Compiled by Larry Smith, Director of Research and Technology Management

In 1999-2000, SMU received $11,432,507 for direct and indirect costs of research and sponsored projects, a significant increase over the $10,068,766 received in 1998-1999 and the $9,662,788 received in 1997-1998. A total of 122 awards were made to 81 principal investigators and co-principal investigators.

Of the 81 project directors/investigators, 37 received $100,000 or more in aggregated funding as lead researchers. The following list presents these investigators according to the size of the grant received (highest to lowest).

SMU researchers Helping Dallas Start-Up Company Develop New Technology SMU has signed an agreement with a Dallas-based company to make several of its faculty members and facilities available to it in exchange for an equity position in the company and annual research funding. Photodigm, Inc. is developing a new technology that would enable semiconductor lasers to be manufactured much less expensively. Semiconductor lasers are about the size of a grain of salt and are used in long-haul data transmission. They also are used in consumer electronics such as CD and DVD players. Currently, the high-end lasers used for telecommunications are difficult and expensive to manufacture. Photodigm believes that its technology can significantly reduce the cost of semiconductor lasers. The idea for the technology Photodigm is developing came from Gary Evans, a professor of electrical engineering at SMU. Other SMU faculty members involved with the project include electrical engineering professor Jerome Butler and mechanical engineering professor Gemunu Happawana. Several graduate students also have been hired to help conduct research for the company. "There are tremendous resources at SMU that are enabling us to put together this company much more quickly and cost effectively," says Photodigm President and CEO John Spencer. Stephen Szygenda, dean of the SMU School of Engineering, says the Photodigm partnership provides an opportunity for faculty members to be entrepreneurial and still remain in an academic environment. "The ultimate winners are the students who benefit from world-class faculty who also have contacts in industry," Szygenda says. For more information: Gary Evans gae@engr.smu.edu www.engr.smu.edu/~gae/

Raj Sohal, Biological Sciences: $231,102, "Dietary Modulation of Cellular Oxidative Stress in Aging," National Institutes of Health (NIH); $241,281, "Protein Targets of Oxidative Damage During Aging," NIH; $306,219, "Coenzyme Q Intake, Oxidative Stress, and Aging in Mice," NIH; $214,979, "Cellular Aging and Oxygen Free Radicals," NIH; $33,786, "Mechanisms for Cardioprotection in HSFFI Knockout Mice," University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas; $81,468, "Dietary Restriction and Aging in Rhesus Monkeys," NIH.

Eugene Herrin, Geological Sciences: $332,135, "TXAR Array -- Operation and Maintenance," Air Force; with Paul Golden: $71,055, "Collection of Infrasound Noise Data and Site Survey Information at the Midway and Wake Island Infrasound Arrays," University of Mississippi; with Brian Stump: $231,192, "Mina Array," Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA); $32,750, "Certification of the Array as an IMS Primary Array," DTRA.

George Chrisman, Information Technology Services: $594,268, "Higher Education Technology Project," Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board (TIFB).

Ryszard Stroynowski, Physics: $370,000, "High Energy Physics -- Experimental Award," Department of Energy (DOE); $29,500, "High Energy Physics -- Experimental Supplement," DOE; with Gary McCartor: $130,000, "High-Energy Physics -- Theory," DOE.

Henry Gray, Statistical Science, with Wayne Woodward: $132,453, "Statistical Methods for Monitoring a CTBT," Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA); $120,000, "Statistical Methods for Monitoring a CTBT," DTRA; $164,488, "Statistical Methods for Monitoring the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty," DTRA.

Radovan Kovacevic, Mechanical Engineering: $5,995, "Thermo-Mechanical-Electrical Modeling of the SPLICE by 3D FEM," Electric Power Research Institute; $8,100, "Supplemental Grant to Support Robert B. Croman," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; $149,152, "Development of Hybrid Rapid Prototyping Process Based on 3D Welding and CNC Milling," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; $33,321, "Combined Research-Curriculum Development: Nontraditional Manufacturing" (subcontract with Columbia University/year two of three), National Science Foundation; with David Johnson: $102,000, "Fellowship Program in Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing," Department of Education; $101,500, "Fellowship Program in Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing," Department of Education.

