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Faculty and Staff Awarded Nearly $4.9 Million in Grants, Contracts

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Cal State Fullerton faculty and staff garnered close to $4.9 million in funding during March and April 2020. Supported projects and studies ranged from helping small businesses affected by COVID-19 and promoting an accurate 2020 census count in California, to monitoring oysters and researching cancer navigation among Vietnamese Americans.

Michael Daniel, director of the CSUF Small Business Development Center: $2,611,752 from the Small Business Administration for the Small Business Development Centers 2020 project.
Related: Help for OC and IE Small Businesses Affected by COVID-19

Laura Gil-Trejo, director of the Social Science Research Center: $1,228,538 from the Sonoma County Junior College District on behalf of Santa Rosa Junior College for the 2020 Survey of Former Community College Students project. Separately, Gil-Trejo received a Riverside City College award of $20,201 for continuation of the project STEM-EN Familia Program.

Zair S. Ibragimov, professor of mathematics: $319,919 from the National Science Foundation for the project titled “IRES Track II: Advanced Studies Institutes in Analysis on Fractal Spaces, Dynamical Systems and Mathematical Physics.”

Niroshika Monerawila Keppetipola, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry: $106,500 continuing award from the National Institutes of Health for the project “Role of Phosphorylation in RNA Binding Protein Function.”

Nikolas Nikolaidis, professor of biological science: a continuing award of $104,325 from the National Institutes of Health for the project titled “Interaction Between HspA1A, a 70-kDa Heat Shock Protein and Lipids in Stressed Cells.”
Related: Researchers Discover Protein’s Journey That Could Lead to Cancer Therapeutics

Pablo Costa, associate professor of kinesiology: $94,599 from NuLiv Science USA Inc. for “The Effects of ActiGin on Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage for Improving Recovery.” 

Kenneth “John” Faller, associate professor of computer engineering: $86,829 from the University of West Florida for the CNC Machine Tool Controls Integrity Verification project. 

David Pagni, professor of mathematics: $80,483 from the Regents of the University of California, San Diego, for the project titled “Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project.”

Danielle Zacherl, professor of biological science: $55,103 from Merkle & Associates Inc. for “San Diego Bay Native Oyster Monitoring Project.” Separately, Zacherl received $39,923 from the Regents of the University of California, San Diego, for “Not So Shellfish Afterall.”
Related: Deep Dive Into Marine Life and Preserving Southern California’s Shorelines

Natalie Fousekis, professor of history: $37,661 award from the Secretary of State for the California State Library Archives Oral History project.  

Tu-Uyen Nguyen, associate professor of Asian American studies: $25,560 from the Regents of the University of California on behalf of UCI for the Cancer Navigation for Vietnamese Americans (CANVAS) project.  

Nicholas T. Salzameda, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry: $25,000 award from the Allergan Foundation for the project titled “CSUF Research and Education in Drug Discovery Program 2020-21.” 

Rachel Fenning, associate professor of child and adolescent studies: $24,356 from the Regents of the University of California, Irvine (Health Resources and Services Administration) for “Improving Participation in Dental Care and Oral Health Outcomes for Underserved Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

Katie Savant, director of government and community relations: $19,118 from the Trustees of California State University for the California Complete Count – Census 2020 project. 

María Soledad Ramírez, associate professor of biological science: $10,650 in third-year funding from the National Institutes of Health for “Identifying Host Human Products in Acinetobacter baumannii.” 
Related: Shedding Light on Superbug Infections

Marcelo Tolmasky, professor of biological science: $3,191 in additional funds from the National Institutes of Health for the project titled “Los Angeles Basin-California State University Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training Program Year 1-2 of 5.” Related: International Research Program Addresses Global Health Disparities.

Contact: Karen Lindell, klindell@fullerton.edu