Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
The Art Bridges Foundation has awarded its inaugural Bridgemaker Prize to the Museum of Fine Art at Spelman College, a historically Black college for women in Atlanta, Georgia. The prize will support the museum’s future projects, including a new gallery space set to open this fall. Additionally, the award will allow Spelman College to spotlight their work on Art Bridges’ digital platforms.
Alcorn State University in Mississippi has received a $398,619 grant from the National Science Foundation to integrate virtual reality technology and interactive teaching methods into the HBCU’s undergraduate STEM programs. The funds will support new virtual reality chemistry labs that allow students to interact with 3D molecular structures, simulate chemical reactions, and explore complex concepts in hands-on virtual settings.
Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina was awarded a $1.3 million grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to lead a project focusing on research and education activities that expand innovation, interdisciplinary STEM training, and the development of next generation biosensing platforms. Scholars at the HBCU will collaborate with scientists at the University of Alabama, Dillard University, and the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering in Greensboro, North Carolina, to develop a multimodal biosensor platform that can help doctors better diagnose diseases linked to stress and metabolism.
Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, in partnership with Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, was awarded a $250,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health for a new biomedical research project. The funding will support research that leverages advanced AI and machine learning technologies to analyze genomics and transcriptomic data specific to prostate cancer patients. Ultimately, the project aims to develop earlier detection and treatment plans for prostate cancer, as well as address longstanding healthcare disparities.
