Grew, Hall, Johnson, Kurbatov, Maasch and Mayewski win ARRA funding

Professors Ed Grew, Brenda Hall, Scott Johnson, Andrei Kurbatov, Kirk Maasch and Paul Mayewski were all informed that the National Science Foundation will fund some of their research proposals through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Grew’s proposal ($ 190,718) focuses on boron-rich minerals and boron isotopes in deep-seated crustal rocks from East Antarctica, and will be funded for 3 years beginning August 1, 2009.

Hall was funded on two separate proposals. One ($189,773) focuses on Holocene and ongoing climate changes in Greenland and will be funded for three years, beginning August 1, 2009. The second ($273,136) concentrates on reconstructing the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and gaining insight into its future stability under climate warming. The latter grant is for four years, beginning August 15, 2009.

Johnson’s proposal ($143,000) focuses on the microstructural properties of the Norumbega Fault System in Maine, which serves as an ancient analog for the San Andreas Fault in California. His proposal will be funded for 2 years beginning August 1, 2009.

Mayewski, Maasch and Kurbatov were funded ($726,000) to reconstruct past climate based on an array of ice cores collected by the International Trans Antarctic Scientific Expedition. The proposal will run for 3 years.

The Department of Earth Sciences has an outstanding record of competitive funding, winning more than 4 million dollars in the 08/09 fiscal year.