Welcome to the Winter 2010 issue of Ball State Research! This is the 22nd issue of the annual publication formerly known as BeneFacta and includes pages displaying representative scholarly and creative work of Ball State University researchers.
The creative scholars found on the expandable links on the right of this page demonstrate the great energy, ingenuity, and dedication required to carry out a sponsored program. These projects are not for the faint of heart! While we celebrate these researchers, we salute all who are engaged in creativity and innovation and who pursue external funding to support their work.
The past 2008–09 fiscal year was a banner year for Ball State—the highest level of externally sponsored awards in our history. Externally sponsored project funding totalled $26,082,888, as compared to $20,387,798 the previous year. This represents a healthy increase of nearly 28 percent. Kudos to the faculty and professional staff who submitted the 583 proposals that resulted in 401 funded awards—the latter also a new record, up from 388 awards in fiscal year 2007–08.
We extend warm congratulations to all, and we trust that the readers of Ball State Research will discover an extraordinary year of work well done depicted in these stories.
Robert J. Morris
Associate Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School