Funding allocated to new centers

The new centers focus on mathematics, engineering and biology research.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown State University is providing $328,500 for four new centers of excellence that cover disciplines ranging from hydraulics and the environment to advanced numerics and electromagnetics.
The four new Presidential Academic Centers for Excellence in Research were announced recently by Peter J. Kasvinsky, dean of graduate studies and research at YSU, after a panel of graduate deans and research officers from across the state made the selections.
The PACER program at YSU, which started in the 1997-98 academic year, allows faculty to propose research projects and receive three years of funding as an incentive to find outside funding support over that time period. Eventually, the centers are expected to become financially independent from the university.
Details
The four new centers are:
UThe Center for Hydraulics Research and Education will receive $79,000. Led by the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and under the direction of H.W. Shawn Kim, the center is divided into four components: a hydraulics laboratory, a computational lab, a technical assistance program and an educational assistance program.
UThe Center for Environmental Monitoring and Restoration will receive $80,000. Led by the Department of Biological Sciences and under the direction of Carl Johnston, the center's main goal is to assist in the restoration of the Mahoning River and to support environmental protection and restoration projects.
UThe Electromagnetic Field Research and Instrumentation Center will receive $120,000. Led by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and under the direction of Jalal Jalali, the center's main focus is on MRI optimization, optical and radio frequency communications, the development and characterization of novel nonlinear materials and electromagnetic compatibility. These research efforts apply to the medical field, as well as communications and automotive industries.
UThe Center for Advanced Numerics, Complexity and Networking will receive $49,500. Led by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and under the direction of Angela Spalsbury, the center focuses on the advancement of parallel computing, which offers the promise of a quantum leap in computing power.