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Welcome
The Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) would like to welcome you to the second edition of the UTEP Research Newsletter. In this issue, we feature announcements on new research awards secured by faculty and staff, new research profiles published in UTEP’s Expertise Connector, notices on upcoming events supported by communities of practice, and updates with a Q&A section from ORSP Research Administration. A new section of the newsletter features patents received by UTEP researchers since March 2016. The newsletter also compiles research stories written by University Communications. Enjoy your read!
Expertise Connector (EC)
ORSP seeks to continually improve the Expertise Connector (EC) website to improve functionality and grow compatibility. Below are brief summaries of the most recent enhancements to expertise.utep.edu:
- I3 Move Community Advocates will receive routine emails showing the latest activity on each community.
- There is now capability to link an individual personal profile in EC with the patent s/he issued at UTEP.
- Faculty and staff can consent to the use of their selected professional picture in EC. Through a partnership with University Communications, ORSP is working towards obtaining a recent picture(s) of you that could be used to populate your EC personal profile, for example.
- UTEP faculty and staff have the ability to generate reports using data on EC using their UTEP credentials.
If you have ideas or comments about EC, please email econnect@utep.edu.
LSAMP BRIDGE TO THE DOCTORATE PROGRAM
The University of Texas System Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (UT LSAMP) proposes to host a Bridge to the Doctorate (BD) program at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), the lead institution of the 25 year-old Alliance. Twelve Fellows from underrepresented minority (URM) groups will be fully-funded during their entire Ph.D. program. The proposed project builds on experiences gathered by the UT System LSAMP regarding the development of successful and replicable strategies to ensure that large numbers of URM students graduate with undergraduate degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The BD project is an extension of these efforts and will support a select group of LSAMP alumni so that they may earn a terminal degree in their discipline. The project will both refine existing activities and develop new initiatives to enable these students to achieve their goal of completing a Ph.D. program. Moreover, the project will promote the maturation of the students' professional skills, values and attitudes along the way. The project will thus permit replication of these activities at emerging research universities with student profiles similar to that of UTEP, the host institution, which is a dynamic, majority minority, urban university located in the largest metropolitan area along the U.S.-Mexico border with a combined population of more than 2 million people.
IMPLEMENTATION OF PERFORMANCE LIFE OF VARIOUS HMA MIXES IN TEXAS
CTIS has developed a tool “The Performance Life of Mixes in Texas (PERMIT)” that provides TxDOT engineers and designers a means to observe the overall performance of HMA mixes in Texas through a web-based application that is housed at UTEP where the database is updated annually. This current implementation project expands on the previous research by incorporating quality control and quality assurance data from Site Manager, a TXDOT database into PERMIT. This linkage would allow transportation engineers to quickly and efficiently assess flexible pavement performance of thousands of jobs online.
POINT OF USE (POU) WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THE US/MEXICO BORDER COMMUNITIES IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
This project aim is to improve access to clean and safe water through an education outreach campaign to colonia residents on both sides of the U.S./Mexico border to minimize pollution of drinking water storage tanks. The project will also provide water filtration units to participating homes in Cd. Juárez.
SUPPORTING HOME GROWN TALENT
This project supports the UTEP production of Lydia to perform at the Region VI Festival in San Angelo, Texas. The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival selected this production, which was written by native El Pasoan Octavio Solis; and the grant will support associated costs including UTEP Theatre and Dance student travel.
RAPID AFTERSHOCK DEPLOYMENT FOR CAPTURING AFTERSHOCKS OF THE SEPTEMBER 2017 CHIAPAS (M=8.1) AND PUEBLA (M=7.1) EARTHQUAKES
The September 7 Chiapas, Mexico (M=8.1) and the September 19 Puebla, Mexico (M=7.1) earthquakes caused significant damage and loss of life. These were not the typical subduction plate boundary compressional events along the subduction interface of the Middle American Trench. Furthermore, the earthquakes were located about 640-km from each other, a far enough distance to suggest no link between them. We will investigate several questions remaining about these earthquakes by deploying seismic sensors around these two earthquakes and in between them and analyzing the data collected in coordination with our colleagues in Mexico.
SMOKE FREE MULTI-UNIT HOUSING - STATEWIDE
With extensive experience in the area of tobacco control and policy development and adoption, UTEP will provide technical assistance to Texas public housing authorities on smoke-free housing policies, education on tobacco treatment resources, and developing a comprehensive database of public housing policies in the State.
EVALUATION OF ELECTROCHEMICAL NANO DIFFUSION (END) FOR DESALINATION OF REAL BRACKISH GROUNDWATER
UTEP will assist Magna Imperio Systems in conducting the pilot testing of the Electrochemical Nano Diffusion system for brackish water desalination at The Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility (BGNDRF) located in Alamogordo, New Mexico.
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS FOR BUILDING RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: A BINATIONAL FACULTY AND STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
This study abroad program is a collaboration among UTEP and three Mexican institutions: Tecnológicos Nacionales de Mexico, namely Instituto Tecnológico de Campeche; Instituto Tecnológico de Hermosillo, and Instituto Tecnológico de Tlalpan.
