2007 OKLAHOMA HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS
June
*****
Burgess family establishes endowed lectureship at Cameron
University
The Journal Record
6/25/2007
LAWTON – Bill Burgess, Sylvia Burgess and Brad and Karen Burgess have established the
Burgess Family Endowed Lectureship in Business at Cameron University. The lectureship is
valued at $100,000. The Burgess family contributed $25,000, which will be matched by the
McCasland Foundation of Duncan. The new $50,000 endowment will then be submitted to the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to be matched, creating a $100,000 endowment.
“The Burgess family has a legacy of support to higher education and Cameron University,” said
Cindy Ross, Cameron University president. The Burgess families have a long history of giving to
Cameron University. The Burgess Law Firm joined the CU President’s Partners in 1989. In
2000, Brad and Karen Burgess joined President’s Partners and Sylvia Burgess became an
individual member. Sylvia Burgess is dean of the School of Business at Cameron University and
as chairman elect of the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Brad Burgess is
the managing partner of Burgess & Hightower Law Firm and serves as a commissioner for the
state of Oklahoma
Biotech researchers in state plan to collaborate on projects
The Oklahoman, by Jim Stafford
6/26/2007
The state's biggest biotech research organizations are trying a new approach to doing research
and winning federal funding for their projects: collaboration. Oklahoma biotech researchers and
institutions took the first step toward creating a statewide research collaboration in a day-long
Drug Discovery and Development symposium Monday at the Presbyterian Health Foundation
Research Park Conference Center. The conference was sponsored by the Oklahoma Medical
Research Foundation, the University of Oklahoma Cancer Institute and the Presbyterian Health
Foundation.
The impetus for the concept of collaboration between sometimes rival research institutions,
universities, foundations and private companies came from the dwindling budget of the National
Institutes of Health, which funds much of the nation's life sciences research. "We need to be
aware of the fact that the NIH budget is not just down, but we are entering a new era of
expectations at NIH, said Joseph Waner, vice president for research at the OU Health Sciences
Center. "The buying power of the NIH dollar is down 14 percent. The number of applications
has doubled in the last few years. The funding percentiles are very low. "We simply need to find
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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other ways to do science and to do what we want to do for our institutions, for ourselves and for
our state.”
All of which means that the NIH is directing its grant money more toward "large, complex”
research projects and less toward single investigators, said Dr. Stephen Prescott, president of the
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. The money is directed toward practical applications of
discoveries, or "translational” research, he said. "I think there is a tremendous pent-up desire in
Congress to see the fruits of the investment they have made over the last number of years,”
Prescott said. "I think that is a strong element in driving the NIH budget in the future.”
Monday's meeting featured overviews of research and equipment capabilities of OMRF, the OU
Health Sciences Center, the University of Oklahoma Norman campus, the Noble Foundation in
Ardmore, Oklahoma State University, the University of Tulsa and Southwestern Oklahoma State
University in Weatherford. Participants then broke into working groups that focused on areas of
drug discovery, drug development and drug testing. Prescott said the effort was begun to create a
collaborative effort that would promote research and development in the state without being
shackled by the bureaucracy of each institution. "If you can create this and say ‘OK, here are the
rules,' and if you buy into the consortium those are the rules,” Prescott said. "If you make a
discovery, the rules are we are going to share equally in the proceeds. If there is any revenue we
will figure out how to split it up. But we don't have to go re-invent the wheel.”
There is no timeline for the consortium, but it could be formed in the "embryonic” state by the
fall, Prescott said. The collaboration could take the drug discovery and drug development
process out of the "silos” throughout the state and put it in play across a wide swath of research
locations, said Dr. Robert Mannel, director of the OU Cancer Institute. "What we want to do is
create bridges of collaborations between those entities, and that's what this meeting is about
today,” Mannel said. "I loved the adjectives that Dr. Prescott put on this: ‘you do this to do good
and to do well.' Good for our patients because we want to cure these diseases and want to have
better therapies. And well for Oklahoma because biotech is the future for a lot of states as far as
the economy.” Mannel said other states have created research consortiums and pointed to those
in New Mexico, Nebraska and Kansas that are involved in cancer research.
OU wins two research grants
The Oklahoman, by James S. Tyree
6/28/2007
ARDMORE — The University of Oklahoma will receive two major grants for medical research,
officials announced Wednesday. The Donald W. Reynolds Foundation will give $7.5 million to
OU's new research on diseases associated with aging, and the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
will donate $5 million to a private fundraising campaign for the OU Cancer Institute.
OU President David Boren announced the gifts during a University of Oklahoma Board of
Regents meeting in Ardmore. "We are now over the halfway mark in the $50 million fundraising
campaign,” Boren said of the OU Cancer Institute donation. The Noble Foundation gift lifts the
total to $27 million. Half of that donation will go toward construction of the OU Cancer
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Institute's $120 million, 213,000-square-foot facility to be built at the Health Sciences Center.
The other $2.5 million will help pay for endowed faculty positions.
"No Oklahoman with cancer should have to leave the state to receive the latest cancer
treatment,” Boren said. "The Noble Foundation has moved us significantly forward in the
university's goal of offering the highest standard of cancer treatment right here in Oklahoma.”
The Reynolds Foundation's $7.5 million gift will have state matching funds for six endowed
research positions, which will raise the total to $13.5 million. The grant builds on the
foundation's earlier grant of $11.2 million for geriatric medicine programs. The six scientists will
study neurodegenerative disorders and muscle degeneration that often afflict senior adults.
JOHANNS, of USDA, ANNOUNCES $19.25 MILLION IN
LOANS AND GRANTS FOR RURAL BUSINESSES –
Washington, June 07
WASHINGTON, June 27, 2007 - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced the
award of $19.25 million to create or retain jobs at rural businesses.
"These funds will help local communities finance business expansions, implement
economic development plans and make infrastructure improvements to ensure rural areas
remain attractive, economically viable places to live and work," said Johanns. "The funding
announced today is expected to help create or save more than 1,000 jobs in 23 states."
The funds are being provided through the USDA Rural Development Intermediary
Relending Program, the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program. Funding in
the relending program is given to intermediaries, such as community development or regional
planning groups, who then re-lend the funds to local businesses. The loans must be used to start
new businesses, expand existing ones, or create or retain jobs. The economic development
program provides funds to support job retention or job creation efforts in rural communities.
Efforts are made to help designated rural communities address constraints in economic activity
and growth, stagnant or declining employment, and isolation that has led to disconnection from
markets, suppliers and centers of information and finance.
East Central University was awarded $404,444 for its rural business project.
More than 16,000 veterans to benefit from $27 million in job
training grants
- Washington, June 2007
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced 94 grants, totaling
nearly $27 million, to provide approximately 17,000 veterans with job training to help them
succeed in civilian careers. The grants are being awarded under the U.S. Department of Labor's
Veterans' Workforce Investment Program (VWIP) and Homeless Veterans Reintegration
Program (HVRP). To assist homeless veterans with reintegration into America's workforce, the
Labor Department is awarding more than $20 million in 82 HVRP grants. These funds are being
distributed nationwide through 35 newly competed grants and 47 current grants receiving
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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second- and third-year funding. Homeless veterans may receive occupational, classroom and onthe-job training, as well as job search and placement assistance, including follow-up services.
VETS expects these funds to help more than 12,600 veterans. HVRP is recognized as an
extraordinarily efficient and effective program and is the only federal program that focuses
exclusively on employment of veterans who are homeless.
The HVRP grants include two cooperative agreements that will assist in developing the HVRP
National Technical Assistance Center. The center will provide technical assistance to current
grantees, potential applicants and the public; gather grantee best practices, conduct employmentrelated research on homeless veterans; conduct regional grantee training sessions and selfemployment boot camps; and perform outreach to the employer community to increase job
opportunities for veterans.
ECU initiated discussions with various economic development entities within Ada. From these
discussions has emerged planning for the development of the East Main Arts and Cultural
District, which is a developable site within the Tri-County Indian Nations Enterprise
Community. The development of the East Main Arts and Cultural District has already been
incorporated into strategic plans of East Central University, the City of Ada, Ada Main Street,
Ada Chamber of Commerce, the Chickasaw Nation and Tri-County Indian Nations Enterprise
Community. Additionally, significant financial commitments to the development of the district
have been made by: the City of Ada: $2.1 million – street improvement project; Oklahoma Gas
and Electric: $97,500 – historic lighting project; and East Central University: $27 million – fine
arts center construction.
ECU was awarded a Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) of $495,000. RBEG funding will
construct the East Main Enterprise Center and Incubator. The Center will provide a one-stop
location to support the development of small and emerging arts-related private businesses
throughout rural Oklahoma. This 3,280 square foot facility will provide space for two business
incubators, training facilities and offices for ECU’s Small Business Development Center and
ECU’s East Main Economic Development Coordinator.
Three community colleges join national program
6-2007
Three of Oklahoma’s community colleges have joined a national program to help more of their
students succeed. Oklahoma City Community College, Rose State College in Midwest City, and
Tulsa Community College have joined Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a
multi-year national program started with sponsorship by the Lumina Foundation for Education.
Each college will participate in the program for five years.
“I’m looking forward to the possibilities that this program could provide for the students at
these colleges,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “Forty-three percent of Oklahoma’s college
students attend a community college, and unfortunately, too many of them leave before they
graduate. I believe this program has the depth to identify real challenges for these students and
determine ways to help them succeed.”
Achieving the Dream will provide support to the colleges to implement strategies that help
more students, particularly at-risk students, earn degrees or transfer to other institutions to
continue their studies. The program emphasizes the use of data to identify effective practices,
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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improve student success rates and close achievement gaps. Each college will be matched with
technical assistance and an Achieving the Dream coach to help collect and use data, develop
promotional materials, engage the faculty and community, and develop sustainable strategies.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently authorized expenditures for the
colleges to participate in the program. Oklahoma GEAR UP will also contribute to the program
for the State Regents to receive assistance with systemwide policy development in support of
these efforts.
The Oklahoma colleges join 81 others in 14 states that are participating in the program, which
began in 2004. The colleges also receive support from 14 national partner organizations.
East Central University - Ada, OK
Award Amount: $800,733; Matching Amount: $600,480
Grant Category: Masters Level Programs
Contact: Dr. Carolyn Thomas
Program Director, Library Media Program
(580)310-5576; cthomas@ecok.edu
Project Title: "Westward Expansion: Preparing Library Media Specialists for Western
Oklahoma"
East Central University, in partnership with Cameron University, Oklahoma Panhandle State
University, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education, will develop the Westward Expansion Project to meet the workforce needs of
156 isolated, rural school districts located in thirty counties in the western half of Oklahoma.
Distance learning technology will be used to expand an existing library media specialist program
into this area of Oklahoma, based on East Central University’s existing distance education model
that has already facilitated the successful expansion of the program into six remote sites
throughout the southeast quadrant of the state.
OSU researchers receive funding
The Oklahoman
6/10/2007
STILLWATER — The Oklahoma Center for Science and Technology has chosen the research
projects of five OSU instructors, which will benefit from $4 million in funding over the next
three years. The public health research projects were chosen by a peer review team from a total
of 139 applicants. They were approved for funding by the OCAST governing board.
The awarded researchers, along with their award winning research projects are:
