Shepherd professors purchased an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone,
for multispectral environmental sensing. Photo by Cecilia Mason.
minor renovations, classroom instruction and delivery. The pro-
gram targets cohesive, comprehensive projects in laboratory
or classroom settings that encourage undergraduate students
to continue careers in science. These grants are budgeted for
West Virginia’s primarily undergraduate institutions.
“Funding from the Innovation Grant allowed us to repair
and upgrade an older piece of analytical equipment that is used
extensively in research and teaching in geology and chemistry,”
says Dr. Joseph Allen, a geology professor at Concord University.
“The instrument is a special type of x-ray fluorescence spectrometer
that essentially works like a microscope but also allows us
to identify and map the distribution of chemical elements in
solid materials such as minerals, circuit boards and ceramics.”
The equipment is used extensively for public outreach. Hundreds
of K-12 students and their parents have seen the instrument
in operation during science open houses, including a popular
activity in which the metal elements are identified in coins or
jewelry.
Instrumentation Grants provide similar funding for primarily
undergraduate institutions, allowing the purchase of scientific
equipment for advanced laboratories to help encourage under-
graduate students to continue careers in science. For example,
Shepherd University purchased an unmanned aerial vehicle
for multispectral environmental sensing. It provides students
a more complete experience while working a remote sensing
study from data acquisition through processing to analysis.
Other teaching means for similar courses rely on data acquired
and processed by a third party.
“We have progressed to the point where we are now consid-
ering which types of science to do first with this instrument—
subjects as diverse as trying to identify trees based on their
spectral signatures and aerial archaeology,” says Dr. Sytil
Murphy, assistant professor of physics at Shepherd.
The Importance of Investments
According to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, eight out
of 10 U.S. adults believe government investments in medical re-
search, engineering and technology or basic scientific research
pay off in the long run. Proof of the power of investment lies
with the Research Challenge Fund, which has boosted state
efforts over the years, including approximately 21 percent of
WVSR’s 2017 R&D expenditures. Such funding can create
jobs at the likes of former Research Challenge Grant recipi-
ents Protea Biosciences, located in Morgantown, and Progene-
sis Technologies, located in Huntington. Further commitment
to research could lead to even more economic growth when
innovative ideas are nurtured and encouraged to develop.
Positioned to Serve
Our West Virginia
Technology Corridor
Chris Deweese
Kelly Shafer
Chris Lambert
Morgantown
304-554-3371
62
Charleston
304-343-4126
WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
Parkersburg
304-485-6584