Western Michigan University's Office of the Vice President for Research offers several awards annually to support research and creative activities at WMU. Internal support is also available from individual colleges and offices at the University.
Internal Award Summary 2017-18
| Internal awards summary 2017-18 | |
| Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award | 180,156 |
| Faculty Research Travel Fund | 235,721 |
| Publication of Papers and Exhibition of Creative Works | 35,985 |
| Support for Faculty Scholars Award | 40,253 |
| Undergraduate Research Excellence Award | 54,300 |
| Total | 546,415 |
Internal Award Summary 2016-17
| Internal awards summary 2016-17 | |
| Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award | $197,603.00 |
| Faculty Research Travel Fund | $232,355.16 |
| Publication of Papers and Exhibition of Creative Works | $37,031.65 |
| Support for Faculty Scholars Award | $40,234.00 |
| Undergraduate Research Excellence Award | $54,000.00 |
| Total | $561,223.81 |
Internal Award Summary 2015-16
| Total | $597,933 |
| Internal awards summary 2015-16 | |
| Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award | $197,465 |
| Faculty Research Travel Fund | $279,851 |
| Publication of Papers and Exhibition of Creative Works | $40,584 |
| Support for Faculty Scholars Award | $43,549 |
| Undergraduate Research Excellence Award | $36,484 |
Award amounts have been rounded to the nearest dollar.
Past award recipients
Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award
Support for Faculty Scholars Award
Undergraduate Research Excellence Award
Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award
The Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award supports WMU faculty in significant research, rigorous scientific inquiry, original artistic activity and inventive technology.
2019-20 FRACAA
| Name | Department | Area of interest |
| Asher, Zachary | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | Technical and Sustainability Analysis of In-Motion Wireless Power Transfer |
| Barkman, Todd | Biological Sciences | Characterization of fatty acid methyl transferase enzymes from plants: testing hypotheses about the biosynthesis of volatiles important for flowers and fruits |
| Bondarchuk, Karen | Art | Artistic Forms and Evolution: Seeking the Intangible |
| Burns, James | Industrial Engineering | Moving Toward an Industry 4.0 Tomorrow: Understanding What Matters Today |
| Gray, Lori | School of Interdisciplinary Heath Programs | “Connections” Study of College Students with Foster Care Histories |
| Hennlich, Andrew | Frostic School of Art | Space Invaders: The Work of Art in an Age of Statelessness. |
| Hudson, Jennifer | Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering | Small Satellite Maneuver Control: Rendezvous and Proximity Operations for a Low-Thrust, Diagnostic Nanosatellite |
| Huffman, David | Chemistry | Steps Toward Nutritional Enrichment of Cereal Grains Using a Model Plant |
| Kane, Donald | Biological Sciences | G2 control of the cell cycle in the vertebrate embryo |
| Lawson, Daryl Lee, Kevin Kang, Hyun Bin |
Physical Therapy | People who have Diabetes and non-healing wounds |
| Ross, Matthew | Finance and Commercial Law | Cash 'n' Careers: What is college worth? |
| Sawalha, Lina | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Estimating Power and Performance of Heterogeneous CPU-FPGA Systems |
| Schriever;Bloom, Tiffany | Biological Sciences | The hydrology of Great Lakes interdunal wetlands and the effects on their macroinvertebrate assemblages |
| Singleterry, Lisa Gogan, Brian Caulfield, Susan |
Bronson School of Nursing | Writing Assignment Prompt Design: A Quantitative Examination of Prompts Across the Curriculum |
| Teske, Kelly | Chemistry | The Development of Pre-miRNA Targeted Small Molecules for the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer |
2018-19 FRACAA
| Name | Department | Area of interest |
| Bennett, Patrick | Mathematics | Research on random graphs and processes in Ramsey theory |
| Coons, Lisa | School of Music | The Space Between |
| Criter, Robin | Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences | The Effect of Hearing Loss and its Treatment on Fall Risk Indicators |
| Crotchett, Cat | Frostic School of Art | Textile Patterns and Techniques Transformed by Painting Processes |
| Damashek, Amy | Psychology | Examining the Cultural Acceptability of a Child Injury Prevention Program |
| Grantner, Janos | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Development System for Intelligent Surgical Box-Trainer Research |
| Gu, Chien-Juh | Sociology | Immigration, Race, and Religion in a Midwest City: Burmese Christian Refugees' Social Adaptation in Battle Creek, Michigan |
| Guda, Ramakrishna | Chemistry | Rational Design of Highly Luminescent Gold Clusters for Optical Imaging |
| Hanson, Nicholas | Human Performance & Health Education | Can decision-making skills be improved with a combination of exercise and cognitive training? |
| Hill, Sarah | Institute of the Environment and Sustainability | Climate Change Preparedness: The Waste Management Challenge |
| Hoppe, Pamela | Biological Sciences | Defining the role of the protein kinase UNC-82 in organizing muscle contractile filaments |
| Ikonomov, Pavel | Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Management Systems | 3D Hybrid Metal Printer Sample Product Testing |
| Linn, Cindy | Biological Sciences | Retinal pigment epithelium induces neurogenesis in an adult mammal |
| Macfarlane, Daniel | Institution of the Environment and Sustainability | Faking Niagara Falls |
| Moser, Christine | Economics | Rural Crime in Jamaica |
| Schroeter, Daniela | School of Public Affairs and Administration | Evaluation Competencies Among Certified Nonprofit Professionals |
| Tripp, Brian | Biological Sciences | Characterization of Salmonella typhimurium Flagellin Disulfide Bond Variants |
| Wilson, Patrick D | Frostic School of Art | Black Tent Transit: Sculpture as Material Storytelling |
| Wu, Qingliu | Chemical and Paper Engineering | Nanocellulose Membrane with Tunable Porosity for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries |
View additional FRACAA award recipients
Support for Faculty Scholars Award
The Support for Faculty Scholars Award supports creative activities and research that may not lead to external funding but enhance and sustain the scholarly reputation of WMU and the faculty principal investigators.