•Amanda Harrist, OSU – The project will collect long-term health and psychosocial data on a
large representative sample of Oklahoma's rural children in order to better understanding
developmental causes of childhood obesity.
•Jay Hanan, OSU – The project will conduct research to develop a new generation of dental
crowns that are more durable. As patient life expectancy continues to increase, the longer-lasting
crowns will also reduce visits for replacement and repair.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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•Wouter Hoff, OSU – Cancer is a major unresolved medical challenge and the project will use a
novel approach to obtain fundamental information on "cell signaling” required for the
development of new therapeutic strategies.
•Goulong Zhang, OSU – The project will study a newly identified small intestinal protein and its
potential as a therapeutic agent for treatment of Crohn's disease — a major form of inflammatory
bowel disease.
•Nedra Wilson, OSU Center for Health Sciences – Cilia/flagella are found on most mammalian
cells and allow for the movement of cells or fluids over the surface of cells. They've been shown
to play an important role in human disease. Researchers will study the regulation of flagellar
assembly in green algea to get insights into the defects in ciliary assembly that result in human
disease.
OU receives $800,000 grant
The Oklahoman
6/5/2007
State schoolchildren with disabilities and their families should benefit from a four-year,
$800,000 grant awarded to the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center for training
additional occupational and physical therapists.
The project will help 10 OU students a year in the two health disciplines gain expertise in early
intervention and school-based services for children with autism and other disabilities. Such
services are critical in helping students achieve, said Kevin Rudeen, dean of the OU College of
Allied Health in Oklahoma City. OU students will participate in field-based experiences at
schools, homes and child care centers, Rudeen said. Parents of children with disabilities helped
design the program, and will help implement and evaluate it along with personnel from the state
Education and Health departments.
The grant from the U.S. Department of Education was awarded to professors Sandra H. Arnold,
Lynn Jeffries and Beth DeGrace in the OU College of Allied Health. The program was funded
under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.
Three Community Colleges Join National Program
Ben Hardcastle
June 4, 2007
Three of Oklahoma’s community colleges have joined a national program to help more of their
students succeed. Oklahoma City Community College, Rose State College in Midwest City, and
Tulsa Community College have joined Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a
multi-year national program started with sponsorship by the Lumina Foundation for Education.
Each college will participate in the program for five years.
“I’m looking forward to the possibilities that this program could provide for the students at these
colleges,” said Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. “Forty-three percent of Oklahoma’s college students
attend a community college, and unfortunately, too many of them leave before they graduate. I
believe this program has the depth to identify real challenges for these students and determine
ways to help them succeed.”
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Achieving the Dream will provide support to the colleges to implement strategies that help more
students, particularly at-risk students, earn degrees or transfer to other institutions to continue
their studies. The program emphasizes the use of data to identify effective practices, improve
student success rates and close achievement gaps. Each college will be matched with technical
assistance and an Achieving the Dream coach to help collect and use data, develop promotional
materials, engage the faculty and community, and develop sustainable strategies.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education recently authorized expenditures for the
colleges to participate in the program. Oklahoma GEAR UP will also contribute to the program
for the State Regents to receive assistance with systemwide policy development in support of
these efforts. The Oklahoma colleges join 58 others in nine states that are participating in the
program, which began in 2004. The colleges also receive support from 14 national partner
organizations.
May
*****
$1M given to support OU cancer clinic chair
The Journal Record
5/16/2007
NORMAN (JR) – The University of Oklahoma has received a $1 million contribution from the
Presbyterian Health Foundation, completing the Foundation’s support of a $4 million Virginia
Kerley Cade Chair in Cancer Development Therapeutics. OU President David L. Boren told the
OU Board of Regents the Presbyterian Health Foundation’s $4 million commitment to the OU
Cancer Institute represents one of the largest contributions to OU by the Oklahoma City-based
foundation, which is OU’s largest private donor. “In the past 20 years, the Presbyterian Health
Foundation has provided more than $105 million for scientific research, with $68 million of that
directed to the OU Health Sciences Center,” Boren said. “This new gift is so important to our
new Cancer Institute and our goal of offering the highest standard of cancer treatment right here
in Oklahoma.”
The university will ask the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to match the $4
million private contribution to the Virginia Kerley Cade Chair in Cancer Development
Therapeutics, providing an $8 million endowment that will be used to support a researcher and
the research activities and operations in the OU Cancer Institute’s Clinical Trials Research
Center. Robert Mannel, director of the OU Cancer Institute, said a fully developed clinical trials
research center is among the chief goals for OUCI because clinical trials provide cancer patients
with first access to the latest cancer therapies.
Michael Anderson, president of the Presbyterian Health Foundation, said the support of the
Virginia Kerley Cade Chair in Cancer Development Therapeutics was a perfect fit for the
Presbyterian Health Foundation, which has a commitment to supporting high-quality research
scientists whose work will lead to biotechnology spinoff and manufacturing. “We are able to
recruit and retain top scientists with a combination of funding, availability of state-of-the-art
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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laboratories, the opportunity for collaboration with other scientists and the capability for biologic
manufacturing at Presbyterian Health Foundation’s Research Park,” Anderson said.
With this gift from the Presbyterian Health Foundation and another major gift to be announced in
June, the OU Cancer Institute has now passed the halfway mark in its $50 million private
funding campaign. To date, over $27 million has been raised toward this goal. The new endowed
chairmanship is named in honor of the late Virginia Kerley Cade, a longtime resident of
Anadarko who named the Presbyterian Health Foundation as a beneficiary of a portion of her
estate. She died in April 1980.
OSU-OKC receives $339,000 from the US Department of
Education for UPWARD BOUND
Ben Hardcastle, COLLEGE CONNECTION 417
May 31, 2007
68 high school students from NW Classen HS, Western Heights HS, and Putnam City West HS
will receive support from the OSU-OKC Upward Bound program funded by the US Department
of Education. The program is designed to help at risk high school students, either first generation
college bound or low income, to be better prepared to go to college. The program provides
mentoring, tutoring, academic enrichment, job shadowing, career exploration, scholarship
searches and other activities in order to help students learn more about college and its benefits.
The Upward Bound program has been in existence at OSU-OKC since 1995, 12 years.
OCAST board funds seven more R&D Intern Partnerships
Seven new R&D Intern Partnerships have been approved for funding by the governing board of
OCAST. R&D Intern Partnerships will operate two years in collaboration with universities and
private-sector companies in Tulsa, Catoosa, Durant and Oklahoma City.
The five awards total $308,832 and support undergraduate student internships in computer
science, health care improvement, manufacturing, energy, agriculture, sensors and homeland
security.
Since 1998 the OCAST R&D Intern Partnerships program has assisted Oklahoma small
businesses in locating hard-to-find technology trained employees. OCAST pays half the cost for
an undergraduate intern to work in a research and development setting.
More than 400 undergraduate students have interned at 80 Oklahoma firms and farms.
The most recent program awards follow:
Environmental
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Tulsa – William Potter of the University of Tulsa will work with interns on a project that will
investigate the efficacy of the active ingredient in an algaecide product to be used against new
pests on a variety of substrates. The $34,800 two-year project will be conducted in collaboration
with the Winston Company Inc.
Manufacturing
Tulsa – University of Tulsa professor William Potter will oversee interns working on a one-year
project to help develop a process to create an improved catalyst coater and optimization of noble
metals in automotive catalysts. The $17,775 project will be conducted in collaboration with a
small business, Delphi Catalyst.
Life Sciences & Biotechnology
Oklahoma City – Tom Jobe of ICx Nomadics Inc. will work with interns to develop biosensors
with a greater sensitivity to the company’s SensiQ product line. The two-year project will total
$52,340 from OCAST.
Computer Software
Tulsa – Jerald Dawkins of DESA Research LLC in Tulsa will supervise interns who will design
and develop a new encryption-based email service that will integrate into existing email
programs. OCAST has awarded $58,164 for the two-year program.
Electrical Engineering
Tulsa – Surendra Singh of the University of Tulsa will work with interns in collaboration with
the John Zink Company in developing several low nitrogen oxide and ultra-low nitrogen oxide
boilers used in refinery, petrochemical and commercial applications. The award is for $60,000
for two years.
Energy Production
Tulsa – Kaveh Ashenayi of the University of Tulsa and his intern team will work on developing
and testing a temperature sensor to be placed on a pressure sensor used to measure bottom hole
pressure at oil and gas wells. The small business sponsor is GRC Amerada Gauges and the
project was awarded $59,185 from OCAST.
Agriculture
Durant – Stanley Rice of Southeastern Oklahoma State University will direct interns who will
research the health protecting qualities of organically-grown Oklahoma vegetables. The $26,568
two-year project will be conducted at the USDA-ARS South Central Research Lab at Lane,
Oklahoma.
For more information, call OCAST at 405-524-1357 or see the official web site at
www.ocast.state.ok.us.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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OCAST selects 30 state health research projects to fund
The Journal Record
5/23/2007
OKLAHOMA CITY – Thirty Oklahoma health research projects were selected from 139
applicants for funding through the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and
Technology. Funding will total $1.2 million over three years.
Historically, a $1.2 million investment will attract another $7 million in private and federal
investments in Oklahoma research, said Michael Carolina, OCAST executive director. A new
scientist award providing up to $100,000 per year for three years was awarded to Mark Lang of
the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. He will investigate boosting immunity to
HIV by activating certain cells.
Mark Lang, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – The work on natural killer T
(NKT) cell-enhanced antibody responses to HIV may lead to the development of a new vaccine
to prevent HIV infection and subsequent development of AIDS. The project focuses on the
prevention of human disease through novel vaccination strategies, thus coupling a new product
for use in the clinical setting.
Muna Naash, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – The goal of this research is
to advance the current compacted DNA nanoparticle based gene therapy technology to enable
efficient and long-lasting gene delivery to dividing and non-dividing cells. The program will
merge experts with molecular bioengineering, physics, chemistry and computer science
backgrounds at OUHSC, Stanford University and Copernicus Therapeutics Inc. to accelerate
essential preclinical steps for effective non-viral gene therapy.
Sarah Zhang, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Diabetic retinopathy is a
leading cause of blindness in the US. Recent research shows that Pigment Epithelium-Derived
Factor (PEDF), an endogenous angiogenic inhibitor, inhibits retinal inflammation and vascular
leakage in diabetic animals. This project is proposed to investigate the mechanisms responsible
for PEDF’s beneficial effects in diabetic retinopathy and contribute to the development of a new
therapy.
James Jarvis, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – The research has the
potential to revolutionize therapeutic approaches to childhood arthritis. Children afflicted with
five or more arthritic joints in the first six months of the disease have a form of juvenile arthritis
that might be improved with early, aggressive therapy. The successful completion of this project
will provide the foundation for development of a broadly-used commercial prognostic assay for
the treatment of childhood arthritis.
Kevin Short, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Prevalence of diabetes and
obesity is increasing. While lifestyle modification strategies may be useful, outcomes vary
among approaches used and target populations. The research is to determine whether the
response of insulin action to aerobic exercise training varies with age and body fatness. The
study will yield both practical measures of insulin action and will guide future exercise and
lifestyle recommendations for specific populations.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Thomas Sferra, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – The purpose of this
research project is to investigate and develop gene-based treatments for patients afflicted by
lysosomal storage diseases (LSD’s) affecting the central nervous sytem. LSDs are genetic
disorders characterized by a deficiency of one of several lysosomal enzymes. For the majority of
patients with the neuropathic forms of these diseases, effective therapy does not exist. The results