ADVANCEMENT OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS MONITORING AND METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE FABRICATION
This project advances additive manufacturing technology through (1) efficient detection of defects using a process monitoring system and (2) modification of a commercial selective laser melting process to produce 3D metal-matrix composites.
BILINGUAL PROFESSIONAL WRITING CERTIFICATE (BPWC)
To meet the national need for college graduates who can speak and write in more than one language, this project develops the Bilingual Professional Writing Certificate to prepare undergraduate students to ethically and responsibly communicate in print and digital environments in both Spanish and English.
PAVEMENT-TRANSPORTATION COMPUTER ASSISTED STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING (PCASE)
This project supports the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers by providing technical guidance and comprehensive testing and validation of software modules for partial development of Pavement-Transportation Computer-Assisted Structural Engineering 7.
PASO DEL NORTE COLLABORATIVE K12 GIS CAPACITY BUILDING AND RESEARCH FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MONITORING
The purpose of the project is to build GIS capacity in environmental health to promote its short and long-term adoption at the K12 level in the Paso Del Norte region through train-the-trainer of K12 educators, implement educational outreach efforts to promote environmental literacy and awareness, and help answer research questions related to air quality and other priority environmental issues relevant to the U.S.-Mexico border region.
LONG-TERM GENETIC EFFECTS OF GAME-FARM MALLARD RELEASES ON WILD MALLARDS IN THE ATLANTIC FLYWAY
This study aims to understand the genetic consequences of hybridization between North American feral and wild mallards. Specifically, data will be used to determine possible reasons for recent declines of wild populations.
2018 SUMMER ARL-UTEP INTERNSHIPS
The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) summer intern program is a twelve (12) week program that allows for University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) undergraduate and graduate students to undertake a technical project at White Sands Missile Range in support of the ARL mission.
POPULATION GENETICS OF ARIZONA'S SPRINGSNAIL
This project extracts and analyzes genomic DNA from 178 whole specimens of springsnails among 12 batches, with each batch from geographically different locations/populations, in order to generate a listing/frequency of genetic variations within each batch.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN EL PASO
This project investigates human trafficking in the United States, particularly in Paso del Norte region, which is on the U.S. border with Mexico. This is a growing problem due to the increased expense of border crossings that forces people to work and pay off debts, resulting in greater labor exploitation and trafficking out of El Paso.
PASOS 3 -- SCREENING AND BRIEF INTERVENTION IN THE PASO DEL NORTE REGION
This grant provides Screening and Brief Motivational Intervention (SBMI) training to community providers with an aim of addressing binge drinking within the Paso del Norte region. These trainings are evidence-based, sustainable, and high quality practices.
ARCTIC RESEARCH MAPPING APPLICATION MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT 2018
This project supports ongoing maintenance of two tools: (1) Arctic Research Mapping Application, which provides users access to an interactive mapping application that hosts information on historic, current, and future arctic research logistics operations; and (2) Arctic Observing Viewer, provides users access to an interactive mapping application that hosts information on arctic environmental observing activities.
PERCEPTIONS OF TEXAS CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS ON THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH OF CLINICAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES
The purpose of this study is to determine appropriate time frames for clinical education within Doctor of Physical Therapy programs in Texas in order to inform any policy changes.
THE FY18 DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER TRANSPORTATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM LOCAL COMPETITION
The purpose of this grant is to stimulate interest among students to conduct transportation-related research, pursue transportation-related degrees, to enter the transportation workforce and bring innovation and enhance the breadth and scope of knowledge of the entire transportation community in the United States.
KTEP
This is KTEP's yearly Federal grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which is designed to be used for general operations of a public radio station.
SPEAK AND CONNECT: STARTALK 2018
STARTALK 2018 is a summer language immersion program designed to introduce 50 high school students to Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian. A research component evaluates students' perspectives and attitudes towards the culture of the region where the language they are learning is spoken.
COPING WITH CANCER III
UTEP is the partnership site for the Weill Cornell Medical College research study with an aim of establishing collaboration with local oncology medical services for recruiting participants who are patients, caregivers, and oncology providers for interviews while monitoring and addressing issues that may arise during the study.
TESTING AND EVALUATION OF DRY POLYMERS FOR DIGESTED SLUDGE DEWATERING
This project aims to identify the best of various polymers that are intended to lower the water content of digested sludge deposited in a dedicated landfill in order to lower the cost during belt filter pressing or centrifugation.
SNAP-ED VEGGIE-METER PROJECT
In collaboration with Common Threads, UTEP is coordinating data collection and analysis of carotenoid levels in school-age populations in the El Paso region using the "Veggie-Meter," which is a non-invasive and portable instrument to screen these levels in large populations.
IMPACT OF METHAMPHETAMINE INDUCED IL-6 PRODUCTION ON WOUND HEALING AND INFLAMMATION
In partnership with the New York Institute of Technology with UTEP in the lead, this research project aims to (1) investigate the impact of methamphetamine (METH) on wound healing using polymorphonuclear leukocytes recruitment and repair in vivo; and (2) assess the role of METH on IL-6 production in the setting of wound healing and inflammation in vivo.
