WMU Home > About WMU > WMU News

WMU News

Grant total for August exceeds $5 million

Oct. 31, 2007

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University brought home more than $5 million in externally funded awards for the month of August, WMU trustees learned at their Oct. 12 meeting. The August figure brings the year-to-date total of grants received since the July 1 start of the 2007-08 fiscal year to $7,669,241.

Research grants accounted for much of the $5,089,261 August total. Notable research awards for the period included a more-than $2.7 million continuing grant from the U.S. Department of Education to Dr. Joseph Kretovics, a WMU professor of teaching, learning and educational studies and director of GEAR UP--Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

Two research grants came from the National Science Foundation and addressed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. An NSF grant of $521,496 went to Dr. Arlen R. Gullickson, emeritus researcher with the WMU Evaluation Center, to use "assessment for learning" research to improve learning in the STEM disciplines and train teachers in the technique. The second NSF grant, totaling $402,376, went to Dr. Edmund Tsang, associate dean of the WMU College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Dr. William Cobern, professor of biological science, and Dr. Leonard Ginsberg, vice president for research, to increase retention and graduation rates of STEM students and develop support structures and learning communities among students.

Grants for instruction totaled nearly $200,000 during August, while public service awards for the month came in at $7,000.

Media contact: Mark Schwerin, (269) 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
1903 W Michigan Ave
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/wmu/news