Â鶹Çø

How can you better predict the weather on Earth—or in space? Why do elementary students learn the way they do? And what makes one person attracted to another?

Â鶹Çø faculty and students are committed to asking difficult questions and seeking equally complex answers. Each year, the College’s faculty, staff, and students apply for—and receive—prestigious grant awards to fund research, continued scholarship, and academic travel opportunities. 

There’s tough competition among grant-seeking institutions, but Â鶹Çø continues to gain ground and to obtain funding for new projects. That’s because when Auggies recognize an opportunity to improve teaching, advance scholarship, or enhance the student experience, they ask another great question:

Why not?

Here’s a brief overview of Â鶹Çø’s recent grant achievements:

Â鶹Çø ranks as top-tier NSF grant recipient. Â鶹Çø College was ranked the top private college in Minnesota for the total dollar amount awarded by the National Science Foundation in 2012. With three grants totaling just more than $1 million, the College ranked third among all Minnesota institutions—behind only the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the University of Minnesota-Duluth. 

Participation grows across campus. More and more departments and groups are seeking grants as a way to enhance students’ educational experience, to build the hands-on problem-solving skills employers and graduate schools demand, and to propel Â鶹Çø’s research scholarship to the next level. This past year, 13 academic departments and groups—up from just seven departments the previous year—submitted grant proposals, including: 

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Education
• History
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration
• Mathematics
• Management Information Systems
• Nursing
• Physics
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Sociology
• STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Faculty steer student involvement. Tremendous faculty dedication is part of the mix, too. More than 50 faculty and staff members are the driving force behind the College’s 38 active grants. These teachers coach and guide 324 students in rigorous research related to climate change, human health, understanding addiction, and more.