William Orr, Biological Sciences: $168,277, "Regulation of Antioxidative Genes and Aging," National Institutes of Health; with Raj Sohal: $173,246 and $34,649, "Glutathione, Oxidative Stress and Aging," National Institutes of Health.

Lawrence Ruben, Biological Sciences: $189,203 and $183,693, "Eicosanoic Acids in Trypanosoma Brucei," National Institutes of Health.

Brian Stump, Geological Sciences, with Eugene Herrin: $185,977, "Emperical Seismo-Acoustic Studies for Calibration and Identification Capabilities at IMS Array Sites," Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA); $80,000, "Installation and Operation of a Temporary Seismo-Acoustic Array and Analysis of Sources in South Korea -- Monitoring the CTBT," DTRA; $82,383, "Installaton and Operation of a Temporary Seismo-Acoustic Array and Analysis of Sources in South Korea -- Monitoring the CTBT," DTRA.

Thomas Chen, Electrical Engineering: $29,473, "Measurement-Based Traffic Characterization and Resource Management," Nortel Networks; $19,008, "Security and Safety in Active Networks," Alcatel Corporate Research Center; $35,737, "Measurement-Based Traffic Characterization and Resource Management," Nortel Networks; $30,365, "Active Network Management," Lockheed Sanders; $11,634, "Active Network Management," Lockheed Sanders; with Jerry Gibson and George Chrisman: $175,000, "vBNS Connectivity for Southern Methodist University," National Science Foundation.

Christopher Eckhardt, Psychology: $225,564, "Stages and Processes of Change and Associated Treatment Outcomes in Partner Assaultive Men," National Institute of Justice; $38,000, "Articulated Cognitive Distortions of Intoxicated Individuals During Anger Arousal," Alcoholic Beverage Medical Research Foundation.

Thomas Edwards, Teacher Preparation: $259,337, "Upward Bound," Department of Education; $1,000, "Upward Bound," Department of Education.

William Pulte, Anthropology: $243,839, "Bilingual Education -- Professional Development," Department of Education.

Steven Vik, Biological Sciences: $189,951, "Structure/Function Studies of E Coli F1 F0 ATPase," National Institutes of Health; $45,000, "Chemical Proteolysis and Cross-linking of Membrane Proteins," Welch Foundation.

Peter Raad, Mechanical Engineering: $100,325, "Thermal Property Measurements and Modeling of Isotopically-Pure Semiconductor Materials," Isonics Corporation; $103,434, "Measurement of Thin-Film Properties -- Phase III," Raytheon Systems Company (RSC); $20,000, "Submicron Electro-Thermal Sciences Laboratory," Marlow Industries Inc.

Richard Jones, Biological Sciences: $223,246, "Polycomb-group Genes and Gene Regulation (year seven)," National Institutes of Health.

Vigdor Teplitz, Physics: $208,058, "IPA," Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Robin Lovin, Theology: $207,830, "Program to Enhance Theological Schools Capacities to Prepare Candidates for Congregational Ministry," Lilly Endowment Inc.

Gary Evans, Electrical Engineering: $160,894, "High-Power Coherent Arrays of Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Semiconducting Lasers," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; $15,000, "Sabbatical Financial Support for Professor Kee-Young Kwon," Laser Diode, Inc.; $25,114, "Aculight Project," Aculight Corporation.

Geoffrey Orsak, Electrical Engineering: $199,990, "Digital Signal Processing Curriculum Development," Texas Instruments Inc.

Ronald Wetherington, Anthropology, with Robert Skinner: $189,610, "Initiatives to Enhance the Instructional Technology Resources and Services of the Center for Teaching Excellence," Charles E. Culpeper Foundation.

Jerry Gibson, Electrical Engineering: $50,000, "Broadband Networks and Applications," On Command Development Corporation; $35,536, "Space-Time Cooling for Broadband Wireless," Advanced Micro Devices Inc.; with Geoffrey Orsak: $99,995, "Physical Layer Performance in Draft 802.11a for Wireless LANs," Nokia Telecommunications.