THE ROLE OF ENKEPHALIN IN CUE-INDUCE CHANGES OF MOTIVATION
This research examines whether the role of enkephalin signaling within the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia is both necessary and sufficient for motivation to approach cues associated with positive (hedonic) states and/or avoid cues associated with negative (anhedonic) states.
RIO BOSQUE WETLANDS PARK
In collaboration with El Paso Water - Public Service Board, UTEP is responsible for developing and managing Rio Bosque Wetlands Park as a public park and recreational facility to include restoration of native river-valley ecosystems, monitoring of environmental conditions and animal populations, maintenance of trails, and outreach.
FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT OF ST-001
In partnership with SteroTherapeutics, the project aims for formulation development of nanosuspensions for systemic delivery of steroidal drugs to improve conditions of patients suffering from nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and steatohepatitis.
BEYOND BORDERS: BRINGING LATINX UNDERGRADUATES INTO PHILOSOPHY
To mediate the underrepresentation of Latinx undergraduate students in the discipline of philosophy, this grant provides a mentoring and research program for students to participate in and present their research at the Latinx Philosophy Conference at Rutgers University.
3D PRINTED NANO-ENABLED MODULES FOR WATER TREATMENT: INTEGRATION OF TOP-DOWN AND BOTTOM-UP FABRICATION TO ENHANCE FUNCTION AND INCREASE OPERATIONAL LI
This project creates a platform for developing nano-enabled water treatment systems tailored for hierarchical integration while improving design, fabrication, operation and management without the costs reduction factors associated with large scale manufacturing.
COLLABORATIVE HSI CONFERENCE: CO-DESIGNING AN ENGINEERING EDUCATION RESEARCH AGENDA
This collaborative project conducts workshops with Hispanic Serving Institutions to support student learning in engineering using three innovative approaches: Design Thinking, Intrinsic Motivation, and students as Empowered Agents.
UTEP AND PRUDENTIAL ACTUARIAL SCIENCE ACADEMY AND PIPELINE INITIATIVE
In partnership with The Prudential Insurance Company of America, this project advances the academic and professional capabilities of the Paso Del Norte regional workforce, in particular the professional competencies and capabilities of UTEP undergraduate students.
THE HUMANITIES COLLABORATIVE AT EPCC-UTEP
In collaboration with El Paso Community College, this grant establishes The Humanities Collaborative to invigorate humanities coursework through student engagement in high impact practices in the humanities, leading to increased undergraduate and graduate majors in the humanities disciplines.
SKOV ETHICS COMPETITION ON BUSINESS ETHICS 2017-2018
This grant provides funds for students to compete in the 2017-2018 Skov Ethics Competition on Business Ethics with an aim of inspiring students to make civic or socially ethical choices.
ASSESSING EMPIRICAL APPROACHES FOR MEASURING HUMAN APPROPRIATION OF NET PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY
This project evaluates empirical methodologies for measuring human appropriation of net primary productivity (HANPP) and eHANPP (HANPP embodied in trade) in order to capture human dependence on ecological resources to improve the agro-ecological footprint.
Amy Bach
Assistant Professor, Education
As a practitioner and researcher, I am committed to working with and within institutions of public education and in the service of historically marginalized and otherwise disadvantaged students. My research interests, the university courses I have designed and taught, and my work outside of the...
Heidi Taboada Jimenez
Associate Professor, Engineering
Dr. Heidi A. Taboada serves as the Associate Dean for Research & Graduate Studies at The University of Texas at El Paso. Dr. Taboada is also an Associate Professor at the Department of Industrial, Manufacturing & Systems Engineering. She holds MS and Ph.D degrees in Industrial and Systems...
Greg Taylor
Associate Professor, Liberal Arts
Musical Theatre production. Musical Theatre directing. Musical Theatre history. Theatrical producing. Theatre amanagement. Performing Arts
Jorge Gardea-Torresdey
Professor, Science
Dr. Jorge Gardea-Torresdey is the Dudley Professor of Environmental Science & Engineering and Professor of Chemistry. He is currently the Chair of the Department Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in 1988. The research interests of Dr. Gardea include: applications...
Jerry Johnson
Professor, Science
Dr. Johnson is involved with studies on the systematics, ecology, and conservation of the herpetofauna of Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America) and the Chihuahuan Desert of southwestern USA and adjacent Mexico.
Myron Nadel
Professor, Liberal Arts
I am a choreographer who loves to integrate theatrical devices such as a speaking character and projections with movement vocabularies mixed from classical, theatre (including jazz and tap), and modern dance forms.
Joan Staniswalis
Professor, Science
Dr. Staniswalis is a statistician working in the areas of non- and semi- parametric regression, and functional data analysis for curve data. Her interest in biomedical applications is a direct result of an appointment at The Medical College of Virginia's Biostatistics Department before coming to...
Anita Bialunska
Postdoctoral Fellow, Health Sciences
Since the beginning of her research career, Dr. Anita Bialunska has been interested in perception-action relationships, specifically on multisensory processing, subliminal priming and implementation of perceptual information to motor preparation, the contribution of spatial and temporal attention,...
Chris Reyman
Assistant Professor, Liberal Arts
As a musician, artist and academic, Dr. Reyman’s main interest is in creativity and collaboration. He focuses on improvisational art, working simultaneously on artistic and vocational aspects. He also composes music for many ensembles and film/media. His research is centered on the impact of play...
