With most of the grant awards for the school going toward global food security and childcare research, Tennessee State University plans to beat its grant award record of $70.7 million by the end of the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Global food security and early childcare for Tennessee families are two of the top areas Tennessee State University is focusing on as the school has reported record growth in funding for research for another year. The university’s external research funding has reached $70.2 million with nearly four months still remaining in the submission cycle for 2022-2023. So far the Tennessee State University Center for Excellence for Learning Sciences, as well as the College of Agriculture have been awarded the biggest single awards, totalling almost $30 million.
In an article on the school’s website, Tennessee State University’s President Glenda Glover talked about how the hard work of the faculty and staff has made these awards possible.
“TSU’s continued high research output and funded awards are a true testament to the hard work and commitment of our faculty and staff, especially as we also focus our attention on moving from an R2 to R1, the highest research designation, under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. A crucial cornerstone of an institution’s success is measured through its research and just as important is how that research will benefit our communities,” said Glover.
The TSU Center for Excellence for Learning Sciences has received just under $19 million in both state and federal funding for its work with children and families. The Center uses the grant money to fund family support and childcare programs in the state. Of the award money, $5.3 million was given by the Administration for Children and Families Office of Head Start (or ACF/OHS) to fund Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership and Head Start programs. Around $13 million was awarded by the Tennessee Department of Human Services to fund the Tennessee Family Child Care Network and the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance.
Thanks to the funding, nearly 115 staff members across the state will have funding as well as services that will support 256 children and families.
Dr. Kimberly Smith, director of the Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences, talked about the work the center does, saying, “The Center is proud of the work we do to support children, families, and professionals within the early childhood community. We remain focused on educating and uplifting the early childhood workforce in Tennessee and we remain committed to improving the lives of the families we serve.”
Researchers at TSU’s College of Agriculture are utilizing a $10 million capacity building grant provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which will support 57 total projects in human health and nutrition, renewable energy, environmental science, animal science, food science, biotechnology, agricultural business, and agricultural education. Of the major projects, two will focus on conducting research with the goal of enhancing environmental quality and nutritional security.
Dean of the college and principal investigator of the capacity building grant, Dr. Chandra Reddy, talked about the push to find solutions to problems surrounding global food security, nutritional security, and enhancing the quality of the environment.
“The other important goal of these projects is the diverse workforce development. We are creating new knowledge and graduating diverse background students both at undergraduate and graduate levels. We also share the research findings with public through our statewide extension programs to improve their productivity and quality of life,” Dr. Reddy said.
First year Ph.D. student CheKenna Fletcher is a student of agricultural sciences concentrating in food and animal sciences. Her research focuses on health-promoting food products, primarily the extraction, isolation, characterization, and application of novel materials. She talked excitedly about the research funding the University has been attracting, saying, “TSU provides students and even professors with various opportunities to conduct research in a variety of fields with global interest. There are so many conferences, symposiums, and more one can attend to present his/her research, worldwide.”
Tennessee State University was awarded nearly $69 million in external sponsored research funding for its proposals during the first half of the fiscal year. The amount of awarded money is now at $70.2 million, which is expected to eclipse the funding record from 2021 of $70.7. The funding from 2021 was a record-setting year for the school, and was one of the highest of all HBCUs that year. The newest funding report is good news for the University as it continues to plan to receive the R1 research designation. The R1 designation allows for more research initiatives, doctoral programs, and funding for the university and students.
Dr. Quincy Quick, who serves as the Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs, is leading the effort to get the school an R1 designation effort. He says the goal is to double the amount of grants the school has been receiving.
Though it may seem like a tall order, he believes the staff and faculty at TSU can reach the $140 million award amount: “Our recent historic research productivity and achievement over the last two fiscal years is a consequence of our outstanding and dedicated faculty and staff and their commitment to conducting and performing innovative and transformative high-level research. Our faculty and staff are enthusiastically engaged in our mission for the highest status as we work collegially and diligently to become the fourth R1 designated institution in the state of Tennessee.”
More information about Tennessee State University can be found at the school’s website.