Spring 2019 SFSA
| Name | Department | Project title |
| Applegate, Edward Brooks | Education Leadership, Research and Technology | Influence of Pedagogy on Student Learning in Physician Assistant Training: A Follow-up Study |
| Bocko, Amy | University Libraries | Dr. Merze Tate Howard University Archival Research Trip & Digital Reunification Project |
| Gill, Sharon | Biological Sciences | Merging historical and contemporary landscape photography and soundscape recordings to explore land transformation |
| Jackson, Yvonne | Physical Therapy | Pre-Post Assessment of Cerebral Palsy Intensive Physical Therapy Treatment |
| Lawoti, Mahendra | Political Science | Security Dilemma and Non-violent Ethnic Conflict |
| Machicek, Michelle | Anthropology | Characterizing Biological Impacts of Human Activity Patterns through 3D Scanning Technology: considering the effects of horseback riding on pelvic morphology |
| Nassaney, Michael | History | Fort St. Joseph Revealed: Final Preparations |
| Omilion-Hodges, Leah | School of Communication | Leadership, Communication, and Transdisciplinary Teams in Palliative Care |
| Perkins, Alisa | Comparative Religion | Muslims in Metro Detroit: Gender and Religious Boundaries in Urban America |
| Zhang, Ya | Education Leadership, Research and Technology | Predictive value of TOEFL scores on students academic success |
Fall 2018 SFSA
| Name | Department | Project title |
| Burns, Jim | Industrial & Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering Management | Development and Validation of an Optimization Formulation for Resilient Supply Chains |
| Councell-Vargas, Martha | Music | Charanga: Improvisation in American Jazz and Cuban Dance Music |
| Hansford, Claudia | Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering | Turbulence Assessment in Internal Combustion Engines |
| Hennlich, Andrew | Art | Space Invaders: the Work of Art in an Age of Statelessness |
| Torres, Benjamin | Spanish | Publication of La novela detectivesca en Puerto Rico |
| Yang, Qiang | Chemical & Paper Engineering | High-Yield Production of Cellulose Nanofiber |
| Zhu, Laiyin | Geography | Analyzing power outages in hurricanes using remote sensing |
Spring 2018 SFSA
| Name | Department | Project title |
| Angles, Jeffrey | World Languages and Literatures | Inagaki Taruho, Japanese Modernist |
| Beasley, Samuel | Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology | A Qualitative Examination of Men in Professional Psychology |
| Caulfield, Susan | School of Interdisciplinary Health Program | Improving Writing: What Can We Learn From the Student Perspective? |
| Chin, Christina | Frostic School of Art | Screenprinting onto Encaustics Art Workshop |
| Connors, Elyse | Blindness and Low Vision Studies | Use of Secondary Data and GIS to Examine Low Vision Resources in the State of Michigan |
| Devanga, Suma | Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences | Collaborative Referencing: A Speech-Language Intervention for Aphasia |
| Gogan, Brian | English | A Frame Analysis of Campus Civic Action Plans |
| Ikonomov, Pavel | Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Management Systems | 3D Hybrid Metal Printer Sample Product Testing |
| Ohanna, Natalio | Spanish | Witches and Shipwrecks: the Algiers Expedition (1541) and the Mystification of a Military Disaster |
| Running-Johnson, Cynthia | World Languages and Literatures | Contemporary French Theatre |
| Zarate-Sandez, German | Spanish | A longitudinal study of second language pronunciation development in two learning contexts |
View additional SFSA award recipients
Undergraduate Research Excellence Award
The Undergraduate Research Excellence Award provides undergraduate students at WMU with opportunities to take part in mentored research or creative activities with an externally funded faculty member.