Danniel Rodriguez
Research Assistant Professor, Engineering
Dr. Rodriguez has extensive pavements engineering research experience within academia research and with the Army Corps of Engineers: ERDC Airfields and Pavements Branch. He is particularly an expert on data mining and analyzing pavement performance databases, and is a lead developer for TxDOT...
Miroslav Svitek
Adjunct Professor, Engineering
Since 2002, he has been associated professor in engineering informatics at Faculty of Transportation Sciences, Czech Technical University in Prague. Since 2005, he has been nominated as the extraordinary professor in applied informatics at Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Matej Bel in...
Bryan Boyea
Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
Dr. Boyea is interested in critically analyzing the method upon which health care is implemented is an essential component to advancing a profession. In physical therapy, as with other professions, research is the foundational conduit through which current practice is assessed. His research...
Rhonda Manning
Clinical Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
Dr. Manning has almost 20 years’ experience in pediatric physical therapy with an emphasis in gross motor development, genetic disorders, sensory processing disorders, feeding disorders, effects of prematurity, and autism spectrum disorders. Dr. Manning is also interested in Clinical Education...
Hugo Gutierrez-Jurado
Assistant Professor, Science
Surface and groundwater hydrology, ecohydrology, GIS and remote sensing applications for water resources studies, hydrometeorology, hydrogeophysics, geomorphology, and field experiments for predicting and quantifying climatic-vegetation effects on the water cycle and their impacts on ecosystems.
Adam Perry
Associate Professor, Science
Dr. Perry’s research program has two main themes, which examine: 1. Neuroendocrine regulation of sociosexual behavior in male and female prairie voles 2. Psychostimulant effects on social motivation and selective attachments. These two themes complement one another, as understanding the intrinsic...
Sangjin Kim
Assistant Professor, Science
Dr. Kim's research interests include multiple hypothesis testing, variable selection, survival analysis, clinical trials, statistical learning, and statistical bioinformatics, focusing on the development and application of statistical and computational methods to analyze high dimensional omics data...
Cristina Goletti
Associate Professor, Liberal Arts
Drawing from my international experience in dance activism, choreography and teaching, I am passionate about the way dance can create a powerful epistemological experience about our world. My areas of research are dance dramaturgy, queer LatinX aesthetic, interdisciplinary performance art and...
UTEP at Forefront of National Low-Altitude Airspace Safety Initiative
The NASA MIRO Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research (cSETR) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is setting the pace in a nationwide effort to improve low-altitude airspace safety. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) experts from cSETR are leading a team comprised of leaders from...
UTEP Team Finds How Wind Moves Microinvertebrates Across Desert
The work of faculty and students from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has yielded the first evidence of how waterborne microinvertebrates move across vast expanses of arid desert. An article published March 13, 2018 in Limnology and Oceanography Letters, a publication of the Association...
UTEP Researcher to Study How Brains Seek Out Rewards
The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation awarded UTEP School of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Ian Mendez, Ph.D., a two-year, $70,000 grant to study the role that a neurotransmitter called enkephalin plays in cue-induced, reward-seeking behavior. "When stimuli in our environment, such as lights or...
Keck Center Awarded $900K to Bolster Metal Printing Processes
Researchers from The University of Texas at El Paso's W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation were awarded an Army Research Laboratory grant worth $900,000. The three recipients are Ryan Wicker, Ph.D., director of the Keck Center; Cesar Terrazas, Ph.D., research assistant professor; and Philip Morton,...
Faculty Member Recognized as Pillar of Public Health
UTEP Public Health Sciences Associate Professor Oralia Loza, Ph.D., has been recognized as one of the 2018 Pillars of Public Health by the City of El Paso’s Department of Public Health. Loza received the Path Builder award for her service and research on LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual,...
Scientist Earns Coveted NIH Development Grant, Studies How Birth Defects Develop
The goal of Anita Quintana’s research at The University of Texas at El Paso is to try to understand what happens during development to cause children to be born with birth defects. More specifically, she is looking at birth defects that affect neurological and craniofacial development. Quintana,...
Awarded Grant to Improve STEM Education at HSIs
An engineering professor at The University of Texas at El Paso has been awarded a first-of-its-kind grant to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Meagan Vaughan Kendall, Ph.D., assistant professor in UTEP’s Department...
Chemistry Assistant Professor Awarded UTEP’s First Sloan Research Fellowship
Skye Fortier, Ph.D., was working with a student in late January 2018 when the sharp chirp of his cell phone interrupted their discussion. The assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Texas at El Paso answered the call. The voice on the other end was...
$1.3M Grant Helps Physics Professors Develop Materials Simulation Software
Tunna Baruah, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Physics, is humble about being named a recipient of a grant to further her computational research into the properties of materials. But there is nothing modest about the prize bestowed upon her. Baruah, along with co-principal...
Civil Engineering Students Study Ascarate Lake
The El Paso County Commissioners lauded a group of University of Texas at El Paso civil engineering students and their professor after they presented the final results of a nearly yearlong effort to improve water quality at Ascarate Park. vonne Santiago, Ph.D., civil engineering clinical professor,...
