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K-State Today

June 23, 2022

Global Food Systems Seed Grant awardees announced

Submitted by Erin Pennington

The Office of Research Development announces the results of the fiscal year 2023 call for proposals for the Global Food Systems Seed Grant Program.

The funding supports innovative research in all aspects of global food systems, especially projects that promote job creation and economic development in the state of Kansas, are interdisciplinary, engage graduate or undergraduate students and partner with Kansas-based industry.

Awardees and their project titles:

  • Jason Bergtold, agricultural economics; Marcellus Caldas, geography and geospatial sciences and Bala Natarajan, electrical and computer engineering, "Solar Power as a Mechanism to Strengthen Food Security, Rural Development, and Land Conservation," $199,942.
  • Ted Schroeder, agricultural economics, and David Renter, diagnostic medicine/pathobiology, "Kansas State University Leadership in Cattle Feeding Sustainability: Driving Economic Prosperity and GFS in the State of Kansas," $200,000.
  • Jessie Vipham, animal sciences and industry; Dustin Pendell, agricultural economics; and Rachel Mui, management, "Enhancing Business Strategies, Food Safety, and Economic Capacity of Small and Very-Small Meat Processors in Kansas," $100,000.
  • Yonghui Li, grain science and industry; Xiuzhi Sun, grain science and industry; and Weiqun Wang, nutrition dietetics and health, "The Discovery of Bioactive Antioxidants in Wheat Brans for Retarding Skin and Health aging," $200,000.
  • Manreet Bhullar, Food Science Institute; Ting Yang, applied and interdisciplinary studies; and Eleni Pliakoni, horticulture and natural resources, "Enhancing microbial safety of hydroponic systems with the use of ultraviolet irradiation," $174,854.
  • Shih-Kang Fan, mechanical and nuclear engineering; Jianfa Bai, diagnostic medicine and pathobiology; and Xiuzhi Sun, grain science and industry, "Hydrogel-based multiplex digital polymerase chain reaction on electromicrofluidics (hmdPCR-on-EMF) for Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli detection," $200,000.
  • Ignacio Ciampitti, agronomy; Ajay Sharda, biological and agricultural engineering; and Vara Prasad, agronomy, "Experimental Prototype Farm of Tomorrow (EPFOT)," $199,998.

The proposal review process included peer reviews by faculty members with a variety of relevant expertise.