Fall 2019 UREA
| Student | Department | Mentor | Description |
| Pratley, Hal | Mechanical Engineering | Muralidhar Ghantasala | Sonar Doppler Blood Flow Monitor |
| Braun, Derek | Mechanical Engineering | Muralidhar Ghantasala | Sonar Doppler Blood Flow Monitor |
| Miner, Mitchell | Mechanical Engineering | Jinseok Kim | The Hanging 3D Printer |
| Brummel, Maximilian | Mechanical Engineering | Jinseok Kim | Hang-Printer |
| Fenech, Stephen | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Massood Atashbar | Development of a Dry, Flexible, Durable, and Wireless Athletic Electrocardiogram Smart Sleeve |
| Burnette, Blake | Engineering Design Technology | Pavel Ikonomov | High Precision Rotational Table |
| Wilkins, Nathan | Manufacturing Engineering Technology | Pavel Ikonomov | 4 & 5 Axis Rotary Table |
| Reeves, Emily | Comparative Religion | Alisa Perkins | Queer Muslim Online: The Development of Online Communities and Resources |
Summer II 2019 UREA
| Student | Department | Mentor | Description |
| Noble, Charles | Computer Science | Wuwei Shen | Assurance-Based Development and Validation for Auto Program Repairs |
| Trainor, Isabella | Biology | David Huffman | Aldolase B in the Small Intestine |
Spring 2019 UREA
| Student | Department | Mentor | Description |
| Al Maamuri, Ali | Chemistry | Gellert Mezei | Influence of reactant stoichiometry on the composition of nanojar product mixtures |
| Berichon, Megan | Nursing | Mary Ann Stark | Resilience in Bronson School of Nursing Empower Success Students |
| Birchfield, Devin | Electrical Engineering | Massood Atashbar | Hand Motion Controlled Car using Flexible Hybrid Electronics |
| Blinkiewicz, Paige | Biochemistry | Jeremy Duncan | Determining the Function of Gata3 and its Potential Role in Hearing Restoration |
| Cannella, Connor | Aerospace Engineering | Kathryn Docherty | Constant Altitude Balloon and Flight Termination System |
| Collingwood, Joshua | Biomedical Science | Kelly Teske | Synthesis of small molecule inhibitors targeting aberrant microRNA- 31 function |
| Geiger, Ryan | Aerospace Engineering | Jennifer Hudson | Thermal Adaptation of a Vacuum Chamber |
| Goberville, Nicholas | Mechanical Engineering | Zachary Asher | Linear Rail 3D Printing Robotic Arm |
| Herbert, Aaron | Mechanical engineering | Peter Gustafson | Emergency Supply Power Bank |
| Jackson, Xavier | Electrical Engineering | Massood Atashbar | Hand Motion Controlled Car using Flexible Hybrid Electronics |
| Johns, Anika | Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences | Sume Devanga | Generalization of Language to Everyday Conversations: An Aphasia Treatment Study |
| Kronback, Curt | Aerospace Engineering | Kathryn Docherty | Design of a Constant Altitude Balloon and Flight Termination System |
| Mahmoud, Yara Hazen | Electrical Engineering | Damon Miller | House Fire Preventative Device |
| Milburn, Even | Mechanical Engineering | Jennifer Hudson | Attitude control |
| Murgia, Evangelia | Geology | Joyashish Thakurta | An Experimental Investigation on the Origin of Hexagonal Columnar Structures in Surficial Rocks |
| Rosario, Yarielis | Biomedical Sciences | Wendy Beane | The Effects of Weak Magnetic Fields on Planarian Regeneration |
| Salome, Austin | Chemistry | Gellert Mezei | Synthesis of 1,3-bis(1H-pyrazole-3-yl)propane and the corresponding nanojars |
| Sienkiewicz, Nicholas | Biochemistry/Choral Music Education | Kelly Teske | Synthesis and Evaluation of Small Molecule Modulators of Oncogenic miRNA Function |
| Steele, Thomas | Mechanical Engineering | Zachary Asher | Robotic Arm and Slide Rail with 3D Printing Head |
| Steuer, Magdalena | English/Creative Writing | Brian Gogan | The Treatment of Children and their Literature at the Turn of the Century |
| Taylor, Ryan | Geography | Adam Mathews | Urban Tree Canopy Cover Change in Denver, Colorado, 2002-2012 |
| Timmermann, Nicholas | Aerospace Engineering | Kristina Lemmer | Balloon Altitude Control and Sampling System |
| Wendland, Jared | Mechanical Engineering | Peter Gustafson | Emergency Relief Power Supply |
| Wilgenhof, Rachel | Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology | Suma Devanga | Collaborative Referencing in Wernicke's Aphasia |