Faculty Development Grants

Faculty Development Grants were designed "To encourage and support academic activity and scholarly attainment by funding meritorious projects leading to professional growth in teaching, research, creative and scholarly activity, and service." (Faculty Handbook 2009). It is the responsibility of the Academic Affairs Committee of the Faculty Senate to evaluate and award grant on an annual basis. Once awarded by the Committee, the grants are administered by the Assistant Provost, Nancy Biggio.

All full-time faculty members are eligible to apply for individual grants; however, preference is normally given to those who have not recently received funds from Samford Faculty Development Grants. The maximum award per development grant is $4,000 for a single investigator. The principal investigator will have two years in which to complete the project. Upon completion of the project, the investigator must submit a written report to the Assistant Provost's office accompanied by the signature of the dean of the school. An electronic copy of the report should be sent to the current chair of the Academic Affairs Committee. The grant money is intended to be used for a complete project or as seed money for a larger project.

Criteria and applications for these grants are communicated to the faculty in September through e-mails and the Academic Affairs web site. Examples of previous grant proposals are shown below. For additional information, contact the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee or Nancy Biggio, Assistant Provost.

2011 - 2012 Faculty Development Grants

Larry Thompson - "Image and Resource Gathering project for a Series of Works of Creative Scholarship"

Will Womack - "Research at American Baptist Historical Society Archive in Atlanta"

Ken Roxburgh - "Growth Amidst Decline: Edinburgh's Churches and Scottish Culture, 1980-2010."

Baryy Robinson - "Research on Spanish-American Independence at the Archive of the Indies and the General Archive of Simancas"

Jennifer Rahn - "Beach and Coral Reef Interactions: Using Low Cost Survey Equipment to Map and Monitor Coastal Subaerial and Nearshore Environments for Responses to Sea Level Rise and Tropical Storms"

Andy Lampkins, Brian Gregory - "Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel Polymeric Material to Enhance the Durability of Self-Assembled Monolayers"

Malia Fincher - "Field Research: Limitations on acorn and oak survival and success at Oak Mountain State Park"

Amanda Hilsmier - "Improving the Reading Performance of At-Risk Middle School Students Using an Intensive Summer Reading Program"

Greg Gorman, Teresa Wilborn - "Development, optimization, and application of in vitro metabolism reaction conditions using LC/MS/MS methods with positive control substrates"

DeeAnn Dugan - "Impact of a pharmacist-led diabetes self-management group education and training program for low income, high risk patients in a public health department"

Patti Wood, Jody Newton - " The Relationship between Grouping Strategies and Achievement Outcomes with Gifted/Talented Elementary Students"

James Strange - "Archaeological Survey of Shikhin, Israel"

Jeremy Thornton - "Is Bigger Necessarily Better? Scale Economies in the Nonprofit Enterprise"

Donald Sanders - "Research and Document Preparation for Monograph, The Court Of Orpheus: Music for the Gonzagas at Mantua"

Kathryn Fouse - "Production of a Professional Recording of Piano Compositions of Living Composers"

Renee Butcher - "CUE!-Create, Understand, Experience: Advanced Training in the Latest Lighting Technology"

Mark Gignilliat - "Micah: A Theological Commentary"

Doug Clapp - "Latin Teaching Tour 2012: A Strategy for Curricular and Pedagogical Advancement"

Betsy Dobbins - "Determining the Presence of the 17-ketosteroid Androgens in Extracts of Dioscorea batatas Tubers by Liquid Chromotography-Mass Spectroscopy"

Drew Hataway - "Phylogeography and Conservation Genetics of the Menges' Fameflower, Phemeranthus mengesii"

David Johnson - "A Molecular Genetic Survey of Ciliates in a Small, Freshwater Stream: Bringing Next Generation Technology to Samford's Molecular Genetics Program"

Jennifer Speights-Binet - "Birmingham Reimagined: The Process of Downtown Revitalization in a Post-Industrial City"

LeeAnn Reynolds - "Stepping Out of the "Magic Circle": The Politics of Dissent in the Lives of Lillian Smith, Virginia Durr and Anne Braden"

Gisela Kreglinger - "Sustenance and Sustainability: A Spirituality of Wine"

Steve Stricker - "An Assessment of Community Pharmacists' Knowledge of Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with Oral Chemotherapeutic Agents"

Dave Luthin - "Determination of Estradiol and Other Estrogen Metabolites in Water Samples from Seven Jefferson County Water Treatment Facilities"

Bernadette "D'Souza, Gary Bumgarner - "Optimization of a Microparticulate Vaccine for Simultaneous Uses as an Adjuvant and Antigen Delivery System for the Subsequent Initiation of a Potent Immune Response"

Julie Steward - "Contemporary Poetry Archival Research"

Geri Beers, Cindy Berry - "Traditional Versus Electronic Resources for Faculty in Two Adult Health Clinical Courses: A Pilot Study"

Patrice Donnelly - "Does Obesity Increase the Q-angle of the Knee?"

