The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced it has updated the Award Terms and Conditions to be consistent with the Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide 24-1 (PAPPG 24-1), effective May 20, 2024. The revised award terms and conditions will apply to all new NSF awards and funding amendments to existing NSF awards made on or after May 20, 2024.
NSF’s Summary of Changes can be reviewed here. Please contact Sponsored Research & Programs at sponsoredresearch@hope.edu with any questions.
Hope College is renaming its most important research event of the year to honor the extraordinary generosity of Paul ’67 and Carol Schaap, who have long been ardent supporters of Hope College and the sciences.
The newly re-named A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) will showcase more than 100 student research projects conducted in partnership with faculty mentors. The event will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 12 in DeVos Fieldhouse.
“I am very thankful for Paul and Carol Schaap’s generosity, commitment and engagement that has facilitated faculty-student collaborative research and creative activity across the college,” said Provost Gerald Griffin. “I am delighted to join in the honoring and celebrating of the Schaaps as we recognize the excellent work of our students, faculty and staff.”
As a chemistry major at Hope and Ph.D. chemist, professor and entrepreneur, Paul naturally became a champion of the natural and applied sciences at Hope. Along with Carol, known for her philanthropic heart, they have provided countless students educational and research opportunities that have inspired the future course of their lives.
The renaming is a fitting tribute to Paul and Carol because student-faculty collaborative research has long been a hallmark of Hope’s academic program, a distinction that has garnered national recognition. U.S. News and World Report ranks Hope College #27 in undergraduate research and creative projects ahead of Dartmouth College, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University, University of Pennsylvania and many other noteworthy schools.
The A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap CURCA celebrates the scholarly accomplishments of student-faculty research collaborations across all four Hope College academic divisions. For more than two decades, CURCA has been the culminating event every spring for students to showcase their research and creative activities to hundreds of fellow students, faculty members, families and the community. This showcase of talent has become a symbol of collaboration, excellence and the vibrant spirit of intellectual curiosity — all characteristics that have defined the Schaaps.
Collaborative research has had a far-reaching impact on students at Hope. Jolie LaBarge, a senior double majoring in exercise science and psychology, said her research experience at Hope has meant more than she ever imagined. She will present her findings on three different research projects at the A. Paul and Carol C. Schaap CURCA.
“These opportunities have meant a lot to me over my time at Hope,” LaBarge said. “ They have helped me learn a variety of skills ranging from communication, to scheduling, to editing, etc. These opportunities brought me new friends and faculty members that I knew I could depend on.
“Having these experiences on my résumé also provided me with a variety of advantages when applying to graduate school programs,” LaBarge added. “Last but not least, it gave me confidence in myself to trust my abilities and grow as a person and as a student.”
LaBarge is one among a countless number of students impacted by the Schaaps’ generosity. Their matchless gifts to Hope College span decades and have transformed every area of campus including academics, co-curricular experiences, faith formation and scholarships. The A. Paul Schaap Science Center and the Carol C. Schaap Chapel stand as a testament to their desire to provide students with life-changing educational opportunities.
The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, a local foundation that support high-impact projects and community-level initiatives, awarded a $750 mini-grant in support of the 2024 Summer Step Up College Visit Program. This program introduces Step Up middle school students to different types of college experiences through visits to a community college offering two-year and technical degrees, a regional public university and a private liberal arts college. Parents are encouraged to attend to support parent-led conversations regarding the college bound journey within families and the greater-Holland community.
Hope College’s Step Up program helps middle school students succeed in school and develop their future potential by caring for their social, emotional and academic needs within a mentoring context. The program provides academic support, mentoring relationships, enrichment programming, a summer program, and parent support and involvement. Learn more about Step Up and other educational outreach programming.
Congratulations Kate and the Step Up team on your award!
Congratulations to the 11 Hope College awardees for the 2024 Michigan Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) cycle! The awards include four Research Seed grants and seven Faculty-Led Undergraduate Fellowships, totaling $48,000. The awarded projects involve faculty research and collaborative faculty/student research across the departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geological & Environmental Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics and Physics. Information about the awards can be found at MSGC and via Hope’s Campus News.
