Five ABAC faculty projects receive enrichment funding
Jul. 21—TIFTON — Five different faculty projects at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College will receive funding for the 2022-23 academic year through the Gail Dillard Faculty Enrichment Fund. Dillard, now retired, is the former vice president for academic affairs at ABAC.
ABAC Director of Sponsored Programs Scott Pierce said that each year the ABAC Foundation provides funds for faculty enrichment in the form of grant awards ranging from $1,500 to $7,500. The funds assist faculty by contributing to their research, scholarship, and/or creative activities.
Award recipients include Kingsley Dunkley and Barry Miburo, who will investigate the effects of oxalic acid in commonly eaten foods and its effects on gut microbiomes. Thomas Grant and Russell Pryor will record a new series of podcasts and create a museum exhibit about ABAC's connections to the land in the rural Southeast.
Gertrude Nakakeeto and Audrey Luke-Morgan will analyze the impact of the U.S. Farm Bill on peanut trade in the United States. Buddhi Pantha will construct and test mathematical models to predict how well Classical Swine Fever control measures are working.
David Rhode will develop a reliable method of determining how much curcumin is found in locally farmed Turmeric. All of these projects will involve ABAC undergraduate students. Some will be research assistants, and others will be interns. Other students will participate in the research projects in their degree program capstone courses.
Marcus Johnson, assistant vice president for academic affairs and director of Faculty Development, said student engagement is the key to the grants.
"The primary focus of our faculty is quality teaching that engages students in their learning," Johnson said. "These grants have proven to help faculty do just that. In the future, I hope we also use these funds to study and enhance our teaching and engagement practices."
