industrial
A & S Pacific International, Inc.
AbTech Corporation
AgrEvo Environmental Health Inc.
Alice-Sidney Farms
Allison Engine Company
Amway Corporation
Appleton Papers Inc.
Applied Sciences, Inc.
Artemis
ATANOR
ATC Associates, Inc.
Bayer Corporation
Baynacre, Inc.
Boeing Information Services, Inc.
BP Oil Company
C.B.F. LETI, S.A.
Calbiochem-Novabiochem Corporation
Calspan - University of Buffalo Research Center
Cargill Foods
Carollo Engineers
Central Clinic
Children's Medical Center
Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disorders
Columbus Stainless
Commonwealth Edison
ConAgra Poultry Company
CONOCO, Inc.
Copeland Corporation
Cordell & Associates
Covance, Inc.
Dayton Water Systems
Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems
Dettmer Hospital
Dow Chemical
Drexler Heritage Furniture
DuPont Agricultural Products
DuPont Pharmaceuticals Company
Dynamic Engineering Incorporated
Electrochemical Systems, Inc.
Engineering Technologies Associates, Inc.
Franciscan Health System of the Ohio Valley, Inc.
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Good Samaritan Hospital
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Grand Lake/Mercer County Research, Inc.
Griffin Corporation
Honeywell Inc.
Irene M. Ward & Associates
IT Corporation
Logicon Technical Services, Inc.
ManTech Environmental Technology, Inc.
Mauch Laboratories
Merck & Co., Inc.
Merck/Merck Research Laboratory
Metcalf & Eddy, Inc.
MetLab, Division Metallurgical Services, Inc.
Miami Valley Research Institute (ISAC/MVRI)
Mission Research Corporation
Monarch Marking Systems
MRLets Technologies, Inc.
NCR Corporation
Northeast Consortium for Engineering Education
Nova Chemicals, Inc.
Ohio Aerospace Institute
Ohio Electronic Engravers, Inc.
Operational Technologies Corporation
Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation
Pain Care Institute
Panda Pharmaceuticals, L.L.C.
Parsons Engineering Science, Inc.
Pfizer, Inc.
Plastronic, Inc.
Procter & Gamble Company
Professional Psychology & Consultation, Inc.
Reckitt & Colman, Inc.
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Research & Development Laboratories
Rhone-Poulenc Rorer
Robert A. Lucas Farm
S.C. Johnson Wax
Sanofi Winthrop, Inc.
SelectTech Services Corporation
Southwestern Portland Cement Company
Spring Manufacturers Institute, Inc.
Superconductive Components, Inc.
Sverdrup Technology, Inc.
Systran Corporation
TAP Holdings Inc.
Technical Management Concepts, Inc.
Terran Corporation
TIMET
TRW
Universal Energy Systems, Inc. (UES, Inc.)
Universal Technology Corporation
Upjohn Company
Varian Associates, Inc.
Vernay Laboratories, Inc.
Wishcom, Inc.
Xenon GeoSciences, Inc.
Youth Partial Hospitalization
Zeneca Pharmaceuticals
Zybron Optical Electronics, Inc.

Non-Profit
American Cancer Society - Ohio Division
American Heart Association - National
American Heart Association - Ohio/West Virginia Affiliate Inc.
American Nurses Foundation
Children's Hospital Research Foundation
Columbus Zoo
Dayton Urban League
Goodwill Industries of the Miami Valley
Institute for Educational Inquiry
IT Alliance
Mid-Continental East Business Adm. Assoc.
National Environmental Law Center
Ohio Cancer Research Associates
Ohio Lions Eye Research Foundation (OLERF)
Oncology Nursing Foundation
Planned Parenthood of Miami Valley, Inc.
Project C.U.R.E., Inc.
Sigma XI
Sociologists for Women in Society
The Coleman Foundation, Inc.
U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation (CRDF)
United Way
Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, Inc.
Whitaker Foundation
World AIDS Foundation

Other Government
City of Centerville, Ohio
City of Dayton, Ohio
City of Hamilton, Ohio
City of Marion, Ohio
City of Marysville, Ohio
City of Springfield, Ohio
City of Xenia, Ohio
Clark County Combined Health District
Dayton Business Committee
Downtown Dayton Partnership
Greene County Department of Development
Greene County Family and Children First
I-70/75 Development Association
Mercer County Health Department
Miami Conservancy District
Montgomery County ADAMH Services Board
Montgomery County Affordable Housing Fund
Montgomery County Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental
Montgomery County Combined Health District
Montgomery County Commissioners
Montgomery County Regional Arts and Cultural District
Montgomery County Sheriff's Office
South Community Mental Health Center
State of Alabama
State of Florida
State of Idaho
State of Louisiana
State of Michigan
State of Minnesota
State of Tennessee
State of Texas
Village of Lodi, Ohio