Professor Awarded Fellowship to Travel to Israel
Eric Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of industrial, manufacturing and systems engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been awarded the opportunity to study at the Winter Faculty Fellowship Program in Israel. For two weeks, Smith will travel throughout Israel to engage in networking...
Lab Pioneers Electromagnetics and Photonics
Ask anyone in Raymond Rumpf’s EM Lab what they do and they’ll tell you they are doing what most would consider impossible. Failure is common in their work in electromagnetics and photonics, but it is revolutionizing engineering and science as we know it. Rumpf, Ph.D., Schellenger Professor in...
Professors Earn Prestigious NEH Award
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded research grants to The University of Texas at El Paso’s Professors of English Isabel Baca and Robert L. Gunn. Their grants to advance research at Hispanic-Serving Institutions are part of $12.8 million that will support 253 projects...
Mellon Foundation Awards UTEP, EPCC $2M Humanities Grant
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a more than $2 million grant to The University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (EPCC) to establish The Humanities Collaborative. UTEP will receive nearly $1.4 million and EPCC will receive $651,000 in support of the program. The goals of...
National Group Honors UTEP Education Professor
The University Council of Educational Administration awarded its annual Jack A. Culbertson Award to The University of Texas at El Paso’s David DeMatthews, Ph.D., assistant professor of educational leadership and foundations, during the group’s 31st annual convention Nov. 16, 2017, in Denver....
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Eppie Rael, Professor Emeritus Department of Biological Sciences
April 10, 2018
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Tomás Rivera Conference Center, Union East Building
“How Technology Influenced my Research”
Dr. Eppie Rael is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at The University of Albuquerque, his Master’s Degree from New Mexico Highlands University, and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the University of Arizona. He came to UTEP in 1975 as an Assistant Professor, where he progressed to the rank of Associate Professor and then to Professor. At UTEP he served as Director of the Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Program from 1982 through 1990, served as Director of the MBRS – SCORE Program from 1998 to 2005, and served as Director of the Border Biomedical Research Center from 1999 to 2005. He was the Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences from 1999 to 2005. He received numerous research grants while at UTEP from the NIH and NSF, and from other granting institutions. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS). Fifteen of his master’s students went on to receive the Ph.D. degree from various universities in the U.S.; twenty of his master’s students received M.D. degrees; and thirty-five additional students completed the requirements for the M.S. degree at UTEP. He authored or co-authored sixty-two journal articles with topics ranging from drug-drug interaction, immune cell function, venom distribution in rattlesnake populations, development of immunotoxins, and molecular models of metalloproteinases and their potential drug use.
Research Forums provide an opportunity to recognize the recent achievement of researchers on campus as well as feature a distinguished UTEP researcher discussing his/her research experiences and findings with the university community. The Vice President for Research invites you to join the faculty, students, alumni, and staff in discussing important and timely research topics to stimulate further investigation in advancing our collective knowledge.
Please click here to RSVP.
New Sponsored Project Awards
We are sharing the sponsored awards received from December 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018.
LSAMP BRIDGE TO THE DOCTORATE PROGRAM
Kristin Gosselink and Benjamin Flores, Helmut Knaust, Heidi Taboada
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Jul 01, 2018 through Jun 30, 2020, $1,075,000
IMPLEMENTATION OF PERFORMANCE LIFE OF VARIOUS HMA MIXES IN TEXAS
Imad Abdallah and Soheil Nazarian
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Mar 09, 2018 through Aug 31, 2021, $329,500
POINT OF USE (POU) WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THE US/MEXICO BORDER COMMUNITIES IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
Ivonne Santiago and William Walker
BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION COMMISS
BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION COMMISS
Apr 01, 2018 through Jun 30, 2019, $79,636
SUPPORTING HOME GROWN TALENT
Adriana Dominguez and Cristina Goletti
EL PASO ELECTRIC COMPANY
EL PASO ELECTRIC COMPANY
Apr 01, 2018 through Mar 31, 2019, $2,500
RAPID AFTERSHOCK DEPLOYMENT FOR CAPTURING AFTERSHOCKS OF THE SEPTEMBER 2017 CHIAPAS (M=8.1) AND PUEBLA (M=7.1) EARTHQUAKES
Aaron Velasco and Marianne Karplus
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Oct 18, 2017 through Oct 18, 2018, $34,713
SMOKE FREE MULTI-UNIT HOUSING - STATEWIDE
Nora Hernandez and Jose Rivera
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