of the proposed studies will have a significant impact on the development of effective therapies
for these patients.
Jian-xing Ma, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Age-related macular
degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the US, and its pathogenesis is not well
understood. Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a severe complication of AMD. One major
objective of this project is to reveal a new drug target for the treatment of AMD.
Kent Teague, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – The aim of this research is to
further our understanding of how T cells are produced. T cells are critical for protection against
infections and hold great potential for cancer therapy. The research will assess the role of a
protein called Mcl-1 in the regulation of T cell production. This information should be valuable
for future disease treatment strategies aimed at boosting T cell numbers in the elderly or for
growing T cells in culture for cancer therapy.
Satish Kumar, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – This proposal will
illuminate the basic mechanisms of urinary tract infection, a very common human illness,
especially in young women and in patients of both genders and all ages in hospitals and nursing
homes. It will provide new knowledge and better understanding of factors that prevent or
facilitate urinary tract infection. The data generated from this study will help design new
preventive medications for urinary tract infection.
Zhizhuang Zhao, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Animal evidence links
prenatal phthalate exposures to adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes; however,
little is known about potential effects on human health and development. This proposed
epidemiologic pilot study will conduct a preliminary evaluation of the association of the
phthalate level in mothers and the auditory function of newborn children.
Gennadiy Moiseyev, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Leber congenital
amaurosis (LCA) is early and severe retinal dystrophy causing the congenital blindness.
Currently there is no cure for LCA. The DNA analysis of patients with LCA showed that
approximately from 6.8 to 16 percent of LCA cases are due to the mutations in the RPE65 gene.
These studies will provide new insights into the structure and will help to develop new drugs for
the treatment of LCA.
Yuechueng Liu, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – The aim of this project is
to break down the dynamics of SNARE complex assembly and determine when the assembly
occurs during vesicle docking/fusion cycle. Results from the study should provide clues
regarding how SNAREs function in the activity of the human dopamine transporter.
XiaoHe Yang, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Based on recent results
from a carcinogen model showing that in utero exposure to soy may increase breast cancer risk,
the PI will study whether in utero exposure to soy (specifically genistein which is a major soy
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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isoflavone) increases breast cancer risk in individuals with a genetic predisposition to breast
cancer.
Shanjana Awasthi, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – C. immitis is a highly
virulent fungus that causes fatal infections in older and immunocompromised populations. An
estimated 100,000 infections occur annually in the United States. The PI recently developed a
vaccine against C. immitis. In this project, the PI plans to evaluate the dose, route and efficacy of
the vaccine in mouse strains genetically susceptible to C. immitis infection.
Leonidas Tsiokas, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Autosomal dominant
polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common genetic diseases affecting
1:400-1000 individuals. No effective treatment is currently available partially due to the lack of
understanding of the cellular functions of the proteins mutated in ADPKD. Information
generated by this research will help us understand the cellular function of wild type and mutant
PKD2 so that effective treatments can be designed.
Nedra Wilson, Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences – Cilia/flagella are
found on most mammalian cells and allow for the movement of cells or fluids over the surface of
cells. Cilia/flagella have recently been shown to play an important role in human disease. Little
is known about the regulation of the assembly of cilia/flagella. Chlamydomonas is a unicellular
green alga with a high degree of similarity between its flagella and mammalian cilia. Researchers
will study the regulation of flagellar assembly in Chlamydomonas that should provide insights
into the defects in ciliary assembly that result in human disease.
Cindy Cisar, Northestern State University – Antibiotics have revolutionized treatment of
infectious diseases caused by bacteria. However, their efficacy has been reduced by the
development of bacterial resistance. The spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria is an
important issue in healthcare. Very little is known about reservoirs of antibiotic resistance in the
environment and their role in the spread of resistance. This project will initiate a long-term study
on antibiotic resistance bacteria and antibiotic resistance in a freshwater ecosystem. Reduction of
antibiotic resistance in bacteria will lower the costs associated with treatment of disease.
Rafal Farjo, Charlesson LLC – The main goal of this project is to develop and test a non-viral
mode of gene therapy to treat retinal disease in humans. This innovation project employs the use
of DNA nanoparticles as a potentially safe and effective mode for gene therapy. The intent is to
demonstrate the proof-of-principle for the utility of this methodology to treat blindness caused by
retinal disease.
Andrew Westmuckett, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Tyrosine sulfation plays a
significant role in a number of processes that contribute to atherosclerosis. However, there is no
data regarding the importance of tyrosine sulfation in a complex pathological disease such as
atherosclerosis. The research will provide new data regarding the importance of tyrosine
sulfation in the progression of atherosclerosis.
Dean Dawson, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – The project will seek to clarify the
role played by a yeast protein, Slk 19, in mitosis. Additionally, the project will test the
hypothesis that Slk 19 is acting as a TACC family protein to regulate spindle behavior.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Kevin Moore, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – The research will provide insights
into primary hypothyroidism, which is a condition of decreased hormone production of the
thyroid gland. The studies will provide insights into the biological importance of protein-tyrosine
sulfation, a poorly understood but common post-translational modification in higher organisms,
including man.
Michael Dresser, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation – Aneuploidy, a change in the
number of chromosomes, is associated with infertility, fetal wastage and abnormal development,
examples of the latter being Down, Turner and Klinefelter syndromes. The work proposed here
promises to elucidate the biological mechanisms that normally prevent or at least reduce the
occurrence of chromosome missegregation and rearrangement. The research will provide new
clues to medial problems that arise from aneuploidy and chromosome rearrangements.
Jing Zhang, Veterans Research & Education Foundation VAMC – Conventional treatment
options for obesity are either not sufficiently effective or too invasive. The aims of this project
are to study various mechanisms of gastric electrical stimulation (GES) and to optimize the
methodology of GES. Experiments will be designed to understand the mechanisms involving the
central nerves, hormones and stomach functions and to find the best stimulation parameters and
stimulation locations.
Amanda Harrist, Oklahoma State University – The project will collect longitudinal health and
psychosocial data on a large representative sample of Oklahoma’s rural children in order to
further understating of the developmental causes of childhood obesity.
Jay Hanan, Oklahoma State University – The proposed research enables a new generation of
dental crowns with greater durability. With patient life expectancy continuing to increase, the
need for extended service life of crowns continues to grow. The outcomes of this research will
have an important positive impact on the field; crowns will last longer, thereby reducing patient
visits for crown replacement and repair.
Wouter Hoff, Oklahoma State University – Cancer is a major unresolved medical challenge.
This disease is caused by malfunctioning of signaling pathways, resulting in uncontrolled cell
proliferation. This project will use a novel approach to obtain fundamental knowledge on a key
process in signaling: receptor activation. Such fundamental novel information is required for the
development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Goulong Zhang, Oklahoma State University – Enteric defensins (small intestinal proteins) are
active against bacteria, fungi and enveloped viruses. Abnormal expressions of these proteins
have been linked to Crohn’s disease, a major form of inflammatory bowel disease. The project
will study a newly identified enteric defensin related protein and its potential as a therapeutic
agent for the treatment of Crohn’s disease.
Ralph Wheeler, University of Oklahoma – Cytochrome bc1 (cyt bc1) is a membrane protein
complex essential for eukaryotic and bacterial energy utilization by respiration. In humans,
mutations result in clinical manifestations, including stroke-like episodes, exercise intolerance
and cardiomyopathy. Similarly, malfunctions of cyt bc1 result in generation of superoxide, a
highly reactive radical implicated in aging. The proposed project will initiate a long-term
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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research program to understand the molecular mechanism of respiratory electron transfer and the
effects of mutations and inhibitors.
Paul Cook, University of Oklahoma – A major concern of immune-suppressed individuals is
fungal infections. The three primary responsible fungi have a unique lysine biosynthetic
pathway. The project will work towards developing enzyme inhibitors that may be lead
compounds for new antifungal drugs.
Binil Starly, University of Oklahoma – Accurate prediction of human response to potential
therapeutic drugs and vaccines through conventional methods is expensive, time consuming and
at times unreliable. The project will attempt to fabricate in-vitro three dimensional liver tissue to
ultimately produce biochips. A biochip is a collection of miniaturized test sites arranged on a
solid substrate that permits many tests to be performed at the same time in order to achieve
higher throughput and speed.
Under OCAST’s New Scientist program, researchers who have been in the state less than four
years can compete for funding that recognizes their willingness to move research projects to
Oklahoma.
UCO student represents state
Daily Oklahoman, by Susan Simpson
5/18/2007
University of Central Oklahoma chemistry student Abdul Mohamed recently presented his
scientific research at the annual national event, "Posters on the Hill,” in Washington. Mohamed
was chosen out of 400 applicants as the only representative from Oklahoma to participate in the
event, sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
"Posters on the Hill” gives undergraduate students an opportunity to share their discoveries with
members of Congress and scientists. Mohamed's research focuses on a cancer treatment using
laser immunotherapy.
Federal Programs to Improve Science Education Are Not Well
Reviewed, Panel Finds
Chronicle of Higher Education, by BURTON BOLLAG
May 18, 2007
A federal committee has found that there is almost no evidence to judge whether the more than
$3-billion the federal government spends annually to improve science and mathematics
education is effective. The committee's report calls for greater assessment and coordination of
such programs. It also recommends that spending should not increase "until a plan for vigorous,
independent evaluation is in place."
The committee, known as the Academic Competitiveness Council, was created by Congress in
2005 to undertake a yearlong study of how to improve federal programs that hope to improve
education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or the STEM disciplines.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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The group, which was led by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, included about 75
officials from 13 federal agencies that run programs designed to improve education in those
disciplines. The committee's report inventoried a total of 105 federal programs, supported by
$3.12-billion in federal dollars in the 2006 fiscal year. Twenty-four programs at elementary and
secondary schools received $574-million, or 18.4 percent of the total, while 70 programs in
undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate education received $2.4-billion, or 77.2 percent of the
total. And 11 programs in informal education — for example, at museums — received $137million, or 4.4 percent of the total. Yet there is almost no evidence that the spending is doing any
good in terms of better educating Americans in science, the 81-page report says.
The committee asked each federal agency to submit the best evaluations it had for its programs.
Only 10 of the 115 evaluations the committee received were deemed to be scientifically rigorous.
And only four of those concluded that the educational activity it evaluated "had a meaningful
positive impact."
The report comes at a time when Congress is considering several bills to authorize increased
spending in several major programs in science education. Shirley M. Malcom, director of
programs in education and human resources at the American Association for the Advancement
of Science, said she feared that the report could be seized on by opponents of increased spending.
"More assessment is a good thing," she said. But, she said, some members of Congress may say,
"since we can't tell anything about it, let's not put any more money into it." Ms. Malcom was cochairwoman of a committee that produced a report expected to be released later this year by the
National Science Foundation. A draft of that report called for more coordination of efforts to
improve science education.
Consolidation Possible
James M. Gentile, president of Research Corporation, a foundation supporting scientific research
and education, said the Academic Competitiveness Council report's insistence on better