MSGC fosters awareness of, education in, and research on space and Earth-related science and technology in Michigan. MSGC Grant and Fellowship Programs are regionally competitive among 11 universities and colleges in Michigan. Awards supported by MSGC are made possible by funding provided by NASA.
Congratulations to all award recipients, well done!
Michael Philben, Assistant Professor in the departments of Chemistry and Geological & Environmental Sciences, was recently awarded a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant with the National Science Foundation for $507,824. The project is titled CAREER: Detecting warming impacts on carbon accumulation across a climate transect of Michigan peatlands.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award is the most prestigious award presented by the NSF to support junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through research and education, and the integration of these endeavors in the context of their organizations’ missions. Learn more about Michael’s project to study how warming affects peatlands’ ability to reduce greenhouse gas in the Campus News.
Congratulations on your award and achievement, Mike!
Dr. Tom Bultman, Professor of Biology, has received a Fulbright US Scholar Award that will take him to the University of Turku, Finland for the second half of the 24-25 academic year. The Fulbright-University of Turku Scholar Award, jointly funded by the Fulbright Finland Foundation and the University of Turku, provides US scholars with the opportunity to conduct research and/or teach in fields represented at the University. As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Bultman will conduct research with the aim to enhance sustainability of grazing food production in Finland, as well as other parts of the world.
The Fulbright Finland Foundation is an independent not-for-profit based in Helsinki, Finland. With the purpose of promoting a wider exchange of knowledge and professional talents through educational contacts between Finland and the United States, the Foundation collaborates with a range of government, foundation, university, and corporate partners on both sides of the Atlantic to design and manage study and research scholarships, leadership development programs and internationalization services. The University of Turku is an international academic community in Southwest Finland that builds a sustainable future through multidisciplinary research, education and collaboration, with biodiversity and sustainability as one of its six thematic research areas.
Dr. Meagan Elinski, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has been named a 2024 Cottrell Scholar and awarded $120,000 by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement. Dr. Elinski’s proposal, Chemical-Mechanical Control Over Nanoparticle-Hydrogel Sliding Interfaces, which incorporates both research and science education, was one of 19 proposals selected for the esteemed award after a rigorous peer-review process.
Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA), founded in 1912, is a private foundation that supports early stage, high-potential basic research in the physical sciences (astronomy, chemistry, physics, and related fields) at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
RCSA’s Cottrell Scholar Award honors and helps to develop outstanding teacher-scholars who are recognized for the quality and innovation of their research programs and academic leadership skills. The award provides entry into a community of distinguished scholar-educators who produce significant research and meaningful educational outcomes. Learn more about the 2024 Class of Cottrell Scholars.
Anita Esquerra-Zwiers, Associate Professor in Nursing, has been awarded an $8,000 Traineeship in Advanced Data Analytics (a collaborative program between AIM-AHEAD and All of Us Research Program Researcher Academy). The Traineeship is an intensive 8-month program in advanced data analysis developed by Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and utilizes the resources of the All of Us database and AIM-AHEAD’s data science training core.
The central goal of this training program is to increase researcher diversity in AI/ML by training individuals from diverse backgrounds who are committed to gaining proficiency in AI/ML data analysis, and applying their expertise to benefit communities underrepresented in biomedical research.
Brian Bodenbender, Professor of Geology & Environmental Science and GES Department Chair, received a new grant from the Council of the Great Lakes Region Foundation for $15,500.
With funding from Dart Container to CGLR’s Circular Great Lakes Initiative, Brian secured a grant to help communities implement innovation stormwater filtration systems. Funding from this grant will support the purchase, installation and monitoring of the stormwater filtration systems over the course of a year.
Kate Lozon, Director of CASA/Step Up, received a Michigan Department of Education Out-of-School Time Grant of $86,400 for CASA and Step Up summer programming.
Through this grant, CASA/Step Up summer programming will be expanded and allow for an increase in access to summer sessions for underrepresented elementary and middle school students.. Summer lessons will interweave experiences in literacy, mentoring, STEM, fine arts and recreational activities.
