SHSU Takes New Approach to Research Funding

Sam Houston State University's allocation of almost $250,000 for the research projects of 13 faculty members is one of several indications that SHSU is becoming more active in the search for national funding, according to university officials.

The faculty members and their 2003 award amounts include Wayne Barrett ($17,432), Kimberly Bell ($11,087), Robert Bruce ($4,452), Barry Friedman ($10,732), Richard Li ($14,334), Juliana Lilly ($17,416), Joyce McCauley ($14,657), Sheryl Murphy-Manley ($17,999), Diane Neudorf ($16,848), Rebecca Robles-Pina ($14,801), Robert Stretcher ($16,958), Kista Tucker ($18,000), and Jianzhong Wang ($15,028). Grants were also awarded for 2004 to Tucker ($8,000), Bell ($11,164), Stretcher ($17,578), and Lilly ($16,403).

Gordon Plishker believes that when it comes to attracting the attention of prestigious national research supporters such as the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, you've got to spend money to make money.

Plishker, associate vice president for research and sponsored programs, says the new approach reflects a commitment by the administration of SHSU President James F. Gaertner to help SHSU faculty members reach the major leagues of research funding.

"Those responsible for evaluating grant applications at the major funding agencies say a real researcher is not someone who will do research only 'if' they receive national funding," said Plishker. "The real researcher says 'I'm going to do it anyway, and I need your help,' and this is what these smaller local grants allow them to do.

"The real researchers, and the ones who are ultimately successful in acquiring national funding, have worthwhile projects and keep going back again and again."

Another key to funding success on the national level, Plishker said, is to use academicians from other universities to evaluate proposals for the SHSU awards, which was done for the first time this year.

Encouraging faculty members to be active researchers early in their careers is also a key, he said. The competition for SHSU grants is divided into two categories to encourage participation of newer faculty.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty members are eligible for the Enhancement Grant for Research. Faculty members who have taught at SHSU for three years or less are eligible for the Enhancement Grant for Professional Development.

An indication that SHSU faculty members have bought into the new process is that 71 instead of an expected 30 showed up for a research and sponsored programs grant writing workshop. A total of 31 submitted requests for the recently announced awards.

This year's awards ranged up to $18,000 instead of the maximum $5,000 in past years.

The university has also hired an accomplished grant writer to assist in these national fund search efforts.

Delia Gallinaro, who has been on board since last October, has worked as a community development grant writer for eight years, with clients that included counties, cities, and other public entities.

Prior to that, she worked for The Woodlands Corporation as the community operations administrator, assisting such organizations as the Conroe school district, Montgomery College, Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC), and South Montgomery Public Library.

With more than $25 million in successful grants to her credit, Gallinaro also worked for The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts lieutenant governor's office. She is a 1975 graduate of Boston University and earned a Masters of Public Administration degree from New York University in 1977.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
April 17, 2003
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