Mar 01, 2018 through Aug 31, 2018, $180,000
EVALUATION OF ELECTROCHEMICAL NANO DIFFUSION (END) FOR DESALINATION OF REAL BRACKISH GROUNDWATER
William Walker and Malynda Cappelle
MAGNA IMPERIO SYSTEMS CORPORATION
MAGNA IMPERIO SYSTEMS CORPORATION
Feb 05, 2018 through May 03, 2018, $20,335
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS FOR BUILDING RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: A BINATIONAL FACULTY AND STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Heidi Taboada, Jose Espiritu Nolasco, Hector Barrio, and Carlos Ferregut
PARTNERS OF THE AMERICAS FOUNDATION
PARTNERS OF THE AMERICAS FOUNDATION
Nov 01, 2017 through Oct 31, 2018, $25,000
ADVANCEMENT OF ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS MONITORING AND METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE FABRICATION
Ryan Wicker and Cesar Terrazas, Philip Morton
ARMY RESEARCH LABORATORY
ARMY RESEARCH LABORATORY
Dec 21, 2017 through Jan 20, 2019, $613,700
BILINGUAL PROFESSIONAL WRITING CERTIFICATE (BPWC)
Isabel Baca and Victoria Garcia
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
Jan 01, 2018 through Dec 31, 2019, $100,000
PAVEMENT-TRANSPORTATION COMPUTER ASSISTED STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING (PCASE)
PASO DEL NORTE COLLABORATIVE K12 GIS CAPACITY BUILDING AND RESEARCH FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY MONITORING
Stanley Mubako
BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION COMMISS
BORDER ENVIRONMENTAL COOPERATION COMMISS
Mar 12, 2018 through May 12, 2019, $65,000
LONG-TERM GENETIC EFFECTS OF GAME-FARM MALLARD RELEASES ON WILD MALLARDS IN THE ATLANTIC FLYWAY
2018 SUMMER ARL-UTEP INTERNSHIPS
POPULATION GENETICS OF ARIZONA'S SPRINGSNAIL
HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN EL PASO
Jeremy Slack
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY THROUGH GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY THROUGH GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
Jan 26, 2018 through Jun 30, 2018, $53,051
PASOS 3 -- SCREENING AND BRIEF INTERVENTION IN THE PASO DEL NORTE REGION
ARCTIC RESEARCH MAPPING APPLICATION MAINTENANCE AND DEVELOPMENT 2018
Craig Tweedie
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION THROUGH CH2MHILL CONSTRUCTORS, INC.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION THROUGH CH2MHILL CONSTRUCTORS, INC.
Feb 12, 2018 through Jan 31, 2019, $307,025
PERCEPTIONS OF TEXAS CLINICAL INSTRUCTORS ON THE APPROPRIATE LENGTH OF CLINICAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES
THE FY18 DWIGHT DAVID EISENHOWER TRANSPORTATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM LOCAL COMPETITION
Imad Abdallah
US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
Dec 14, 2017 through Aug 31, 2018, $46,500
KTEP
Patrick Piotrowski
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING
Oct 01, 2017 through Sep 30, 2019, $148,409
SPEAK AND CONNECT: STARTALK 2018
COPING WITH CANCER III
Guillermina Solis
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH THROUGH WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH THROUGH WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL COLLEGE
Jan 01, 2018 through May 31, 2018, $37,838
TESTING AND EVALUATION OF DRY POLYMERS FOR DIGESTED SLUDGE DEWATERING
SNAP-ED VEGGIE-METER PROJECT
IMPACT OF METHAMPHETAMINE INDUCED IL-6 PRODUCTION ON WOUND HEALING AND INFLAMMATION
Luis Martinez
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES THROUGH NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES THROUGH NEW YORK INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Sep 01, 2017 through Jul 31, 2019, $68,853
THE ROLE OF ENKEPHALIN IN CUE-INDUCE CHANGES OF MOTIVATION
RIO BOSQUE WETLANDS PARK
FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT OF ST-001
BEYOND BORDERS: BRINGING LATINX UNDERGRADUATES INTO PHILOSOPHY
3D PRINTED NANO-ENABLED MODULES FOR WATER TREATMENT: INTEGRATION OF TOP-DOWN AND BOTTOM-UP FABRICATION TO ENHANCE FUNCTION AND INCREASE OPERATIONAL LI
COLLABORATIVE HSI CONFERENCE: CO-DESIGNING AN ENGINEERING EDUCATION RESEARCH AGENDA
UTEP AND PRUDENTIAL ACTUARIAL SCIENCE ACADEMY AND PIPELINE INITIATIVE
THE HUMANITIES COLLABORATIVE AT EPCC-UTEP
SKOV ETHICS COMPETITION ON BUSINESS ETHICS 2017-2018
Fernanda Wagstaff
FRIENDS OF TEXAS HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE COMMISSION
FRIENDS OF TEXAS HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE COMMISSION
Nov 03, 2017 through Jun 30, 2018, $1,000
ASSESSING EMPIRICAL APPROACHES FOR MEASURING HUMAN APPROPRIATION OF NET PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY
Stanley Mubako
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION THROUGH UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION THROUGH UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Nov 01, 2017 through Oct 31, 2019, $15,999
Patents
UTEP has experienced a steady increase in the number of US patents issued each year, with 2 issued patents in fiscal year 2015, 6 in 2016, 5 in 2017 and 9 for the early half of 2018. This continual increase represents UTEP’s commitment to research, discovery and creativity, and reflects our faculty, staff and students’ commitment to build a research institution of innovation and invention. Here we would like to share the sponsored patents received since April 01, 2016.
