“Godmother of HBCUs” Welcomes Infrastructure Investments She Fought for in Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (D, NC-12), Founder and Co-Chair of the bipartisan HBCU Caucus, celebrated a federal investment of nearly five million dollars into Tennessee State University as part of the federal Institutional grants for the New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for HBCU Excellence (IGNITE) Act she led and passed in the 2023 Omnibus Budget bill.
The investment of $4,946,573 will go into repairing infrastructure backlogs on campus. At TSU, some of the funds are slated to support a new biomedical research center.
“Tennessee State University is pleased to receive this funding and appreciates the efforts of Congresswoman Alma Adams and her commitment to our university, our students, and all HBCUs,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.
“Congresswoman Adams has been a longstanding champion for HBCUs from starting the HBCU Caucus to her continuous advocacy for our institutions by securing millions of dollars in much needed funding.”
“Hard work to pass infrastructure funding for our HBCUs is finally turning legislation on paper into brick and mortar results,” said Rep. Adams. “This nearly $5M IGNITE grant for Tennessee State University, long overdue, will pay off immediately for their students, and in the long run with a new biomedical research center that saves lives. With a fully supportive White House, I will keep working to secure more funding to close the backlog of needed repairs on HBCU campuses where so many young people of color are building their futures.”
Dr. Quincy Quick, Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs and Chief Research Officer expressed much appreciation for Congresswoman Adams efforts.
“As an R2 Carnegie designated research institution, this funding will considerably assist Tennessee State University in our pursuit to achieve an R1 research designation, the highest research education classification bestowed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the American Council on Education,” Dr. Quick said. “This funding will support the establishment of the Center of Biomedical Sciences, and significantly enhance our biomedical sciences and behavioral research capacity.”
Rep. Adams has advocated for a fuller version of the IGNITE Act to address the vast backlog of infrastructure repairs and investments HBCUs seek to rebuild their campuses and stay competitive with the many land-grant universities which Black students were forbidden from attending for up to a century or more.
NASHVILLE, Tenn.(TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University is set to address the increasing death rate of new mothers across the state and the country with a grant $2.3 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The five-year grant will support the establishment of a research center dedicated to applied maternal health disparities research. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), maternal mortality rose from 861 maternal deaths in 2020 to 1,205 maternal deaths in 2021, a 40% overall increase.
Dr. Wendelyn Inman, TSU’s Interim Public Health Program Director, addressed the urgent need for action as the United States has the highest rate of maternal deaths across the globe.
Interim Public Health Program Director Dr. Wendelyn Inman, right, discussing research on maternal mortality with second-year Master of Public Health student J’La Jenkins. (Photo courtesy of Tennessee State University)
“That should be unheard of,” Inman said. “Part of it is because we don’t have culturally competent providers. Providers aren’t sensitive to their needs.”
TSU has been allocated $483,400 of the HRSA grant for the first year. Inman, who is the principal investigator for the grant, noted the significance for underrepresented women, emphasizing the importance of being part of research from the beginning, rather than entering at a later stage, when it might be too late.
“That will make a big different to some women’s life, and some child who gets to keep their mother.”
The CDC is categorizing maternal mortality asdeath while pregnant or within 42 days of the end of pregnancy. This is irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management, but not from accidental or incidental causes. Statistics from the World Health Organization, from 2021, revealed “the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black (subsequently, Black) women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic White (subsequently, White) women (26.6.) Rates for Black women were significantly higher than rates for White and Hispanic women.”
TSU second-year Master of Public Health student J’La Jenkins believes cultural competency is important, even within her program.
Dr. Wendelyn Inman
“Especially being a Black woman of childbearing age, knowing the importance of how high the rates of maternal mortality are among Black women that look like me,” Jenkins said. “It is important that we have TSU, which is in the heart of a Black community, to be the research center for this work.”
Jenkins added that receiving this grant enables TSU to increase the public health workforce representing underserved communities. She said the numbers are declining and that receiving this grant from HRSA shows the University’s commitment to turning those numbers around.
“Not only is this going to impact me, but generations after me. I was astonished at how the university is currently underfunded, but we are still able to be the house of this research center,” she said.
From 2017 to 2020, the State of Tennessee reported that 113 women died during pregnancy or within a year of pregnancy from causes related or aggravated by pregnancy. These pregnancy-related deaths accounted for 35% of all deaths during that period. A published report from the State also saw a 2.5% increase in birth related deaths for non-Hispanic Black women compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Cardiovascular diseases, compounded by disparities, emerged as leading causes. TSU, along with 15 other HBCUs, received funding to establish research centers. Dr. Inman expressed the importance of involving the community in the research process to ensure a diverse and inclusive approach from the ground up. Inman said this research, alongside other HBCUs, will create research turned into interventions to help within the community.