assessment is "a very healthy thing." He added that the lack of evaluation up to now was in
general attributable to the great difficulties in determining the effect of programs, and "not from
a lack of effort." Mr. Gentile said he thought the report could lead federal agencies to end some
programs that are shown either to be ineffective or to duplicate other efforts.
He said he does not expect that to lead to any overall decrease in financial support. "If I read
between the lines, 'consolidation' is the term I'd use," he said.
The report contains six recommendations, all promoting in various ways the idea of greater
assessment of the effectiveness of programs, as well as the need for more interagency
coordination. The report contains a detailed repertory of all 105 programs, as well as a nine-page
list of federal "Education Goals and Metrics." The list includes a large assortment of tests,
awards, and other indicators that could be used to measure the impact of science-education
programs. Getting the various federal agencies to agree on indicators of the impact of their
programs was the most difficult part of the committee's work, said Kenneth R. Zeff, an
Education Department official who participated in the group. "This is what took all our time," he
said.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Republicans Attack NSF Research Grants
The Chronicle of Higher Education, by JEFFREY BRAINARD
May 18, 2007
Several Republican members of the House of Representatives were thwarted this month in their
efforts to stop federal funds from going to nine research projects they characterized as frivolous.
Voting mostly along party lines, the House rejected two amendments that would have blocked
the National Science Foundation from continuing to finance the projects. The House approved
the underlying bill (HR 1867), which would set policy and increase spending ceilings for the
agency. The debate over the research projects recalled a series of votes over recent years when
Republicans, before they lost control of Congress in November, repeatedly tried to strip funds
from peer-reviewed federal research grants for studies that members regarded as wasteful, or that
they opposed for dealing with topics like sexual practices.
Among the research projects singled out this month were a study dealing with bison hunting on
the prehistoric Great Plains and another on the "reproductive aging" of middle-aged Bangladeshi
immigrants and their neighbors in London. Another study that came under fire dealt with
"accuracy in the cross-cultural understanding of others' emotions." The amendments to cut
support for the projects provoked barbed debate. Rep. Brian Baird, a Democrat from Washington
State who heads a House subcommittee dealing with scientific research, called the critics ill
informed and said the amendments would undermine the government's use of peer reviewers to
pick projects based on scientific merit.
Critics of the proposed projects said they could not pass a smell test. "The question before us is,
Do these things rise to the standard of requiring expenditures of taxpayer funds in a time of
deficits, proposed tax increases, and raiding Social Security funds?" said Rep. John Campbell, a
California Republican who sponsored one of the amendments. "I think the answer is a
resounding no. The first of the two amendments failed by a vote of 195 to 222, the second, by
126 to 292.
OSU Student Honored for Article About Oklahoma Research
OSRHE, by Ben Hardcastle
May 18, 2007
Before a crowd of Oklahoma researchers and scientists, Oklahoma State University student
Whitney Danker was honored Thursday for her journalism coverage about scientific advances in
our state. Danker received the Oklahoma Sci-Tech Student Reporting Award, the top prize in a
competition for Oklahoma student journalists covering science news. Along with her recognition
and certificate, she also received a $300 cash prize.
Danker was recognized for her article, “Ethanol Plant to Open in Enid,” which ran in March in
the Daily O’Collegian, the student newspaper on the OSU campus in Stillwater. Danker said she
wrote the article to increase public awareness of an ethanol plant near the OSU campus and the
environmental contributions it could make in the future.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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The award competition was sponsored by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and
Oklahoma EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), a program
funded by grants from the National Science Foundation.
Danker is a junior agricultural communications major at OSU. She is the daughter of Dwayne
and Lisa Danker from Wellston.
OSU group to fund 4 more projects
The Oklahoman
5/15/2007
Oklahoma State University's Technology Business Assessment Group will fund four more
faculty research projects that have potential for commercial success, officials said Monday.
OSU faculty research projects selected to receive a total of $100,000 from the group include:
• Michael Davis, "Gastroprotective Effect of a Novel Salt Supplement for Horses” Davis and his
team have developed an engineered salt supplement for horses that is designed to avoid causing
gastric ulcers.
• Hongbing Lu, "High-Performance Body Armors Incorporating Strong Light-Weight XAerogels” Lu plans to develop body armor prototypes for shooting tests to demonstrate the
superiority of X-aerogels as body and vehicle armor material.
• Niels Maness, "Extraction Alternatives for Agricultural and Industrial Substrates” Maness
plans to find other methods of extracting oils and fats from agricultural feedstocks.
• Nick Materer and Allen Apblett, "Commercialization of a Chlorine Dioxide Sensor” Apblett
and Materer have developed an optical sensor capable of measuring cholorine dioxide to
disinfect "sick” buildings.
$1M to help support OU cancer research
The Oklahoman, By Susan Simpson
5/11/2007
Presbyterian Health Foundation has donated the final $1 million of $4 million needed to create
an endowed chair in cancer treatment at the University of Oklahoma. The Virginia Kerley Cade
Chair in Cancer Development Therapeutics will total an $8 million investment after it receives
matching funding from the State Regents for Higher Education. "This is an incredibly important
gift,” OU President David Boren said during Thursday's OU Board of Regents meeting. The
money will support a top-ranked researcher and research activities in the OU Cancer Institute's
Clinical Trials Research Center. Oklahoma patients will be able to participate in clinical trials,
Boren said.
The foundation has given $68 million to the OU Health Sciences Center over the past 20 years.
Research enterprise is the future of this state,” foundation President Mike Anderson said. "The
human mind is the greatest resource we have.”
Oklahoma Christian University wins grant
The Journal Record
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
5/8/2007
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OKLAHOMA CITY –Oklahoma Christian University received a $1,000 grant from the
Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants in a statewide competition of college
accounting departments. The society sponsored the competition to make educators and students
aware of the benefits and services the CPA group offers.
Other participating schools included Southwestern Oklahoma State University-Sayre
campus, Rose State College, East Central University, Oklahoma City University, University
of Tulsa, Redlands Community College, University of Phoenix, Cameron University, Tulsa
Community College and Northeastern State University. For the 2007-2008 school year,
schools can compete for a $5,000 first prize and a $1,000 second-place prize.
R&D internships set in biotech, computers
The Oklahoman
5/7/2007
Seven new R&D Intern Partnerships have been approved for funding by the governing board of
the state's technology-based economic development agency. R&D Intern Partnerships will
operate for two years in collaboration with universities and private-sector companies in Tulsa,
Catoosa, Durant and Oklahoma City, officials with the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of
Science and Technology said. The five awards total $308,832 and support undergraduate student
internships in computer science, health care improvement, manufacturing, energy, agriculture,
sensors and homeland security.
Since 1998 the OCAST R&D Internship Partnerships program has assisted Oklahoma small
businesses in locating hard-to-find technology trained employees. OCAST pays half of the cost
for an undergraduate intern to work in a research and development setting.
•Environmental:
William Potter of the University of Tulsa, $34,800. Potter will work with interns on a project that
will investigate the efficacy of the active ingredient in an algaecide product to be used against
new pests on a variety of substances. The project is in collaboration with the Winston Co. Inc.
•Manufacturing:
William Potter, University of Tulsa, $17,775. Potter will oversee interns working on a one-year
project to help develop a process to create an improved catalyst coater and optimization of noble
metals in automotive catalysts. Collaborating corporate partner is Delphi Catalyst.
•Life Sciences and Biotechnology:
Tom Jobe of ICx Nomadics Inc., Oklahoma City, $52.340. Jobe will work with interns to
develop biosensors with a greater sensitivity to the company's SensiQ product line.
•Computer Software:
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Jerald Dawkins of DESA Research LLC, Tulsa, $58,164. Dawkins will supervise interns who
will design and develop a new encryption-based email service that will integrate into existing email programs.
•Electrical Engineering:
Surendra Singh, University of Tulsa, $60,000. Singh will work with interns in collaboration with
the John Zink Co. in developing several low nitrogen oxide and ultra-low nitrogen oxide boilers
used in refinery, petrochemical and commercial applications.
•Energy Production:
Kaveh Ashenayi, University of Tulsa., $59,185. Ashenayi and his intern team will work on
developing and testing a temperature sensor to be placed on a pressure sensor used to measure
bottom hole pressure at oil and gas wells. Corporate partner is GRC Amerada Gauges.
•Agriculture:
Stanley Rice, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, $26,568. Rice will direct interns
who will research the health protecting qualities of organically-grown Oklahoma vegetables. The
project will be conduced at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Research Service
South Central Research Lab at Lane.
Eastern College's nursing program to receive $2 million
grant
The Tulsa World
5/7/2007
WILBURTON -- Eastern Oklahoma State College's nursing program is getting a $2 million grant
over three years to increase the number of students the college graduates from its nursing
program. The program currently has 57 students. The college plans to use the grant money from
the U.S. Department of Labor to increase that number by 50 each year, so that an additional 150
students will enter over the three-year period. The changes also will affect the nursing program at
the college's McAlester campus and the Southeastern Oklahoma State University McCurtain
County campus in Idabel.
Chesapeake adds $50,000 to scholarships
The Oklahoman, By Jim Stafford
5/4/2007
Chesapeake Energy Corp. has added a $50,000 donation to scholarship funding to Southwestern
Oklahoma State University, bringing the total scholarship funding from the Oklahoma Citybased energy company to $75,000, officials said. The funds will be distributed over five years.
Ten $1,000 Chesapeake Scholars awards were presented to Southwestern juniors and seniors
majoring in business, mathematics and engineering physics at a ceremony on the Weatherford
campus. The company also will present five additional $1,000 scholarships to incoming
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Southwestern freshmen, said Martha Burger, Chesapeake's senior vice president for corporate
and human resources. "The energy industry has historically provided leadership and economic
development in our state,” Burger said. "At Chesapeake Energy, we believe that our industry's
next leaders are attending our colleges and universities today. We are pleased to be able to
provide support for top students to help us continue our history of growth and industry-leading
performance.”
Chesapeake, which is the third largest independent producer of natural gas in the nation, employs
more than 40 Southwestern graduates. Overall, the company employs 5,000 people, with more
than 2,500 of them working in Oklahoma. "Chesapeake's generous gift is very much appreciated
by Southwestern Oklahoma State University,” university President John Hays said. "The support
from external sources makes a difference in how we serve our students. Chesapeake is a
corporate leader in providing support to higher education in Oklahoma. We appreciate
Chesapeake's presence in western Oklahoma and look forward to continuing a close working
relationship.”
Chesapeake pledged $25,000 in scholarship funds to Southwestern in 2004. The additional
$50,000 gift will allow the university to give scholarships in the areas of accounting, finance,
computer science, management of information systems, general business, marketing,
management, engineering physics and mathematics.
April 25, 2007: State Regents Recognize Institution, Business
Partnerships
OSRHE Contact: Ben Hardcastle
Twenty-two business and higher education institution partnerships throughout the state were
recently recognized for outstanding cooperation that leads to furthering the education of
Oklahoma’s workforce.
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s Economic Development Grant for the
Partnership Recognition Program is designed to highlight successful partnerships between higher
education institutions and businesses and to further cultivate the higher learning environment
through State Regents’ Economic Development Grants.
Institutions involved in these partnerships provide $500 for tuition waivers to employees of the
partnering businesses, internships for current students of the institutions to work at the partnering
businesses, or faculty externships with the partnering businesses. The State Regents provide a
$500 match to the waivers.
"If we're to improve Oklahoma's future, we need creative collaborations like this program," said
Chancellor Glen D. Johnson. "The partnership between business and higher education benefits us
threefold: businesses retain employees, employees improve their education, and immediate needs
are solved in Oklahoma's economy."
The Partnership Recognition Program is an annual event. For more information, visit
www.okhighered.org/eco-devo/.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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The partnerships recognized this year include:

