Sponsored Research and Programs

Meagan Elinski, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, recently received a $55,000 award from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund Undergraduate New Investigator Program.  The project is titled Role of Hydrocarbon Chemical Structure in Composite Film-Forming Surface Reactions.

This project will explore the impact of lubricant chemical structures on composite film formation, which form the basis of protective surface coatings.  A better understanding of the mechanisms that drive surface reactions by sliding forces will aid in developing specialized lubrication schemes for developing technologies such as electric vehicles.

Congratulations, Meagan, on your new award!

Sonja Trent Brown, Chief Officer for Culture and Inclusion, recently received a $25,000 award from the Association of American Colleges & Universities Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center Grant Program.

This award will establish a TRHT Center at Hope College, with the overall goals of infusing an anti-racist narrative in our existing academic, co-curricular, and community programs; creating collaborative relationships with various diversity, equity, and inclusion partners; working with community allies to create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive community for all; continue active recruiting and hiring practices to increase representation, deepening our commitment o anti-racist work; drawing on our ecumenical Christian faith; and instituting Rx Racial Healing Circles to facilitate relationship building and the sharing of stories. 

Hope College is one of 19 institutions to host new TRHT Campus Centers; more details are available from the AAC&U.

Congratulations, Sonja, on your accomplishment!  

Deborah Van Duinen, Associate Professor of Education, recently received a $2,500 award from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Youth Literacy Grant Program.  The project is titled Big Read Lakeshore: Improving Adolescents Attitudes Toward Reading.

With this award, participating English teachers in The Big Read who work with students reading below grade level will receive curricular/instructional support to increase their students’ self-concepts as readers and the perceived value of reading. 

Congratulations, Deborah, on your new award!

Stephen Scogin, Associate Professor of Biology and Education, and Susan Brondyk, Irwin B. and Margie E. Floyd Associate Professor of Education, recently received a $9,965 award from the Outdoor Discovery Center. 

The purpose of this project is to investigate school-based, elementary outdoor educational programming in West Michigan. 

Congratulations, Stephen and Susan, on your new award!

Reagan Chesnut, Associate Managing Director of the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre (HSRT), and Erik Alberg, Director of Design and Production for the Performing Arts, recently received a $10,000 award from the National Endowment for the Arts Grants for Arts Projects Program.  The project is titled To support the purchase of sound amplification equipment and administrative costs for the Hope Summer Repertory Theatre. 

The purpose of this project is to support the purchase of wireless microphones and transmitters for the DeWitt Main Theatre ta allow for the application of all actors onstage for both musicals and plays, as opposed to selective amplification.  Consistent amplification will allow better use of the theatre’s loop and hearing assist systems, as well as increased benefits in video and streaming mediums.  This will directly benefit patrons who are hard of hearing, those with hearing loss, as well as those with autism and other development disabilities or anxiety disorders that may require remote viewing of productions.

Congratulations, Reagan and Erik, on your award!

Susan Ipri Brown, Director of ExploreHope and Assistant Professor of Engineering Instruction, received a $4,000 award from the Perrigo Company Charitable Foundation Grants Program.  The project is titled ExploreHope College Preview.

Through this award, ExploreHope will provide the transportation and tuition for low-income high school sophomores and juniors to attend a week-long summer program at Hope College to explore health professions, neuroscience, and environmental science. 

Congratulations, Susan, on your new award!

Alyssa Cheadle, Assistant Professor Psychology, and Amy Osterbaan, undergraduate student, received a $1,240 award from the Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Program.  The project is titled The Impact of Religious Disaffiliation on Health Behaviors and Health Outcomes. 

The purpose of this project is to expand the research on religious disaffiliation with regard to health behaviors and health outcomes.  With increasing numbers of Americans disaffiliating from religion, findings from this study will have important implications for health promotion efforts.

Congratulations, Amy and Alyssa, on your award!

Natalia Gonzalez-Pech, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has received $321,363 award from the National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program.  The project is titled MRI: Acquisition of a Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope for Multidisciplinary Research Needs with Undergraduates at Hope College. 

Benjamin Kopek, Associate Professor of Biology, Jeff Christians, Assistant Professor of Engineering, and Michael Philben, Assistant Professor Geological and Environmental Science, are all co-principal investigators on this award.  Our dearly departed colleague Jenny Hampton was also a co-principal investigator.

This award will support the acquisition of a JEOL JSM-IT700HRLA field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) with low vacuum, low voltage, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) capabilities. In addition to greatly enhancing the suite of microscopy techniques available at Hope College, the FESEM provides training to a large number of undergraduate STEM students in modern instrumentation, and lead to meaningful data in diverse scientific fields.

The FESEM allows researchers to investigate (a) the synthesis of multifunctional nanomaterials for water remediation and energy-related applications, (b) the design of thermochromic photovoltaics that could lead to improved solar cells (c) techniques for the facile alignment and synthesis of responsive liquid crystalline polymers that will enable the design of adaptive, shape-programmable structures and devices, (d) the morphological differences of functionalized polymer thin films for sensing applications, and (e) the effect of wear on the morphology and composition of advanced lubrication schemes. In addition, the FESEM enhances several areas in environmental research, and in biology. Data provided by this instrument promises to increase the publication rate and funding success for faculty who otherwise have limited access to similar quality instrumentation.

Congratulations on your new award, Natalia, Ben, Jeff, and Michael!

Brooke Odle, Assistant Professor of Engineering, has been named an American Society of Biomechanics (ASB) Up and Comer! 

The purpose of the ASB Up and Comer award is to recognize outstanding faculty in the field of biomechanics—not only their past contributions but also their strong potential to influence the field.  With this award, Dr. Odle will receive $1,000 as well as the ability to connect with a mentor to provide training and expertise in OpenSim, a software system that allows users to develop musculoskeletal structures and create simulations of movement. 

Congratulations, Brooke, on your award!  

Jeff Christians, Assistant Professor of Engineering, has received a $238,828 award from the National Science Foundation.  The project is titled RUI: Exploring Nonperorskite Phase Growth Mechanisms in Halide Perovskites. 

The purpose of this project is to explore how to better develop halide perovskites for long-term durability for use in the next generation of photovoltaics.  This materials research will include opportunities for undergraduate research experiences as well as educational outreach to high schools students through ExploreHope. 

Congratulations, Jeff, on your new award!