![Antiparasitic Effect Of Bis[3,5-Bis(Benzylidene)-4-Oxo-1-Piperidinyl] Amide Derivates](https://expertise.utep.edu/expertiseFiles/patentimages/ramaldonado_copy.jpg)
Research News from University Communications
Below is the collection of research-related articles written by University Communications since September 1, 2017. The Office of Research and Sponsored Projects is very appreciative of the partnership with University Communications for their efforts in continuing to promote the success of our faculty and staff. Through this partnership, we capture research-related articles in the Expertise Connector and associate it with the people and campus units being featured in it.
UTEP at Forefront of National Low-Altitude Airspace Safety Initiative
The NASA MIRO Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research (cSETR) at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is setting the pace in a nationwide effort to improve low-altitude airspace safety. Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) experts from cSETR are leading a team comprised of leaders from El Paso County, the City of El Paso, El Paso International Airport and many other local government....
UTEP Team Finds How Wind Moves Microinvertebrates Across Desert
The work of faculty and students from The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has yielded the first evidence of how waterborne microinvertebrates move across vast expanses of arid desert. An article published March 13, 2018 in Limnology and Oceanography Letters, a publication of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, details for the first time how high desert winds disperse small invertebrates and how they colonize hydrologically disconnected basins throughout the region....
UTEP Researcher to Study How Brains Seek Out Rewards
The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation awarded UTEP School of Pharmacy Assistant Professor Ian Mendez, Ph.D., a two-year, $70,000 grant to study the role that a neurotransmitter called enkephalin plays in cue-induced, reward-seeking behavior. "When stimuli in our environment, such as lights or sounds, are repeatedly paired with rewards, they gain a powerful ability to increase an individual’s motivation to obtain and consume rewards,” Mendez explained."....
Keck Center Awarded $900K to Bolster Metal Printing Processes
Researchers from The University of Texas at El Paso's W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation were awarded an Army Research Laboratory grant worth $900,000. The three recipients are Ryan Wicker, Ph.D., director of the Keck Center; Cesar Terrazas, Ph.D., research assistant professor; and Philip Morton, applications manager for the Keck Center. The money, facilitated through the MSI STEM Research and Development Consortium....
Faculty Member Recognized as Pillar of Public Health
UTEP Public Health Sciences Associate Professor Oralia Loza, Ph.D., has been recognized as one of the 2018 Pillars of Public Health by the City of El Paso’s Department of Public Health. Loza received the Path Builder award for her service and research on LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning) health in the El Paso community. As a member of the health department’s HIV Prevention Program‘s Community Mobilization LGBT Core Team....
Scientist Earns Coveted NIH Development Grant, Studies How Birth Defects Develop
The goal of Anita Quintana’s research at The University of Texas at El Paso is to try to understand what happens during development to cause children to be born with birth defects. More specifically, she is looking at birth defects that affect neurological and craniofacial development. Quintana, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, begins by studying human patients....
Awarded Grant to Improve STEM Education at HSIs
An engineering professor at The University of Texas at El Paso has been awarded a first-of-its-kind grant to enhance STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Meagan Vaughan Kendall, Ph.D., assistant professor in UTEP’s Department of Engineering Education and Leadership (E-Lead), received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant geared toward engaging engineering educators from HSIs through a series of workshops....
Chemistry Assistant Professor Awarded UTEP’s First Sloan Research Fellowship
Skye Fortier, Ph.D., was working with a student in late January 2018 when the sharp chirp of his cell phone interrupted their discussion. The assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Texas at El Paso answered the call. The voice on the other end was Keith Pannell, Ph.D., a fellow chemistry professor. Pannell inquired if his colleague had checked his email recently. Fortier immediately became dismayed....
$1.3M Grant Helps Physics Professors Develop Materials Simulation Software
Tunna Baruah, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Physics, is humble about being named a recipient of a grant to further her computational research into the properties of materials. But there is nothing modest about the prize bestowed upon her. Baruah, along with co-principal investigator Rajendra Zope, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Physics, received a $1.3 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Office of Science....
Civil Engineering Students Study Ascarate Lake
The El Paso County Commissioners lauded a group of University of Texas at El Paso civil engineering students and their professor after they presented the final results of a nearly yearlong effort to improve water quality at Ascarate Park. vonne Santiago, Ph.D., civil engineering clinical professor, joined the trio of students – Madison Bencomo, Lindsey Larson and Julieta Saucedo...
Professor Awarded Fellowship to Travel to Israel
Eric Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of industrial, manufacturing and systems engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been awarded the opportunity to study at the Winter Faculty Fellowship Program in Israel. For two weeks, Smith will travel throughout Israel to engage in networking opportunities. Smith is one of 23 professors from universities and colleges throughout the United States...
Lab Pioneers Electromagnetics and Photonics
Ask anyone in Raymond Rumpf’s EM Lab what they do and they’ll tell you they are doing what most would consider impossible. Failure is common in their work in electromagnetics and photonics, but it is revolutionizing engineering and science as we know it. Rumpf, Ph.D., Schellenger Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the EM Lab at The University of Texas at El Paso....
Professors Earn Prestigious NEH Award
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded research grants to The University of Texas at El Paso’s Professors of English Isabel Baca and Robert L. Gunn. Their grants to advance research at Hispanic-Serving Institutions are part of $12.8 million that will support 253 projects across the country. Baca, Ph.D., will receive a $100,000 Humanities Initiatives grant....