Dr. Quincy Quick
“We are going to have research centers so we can train doctoral, master’s level, and undergraduate students to join the public health workforce and the health care workforce to make a difference from the inside out. HRSA knows that if we can get more African American providers out there, we will see better outcomes. This will also highlight the pivotal role it plays in addressing the root causes of maternal mortality.”
Dr. Quincy Quick, TSU’s Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs, stressed the grant’s significance.
“Receiving funding from HRSA at TSU will bolster our capacity and capabilities in public health research, specifically as it relates to maternal mortality rates,” he said.
“This is particularly significant given that the state of Tennessee has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the country.”
Both Inman and Quick believe the HRSA grant, and HBCU maternal mortality research initiative will place underrepresented women at the forefront. Just as important, it positions TSU to provide groundbreaking research to address this health disparities and to train a diverse and inclusive public health workforce that can bring the meaningful change needed to save lives for the state of Tennessee and beyond.
Continues path to obtain R1 status with record-setting external funding
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has reached a historic milestone, with the institution receiving over $100 million in research awards. The $100,031,082 million in funding is the second highest total among the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. According to TSU President Glenda Glover, the record-setting awards are a part of the University’s plan to reach R1- research status.
“I applaud our Research and Sponsored Programs division for the implementation and continuation of a robust program that speaks to TSU’s commitment to changing the world through our research,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “We understand that a significant increase in research expenditures is the key metric to obtain the R1 designation, the highest research classification for institutions.”
Anthony Thai
Some of the funding will focus on innovations in renewable energy, sustainable technologies, and global food security. University officials believe these research efforts will continue to transform lives and shape the future of TSU students.
“The aim of research in general is so that research will have a societal impact across the board from a local, state, regional and national level,” said Dr. Quincy Quick, associate vice president of Research and Sponsored Programs.
“All of the research that was awarded from the Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences to all the awards in the College of Agriculture will have a huge impact.”
In 2021, TSU’s external research funding was just over $70.7 million and has increased by 34% since then. This includes an $18 million United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) NEXTGeneration grant awarded to the College of Agriculture that helped to propel TSU to the new record setting total.
“The USDA/NIFA grant isn’t just a financial fortune, but it is a transformative opportunity that will propel TSU to new heights and academic excellence,” Dr. Quick added.
Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the College of Agriculture, right, with Dr. John Ricketts, left, a professor in the Department of Agricultural Sciences with the College of Agriculture, is the principal investigator for the NEXTGENeration Inclusion Consortium for Building the “Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences Pipeline (FANHP)” grant funded by USDA/NIFA for $18 million.
Quick also received a $2,970,000 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, adding to the total. The award will be used for the renovation of Harned Hall in the College of Life and Physical Sciences, which houses (13) research labs and (2) teaching laboratories.
“We have hit the highest total in grant awards in the institution’s history. This puts TSU in the upper echelon of research funding among HBCUs.”
Quick, who is leading the R1 designation effort, says the goal is to ultimately reach $150 million in total grant awards within the next five years. TSU has had record awards in three of the last four years, $54 million (2019-2020); $70.7 million (2020-2021); and over $100 million (2022-2023).
The R1 status is the highest research designation, under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. The designation would mean more doctoral programs, research initiatives and funding for students and the university. Currently, TSU is one of only 11 HBCUs with an R2 designation under the category of “high research activity.”
TSU’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences and the College of Agriculture received a total of $65.9 million awards of this year’s total.
Here are the top awards received in 2022-23:
Dr. John Ricketts – College of Agriculture, $18,000,000 (USDA NIFA)
Dr. Kimberly Smith- RSP, $10,444,445 (TN Department of Human Services)
Dr. Andrea Tyler – Title III, $10,254,498 (Department of Education)
Dr. Quincy Quick – RSP, $5,000,000 (Department of Energy)
Dr. Quincy Quick –RSP, $2,970,000 (National Institute of Standards and Technology)
Dr. Karla Addesso – College of Agriculture, $2,479,982 (USDA)
Dr. Melanie Cantu – College of Agriculture, $2,016,694 (USDA)
Dr. Rebecca Selove – RSP, $1,772,784 (National Institutes of Health)
Dr. Deo Chimba – College of Engineering, $1,611,168 (Dept. of Transportation)
Dr. Margaret Whalen – RSP, $1,255,618 (National Institutes of Health)
Dr. Roy Sonali – College of Agriculture, $1,158,373 (USDA)
Dr. Jianwei Li, College of Agriculture, $1,118,709 (USDA)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has reached a new milestone in research awards with over $95 million from various funding agencies and sponsors, for the 2022-2023 academic year. From groundbreaking discoveries to innovations in renewable energy and sustainable technologies, university officials believe these research efforts will continue to transform lives and shape the future of TSU students.
