Lt. Col. Greg Hartman in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science submitted a proposal for the development of an electronic textbook for teaching Calculus I & II.  This project stems from the widespread dissatisfaction amongst college professors in the current college textbook system in which finding textbooks that match their instructional needs can be difficult, and the cost to the students for these textbooks is exorbitant.  The APEX calculus textbook will be collaboratively written and specifically tailored to meet the needs of the instructors, and it will be made electronically available to cadets free of charge; printed versions will be available at little or no cost.

The Committee recommended funding this proposal because it is an innovative blend of teaching and scholarship with the potential to impact a large number of cadets.  It also has the potential for much broader impact outside of the Institute as it could affect educational practices across the country.  The Committee has a great deal of confidence in Lt. Col. Hartman’s ability to successfully complete the project based on his previous experience in writing textbooks in this open format.  The project also has a high potential for follow on funding from the National Science Foundation.

Col. Charles Newhouse and Lt. Col. Mathew Swenty of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department submitted a proposal to establish a functional structures laboratory that uses full-size structural experiments for both research and demonstrations as they overlap with the structural engineering curriculum.  The funding provided by Jackson-Hope will support the design, construct and purchase of the steel testing frame, as well as associated safety and test equipment (the Institute Planning Officer recommended additional funds to move equipment currently occupying the lab space and an additional 18% for contingencies).  Additionally, the PIs have used other resources to acquire equipment that will complete the structures lab.  This project will enhance the teaching of structures classes by providing cadets with hands-on demonstrations currently not offered.  It will also support the research efforts of the structures faculty by enhancing their ability to collaborate with other institutions and compete for extramural research funds, which will also provide more undergraduate research opportunities for cadets.  Finally, it will support cadets’ ability to participate in student design competitions, such as the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) concrete canoe and steel bridge competitions. 

The Committee recommended funding this proposal because of its potential to impact a large number of cadets through both research and through the use of this equipment in experiential, classroom-based learning.  This laboratory supports the Vision 2039 goal of bolstering STEM programs and the percentage of STEM majors at the Institute by providing cadets with real-world, hands-on research experiences. 

Lt. Col. Joyce Blandino, a Jackson-Hope funded associate professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department, and Col. Michael Krackow, a professor in the Physical Education Department, submitted a proposal to acquire equipment to develop new interdisciplinary research in the area of Biomechanics.  Biomechanics is the application of the principles of mechanics (statics and dynamics) to explain how the human body moves.  The study of Biomechanics encompasses a wide range of disciplines: engineering, kinesiology, exercise science, anatomy, physiology, medicine, and rehabilitation.    The equipment to be purchased through this grant is the essential first step to establish a biomechanics measurement system for studying human motion.  The PIs plan to use the results from this work to apply for external funding to further expand their research goals.  In addition, the PIs plan to incorporate the system into the curricula in the Mechanical Engineering Department and in the Exercise Science Minor.  It will become an integral component in courses such as PE 380: Kinesiology and Functional Anatomy and ME 490: Biomechanics or a separate laboratory course.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal because of the interdisciplinary nature of the work and its potential for impact in both the teaching and research areas.

Col. Stacey Vargas, a professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department, submitted a proposal to purchase equipment that will be used to support her research into the use if ultrashort pulse lasers as an alternative to costly fiber-optic networks in the telecommunications industry.  Col. Vargas has actively engaged cadets, as well as other faculty, in her research in this novel and rapidly progressing scientific field and will continue to do so, and has generated interest from companies within the telecommunications industry including Attochron, LLC, with which she is currently collaborating, as well as AT&T.  Additionally, both of the requested pieces of equipment have applications beyond the scope of this project and will be made available to other members of the faculty.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on the potential of the supported research for making significant advances is the telecommunications industry.

