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.
Scientists from the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North Carolina A&T State University received a $260,533 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to identify varieties of looseleaf lettuce that can withstand cold and freezing temperatures. For their project, the HBCU’s research team will use hyperspectral imaging and artificial intelligence to study 100 varieties of lettuce, with a goal of identifying 10 varieties most resistant to the cold.
The department of electrical and computer engineering at historically Black Morgan State University in Baltimore, was awarded a $2.4 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to lead a new initiatve focused on converting nuclear radiation into electrical energy. The project, titled “Rads to Watts,” seeks to develop radiovoltaic systems capable of converting high-power nuclear radiation into kilowatts of electrical energy, enabling long-lived, unattended power sources in environments where traditional energy supply chains are limited or unavailable.
Chastity Bradford, associate professor of biology and assistant provost of academic programs and student matters at Tuskegee University in Alabama, is leading a new project funded by the American Heart Association to support CPR training on campus and the local community. The CPR training will begin in May with resident hall assistants and summer program directors. Going forward, the HBCU will offer training sessions for students, faculty, and staff throughout the academic year.
