Biology

Dr. Chandra Emani has been awarded a $20,000 National Science Foundation-EPSCoR (Experimental program to Stimulate Competitive Research)-RSP (Research Scholars Program) grant. This is the second time that Dr. Emani has been awarded a grant with this organization.

The research proposal is "Phytoremediation strategy utilizing transgenic stone pine to dispose salt waste water and crude oil contaminants from oil field sites" and the research work involves planting stone pine plants at oil well sites to dispose both salt water and crude oil contaminants at oil fields, an environmental cleaning up program using plants. Dr. Emani's award is part of the University of Kentucky's Center for Applied Research, a national organization specializing in environmental research. Dr. Emani will be collaborating with PIP Industries LLC, an environmental research based company in Owensboro, Case oil Drilling Company, Countrymark oil company and Atmos Energy.

Two undergraduate students Hanady Adam and Ginger Gilbert will be trained in plant biotechnology with scholarships through this grant and will have an opportunity to present their work at the annual International conference organized by American Society of plant biology.

Another unique aspect of this award is that, this year, NSF overall award rates were down significantly (only awarding around 20% of proposals), and only 6 WKU proposals were funded this year.