Cameron University and Advanced Systems Technology, Inc. – AST has been a
leader in developing the reputation of CU’s Department of Multimedia Design. Several
years ago, AST agreed to partner with the program to establish a multimedia/instructional
design internship through the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and
Technology Research and Development Intern Program. The company has hosted
numerous interns from CU, helping build a reputation of excellence for the university’s
multimedia design graduates.

Carl Albert State College and Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center – EOMC has
recognized that southeastern Oklahoma experiences difficulties in recruiting and
retaining qualified radiologic technologists. As a result, the Le Flore County Trust
Authority, for EOMC, and CASC formally established a partnership to develop a new
radiologic technology program to meet the staffing needs in the area. The program
graduated its first class of students in 2005, and EOMC immediately employed four
graduates.

Connors State College and Armstrong Bank – Since 1988, Armstrong Bank has been a
proud supporter of CSC and the Connors Development Foundation. As part of the
partnership, bank employees have been allowed to make presentations to college classes
and have served as guest speakers at a variety of college functions. Armstrong Bank also
has contributed monetarily to many of the programs sponsored by CSC and provides
banking services to CSC faculty and staff members.

East Central University and Gov. Bill Anoatubby – The Chickasaw Nation has
become a staunch supporter of both higher education and economic development in
partnership with ECU. Through the leadership of Gov. Bill Anoatubby, the Chickasaw
Nation supports numerous projects in this partnership, including internship and graduate
practicum experiences. In conjunction with ECU and the Pontotoc County Technology
Center, the Nation also works to create training programs needed in their area of the state.

Eastern Oklahoma State College and McAlester Regional Health Center – MRHC
and EOSC have a long-standing partnership in working with students and staff in
EOSC’s registered nursing program. The hospital serves as a primary clinical site,
allowing students to receive hands-on guidance and training from employees who act in
the capacity of clinical adjunct faculty. MRHC offers tuition reimbursement for their
employees who complete EOSC’s nursing program.

Murray State College and the Chickasaw Nation – Since its founding in 1908, MSC
and the Chickasaw Nation have been partners in numerous projects, including three
recent major projects: construction of the Tishomingo Softball/Baseball Complex,
development of a new city water tower and renovation of the former Armory located in
Tishomingo.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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
Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College and Vicki Cossairt – INTEGRIS Grove
General Hospital is an integral part of NEO’s nursing program and human resources
director Vicki Cossairt maintains the momentum of this partnership. The hospital serves
as a clinical facility for students enrolled in NEO’s nursing courses and provides highquality clinical learning experiences for students. Cossairt serves on NEO’s Grove
Advisory Council for the new LPN-to-RN Fast Track program and she works to expand
NEO’s nursing program in Grove and surrounding communities.

Northeastern State University and State Farm Insurance – State Farm Insurance and
NSU have partnered together to develop a number of programs that have had a positive
impact not only on State Farm and NSU but also on the financial education of
prospective accounting and finance professionals and working professionals throughout
the northeastern Oklahoma. Through the support of the State Farm Foundation, NSU has
developed a CFP® Certification Education Program in financial planning. The State
Farm Foundation also has provided support for the Master of Science in Accounting and
Financial Analysis.

Northern Oklahoma College and Mercury MerCruiser Corporation – For more than
10 years, the unique partnership between NOC and the Mercury MerCruiser Corporation
of Stillwater has perpetuated economic development in northern Oklahoma, as well as
prepared the MerCruiser workforce to compete in a global economy. NOC has
established a total of five Associate in Applied Science degree programs to provide
engineers, technicians and manufacturing specialists with an opportunity to complete a
degree, at the request of MerCruiser. To date, more than 100 employees have either
completed or are working to complete a degree through this partnership.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid and INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health
Center/St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center/Northern Oklahoma College – NWOSU
established partnerships with NOC, INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health Center and St.
Mary’s Regional Medical Center to develop the Ketterman Simulation Laboratory, a high
tech laboratory located on NWOSU’s Enid campus. The lab provides simulation training
to nursing students from NWOSU and NOC, as well as continuing education
opportunities for professionals in the regional health care industry.

Oklahoma City Community College and the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce – Hoping to address the interest of many in the Hispanic
community to establish their own businesses, the Greater Oklahoma City Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce and OCCC established a partnership in 2005. A one-stop shop,
the Business Assistance Center provides entrepreneurs assistance in launching,
incubating and expanding their businesses. At the center, one-on-one consulting sessions,
printed materials and educational opportunities are provided to clients. In addition, the
project includes a business incubator, a place where a new businesses can have essential
support and services during their formative years.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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
Oklahoma Panhandle State University and Tri-County Electric Cooperative – TriCounty Electric Cooperative and OPSU have been in very strong growth processes in
recent years, and through a mutual relationship, both have grown together in several
areas. From overall partnerships and facility enhancement to financial considerations and
technology sharing, Tri-County Electric Cooperative and OPSU participate in several
mutual endeavors.

Oklahoma State University and Williams – OSU has developed an Inclusion
Leadership Program (ILP) to connect OSU students and students from high schools in
Oklahoma City and Tulsa. OSU has partnered with Williams to provide funds in support
of student stipends, awards and internships for ILP. In return, OSU connects some of
their most outstanding students with Williams, developing a more global perspective for
both summer internships and employment after graduation.

Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City and OGE Energy Corporation – Four
years ago, a discussion about a possible power transmission/distribution technical degree
program occurred between representatives of OSU-OKC and OGE. Today, that
discussion has become a reality with the Power Transmission and Distribution
Technology Associate Degree program at OSU-OKC. To help facilitate student learning,
OGE has donated poles, trucks and equipment, as well as truck maintenance, to OSUOKC’s unique program. In return, to expedite transition to the program for OGE
employees, OSU-OKC has conducted on-site enrollment at OGE regional offices.

Redlands Community College and INTEGRIS Canadian Valley Regional Hospital –
INTEGRIS Canadian Valley Regional Hospital, located in Yukon, is one of the premier
health care providers in Canadian County. In August 2006, as part of a training package
designed to address the business goals of reducing employee turnover and increasing
employee retention, RCC designed, developed and delivered preceptor training for
ICVRH employees. In addition to the training provided to hospital employees, the
establishment of the partnership provided RCC with much needed data for their nursing
program.

Rogers State University and Claremore Regional Hospital – In 1981, CRH and RSU
worked together to establish RSU’s Associate in Applied Science Degree in Nursing.
Since that time, RSU and CRH have enjoyed a long and productive partnership. CRH
provides clinical learning sites for RSU nursing and Emergency Medical Service
students, and the hospital serves as a major employer of RSU nursing graduates. Through
the equipment support, the offering of a clinical site and continuing education
opportunities, RSU and CRH are working together to enhance the knowledge and
education of the workforce that provides critical health care, not only in Claremore, but
throughout northeastern Oklahoma.

Rose State College and Midwest Regional Medical Center – A distinguished partner
of RSC and the RSC Foundation, MRMC is an asset to the community and to higher
education. With a history steeped in tradition and giving, MRMC has assisted the RSC
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Foundation in numerous ways during the past few years. In addition, MRMC also
collaborates with RSC’s corporate training division to enhance the hospital’s employee
development program.

Seminole State College and the Seminole Nation – A long-time partnership between
SSC and the Seminole Nation has benefitted the economic climate and celebrated the
cultural diversity of many communities in central Oklahoma. Through the college’s
Business and Industry Training Program, numerous training seminars, workshops and
conferences have been conducted on the SSC campus and at the Seminole Nation tribal
headquarters. In order to raise awareness and create sensitivity to cultural diversity, SSC
organized and implemented a program at the local high school, featuring Seminole
Nation artists, musicians and historians.

Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Medical Center of Southeastern
Oklahoma – As one of the largest employers in Durant, MCSO understands the necessity
of high-quality education and the importance in supporting such endeavors. With the
large numbers of employment shortages in the medical field, MCSO has collaborated
with SOSU to assist in educating and training students for careers in the medical
profession.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University and WestOak Industries, Inc. – WestOak
Industries, Inc. and SWOSU have partnered together to offer business student interns the
opportunity to gain practical experience serving in an advisory capacity for small
business owners. SWOSU student interns conducted a market analysis to determine
where the company stood relative to its competitors and how the industry has changed in
recent years. The market analysis provided students with hands-on learning experiences
and provided WestOak Industries, Inc. with much-needed information.

Tulsa Community College and UAW1895 Ford/ACH Tulsa Glass Plant – Since its
inception in 1993, the educational partnership between TCC and the UAW/Ford Joint
Program has provided training and lifelong learning opportunities for hundreds of Tulsa
Glass Plant employees and their spouses. The partnership encourages plant hourly
employees and spouses to participate in educational activities and skill enhancement
programs through communication with TCC faculty and Learning Resource Center staff
members, annual education fairs, monthly open houses and periodic surveys.

