March 2025 Grants and Awards
Building Resilience to Earth System Hazards: Forecasting Drinking Water Quality with Real-time Integrated Catchment Modeling
Principal Investigator:
Quin Thomas
Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science
Total Anticipated:
$1,000,000
Sponsor:
National Science Foundation
Evaluating the Efficiency of Pseudomonas sp. Jde115 for Enhancing Cotton Growth and Biocontrol of Major Soil-Borne Diseases
Principal Investigator:
Jonathan D. Eisenback
Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$10,335
Sponsor:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Virginia Cotton Board
Management of Cotton Foliar Diseases With Fungicides
Principal Investigator:
David B. Langston
Professor
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$14,926.65
Sponsor:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Virginia Cotton Board
Thrips Insecticide Efficacy and Resistance Monitoring in Cotton
Principal Investigator:
Timothy B. Bryant
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$19,969
Sponsor:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Virginia Cotton Board
Support for Tobacco Extension Education Programs in Virginia
Principal Investigator:
Thomas D. Reed
Extension Agronomist
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$5,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board
Addressing Yield and Holding Ability of Flue-Cured Tobacco With an Alternative Fertilization Program
Principal Investigator:
Thomas D. Reed
Extension Agronomist
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$10,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board
Strategies to Improve Cotton Production in Virginia
Principal Investigator:
William H. Frame
Associate Professor
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$23,213
Sponsor:
Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Virginia Cotton Board
Greenhouse Management Practices to Optimize the Yield of Useable Tobacco Transplants
Principal Investigator:
Thomas D. Reed
Extension Agronomist
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$11,979
Sponsor:
Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board
Mapping the Neural and Physiologic Response to Tonic Pain With Low-intensity Focused Ultrasound: A Bridge Towards Therapeutic Applications
Principal Investigator:
Wynn Legon
Assistant Professor
Vice President of Health Sciences and Technology
Faculty of Health Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$166,209
Sponsor:
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Sub-Second Catecholamine Dynamics Underlying Food Reward in Humans
Principal Investigator:
Alexandra G. DiFeliceantonio
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Total Anticipated:
$2,748,263
Sponsor:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Integrating Neurophysiology, Computational Models, and Biomimetic Robotics to Understand Audio-Vocal Feedback in Bats
Principal Investigator:
Rolf Mueller
Raymond E. and Shirley B. Lynn Professor
School of Neuroscience
College of Science
Total Anticipated:
$650,000
Sponsor:
National Science Foundation
CAREER: Understanding Light-Induced Polarization in Halide Perovskites for Responsive Ferroelectrics
Principal Investigator:
Lina Quan
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry
College of Science
Total Anticipated:
$702,760
Sponsor:
National Science Foundation
CAREER: The Plastisphere of Pond Ecosystems: Understanding the Function and Fate of Novel Carbon in Biogeochemical Hotspots
Principal Investigator:
Austin D. Gray
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science
Total Anticipated:
$1,280,735
Sponsor:
National Science Foundation
Effects of Cardiac Monitoring in Perceived Stress of Unexplained Syncope Patients (ECMIPS)
Principal Investigator:
Andrew B. Moore
Assistant Professor
Department of Emergency Medicine
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
Total Anticipated:
$3,750
Sponsor:
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Foundation
Convergent Solid-State Manufacturing for Extreme Materials
Principal Investigator:
Hang Yu
Associate Professor
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
College of Engineering
Total Anticipated:
$4,200,000
Sponsor:
United States Army Research Laboratory
Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Enhances the Delivery of Creatine to the Brain for the Treatment of Creatine Transporter Deficiency
Principal Investigator:
Cheng-Chia Wu
Assistant Professor
Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Total Anticipated:
$30,000
Sponsor:
Association for Creatine Deficiencies
Utilizing Cover Crops to Offset Fertilizer Inputs for Corn in Virginia - Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center Location
Principal Investigator:
William H. Frame
Associate Professor
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$25,089
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
On-Farm Evaluation of Corn Production Strategies
Principal Investigator:
Robert T. Jones
Professional Lecturer
Northeast District Cooperative Extension
Director of Cooperative Extension
Total Anticipated:
$10,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Integrated Soilborne Disease Management in Tobacco
Principal Investigator:
Yuan Zeng
Assistant Professor
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$19,991
Sponsor:
Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board
Weed Management in Corn 2025
Principal Investigator:
Michael L. Flessner
Associate Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$26,084
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Comparing Group 30 Insecticide Seed Treatments and In-furrow Applications to Existing Seed Treatment Products
Principal Investigator:
Timothy B. Bryant
Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$17,036
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Integrated Management of Tar Spot of Corn
Principal Investigator:
Yuan Zeng
Assistant Professor
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$35,500
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Herbicide-Resistant Weed Management in Corn and Drone-Based Cover Crop Seeding
Principal Investigator:
Vijay Singh
Assistant Professor
Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$21,539