State
Edison Materials Technology Center (EMTEC)
Ohio Arts Council
Ohio Board of Regents
Ohio Campus Compact
Ohio Commission on Minority Health
Ohio Department of Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services
Ohio Department of Development
Ohio Department of Education
Ohio Department of Health
Ohio Department of Mental Health
Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction
Ohio Department of Transportation
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Ohio Family and Children First
Ohio Governor's Community Service Council
Ohio Historical Society
Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission
Ohio School-to-Work

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) works with faculty and staff at Wright State University (WSU) to increase externally funded research and other sponsored programs. RSP staff members provide the following services:

Identification of External Sources of Funding

WSU subscribes to SPIN (Sponsored Programs Information Network), an electronic funding database of thousands of funding opportunities, available through the World Wide Web (WWW). In addition, WSU is a member of the Community of Science (COS), a resource for scientific information on the WWW. Membership in COS offers to WSU faculty a Funding Opportunities database, an Expertise database, "Faculty Match" software, "Funding Alert" e-mailed reminder system, and access to other COS databases. RSP also maintains a library of reference materials and monitors federal, state, and local newsletters, and publications for funding opportunities.

Dissemination of Funding Information

RSP produces Funding Update, a semi-monthly electronic bulletin of upcoming deadlines for funding programs, and Research News, a newsletter published three times per academic year, which covers grants awarded and related topics of interest. RSP maintains a computerized research interest profile database of over 600 WSU faculty and staff.

Liaison with Sponsors

RSP staff members serve as liaisons with public and private sponsors to discuss preliminary proposals, study and interpret program priorities and funding levels, observe trends in federal and non-federal programs; monitor proposals that have been submitted and attempt to expedite their review; stimulate interest in WSU by providing sponsors with information about faculty and staff research interests; and arrange for sponsors to visit WSU to discuss their funding programs.

Proposal Development and Preparation

RSP staff will help faculty develop preproposals, review proposals for completeness and proper assembly, interpret guidelines and regulations, present workshops on grantseeking, and assist faculty in locating alternative sources of funding.

Budget Preparation

RSP offers expertise in developing and reviewing final budget drafts that accurately reflect grant expenses, comply with university regulations and meet agency guidelines, and assists in setting up computerized spreadsheets to develop multi-year budgets.

Institutional Authorization

RSP is the central office for the institutional review process for requests for external support; staff will obtain the appropriate necessary signatures.

Proposal Transmittal

RSP will make the necessary copies of the proposal, mail the proposal to the agency and maintain files for tracking submissions.

Institutional Compliance

RSP staff checks for proper review and approval of all research involving animal use, human subjects, hazardous wastes, radioactive materials, recombinant DNA, and security classifications.

RSP administers the Institutional Review Board, the Institutional Biosafety Committee, the Laboratory Animal Care and Use Committee, and acts as a liaison with the University Radiation Safety Committee, and the Biological Chemical Health and Safety Committee.

Contract Negotiations

RSP staff is authorized to negotiate the terms of awards with potential sponsors.

Administration of Externally Funded Programs

Following award notification, RSP will establish a budget and account number for the project, assist the project director in the orderly administration of the project, act as liaison between the sponsor and Principal Investigator (PI), keep the PI apprised of technical reports due dates, finalize all budget transfers and prepare and submit fiscal reports.

Administration of Internally Funded Programs

RSP coordinates WSU's four internal grant programs: Research Initiation Grants, Professional Development Grants, Research Challenge and Research Travel.

Technology Transfer

RSP is the initial contact for information on copyrights and patents. WSU enlists the assistance of various technology transfer programs to help faculty in the evaluation, patenting and licensing of inventions.

Government Security

RSP is the clearinghouse for all government security matters involving WSU employees. RSP processes security clearances, monitors security activities and processes passes and credentials for individuals working on Department of Defense contracts and for research conducted on federal property.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Wright State University
3640 Colonel Glenn Highway
Dayton, Ohio 45435-0001
Telephone: (937) 775-2425
Fax: (937) 775-3781
e-mail: rsp@wright.edu
URL: http://www.wright.edu/rsp/

Dean, School of Graduate Studies, and Associate Provost for Research
Joseph F. Thomas, Jr., Ph.D. <jay.thomas@wright.edu>

Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
William K. Sellers, Ph.D. <william.sellers@wright.edu>

Associate Directors
Eugene P. Hern, Ph.D. <eugene.hern@wright.edu>
Leon J. Testas <leon.testas@wright.edu>

Assistant Directors
Ellen Reinsch Friese <ellen.friese@wright.edu>
Glen Jones <glen.jones@wright.edu>

Accountant
Marianne Shreck <marianne.shreck@wright.edu>

Grants and Contracts Specialist
Jackie Frederick <jackie.frederick@wright.edu>

Secretary for Compliance Issues
Christine Piekkola <christine.piekkola@wright.edu>

Sponsored Programs Assistants
Cheryl Nickoson <cheryl.nickoson@wright.edu>
Jan Power <rsp@wright.edu>
Robyn Simmons <robyn.simmons@wright.edu>