Western Oklahoma State College and Great Plains Regional Medical
Center/Jackson County Memorial Hospital/Comanche County Memorial
Hospital/Southwestern Medical Center/Duncan Regional Hospital/Memorial
Hospital and Physician Group – WOSC has formed a partnership with a consortium of
partners, including Great Plains Regional Medical Center, Jackson County Memorial
Hospital, Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Southwestern Medical Center, Duncan
Regional Hospital, and Memorial Hospital and Physician Group. Through the dedication
and willingness of these facilities to partner with WOSC, the number of registered nurses
produced by the college each year will increase from 20 to approximately 88.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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April
*****
UCO receives State Farm grants
The Journal Record
4/23/2007
EDMOND – State Farm Insurance of Oklahoma has awarded grants totaling $39,045 to the
University of Central Oklahoma College of Business Administration. The largest portion of the
gift will go to the UCO Insurance Program for continuing education for faculty, student
involvement in conferences and other educational activities and instructional support for
specialized insurance classes. The funds also will be used to support the Oklahoma Council on
Economic Education at UCO and the student Actuary and Insurance Club.
“Support from our partners like State Farm is essential as we expand our programs, grow the
quality of our education and, ultimately, prepare our students to positively impact Oklahoma’s
economic landscape,” said Mike Shirley, dean of the UCO College of Business Administration.
UCO has the only collegiate actuarial science and insurance program in the state. “State Farm
has a long-standing commitment to education,” said Rendi Black, State Farm vice president of
agency. “We look forward to outstanding results from UCO’s academic offerings, which serve
the public by enhancing professionalism in the insurance and financial services industry.”
OSU gets $2 million grant for Business
The gift will go to expand the business school and update its trading floor.
Tulsa World, By: APRIL MARCISZEWSKI World Staff Writer
4/17/2007
STILLWATER -- The family of Chuck and Kim Watson gave Oklahoma State University's
Spears School of Business $2 million on Monday to update its trading floor and renovate and
expand its building. The donation is the "lead gift" for the construction projects; most of the $2
million will go toward the construction, said business school Dean Sara Freedman.
The expansion will be 100,000 square feet or more and will include space for students and
faculty members to linger and talk, as well as rooms for students to work on group projects. The
school is raising more money for the building and does not have a timeline for construction,
Freedman said.
The Watsons, both OSU graduates, previously have given money to establish scholarships, to
benefit athletics and to help create the trading floor, a learning laboratory for business students,
officials said. Chuck Watson co-founded Eagle Energy Partners, a Houston-based energy
marketing company. He is the chairman of Wincrest Ventures, a venture capital company he
started in 1994, and is a partner in Caldwell/ Watson Real Estate, which he co-founded in 1995, a
news release said. "We're Cowboys, and we're proud of it," Watson said. The couple's children
also graduated from OSU.
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"I really respect and admire the people here and the things they're trying to accomplish in the
school," Watson said. Private donations allow the school to enrich its academic programs,
Freedman said. In honor of the new donation, OSU will name the trading floor the Charles L.
Watson Trading Floor.
Students have access to stock market information on the floor and learn quantitative analysis and
risk management there, Freedman and Watson noted. Students learn how to operate in the
business world when they train on the trading floor, so when they graduate and get jobs, they are
productive right away, Watson said. "They have a unique ability to comprehend both the math
part of trading and the risk associated with the decisions they make," he said.
OU professor receives grant for diabetes research
The Journal Record
4/18/2007
OKLAHOMA CITY – Jo Azzarello, associate professor of nursing in the University of
Oklahoma College of Nursing, has been selected to receive a grant for diabetes research.
He will receive a 2006 Nursing Research Grant from the American Nurses Foundation.
Azzarello’s current study, “Problem Solving Skills and Strategies for Glycemic Control,” is
being acknowledged by the American Nurses Foundation for its contribution to promoting the
public health. Azzarello’s research involves helping diabetes patients better manage their blood
sugar levels. “People living with diabetes have to learn how to take care of themselves and need
to know how to make good decisions,” she said. “This is a self-managed disease where people
can’t just stop to call their doctors to make decisions for them.”
Reverse Grant - TCC, others join program to help at-risk
students, By April Marciszewski, The Tulsa World
4/12/2007
Tulsa Community College wants to help low-income, minority and first-generation college
students succeed academically and graduate at higher rates through Achieving the Dream, a
national initiative of the Lumina Foundation for Education.
TCC, Oklahoma City Community College, Rose State College in Midwest City and the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education have been accepted collectively into the program
for five years. Each will pay about $120,000 a year -- TCC out of its taxpayer-funded operating
budget -- including about $80,000 to the foundation for services and the rest for travel, salaries
and other program-related expenses, TCC President Tom McKeon said. The foundation and
partner groups help colleges analyze student data to find strategies to help students succeed in
remedial classes, make it through tough classes such as college algebra, make C's or better, stay
in college, and obtain certificates or degrees, said John Kontogianes, TCC's chief academic
officer.
Joining the program will give the colleges access to the expertise and ideas of participating
organizations and peer colleges that have been participating in Achieving the Dream since it
started in 2004. The program's leaders also will mentor the colleges, provide software and help
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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with data collection. The colleges will find out what "interventions" help certain student
populations succeed and where investments will pay off most, said Phil Moss, Oklahoma's vice
chancellor for academic affairs.
The Oklahoma community colleges, which educate more than half of the state's communitycollege students, plan to share what they learn with colleges across the state, Moss said.
Kontogianes said he thinks the program will affect mostly students in remedial, or
developmental, classes that prepare them for college-level learning. If colleges can help those
students succeed, the state will end up with more college graduates, he said. TCC Regent Larry
Leonard said Wednesday at a board meeting: "This is a tremendously worthwhile project. We
think it could make a difference in the retention of these at-risk students."
March
*****
OU gets $2 million for cancer institute
Two Oklahoma City foundations make the donations, regents announce
The Tulsa World, By April Marciszewski
3/30/2007
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Two Oklahoma City foundations have donated $4 million to the
University of Oklahoma's Cancer Institute and journalism college, OU President David Boren
announced Thursday at the OU board of regents meeting.
$2 million, from the Inasmuch Foundation, will pay for a family services program; a cancer
outreach program, including screenings and education, especially for breast and cervical cancers;
and a $1 million endowed position with a focus on cancer screening, outreach and education.
The donations bring the foundations' gifts to OU to $16 million. Boren said the foundations were
created by the late Edith Kinney Gaylord, who was the first female journalist to work in The
Associated Press' New York City office.
$1.1 million donated to OU by Chesapeake
Chesapeake funds scholarships, departments
The Oklahoman, By Adam Wilmoth
3/27/2007
Chesapeake Energy Corp. on Monday said it will donate $1.1 million in scholarships and other
funding to three University of Oklahoma departments as part of a continuing partnership. The
gift includes scholarships and support programs for OU students along with funding for
improvements at the university's colleges of business, law and Earth and energy.
"What we dream of creating in our state is opportunities so our best and brightest will not have to
leave the state to earn a living and support their families,” OU President David Boren said during
a ceremony at Chesapeake's north Oklahoma City campus Monday. "Because of the generosity
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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of Chesapeake, we'll end up keeping a lot of talented young Oklahomans in the state. That's good
for Oklahoma, and that's good for Chesapeake.”
The gift includes about $800,000 in scholarship program funding, which primarily will be used
in areas related to the energy industry, including energy management, management of
information systems, petroleum engineering, geology and geophysics
The donation also will provide $300,000 for the Sarkeys Energy Center and the OU College of
Law for course and program enhancements. "We value education at Chesapeake, and it is an area
we support with our time and dollars,” said Aubrey McClendon, Chesapeake's chairman and
chief executive officer. "The gift not only affirms once again our commitment to higher
education in Oklahoma, but also our desire to support President Boren's vision for ever greater
academic excellence at OU.”
Gift builds on earlier work
Monday's announcement builds on Chesapeake's 2003 pledge to provide OU with $500,000 over
five years to enhance business- and energy-related facilities, equipment and courses. The gift is
the latest addition to the Chesapeake Scholars Program, which has provided nearly $4 million to
20 colleges and uniChesapeake Scholars Program, which has provided nearly $4 million to 20
colleges and universities in eight states. The company plans to expand the program to 33 schools
by the end of 2007. "We have employees that have attended over 200 universities in the
country,” McClendon said. "We've tried to acknowledge where our employees come from and
where we are recruiting.”
Enid couple give $7 million to boost OU diabetes center
The Oklahoman, By Susan Simpson
3/27/2007
Harold and Sue Ann Hamm of Enid gave $7 million Monday for a center the University of
Oklahoma hopes will become one of the nation's top research and treatment centers for diabetes.
The Legislature in 2006 appropriated $10.5 million for a diabetes center in Oklahoma City and
another $1.5 million for another clinic at OU-Tulsa. Other donations, including those from the
Chickasaw, Choctaw and Cherokee Nations, have brought funding to more than $30 million.
"This is a great day for something I care a great deal about,” said Hamm, who is chairman of
Continental Resources, a privately held oil and gas company. "I know it's going to be
tremendously successful.” The Hamms gave $3.6 million for three endowed faculty positions, $2
million for the new building and $1.4 million for bridge funding to support current research and
treatment. The diabetes center will be named for Harold Hamm.
Statewide programs
More than 200,000 Oklahomans have diabetes, including OU President David Boren. Another
600,000 have pre-diabetic conditions. The Oklahoma Diabetes Center will develop statewide
programs in diabetes care and research for adults and children. Construction could begin as early
as 2008.OU already has a strong nucleus of diabetes researchers and physicians, and officials
hope to continue recruiting top clinicians and scientists.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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"What they do is truly amazing,” said patient Ryan Fightmaster, 17, who was diagnosed with
Type 1 diabetes at age 9. "Hopefully with this donation, it will provide that hope for all of the
other children growing up,” he said.
Citgo gives $500K for Hispanic education program: Money
to go toward education and work force development
initiative
The Journal Record, By Ginger Shepherd
3/20/2007
TULSA – After moving a majority of jobs to Houston, Citgo plans to donate $500,000 over the
next five years to Tulsa’s Community Service Council in order to help the city’s growing
Hispanic community. The funding will be used for Conecciones, which is an education and work
force development initiative in the area. Community Service Council Executive Director Phil
Dessauer said Conecciones is largely an organizational program that is designed to help Hispanic
families and children be successful. Citgo President Felix Rodríguez said the company wanted to
give back to Tulsa because of the deep roots it has in the community.
In May 2004, Citgo – owned by a subsidiary of the national oil company of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela – began moving its corporate headquarters from Tulsa to Houston.
Rodríguez said it was very important for the company to give back to Tulsa and to a program
that will have long-term positive effects. The program will begin working with children at the
pre-kindergarten level and watch how they transition through the education system. It will then
watch how they transition into the higher education realm and eventually to the work force,
Dessauer said. As part of the effort, Dessauer said they want to work with families and students
to get them oriented with post-secondary education programs. Through the initiative
Conecciones, the council wants to work with higher education providers, including the
University of Tulsa as well as Tulsa Community College.
The program will also help set up better connections between programs that serve Hispanic
families, he said.
Conecciones Committee Chairman Dean Van Trease said today 18 percent of Tulsa Public
Schools’ population is Hispanic. They expect to see the number grow to 25 percent. Citgo’s gift
will serve as a seed to grow the program, Dessauer said. With the money, they plan to hire a
project coordinator to staff the steering committee and workgroups.
OU receives $6M gift from ConocoPhillips
The Journal Record, by David Page
3/16/2007
NORMAN – Frank Phillips of Bartlesville and E.W. Marland of Ponca City – two Oklahoma oil
industry pioneers – were among the first private donors to the University of Oklahoma. Phillips
and his brother started Phillips Petroleum and Marland founded Marland Oil, which merged with
Continental Oil Co. – Conoco – in 1929. Phillips Petroleum and Conoco merged in 2002. On
Thursday, the company now known as ConocoPhillips and based in Houston continued the
tradition of providing financial support to OU with a $6 million contribution allocated to the
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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School of Geology and Geophysics. Total gifts and pledges to OU from ConocoPhillips now
total $33 million, said David L. Boren, OU president.
The donation announced Thursday is one of the largest corporate gifts ever received by OU and
the largest donation to the School of Geology and Geophysics, which will be renamed the
ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics. OU offered the first petroleum geology
degree in the country. The School of Geology and Geophysics was founded in 1900 and has
5,000 graduates. “This gift will create new opportunities for students through scholarships and
new laboratory facilities,” Boren said. The gift includes $2.5 million to endow fellowships for
graduate students and $1 million for undergraduate scholarships.
ConocoPhillips’ $6 million donation also includes $1 million to endow a visiting faculty
position. OU plans to request a matching $1 million from the State Regents Endowment Program
to increase the endowment for the visiting position to $2 million. An additional $1 million will
be used for the renovation of the School of Geology and Geophysics area in the Sarkeys Energy
Center and to modernize and upgrade classrooms and computer laboratories. The remaining
$500,000 will endow a fund to continually upgrade equipment in the geology and geophysics
laboratories. “This gift represents our continued support of the university and its long history in
helping young minds meet the challenges of tomorrow,” said James L. Gallogly, ConocoPhillips
