In FY 2003, the NSF provided 565 awards totaling approximately $80 million to 52 institutions in the state of Ohio as well as $525,000 in fellowships.
Institutions in Ohio that received NSF support in FY 2003 included Bowling Green University, Miami University, the College of Wooster, the University of Akron, SenslrOx, Oberlin College, the University of Cincinnati, Ohio University, Children's Hospital, Kenyon College, and the Great Lakes Museum of Science.
Finite Element Modeling of Ball Burnishing and Selection of Process Parameters — The research objectives of this study are to 1) develop a reliable finite element process model for ball burnishing, which is a mechanical surface finishing process that is often used to improve the surface quality and fatigue life of highly stressed machined components, 2) use this model to understand the process mechanics and analyze the effects of the initial surface layer properties generated by hard turning, and 3) demonstrate process optimization using the proposed model. This work will comprise a collaboration between the University of Toledo, the Technical University of Aachen, Germany, and The Ohio State University and three interested industrial partners, Hardinge, Scientific Forming Corporation, and Ecroll.
Wilberforce University STEP-UP — The Wilberforce University Science, Technology, and Engineering Preeminent Undergraduate Program (STEP-UP) addresses the underrepresentation of minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by enhancing minority access, retention, graduation, and successful transition to graduate study in these fields. The program starts with a pre-college summer institute addressing deficiencies in mathematical reasoning, problem solving, critical reading, verbal reasoning, technical writing, and vocabulary building. Freshmen will enroll in a series of seminars focusing on careers in STEM and the importance of graduate school. During the summer between freshman and sophomore years, undergraduates will participate in an intensive summer program focusing on STEM content, study skills, and problem solving.
Low-Cost Manufacturing of Fuel Cell MEAs with Highly Dispersed Catalyst — An NSF Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) award to Faraday Technologies, Inc. addresses the need for low-cost manufacturing of fuel cell components by the development of a reel-to-reel electrodeposition process to maximize catalyst dispersion and utilization at loadings of 0.1 mg/cm2. The feasibility of plating such loadings of highly dispersed catalyst onto carbon electrodes will be demonstrated. The catalyzed electrodes will be analyzed for loading, dispersion, and performance in fuel cell stacks, and a reel-to-reel electrodeposition will be designed. The ultimate customer for the proposed technology is the automotive consumer.
The Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center — The Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center (ABRC) at The Ohio State University collects, preserves, reproduces, and distributes divers seed and DNA stocks of the flowering plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Arabidopsis has become the model species of choice for basic studies of flowering plants. The value of the collection has been enhanced by the recent completion of the sequencing of the Arabidopsis genome.
