UM Researchers Get Share Of $250M Dow Will Award To Universities
ANN ARBOR -- Four University of Michigan projects have received a share of the $250 million that Dow Chemical Co. will award to top universities over the next decade in an effort to help develop a 21st-century workforce and address 21st-century challenges.
The awards to professors in the College of Engineering and the College of Pharmacy add up to $3.7 million over five years. The work the researchers will do could one day lead to medicines that are easier to digest, cleaner paints, and spreadsheet tools that better suit scientists' needs.
"Dow is not only one of UM's neighbors here in Michigan, but has also long been one of UM's key corporate partners, and we are pleased to be a part of this new initiative," said Stephen Forrest, vice president for research at UM. "These grants will spur progress in research that has a number of potential benefits to society."
Ronald Larson, the George Granger Brown Professor of Chemical Engineering, received two grants. He was awarded a five-year grant to develop computer models or simulations that could improve researchers' understanding of how small molecules interact with polymers. This work could advance the development of medicines, cosmetics, coatings and a number of other markets.
Larson, along with John Kieffer, a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, also received a five-year grant to build computational tools to model the behavior of complex atomic-scale interactions that occur in waterborne coatings. This work could lead to the eventual development of high-quality, stable industrial paints that don't contain certain environmentally harmful solvents.
Michael Cafarella, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, received a one-year grant to find ways to better manage large collections of spreadsheets. Originally designed for financial bookkeeping, the spreadsheet has evolved to be a Swiss Army knife of data management, Cafarella says. But they're difficult for scientists to manage over long periods of time. For example, it's hard to combine data from multiple spreadsheets, and even to simply find data when you don't know exactly which spreadsheet it's in.
Steven Schwendeman, the Ara G. Paul Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, along with Kashappa-Goud Desai, a senior research fellow in the College of Pharmacy, received a three-year grant to work on formulation performance and synthesis of new materials.
Dow's 10-year commitment to expand its partnership with the nation's top scientific and engineering talent and research institutes is a signature commitment to invest and re-energize U.S. manufacturing to cultivate a more competitive marketplace. More information about Dow's industry-leading partnership with key academic institutions in the United States can be found at: http://www.dow.com/innovation/partnership.