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Hyperspectral Imaging in Scouting and Early Detection of Pests in Virginia Tobacco (Final Year)
Principal Investigator:
Arash Rashed
Director and Professor
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$10,168
Sponsor:
Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board
AI-Powered 3D Sensors for Monitoring NPK Dynamics in Corn for Precision Fertilizer Management
Principal Investigator:
Azahar Ali
Assistant Professor
School of Animal Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$18,392
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Rapid Determination of Cover Crop Biomass for Nutrient Management and Evaluation of Biological/Biostimulants in Virginia Corn Production
Principal Investigator:
William H. Frame
Associate Professor
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$13,800
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Coragen or Besiege? An Economic Assessment
Principal Investigator:
Arash Rashed
Director and Professor
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$9,550
Sponsor:
Virginia Bright Flue-Cured Tobacco Board
Development Turbine Engine Instrumentation Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Phase 5
Principal Investigator:
Collin C. Phillips
Research Associate
Virginia Tech National Security Institute
Total Anticipated:
$150,000
Sponsor:
Pratt and Whitney Corporation
Evaluating the Effect of Biostimulants on the Nitrogen Uptake and Yield of Corn Subjected to Drought
Principal Investigator:
Guillaume Pilot
Associate Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$9,500
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
Data-Science for Grain Marketing Decision Making: Planting Progress and Crop Condition Interactive Dashboard
Principal Investigator:
Mario A. Ortez Amador
Collegiate Assistant Professor and James A. and Renae C. Pearson Collegiate Faculty Fellow
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$10,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Corn Board
2025 Boehringer Ingelheim Veterinary Scholars
Principal Investigator:
S A. Ahmed
Professor
Veterinary Medical Research and Graduate Studies
College of Veterinary Medicine
Total Anticipated:
$30,800
Sponsor:
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
Bubbly Curtain/Water Deluge Noise Reduction Investigation with Applications to Supersonic Jet Noise
Principal Investigator:
Joseph Meadows
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
College of Engineering
Total Anticipated:
$1,132,186
Sponsor:
Office of Naval Research
High-Resolution Inundation Predictions for Global Coastal Environments
Principal Investigator:
Michael J. Willis
Associate Professor
Department of Geosciences
College of Science
Total Anticipated:
$603,944
Sponsor:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Headquarters
Assessing the Impacts of Adult Spotted Lanternfly Infestation on Grapevine Nutrient Status and Fruit Nutrient Composition
Principal Investigator:
Andrew D. Harner
Assistant Professor
Alson H. Smith, Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$18,873
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Investigating the Use of Electroconductivity to Identify Wireworm Hotspots in Commercial Potato Fields
Principal Investigator:
Kemper L. Sutton
Assisstant Professor
Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$3,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Irish Potato Board
Optimizing the Benefits of Soil Microarthropods in Crop Production Through Sustainable Nutrient Management
Principal Investigator:
Ashley Jernigan
Assistant Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$11,230.79
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Integrated Bioprocessing of Blue Catfish Byproducts: Creating Value-Added Products for Virginia's Circular Bioeconomy
Principal Investigator:
Yiming Feng
Assistant Professor
Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$19,557
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Evaluating Annual and Perennial Legumes as Under-vine Cover Crops: Effects on Vine Performance, Fruit Quality, and Soil Health in Virginia
Principal Investigator:
Dana D. Acimovic
Research Associate CY
Alson H. Smith, Jr. Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$12,763
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Insecticide Susceptibility and Efficacy for Two Key Beetle Pests in Turfgrass
Principal Investigator:
Alejandro Del Pozo-Valdivia
Assistant Professor
Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$16,500
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Disguised Weed Control by Herbicide Residue Transfer During Rotary Mowing Events
Principal Investigator:
James M. Goatley
Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$5,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Virginia Agricultural Council - Peanut Variety and Quality Evaluation Program
Principal Investigator:
Jacob C. Forehand
Associate Extension Specialist
Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$12,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Exogenously Applying Amino Acids to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Kentucky Bluegrass
Principal Investigator:
Xunzhong Zhang
Research Associate Professor
School of Plant and Environmental Sciences
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$18,000
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Development of Rapid and Accurate Detection and Diagnosis of Neopestalotiopsis Disease in Strawberry
Principal Investigator:
Yuan Zeng
Assistant Professor
Southern Piedmont Agricultural Research and Extension Center
Agriculture Experiment Station
Total Anticipated:
$25,222
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Innovative Strategies for Reducing Cucumber Beetle Pressure on Virginia Pumpkins and Other Cucurbit Crops
Principal Investigator:
Thomas P. Kuhar
Professor
Department of Entomology
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Total Anticipated:
$14,603
Sponsor:
Virginia Agricultural Council
Probing the Limits of Photonics-enhanced Information Processing (ARL-BAA-0009: Modern Optics)
Principal Investigator:
Zin Lin
Assistant Professor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering
Total Anticipated:
$30,080
Sponsor:
Army Contracting Command