Mellon Foundation Awards UTEP, EPCC $2M Humanities Grant
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded a more than $2 million grant to The University of Texas at El Paso and El Paso Community College (EPCC) to establish The Humanities Collaborative. UTEP will receive nearly $1.4 million and EPCC will receive $651,000 in support of the program. The goals of this three-year project are to expand collaboration in the humanities between the two institutions and to invigorate humanities coursework and student research at both institutions....
National Group Honors UTEP Education Professor
The University Council of Educational Administration awarded its annual Jack A. Culbertson Award to The University of Texas at El Paso’s David DeMatthews, Ph.D., assistant professor of educational leadership and foundations, during the group’s 31st annual convention Nov. 16, 2017, in Denver. Colorado....
For a complete list of research news, please visit the Expertise Connector Research Stories page.
News from UTEP Research Administration
The Research Administration office under the Vice President for Research is here to assist with both proposal submission and post award management. Our Research Administrators (RA) guide PIs throughout the submission process and help both PIs and grant administrators with post award management when an award comes in. Our RAs are assigned by department as listed on our website.
ORSP Launches New Limited Submission Website
The new limited submissions website includes an extensive collection of limited solicitations of interest to UTEP faculty. The website is searchable by keyword and can be filtered by college. It also includes anticipated deadlines and allows faculty to submit an NOI or upload white papers in one click. To guarantee transparency, the website tracks each step of the selection process and captures the NOIs on file for each solicitation.
To make the selection process easier, most limited submission opportunities will use a standard white paper template, available on the limited submission website. Solicitations with specialized instructions (e.g., NIH SCORE) are demarcated by an eye icon, which once clicked upon, reveal the instructions unique to that limited submission opportunity.
For more information please visit ORSP Limited Submission Website: https://orspweb.utep.edu/ls-parallel
Agency Updates
NIH Human Subjects and Clinical Trials
In an effort to improve data collection and improve transparency on clinical trials, effective January 25, 2018, NIH added a new Human Subjects and Clinical Trials Information form to all applications. The form consolidates human subjects information into one, more detailed form that provides the level of information needed for peer review. It also aligns with ClinicalTrials.gov (where possible) and positions the NIH for future data exchange with ClinicalTrials.gov.
What does this mean for researchers that work with human subjects?
For application due dates on/after January 25, 2018, you will have to apply under separate funding opportunities if your project falls under the definition of a clinical trial.
The NIH definition of a clinical trial is fairly comprehensive. Some investigators conducting human subjects research may not be aware that NIH considers their study to be a clinical trial. Use this tool to help determine if your research meets the NIH definition of a clinical trial.
Identifying whether your study is a clinical trial will be important for:
• picking the right NIH funding opportunity
• ensuring your application includes all the information required for peer review
• complying with the appropriate policies and regulations
References:
https://grants.nih.gov/policy/clinical-trials/new-human-subject-clinical-trial-info-form.htm
https://grants.nih.gov/policy/clinical-trials.htm
https://grants.nih.gov/ct-decision/index.htm
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/forms-e/general/g.500-phs-humansubjects-and-clinical-trials-information.htm
Unfunded Collaborations in NSF Proposals
NSF policy does not allow for voluntary committed cost share except under a small number of programs. This means that you cannot include any unpaid effort or commitments to cover grant expenses in the budget.
But what if you have an unfunded collaboration that will enhance the review of your proposal? This should be included in your proposal, in the section called “Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources.” This document should describe all internal and external resources that will be available to the project, without including numeric amounts. If you are including unfunded collaborations, a letter of collaboration should be included in addition to the description you provide. As is the case for all letters, the letter should focus on the purpose of collaboration and not be a letter of recommendation.
For more information, refer to the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
Questions from the UTEP Research Community
I’m interested in applying for a grant, but it says UTEP must be a non profit. What does that mean? Am I eligible to apply?
It is likely that you will be eligible to apply. It is best that you contact your RA to assist you in confirming this. Non profit status is often required by private foundations or corporations. UTEP is exempt from federal income taxation under Internal Revenue Code Section 170 (c)(1) as a non-profit institution.
Sometimes an awarding agency will require that the applicant have 501(c)(3) non-profit status. In that case, your RA will submit the proposal through the University of Texas Foundation. The University of Texas Foundation has been established to accept gifts and awards on behalf of UTEP as well as all other University of Texas System schools.
If you’re unsure if you need to submit a NOI for a funding opportunity, the best course of action is to submit one anyway. NOIs are not binding and can be closed if you change your mind or we determine a NOI is not necessary.
I’m submitting a proposal to an agency for the first time. How do I register?
The best course of action is to submit your NOI so that your RA can guide you. In some cases, registration will be done by the PI and in others, the RA will provide you with your registration information.
After you are awarded, one agency that requires students and postdocs to be registered in NIH’s eRA Commons website before you can submit your annual report (RPPR). Please contact your RA early to ensure there is sufficient time for your students to get these IDs and update their personal profiles.
If you have any questions you would like addressed in a future issue, please email sukumar@utep.edu.