Texas Tech University’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources leaders took a moment this week to recognize an important and innovative line of research within the college, known as the Grand Challenges Catalyst Grant Program. The effort is made possible through a generous contribution from Gordon Davis, a longtime supporter and former faculty member within the Davis College Department of Animal & Food Sciences.
“Pursuit of Prime Grand Challenges competition creates a unique opportunity for multidisciplinary research collaborations across different departments and colleges,” said Davis College’s Associate Dean for Research Noureddine Abidi.
The planning awards allow building teams to explore research ideas around one or more of Davis College's Grand Challenge themes, while the catalyst awards provide resources to pursue innovative research for issues that are emerging and critical for Davis College and Texas Tech, he said.
The Grand Challenges Catalyst Grant Program is divided into two components. One, a catalyst grant program focused on identifying multi-year and multi-disciplinary research programs that addressed grand challenges in a scientific, systematic way. The second is a planning grant program where smaller, one-year programs foster creation of new research teams, collect preliminary data, and aid in the preparation of larger grants for external funding in the near future.
This year there were 10 catalyst grant proposals submitted and seven planning grants submitted, with three catalyst grants and three planning grants ultimately funded based on reviews and availability of funds.
Among the funded projects this year were:
Catalyst Grants
Environmental Design as a Catalyst for Optimizing Companion Animal Welfare and Human Health; PI: Anastasia Stellato (AFS); ($243,730 / July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027); Co-PIs: Kristina O’Hanley (AFS); Edgar Aviles-Rosa (AFS); Nathan Hall (AFS); Muntazar Monsur (LA); Leigh Ann Reel (Speech, Languages & Hearing Research, HSC)
Operationalizing an interdisciplinary, grant-oriented college working group to leverage the new, campus-wide Center for Coupled Urban/Rural Environmental Sustainability; PI: Leehu Loon (LA) ($99,800/ July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027) Co-PIs: Jason Headrick (AEC); Donna McCallister (AAAE); Catherine Simpson (PSS); Anastasia Stellato (AFS)
Science to Society and Back: Developing a Model for Innovative Food Products to Go from Scientific Discovery to Consumer Using Biofortification Greens, PI: Catherine Simpson (PSS); ($250,000 / July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2027) Co-PIs: Sukhbir Singh (PSS); Leslie Thompson (AFS); Naima Moustaid-Moussa (NS); Chenggang Wang (AAEC)
Planning Grants
Developing Sorghum with Dual Benefits for Climate-Smart Sustainable Agriculture and Human Health; PI: Yinping Jiao (PSS) ($50,000 / July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025) Co-PIs: Krishna Jagadish (PSS); Naima Moustaid-Moussa (NS)
Evaluating Tools to Monitor Water Use and Water Conservation in Drought-Prone Urban Landscapes, PI: Joseph Young (PSS) ($50,000. /July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.) Co-PIs: Carlos Portillo-Quintero (NRM); Brendan Kelly (PSS); Wenxuan Guo (PSS); Glen Ritchie (PSS); Irish Pabuayon (PSS); Sanjit Deb (PSS)
Application of Raman Spectroscopy in Cervid Disease Surveillance, PI: Warren Conway (NRM) ($46,575 / July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025) Co-PIs: Lenka Halámková (Environmental Toxicology); Courtney Ramsey (NRM)
Six members of the Davis College Advisory Committee reviewed the proposals and provided feedback to the leadership team. For catalyst grants, the primary focus for review was on the significance of the proposed project and its potential to provide measurable evidence of impact in scholarship of teaching, research, and/or outreach and engagement.
Other considerations were the quality and feasibility of the proposed plan of work, along with the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration involving multiple segments of the university (e.g., faculty, staff, and students) among other criteria. Planning grants were evaluated with more of a focus on the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration involving multiple segments of the university (e.g., faculty, staff, and students).
CONTACT: Clint Krehbiel, Dean, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or Clint.Krehbiel@ttu.edu
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