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Home > ARRA Stories > Brooklyn College Receives Nearly $2 Million in Stimulus Grants
Brooklyn College Receives Nearly $2 Million in Stimulus Grants

October 5, 2009

Photo of Professor Perdikaris and her team

Professor Sophia Perdikaris and her students in Iceland, one of the two 'islands of change' under study.

More than $1.9 million in stimulus grants have recently come to Brooklyn College for six projects, including biomedical research and robotics, Gov. David A. Paterson announced at a Manhattan press conference on Sept. 22.

"The awarding of these grants is a testament to Brooklyn College's increasingly significant place in science education and to the seriousness we bring to preparing our students for a future in the new economy," said President Karen L. Gould.

Paterson said universities, medical facilities, businesses and research institutions across the state have been awarded 1,164 research grants worth more than $600 million through competitive stimulus funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Obama administration's stimulus package that became law in February.

"The key to a growing economy is investing in innovation—by turning discoveries into business opportunities," Paterson said. "The $605.5 million that institutions all around New York have won will help ensure that New York remains a leader in research as we continue to work with our universities to build bridges from research to application."

He added, "I thank the Obama administration and our New York congressional delegation for helping our state's colleges, universities and businesses obtain this critical funding."

The six announced grants to Brooklyn College — four from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and two from the National Science Foundation (NSF) — totaled $1,926,967:

  • $26,084 for the project "Cloning and Analysis of a Gamete Fusion Gene" under the direction of Associate Professor of Biology Charlene Forest. The NIH grant is effective June 1 – Oct. 31, 2009.
  • $1,147,782 for the project "REU Site: Islands of Change" under the direction of Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology Sophia Perdikaris. The NSF grant is effective July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012.
  • $345,000 for the project "REU Site: MetroBotics: Undergraduate Robot Research at an Urban Public College" under the direction of Associate Professor Elizabeth Sklar and Professor Simon Parsons, both of the Department of Computer and Information Science. The NSF grant is effective July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2012.
  • $194,178 for the project "Amyloid-like Interactions in Yeast Cell Adhesion" under the direction of Professor of Biology Peter Lipke. The NIH grant is effective Aug. 1, 2009 – May 31, 2011.
  • $104,521 for the project "Gatekeepers and Roadblocks: Increasing URM Student Success in Science" under the direction of Dean of Research and Graduate Studies and Professor of Psychology Louise Hainline. The NIH grant is effective Sept. 1, 2009 – May 31, 2011.
  • $109,402 for the project "Biomedical Research Training for Minority Honor Students" under the direction of Dean Hainline. The NIH grant is effective Sept. 1, 2009 – Aug. 31, 2011.

The Brooklyn College awards are among a total of 16 grants amounting to $4.6 million that were given to Brooklyn institutions, which also include SUNY Downstate Medical College, Medgar Evers College and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Corporation.

"I commend the Obama administration for investing stimulus funds in New York City that will enhance our research and innovation capabilities," said Rep. Yvette Clarke. "These funds will go a long way in boosting Brooklyn's local economy by creating jobs."

Clarke added, "Brooklyn College and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens in total have received over $2.1 million in stimulus grants. They have been leaders in research and innovation in our community for years, and it gives me great pleasure to know that these new grants will help push Brooklyn to the forefront of innovation in our nation."

Rep. Edolphus Towns said, "I am pleased these research funds will be invested in a diverse range of innovative projects in Brooklyn. Thanks to the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, our community will have the opportunity to participate in vital research projects with far-reaching benefits."

This article originally appeared on the Brooklyn College, CUNY website. Reposted with permission.

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