2010 - 2011 Faculty Development Grants

Charlotte Brammer (Communication Studies) - Intercultural Development Inventory

Kim Herndon, Liz Wells, Jennifer Taylor (Library) - "Participation in Mass Digitization Collaborative of Unique & Rare Resources"

Jill Cunningham, Margie Findlay, Arlene Hayne (Nursing) - "Mobile Health Services for Children and Adults with Developmental Disabilities in Underserved Areas"

Marshall Cates, Danielle Cruthirds - "Sexual Adverse Effects"

Scott Fisk - Letterpress Printmaking Documentary

Sarana Chou - When New Music Meets Modern Dance; Compose and Choreograph a New Work for violinist and Dancer

Malia Fincher - Improving Reforestation projects in Tropical Ecosystems: Does Initial Planting Diversity Enhance Forest Development

David Bains - The Symbolic Function of Washington National Cathedral and other National Houses of Worship

Jeremy Thornton, Sara Helms - The influence of Grant Restrictions on Charitable Giving: An Experimental Approach

Archie Lockamy - Empirical Testing of "A Model of the Factors Preventing Intra-Family Succession in Family Firms" Using Bayesian Belief Networks

2009 - 2010 Faculty Development Grants

Charlotte Brammer (Communication Studies) - Intercultural Development Inventory
Jon Clemmensen, Julie Williams (Journalism) - "Another Voice: A Classic First Amendment Conflict Between SU Crimson and University Administration"

Eric Fournier (Geography) - Waterfront Revitalization in Savannah, Georgia

Robert Hensarling, Brian Toone (ESSM) - Funding toward a Portable Static Balance Testing and Training System

Peter Hughes (Pharmacy) - Drug Information Resources in Alabama

Andrew Lampkins (Chemistry) - Funding Toward Interest in B-Secretase Inhibitors for Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease

Barry Robinson (History) - Migrant Mexico Course Development and Archival Research

Ronald Shinn (Music) - Recordings of Mirror Inversion as a Teaching Technique

2008 - 2009 Faculty Development Grants

John Arnold - (Pharmaceutical Sciences) - Investigation of PLGA Microspheres for Sustained and Controlled Drug Release of Tetracycline

Erika Cretton-Scott (Pharmaceutical Sciences) - Evaluation of In Vitro Stability of Leucine-Based Gamma-Lactone Prodrugs in Liver and GI Tract

Malia Fincher (Biology) - Soil Nutrient Analyses of Privet Plants to Determine Physiological Difference Between Those Grown in High and Low Light Settings

Ginger Frost (History) - Travel to England for Archival Work on Poor Union Laws for Manuscript

Jasmine Gaines (Biology) - Research on Genetic Role in HPV Conversion to Cervical Cancer

David Johnson (Biology) - Molecular Investigation of Archival DNA Slides

Alan Jung (ESSM) - Study of Mice on Timing of Physical Activity in Youth and Impact on Physical Activity in Adulthood

Sean King (Pharmacy) - Investigation of Effectiveness of Symbols in Pharmacy provided Prescription Information in Low Health Literate Populations

David Luthin (Pharmacy) - Investigation of Impact of High Fiber Diet on Weight Gain in Mice Fed a High Fat Diet

Lakisha Moore (Biology) - Development of Cancer Associated Fibroblasts for Analysis of In Vitro Metastatic Characteristics

Eric Olson (Theater) - Travel and Expenses for Scenic Painting Course

Jennifer Speights-Binet (Geography) - Summer Stipend/Release Time for Writing on Role of memory and Place in Construction of Louisiana State Capitol During Long Administration

Sonya Stanley (Math) - Spring Course Release to Supervise Undergraduate Research on Bernstein Polynomials in Connection with CURM Grant

Julie Steward (English) - Summer Stipend/Release Time for Writing Poetry

2007 - 2008 Faculty Development Grants

Theresa Davidson (Sociology) - Explore Impact of Curriculum and Religiosity for Effects on Student Values

Malia Fincher (Biology) - Study of Relationships Between Masting in Six Local Oak Specifies

David Finn (Education) - Research Regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders

Jeff Flaniken, Donald Sanders (Music) - Study, Perform and Record Chamber Music Compos by Living American Composers

Andrew Konitzer (Political Science) - Gather Research Materials for the initial Stage of a Larger Study Examining Why Croatia has Made Faster Progress than Serbia Toward Accession to the European Union

Michael Lee (Pharmacology) - Relationship Between the 9-1-1 Complex and the MMR System

Franz Lohrke (Business) - Funding to Pay for Access to the NORC Data Enclave

Scott McGinnis (Religion) - Research Project Which Will Result in a Critical Edition of English Puritan Dialogues

Pat Naro, Angela Thomason (Pharmacy) - Study to Evaluate Pharmacy Students' Attitudes of Geriatric Population

John Petrella (ESSM) - Research Project on Spinal Cord Injuries

Jeffrey Powell (Math & Computer Science) - Continue Work in Generalizing a Recent Result Due to Dr. Ron Gould, Dr. Brian Wagner, Dr. Thor Whalen and himself

Jennifer Rahn (Geography) - Collection of Beach Data on the Caribbean Island of Dominica

Bradley Sargent (Music) - Recording Project Involving the Recording of Solo Trumpet Works Accompanied by the Organs Located in Reid and Hodges Chapels

Heather West (World Languages) - Research Project Regarding the Contribution of Haitians to the Realm of Artistic and Intellectual Project in Contemporary Quebec

Patricia Wood (Education) - Collaborative Research Effort with a Co-principal Investigator at The College of William and Mary

2006 - 2007 Faculty Development Grants