executive vice president of refining marketing and transportation.
$321,000 to OSU media program
The Oklahoman
3/19/2007
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation gave $321,000 to the Oklahoma State
University Foundation to fund an endowed professorship in sports media and to strengthen
offerings from OSU's public radio station KOSU. $250,000 of the gift will serve as a cornerstone
for the sports media program, which gained formal approval from the OSU Board of Regents in
fall 2006.
In a separate gift, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation provided $71,000 to
KOSU to expand the ability of the station to provide coverage of ongoing legislative activity in
Oklahoma through the State Capitol Report. Current coverage is limited because of staff and
equipment resources.
$71,000 to Oklahoma State University
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation gave $71,000 to Oklahoma State University
for State Capitol Report, a project of Oklahoma Public Radio KOSU, to enhance news coverage
of events affecting rural areas.
$50,000 to Oklahoma Baptist University
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation gave $50,000 to OBU for Phase II of its
student news media enhancement program. Part of the grant will be used to upgrade equipment
for News30, the university's weekly television newscast. More information on the Ethics and
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Excellence in Journalism Foundation can be obtained by visiting www.journalismfoundation.org
or calling 604-5388.
February
*****
Chesapeake pledges $75,000 more in funds for UCO
scholarships
The Journal Record, By David Page
2/15/2007
EDMOND – When Chesapeake Energy adds new employees, the new staff members are often
graduates of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Nearly 200 UCO graduates are on
Chesapeake’s payroll, including Martha Burger, treasurer and senior vice president of human
resources, and Tom Price, senior vice president of corporate development. Burger and Price both
serve on the UCO Foundation’s board of trustees. As part of its search for employees from the
best and brightest students, Chesapeake is expanding its commitment to UCO.
Chesapeake has pledged $75,000 in scholarship funds for UCO students to be dispersed over five
years. The company’s new pledge is in addition to a $50,000 scholarship commitment the
company made to the UCO Foundation in 2005. “We are looking for the best and brightest
students to possibly become employees of Chesapeake in the future,” said Carol Troy,
Chesapeake’s director of corporate communications. “This is a great way to build relationships
that can become careers.”
The initial donation provided $1,000 scholarships for 10 Chesapeake Scholars in both 2005 and
2006. The new pledge allows UCO to designate 25 Chesapeake Scholars each year, awarding
$25,000 in financial assistance to students. “This increased investment in our students speaks to
the quality of the Chesapeake Scholars from the past two years and the strengthening relationship
between UCO and Chesapeake Energy,” said Anne Holzberlein, president of the UCO
Foundation.
Students classified as sophomores, juniors or seniors in the fall are eligible to apply for the
scholarships. Qualifications include a 3.0 grade-point average, completing at least one full
semester at UCO and being a graduate of an Oklahoma high school or having been home
schooled in Oklahoma. Chesapeake expects the character of the scholars to reflect self-discipline,
a strong work ethic and perseverance. Potential scholars must write and submit a letter about
themselves with the application. “Chesapeake wants to help make Oklahoma one of the most
competitive states in the nation,” said Troy. “One way to do that is to invest in the education of
those who stand to make an impact on our state.”
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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OU receives $2 million to finish Gaylord Hall
Daily Oklahoman
2-12-07
The University of Oklahoma has been awarded a $2 million grant by the Ethics and Excellence
in Journalism Foundation to complete construction of Gaylord Hall, the university's journalism
building. The grant is the largest of $3.6 million in grants the foundation is distributing to 36
journalism organizations nationwide, officials announced Friday. Edith Kinney Gaylord created
the Oklahoma City-based foundation in 1982 to support local and national efforts to improve the
quality of journalism practices among various media. The foundation provides funding for
projects that promote excellence and instill high ethical standards in journalism. The $2 million
OU grant will help finance the construction of a 44,000-square-foot addition to Gaylord Hall.
The addition will house a student operated ad agency, a graduate studies center for the
university's new Ph.D. program and professional master's program, a 180-seat auditorium and a
two-story sound stage.
Other organizations awarded grants from the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation
include:
$250,000 to Oklahoma State University for an endowed
professorship in sports media.
The grant will enhance development of Oklahoma State's new sports media program. $200,000
for the Challenge Fund for Journalism IV, a grant program sponsored by the Ethics and
Excellence in Journalism Foundation, the Ford Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight
Foundation. The program seeks to help journalism organizations with fundraising efforts.
$150,000 to East Central University
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation gave $150,000 to East Central University
for a fully integrated, digital television studio with internet streaming capabilities. The studio
will be housed in a 2,650-square-foot production space located within the new Hallie Brown
Ford Fine Arts Center, now under construction.
$105,000 to Oklahoma City Community College
The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation gave Oklahoma City Community College
$105,000 to upgrade its broadcast news lab.
Cameron University receives $300,000 grant
The Journal Record
2/1/2007
LAWTON – Cameron University has received a $300,000 grant from The Sarkeys Foundation
for the construction of the new Centennial Student Activities Complex as part of the “Cameron
University: Changing Lives” campaign. The Norman-based foundation has given Cameron more
than $700,000 since 1992. The foundation previously provided $250,000 to transform the
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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physical science building into the Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies,
Cameron’s key economic development initiative.
The Student Activities Complex will provide students a central location to study, dine, interact
and relax. The facility will include a 400-seat, divisible ballroom. Pledges for construction of the
student complex total $5.8 million, 89 percent of the $6.5 million goal.
January
*****
Henry proposes bioenergy center
The Journal Record, by Janice Francis-Smith
1/31/2007
OKLAHOMA CITY – Ten million dollars a year for four years could put Oklahoma at the
forefront of the biofuels industry, Gov. Brad Henry said Tuesday. Henry proposed the state
create an Oklahoma Bioenergy Center (OBC), coordinating the research efforts currently under
way at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, the University of Oklahoma in Norman, and the
Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore. “In President Bush’s State of the Union address,
he spoke at length about a new federal emphasis on biofuels,” said Henry. “By creating the OBC,
Oklahoma will be at the forefront of the push for renewable energy as private industry and the
federal government make significant investments in such research and development efforts.”
Rather than investing in building a “bricks and mortar” facility to house the OBC, Henry
suggested the funds be used to coordinate the efforts of the two universities and the Noble
Foundation. Each member of the proposed consortium specializes in a different area of expertise
in bioenergy research, Henry said. The OBA would prevent duplication of effort and would
create a focused research community that could attract world-class scientists.
With America importing 60 percent of its oil supply from foreign countries, including countries
that are openly hostile to the U.S., the federal government is now getting serious about
developing a source of renewable energy that could reduce the nation’s dependence on foreign
oil, said Oklahoma Energy Secretary David Fleischaker. “Tens of billions of dollars in federal
money will be poured into this effort,” said Henry. A $40 million investment from the state in
bioenergy research could be used to leverage federal research grants, he said.
Building a strong bioenergy industry in Oklahoma would also create high-paying jobs and help
diversify the state’s economy, Henry said. New technologies that would use switch grass and
other plants native to Oklahoma are showing more promise than ethanol in scientists’ search to
find the fuel of the future, Henry said. Funding for the project would come out of the state’s
general revenue fund. Henry said he will produce his executive budget on Monday, a balanced
budget that includes funding for the OBC and other new spending initiatives he has advocated
over the past few weeks, without raising taxes.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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Identifying new crops that could be devoted to biofuel development would benefit the state’s
farmers, said Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach at Tuesday’s press conference
announcing the OBC initiative. Environment Secretary Miles Tolbert highlighted the
environmental benefits of increased use of biofuels.
Rose State receives grant
The Oklahoman
1/31/2007
MIDWEST CITY — Rose State College officials Monday announced they received a $2,000
grant for the Kids College program. The grant, provided by the Renaissance Run Community
Fund, will provide for the purchase of items necessary to establish a home economics program
for the children in Kids College, said Natalie Jordan, spokeswoman for the school.
Kids College is a summer youth program for children between the ages of 6 and 14. The program
offers the opportunity to take classes in ballet, swimming, cooking or sports. Jordan said the 3year-old program has steadily grown from a few children to nearly 600 this past summer. For
more information about Kids College, go to www.rose.edu.
College to dedicate Devon energy lab - $70,000 lab donation
The Oklahoman
1/30/2007
East Central University on Wednesday will officially open the Devon Energy Spatial Graphics
and Analysis Lab during a dedication ceremony at 11 a.m.
ECU is one of only five universities in the country to offer a bachelor of science degree in
cartography. The mapmaking degree is in high demand by Devon and other oil and natural gas
companies interested in mapping out existing and potential drilling locations.Devon's $70,000
donation provided 21 lab stations with high-capacity computer processing equipment.
Cherokees give OU $1.5M
The Oklahoman, By Susan Simpson
1/25/2007
TULSA — The Cherokee Nation gave $1.5 million Wednesday to the University of Oklahoma
College of Medicine in Tulsa for a medical and research clinic to treat diabetes and cancer.
The Tulsa clinic, based at OU's Schusterman Center, will be part of OU's Cancer Institute and
the Oklahoma Diabetes Center, planned in Oklahoma City. "We'd like to say this is a
philanthropic request, but it's really a matter of self-interest,” Cherokee Nation Chief Chad Smith
said. "Thirty percent of our members over the age of 50 have diabetes.”
OU President David Boren thanked the tribe and said Oklahoma is on target to become a leader
in the research and care of diabetes and cancer.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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OCAST provides funds to 13 research projects – OU and
OUHSC get grants
The Journal Record
1/15/2007
OKLAHOMA CITY (JR) – The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and
Technology has approved $1.8 million in funding for 13 applied research projects.
The projects include:
Advanced Chemical Technologies Inc. of Oklahoma City was approved for $148,526 for an
epoxy-silane systems project to demonstrate that concrete pretreated with silane will have
stronger binding than when directly applied to the concrete. Selexys Pharmaceuticals Corp. of
Oklahoma City received $100,527 to develop an antibody-based drug for treatment of sickle cell
vasoocclusion. Bennett Engineering Inc. of Broken Arrow was approved for $89,975 to design a
suite of sensors to be incorporated into an autonomous sensor system for monitoring grease trap
operations. Amethyst Research Inc. of Ardmore was approved for $300,000 to develop a process
to produce large wafers with thermal expansion that matches that of smaller wafers. Oklahoma
Medical Research Foundation received $90,000 for characterizing properties of novel aryl
nitrone compounds that have promising anti-cancer activity in central nervous system tumors.
Constien & Associates of Owasso was approved for $300,000 to develop reactive coatings for
covering wellbore screens to prevent plugging by drilling fluids and filtercakes.
The University of Oklahoma in Norman received $70,342 for David Sabatini to evaluate a
process using environmentally benign surfactant-based microemulsions in place of hexane. The
project involves development of surfactant-based oilseed extraction for biodiesel fuel.
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City received $88,364 for
Martin Levine to develop and commercialize a recombinant vaccine that will aid in the
prevention of periodontal disease in dogs. Predent LLC, a private firm, will match funding for
the project.
Advance Research Chemicals Inc. of Catoosa was approved for $171,000 to develop an
alternative method for using hexafluoroacetone as a reagent for certain polymers. Project
Frontier LLC of Tulsa was approved for $184,506 to develop a rich Internet application designed
to increase productivity. Veteran Research & Education Foundation of Oklahoma City was
approved for $90,000 to produce a gastric electrical stimulator for the treatment of
gastroesophageal reflux disease. Bondtrac Inc. of Oklahoma City will receive $105,000 to
develop a software application to allow fixed-income security traders to sell secondary market
securities in a bid system using the Internet. AR Environmental Services Inc. of Jennings was
approved for $85,050 to research the production of butanol using feedstocks.
The OCAST board also approved two Small Business Innovation Research matching funds
applications. The state program operated by OCAST is designed to help Oklahoma small
businesses qualify for federal funds made available through 11 large federal agencies.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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ZigBeef LLC was approved for a $25,000 award to develop long-range cattle ear tags that can
send large volumes of information in a brief period. Charlesson LLP was awarded $25,000 for a
National Institutes of Health project that focuses on eye health.
OSU-OKC receives $1 million gift
The Oklahoman
1/23/2007
Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City announced the largest one-time private gift in its
history, a $1 million gift that fulfills a pledge from John E. Kirkpatrick toward a new Agriculture
Resource Center. The gift will help pay for construction of a new Agriculture Resource Center, a
33,000-square-foot building that will house horticulture, agriculture and veterinary classes on the
OSU-Oklahoma City campus. The building will open in 2008.
The Agriculture Resource Center is needed due to growing classes, particularly in "urban
agriculture” — an emerging field of study that expands traditional agriculture to activities for an
urban lifestyle. OSU-Oklahoma City offers programs in urban agriculture, including floral
design and turf grass management
UCO scholarship named for former FBI director
The Oklahoman
1/6/2007
EDMOND — The University of Central Oklahoma will have a scholarship to give this year in
honor of the first director of the FBI. UCO is one of eight universities around the nation to
receive the 2006 J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Scholarship from the Society of Former Special
Agents of the FBI. Each year, former special agents are randomly selected to choose a college or
university to honor.
Richard LaFaver, who graduated from Central State College in 1949 and played football there,
selected UCO for the scholarship. For more information about the scholarship call 974-5533.
2007 Oklahoma Higher Education Grant News
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