John Goodge, Geological Sciences: $80,000, "Structure and Sedimentology of the Beardmore Group Antarctica: Latest Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic Tectonic Evolution of the East Antarctic Margin," National Science Foundation; $13,400, "Structure and Sedimentology of the Beardmore Group Antarctica: Latest Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic Tectonic Evolution of the East Antarctic Margin (Supplement 002)," National Science Foundation; $80,000, "SHRIMP U-Pb Geochronology of Transantarctic Mountains Basement," National Science Foundation.

David Blackwell, Geological Sciences: $19,961, "Temperature Logging in Beowawe and Dixie Valley Geothermal Field, Nevada," Sandia National Laboratories; $46,849, "Natural State of the Geysers Geothermal System, Sonoma County, California," University of Texas at Dallas; $102,326, "Geothermal Resource Analysis and Structure of Basin and Range Systems, Especially Dixie Valley Geothermal Field, Nevada," Department of Energy.

Nell Carvell, Learning Therapy: $9,840, "Head Start of Greater Dallas -- Rosie Harris Center," Head Start of Greater Dallas Inc.; $89,616, "Learning Therapy Program," Head Start of Greater Dallas Inc.; $68,300, "Head Start Project," Texas Instruments Foundation.

David Johnson, Mechanical Engineering: $158,436, "Laser Beam Guided by Waterjet in Cutting Thin and Heat Sensitive Materials," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Zeynep Çelik-Butler, Electrical Engineering: $44,882, "Noise Performance and Modeling of Sub-Micron MOSFETs," Motorola Inc.; with Donald Butler: $110,122, "Uncooled Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide Thermal Detectors for Advanced Broad-Band IR and FIR Radiation Detection," National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

John Buynak, Chemistry: $102,594, "Bifunctional Beta-Lactamase Inhibitors to Simultaneously Target Serine and Metallo-beta-Lactamases," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; $45,000, "Rational and Combinatorial Approaches to Protease Inhibition," Welch Foundation.

Fred Wendorf, Anthropology: $147,541, "Archeological Techniques in Pre-Historic Saharan Excavation Program," American Research Center in Egypt Inc.

Jeff Tian, Computer Science and Engineering: $25,000, NSF Career Grant, "Techniques and Tools for Early Measurement and Improvement of Software Reliability (Nortel-Industry Match)," National Science Foundation; $95,672, "Validating Network Protocols for Electronic Commerce," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Rudy Guerra, Statistical Science: $68,034, "Statistical Methods for Gene Mapping," University of California-Berkeley; $64,273, "Statistical Methods for Gene Mapping," UC-Berkeley.

Scott Douglas, Electrical Engineering: $101,719, "Universal Signal Separation for Teleconferencing and Wireless Communications," Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; $25,000, "Evaluation of Algorithms for a General Purpose Blind Signal Separation System," Raytheon Systems Company -- Greenville.

Margaret Dunham, Computer Science and Engineering: $69,748, "WITN: Collaborative Research in Location Dependent Data Management," National Science Foundation; $47,000, "GOALI: Data Mining Tools for Geospatial Databases -- Enabling Technologies for the Environment," National Science Foundation.

Zhangxin Chen, Mathematics: $44,530, "U.S.-China Cooperative Research: Numerical Methods and Their Application to Computer Simulation of Flows in Underground Reservoirs," National Science Foundation; $38,615, "Innovative Finite Element Methods for Modeling Multiphase Contaminant Flows in Porous Media," National Science Foundation; $25,000, "Application of the Homogenization Method to Deformable Porous Media," Mobil Research and Development Corporation.

Bijan Mohraz, Mechanical Engineering: $70,733, "Analysis and Design Procedures for Structures with Passive and Semi-Active Control Devices," Department of Commerce; $19,116, "A Procedure for Distributing Earthquake Energy Demand in Structures," Department of Commerce; $17,684, "Analysis and Design Procedures for Structures with Passive and Semi-Active Control Devices," Department of Commerce.

Juris Germanas, Chemistry: $106,500, "Structure and Reactivity of Hydrogenosomal Ferredoxins," National Institutes of Health.

Jeffery Kennington, Computer Science and Engineering: $1,827, "Undergrad Project -- To Develop a Web-based Tool to Conduct EDI Transaction Using the OBF/TCIF Defined Standard," AT&T; with Richard Helgason: $100,232, "Preprocessing Algorithms for Network Programs: Theory and Software Implementation," U.S. Navy.