Lt. Col. Paul Moosman, '98, associate professor in the Biology Department, submitted a proposal to evaluate the feasibility of an environmental studies program at VMI (Attachment 1).  The proposed program will pilot core pedagogical approaches in the environmental studies model using a team-taught course that will allow assessment of both the manner of teaching and of cadet interest in a potential program at VMI.  Additionally, LTC Moosman and others will visit environmental studies programs at other schools to fully understand alternative models and their feasibility.  Results of this investigation will be shared with the VMI community to facilitate broader discussion and achieve consensus around the need for an environmental studies program.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal due to the innovative pedagogical approach to the pilot course and its use of experiential learning and service work.  A program in environmental studies also has the potential to strengthen the ties between the sciences, engineering and the humanities.

Lt. Col. Anne Alerding, associate professor in the Biology Department, submitted a proposal to use image analysis in order to obtain a better understanding the underlying resource trade-offs between soybean seed production and construction of vascular tissues that transport water and sugar in stems (Attachment 1).  The proposed research has the potential to improve soybean production in the State of Virginia (currently valued at nearly $260 million annually) while developing the expertise in image analysis that will support the development of a Quantitative Microscopy and Image Analysis Research Laboratory in the Biology Department.  The Laboratory will serve both as an image acquisition location (microscopic techniques) and as an image analysis training site for faculty and cadets.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal due to the strength of LTC Alerding’s research program and her collaboration with Virginia Tech, the interdisciplinary nature of the image analysis field, and the potential benefits to both STEM and non-STEM departments in using the Laboratory.

Col. Gerald "Jay" Sullivan, professor in the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department, and Maj. Julie Brown, assistant professor in the English, Rhetoric, and Humanistic Studies (ERHS) Department submitted a proposal to purchase of portable 3D scanning equipment and software (Attachment 2). The proposed 3D scanning equipment and software will complement existing 3D printing assets and machining equipment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as well as graphic design and computational software within CyberPost, thereby fostering truly unique interdisciplinary teaching and research opportunities between the cadets and faculty of ERHS and ME.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal due to the program’s interdisciplinary nature, its potential pedagogical impact on teaching both STEM and humanities courses, and its potential to benefit from and enhance the capabilities of equipment assets already in place.

Lt. Col. Wakeel I. Idewu (Civil & Environmental Engineering), Col. David Livingston (Electrical & Computer Engineering), and Dr. Hongbo Zhang (Computer & Information Sciences) submitted a proposal (Attachment 1) for an interdisciplinary project to build two autonomous, golf cart-sized vehicles, which will provide cadet researchers with first-hand experiences with artificial intelligence and sensing technologies and how these technologies affect the fields of engineering, information sciences, economics, and others.  Additionally, the project will provide cadets with experience that will enhance their competitiveness for future employment opportunities, and it will serve as a bridge project for faculty seeking to become more competitive for national grants, and to be more involved with cadets through research and hands-on instruction.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on its interdisciplinary nature and its introduction of cutting-edge technology to cadets.  The APRC also felt the project has great potential for expansion to include additional academic disciplines, and for follow-on funding support through external grants.

Col. Joseph Blandino, professor in the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department, submitted a proposal (Attachment 2) to develop a CubeSat Research and Development Laboratory. CubeSats are small spacecraft, which are a low cost platform for developing and then flight qualifying spacecraft and sensor technology.  ME cadets will design, simulate, construct, and test CubeSats, which will serve as technology test platforms for evaluating deployable spacecraft structures.  Additionally, the commercial space industry generates an estimated $100 billion in revenue in the U.S. and approximately $320 billion globally, and the industry is growing.  The current ME Aerospace Concentration is focused on atmospheric flight, and it includes no courses that deal with spaceflight or spacecraft design.  This project will develop a spacecraft design course as a technical elective within the Concentration, which will address this gap in the curriculum.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on Col. Blandino’s strong track record for obtaining external research support funding and the resulting research opportunities for cadets.  The APRC also believed the resulting course would enhance the ME Aerospace Concentration.

