One of several research grants recently awarded University of North Georgia faculty and staff by UNG President Bonita Jacobs will be used to study the geology of Gainesville's Elachee Nature Science Center.
Drs. Jerry Allison and Katayoun Mobasher hope their Summer Award will pique students' interest in geology. Summer award projects receive up to $10,000 each to support focused and meaningful research, or scholarship and creative activities during the summer semester.
Allison and Mobasher's project will provide the first detailed investigation of the geology of the Elachee Nature Science Center through geochemical and petrographic analyses of rock outcrops.
"One goal of our project will be to determine the rock types in Elachee," said Mobasher, professor of geology at UNG. "And it will contribute to the larger picture of geology in Georgia."
It also will give students hands-on experience working in the field, using scientific equipment and analyzing results, said Allison, professor of chemistry at UNG.
Students participating in this research also will have the opportunity to present research at conferences and submit papers for publications, and the faculty hopes this will interest students in further scholarly activities.
There were 38 grants totaling more than $360,000 awarded faculty and staff members in January in support of academic excellence, scholarly activity, and innovation, according to a UNG news release.
"I initiated the Presidential Initiative Awards program as a way to invest in our faculty and staff whose research and scholarly work have a direct impact on enhanced educational experiences for our students and innovations that improve professional practices," Jacobs said. “The resulting professional development and research projects have enriched our academic environment both in and out of the classroom."
Jacobs started the program in 2013 and has awarded more than $1.3 million since then.
Click here to read more about the program and see a full list of this year's grant recipients.
