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NSF Partnership Information by State

 

Iowa

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NSF and Iowa

    In FY 2003 NSF provided 222 awards totaling approximately $26 million to 15 institutions in the State of Iowa as well as $85,000 in fellowships.

    Institutions that received NSF support in FY 2003 included Drake University, the University of Iowa, University of North Iowa, Grinnell College, Coe College, and Phytodyne, Inc.

Examples of Projects Currently Funded by NSF in the State of Iowa:

    Controlling Solid State Reactivity via Linear Templates — An NSF CAREER award to the University of Iowa supports research into an approach for conducting solid-state chemical synthesis that provides the degrees of synthetic freedom of the liquid phase. Solid-state chemical techniques provide an environmentally friendly or "green" alternative to synthetic processes that rely on toxic organic solvents or routes to new molecules and materials with unique properties. The goals of this research include expanding the methods to reaction homology by developing families of templates and reactants and applying products of the approach for the design on a class of porous crystalline materials known as inverted metal-organic frameworks. These materials will be engineered to possess tunable pores of nanoscale dimensions lined with organic functionality. The project seeks to integrate research ideas with education at the local, regional, and national level through events such as campus workshops that introduce students to green chemistry and materials science.

    Advanced Technology Environmental Education Center (ATEEC) — Supported by an NSF Advanced Technological Education award, the ATEEC is identifying environmental education information, materials, research, expertise, and support services of value to educators, workers, and the general public, and organizing and presenting this body of knowledge and services in formats that are stimulating and accessible to a broad array of user groups. These include: high school and community colleges, including tribal colleges; students in environmental courses; community college students across the spectrum of academic technical programs; workers engaged in retraining or skill upgrade; military and security personnel; and municipal leaders.

    Functional Genomics of Arabidopsis Starch Granule Metabolism — In this Arabidopsis 2010 project at Iowa State University, the molecular physiological functions of the Arabidopsis starch metabolism gene network will be determined. The glucose polymers that make up starch display a complex molecular architecture that is essential for starch function. The Arabidopsis genome sequence allows identification of all the genes involved in starch biosynthesis or mobilization, and determination of the function of each gene individually and within the metabolic network. This aspect of metabolism is a distinguishing feature of all plant life. Understanding starch assembly and disassembly, as a comprehensive chemical system, is required for a complete functional description of how the sequence information in the Arabidopsis genome is translated into the plant life form.

    Evolution of Host Use by Bleapharoneura on Guraniinae Plants — Plants and the insects that feed on them represent the majority of species on earth. Why do certain insects eat only certain kinds of plants or certain parts of plants, and how does such specificity affect diversification? This Research in Undergraduate Institutions project at Cornell College will test hypotheses about the evolution of insect-plant interactions. Undergraduate students will collect and analyze ecological, morphological, and molecular data on newly discovered species of neotropical fruit flies and their host plants. It focuses on two economically important groups of organisms: the Tephritidae (the Mediterranean fruit fly family) and Cucurbitaceae (the squash and gourd family). Inclusion of undergraduates in all aspects of the research contributes directly to science education.

For more information on Iowa and NSF, please contact the Office of Legislative and Public Affairs at 703-292-8070.

Useful Links:

Iowa's Home Page
Iowa Governor's Office
Iowa Department of Economic Development


 
 
     
 
 
National Science Foundation
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia 22230, USA
Tel: 703-292-8070
FIRS: 800-877-8339 | TDD: 703-292-5090
 
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