Maj. Mary Beth Manjerovic, assistant professor in the Biology Department, submitted a proposal to develop innovative course materials for the General Biology course sequence to re-focus the material on student-centered learning around the Core Curriculum goals of critical thinking and data analysis, which together lead to scientific literacy.  The re-designed exercises and modules will draw heavily on current events, topical research, and real-world data to give cadets an appreciation of the impact and relevance of biology in their everyday lives.  Cadets who complete this course sequence will have a strong foundation in scientific thinking and quantitative competency, and valuable skills in using evidence and logic to reach sound conclusions – skills from which they will benefit regardless of their career choice.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on its innovative approach to education, potential long-term, Institutional benefits, and overall quality and clarity.

Maj. Dan Baur, an assistant professor in the Human Performance and Wellness Department, submitted a proposal to study the effects on soldiers operating at high altitude with load carriage requirements in excess of 80 pounds.  Current and potential future battlefields span diverse environments that offer unique and robust physiological, psychological, and cognitive stressors.  In particular, high altitude theaters such as those faced in Afghanistan (~14,000 ft.) present substantial challenges that threaten mission success and endanger the lives of soldiers operating within those environments.  While these challenges represent a major strain on male soldiers, the challenges for female combat soldiers is substantially greater based on their smaller average body size and muscle mass.  This grant would primarily provide funding to purchase specialized equipment needed to support research in this area as well as support for cadet and faculty summer research, supplies, and assistance in presenting and publicizing the work.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on the strength of potential, beneficial impacts of the research itself as well as the opportunities for additional, ongoing research, for cadet engagement, and for the visibility of VMI as a leader in the area of soldier readiness.

Col. Daniela Topasna, a professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department, submitted a proposal to develop a focused, innovative program that introduces and educates VMI cadets in the field of quantum science and information.  This grant would support the development of several short, technical elective courses related to quantum science and quantum information that would focus on experimental and computational activities in nanomaterials and thin films, superconductivity, astronomy, optics and optical spectroscopy, and would expose cadets to key related concepts.  Cadets would also participate in the interdisciplinary aspect of the field and learn its basic requirements, advances, and projected developments.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on its innovative nature, the potential for additional, interdisciplinary courses and engagement in cadet/faculty research, and to support VMI becoming a leader in the area of undergraduate, quantum information science.

Maj. Rebekah Martin and Dr. Tanjina Afrin, assistant professors in the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Department, submitted a proposal to update and expand the capabilities of the Environmental Engineering Laboratory.  Currently, the lab is equipped as a wastewater and air quality laboratory.  However, much of the equipment is outdated or not applicable to the new direction in teaching and research in water quality and hydraulics in which three faculty members in the department are working.  The addition of the laboratory equipment in this proposal will support the addition of new experiments/demonstrations in several courses; will sustain environmental and water resource focused undergraduate-faculty research; and will enable outreach events to encourage local school students in STEM fields.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on the proposed expansion of the CEE curriculum in a relevant field of research, and the benefits to the faculty and cadets, as well as the local community.

Lt. Col. Seyed Soltani, associate professor in the Mechanical Engineering (ME) Department, submitted a proposal to establish a composites manufacturing laboratory focusing on advanced fiber-reinforced composite materials.  Building on the success of a previous New Directions grant to develop educational experiences with composite materials in the ME curriculum, this lab will serve as a hub for research, hands-on education, and industry collaboration.  By enhancing the existing composites manufacturing infrastructure in the ME department, it will drive research and innovation and create industry partnerships while creating internship and job placement opportunities for cadets.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on its innovative nature, and the potential long-term benefits to the ME program and the Institute from enhancing ME’s capabilities in teaching and research in this growing field.

Dr. Aksel Seitllari, assistant professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Department, submitted a proposal to enhance the teaching and research capabilities of the CEE Department by upgrading and expanding the infrastructure materials laboratory.  With this upgrade, the CEE department will offer more robust training through courses and lab sessions, better preparing cadets for the engineering challenges they will face in the workforce and in the military.  In addition, the department's research capabilities in sustainable roadway design and materials performance will be enhanced, and will support new research initiatives and interdisciplinary collaborations, positioning the department as a leader in roadway materials education.  The APRC recommended funding this proposal based on the proposed expansion of CEE’s capabilities in a relevant field of research, the benefits to the faculty and cadets, and the potential for follow-on, external funding for research and/or collaborations.