Read the research blog Further Findings.
Research Prizes and Honors
[Have you or a colleague won a research-related prize or honor? Let the Research Alert know.]
Let the Research Alert know when you or a colleague receive a research-related prize or honor.
News and Information
REMINDER: SNAP PROGRESS REPORTS GOING ALL ELECTRONIC
Beginning Aug. 1, 2010, the NIH progress reports for SNAP (Streamlined Noncompeting Award Process)-eligible awards must be submitted electronically using the eSNAP module in eRA Commons. (See the June 2010 Nexus article.)
An eSNAP User Guide can assist first-time users. For technical assistance, contact the eRA Help Desk.
QuotedUT Researchers in the News
[A sampling of recent quotes by university faculty members and researchers. To be included in this section, let the Research Alert know when you or a colleague have been quoted.]
The New York Times
July 20, 2010
HEADLINE: Taking Lessons From What Went Wrong
Engineering Professor David Fowler was quoted in a story in the Science Times section about how disasters, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, can teach important lessons.
”The industry knows it can’t have that happen again,” said David W. Fowler, a professor at The University of Texas at Austin, who teaches a course on forensic engineering. ”It’s going to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.”
Research Opportunities
Important university research deadlines:
Awards and Grants
Limited Submissions
AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT
The University of Texas at Austin Stimulus Package Web page is online.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
FY10 Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program
Concept Award (Opens pdf)
Deadlines: Pre-application, Sept. 15, 2010; Application, Sept. 29, 2010
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Science Early Career Research Program
Deadlines: Pre-application, Aug. 13, 2010; Application, Nov. 9, 2010
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Scientific Priorities to Improve the Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention of Tuberculosis and other Tropical Diseases
Deadline: Aug. 11, 2010
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Aging Studies in the Pulmonary System
Deadline: Oct. 5, 2010
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Research Networks in the Mathematical Sciences
Deadline: Nov. 9, 2010
Cultural Anthropology
Deadlines: Senior Research and Dissertation Research – Fall Funding Cycle, Aug. 15, 2010; Scholars – Fall Funding Cycle, Aug. 16, 2010
NSF Fellowships for Transformative Computational Science using CyberInfrastructure
Deadline: Jan, 13, 2011
ARTS, HUMANITIES AND CULTURE
Sundance Institute and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
2011 Sundance/Alfred P. Sloan Commissioning Grant (for a science or technology related narrative (fiction) feature-length project that is at an early stage such as full treatment or early screenplay draft)
Deadline: Sept. 24, 2010
OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Dreyfus Foundation Postdoctoral Program in Environmental Chemistry
Deadline: Aug. 24, 2010
Burroughs Wellcome Fund
Career Awards at the Scientific Interface
Deadlines: Pre-proposal, Sept. 1, 2010; Full invited application, Jan. 12, 2011
American Cancer Society
Pilot and Exploratory Projects in Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and Their Families
Deadline: Oct. 15, 2010
Research Project
[Let the Research Alert know about your research projects.]
New Natural Supplementary Cementitious Materials for Concrete
RESEARCHERS: Maria Juenger, associate professor, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, Cockrell School of Engineering
AGENCY: National Science Foundation
AMOUNT: $85,169
This project is in collaboration with Kyle Riding and Wenqiao Yuan at Kansas State University.
Calcined impure clay and agricultural residue ash have the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of Portland cement needed to make concrete, in turn reducing the adverse environmental impact and cost and improving long-term concrete durability. Current low-cost production methods for calcined clay and agricultural residue ash result in poor quality materials with low reactivity, limiting their use in construction.
This research aims to develop thermochemical treatments to align the optimum burning conditions of clay and agricultural residue to produce a more reactive supplementary cementitious material.
The specific research goals are to: 1. Quantify the change in optimum burning conditions and increased reactivity of calcined clays when flux additives are used; 2. Apply biomass pretreatments commonly used in biofuel production to agricultural residues to improve the quality of the ash for use in concrete; 3. Develop a methodology for combined calcined clay and agricultural residue ash production and use; and 4. Quantify the life cycle environmental benefit of the combined supplementary cementitious materials.
The replacement of high volumes of portland cement with the proposed combined calcined clay/agricultural residue ash material could greatly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with concrete construction and improve the quality of construction in developing countries since the proposed materials are low cost and widely available.
This multi-institution collaboration will provide interdisciplinary training in agricultural engineering, civil engineering, materials science, and lifecycle analysis and improved classroom instruction on infrastructure materials and sustainability. A summer graduate student exchange will allow for improved collaboration and exposure to new equipment, research strategies, and laboratory methods. An outreach program will also be developed to increase the participation of female and historically underrepresented students in engineering and sustainable development.