“I applaud our Research and Sponsored Programs division for the implementation and continuation of a robust program that speaks to TSU’s commitment to changing the world through our research,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.
In 2021, TSU’s external research funding was just over $70.7 million. The University has experienced a 34% increase since then. This includes an $18 million USDA/NIFA NEXTGeneration grant awarded to the college of agriculture that helped to propel TSU to the new record setting total.
“We have hit the highest total in grant awards in the institutions history this fiscal year,” said Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs Dr. Quincy Quick.
“This puts TSU in the upper echelon of research funding among HBCUs.”
“The USDA/NIFA grant isn’t just a financial fortune, but it is a transformative opportunity that will propel the TSU to new heights and academic excellence,” Dr. Quick added.
Quick, who is leading the R1 designation effort, says the goal is to ultimately reach a $150 million in total grant awards within the next five years. The R1 status the highest research designation, under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning.
“Research expenditures is the key metric for going from R2 to R1,” Quick said.
To date, TSU’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences and the College of Agriculture have received a total of $65.9 million awards of this year’s total.
Here are some of the other top awards received in 2022-23:
· Dr. Andrea Tyler – Title III, $10,254,498 (Department of Education)
· Dr. Quincy Quick – RSP, $5,000,000 (Department of Energy)
· Dr. Karla Addesso – College of Agriculture, $2,479,982 (USDA)
· Dr. Melanie Cantu – College of Agriculture, $2,016,694 (USDA)
· Dr. Rebecca Selove – RSP, $1,772,784 (National Institutes of Health)
· Dr. Deo Chimba – College of Engineering, $1,611,168 (Dept. of Transportation)
· Dr. Margaret Whalen – RSP, $1,255,618 (National Institutes of Health)
· Dr. Roy Sonali – College of Agriculture, $1,158,373 (USDA)
· Dr. Jianwei Li, College of Agriculture, $1,118,709 (USDA)
· Dr. D’Etra Young – College of Agriculture, $1,000,000 (USDA)
· Dr. Robbie Melton – Academic Affairs, $1,000,000 (Apple/Hewlett Packard)
· Dr. Catherine Armwood – College of Engineering, $1,000,000 (NSF)
· Dr. Dafeng Hui – College of Life & Physical Sciences, $1,000,000 (NSF)
· Dr. Lin Li – College of Engineering, $1,000,000 – (NSF)
· Dr. Hongwei Si – College of Agriculture, $1,000,000 (USDA/NSF)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University recently co-hosted an HBCU conference to highlight the groundbreaking research these institutions are conducting and to expand corporate partnerships. The main goals of the HBCU Engage conference co-hosted by University-Industry Demonstration Partnerships (UIDP), were to increase collaboration between HBCUs and corporate engagement. TSU, Fisk University and Meharry Medical College were co-hosts for the two-day event.
Dr. Quincy Quick, the Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs, spearheaded the event on behalf of TSU.
“This is a platform to make sure HBCUs are able to engage with corporate industries and partner with government agencies,” Quick said. “Ways that academic institutions can partner with corporate industries and help them develop products.”
The collaboration included representatives from federal agencies and corporations such as the Department of Energy, Amazon, and IBM. The event aimed to engage, educate, and exchange ideas among representatives from industry and higher education, as well as to facilitate learning from peers in government program leadership and research administration.
Quick said his goal is to broaden the scope of the research enterprise at TSU to pursue the nation’s top research echelon with an “R1” designation under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning.
“This platform is new and innovative,” he said. “In a sense, HBCUs have not had a platform available to them like this before.”
The first day of the conference consisted of federal grant writing, meetings with sponsored research contracting, and partnering with nonprofit funders. Day two consisted of panel discussions, collaboration, and best practices for building research capacity through industry or government partnerships.
Overall, the event moves TSU a step closer to ‘R1” status as the university mobilizes its research enterprise – including teaching faculty, researchers, graduate school, staff, and students – to support its vision for the coveted designation.
About UIDP and its HBCU initiative:
UIDP is a recognized leader in addressing issues impacting academic-corporate collaboration, providing a unique forum for our member representatives to find better ways to partner. An increasing number of companies and R1 universities wish to pursue or strengthen collaborative research partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Many HBCUs are interested in utilizing partnerships to bolster research opportunities. The purpose of the UIDP HBCU Initiative is to develop guidance that provides company representatives and R1 universities with the necessary contextual information and best practices for developing a mutually beneficial HBCU engagement strategy.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Early childcare for Tennessee families and global food security are among the top areas Tennessee State University is focusing on as the University reports continued record growth in research funding. TSU’s external research funding is just over $70.2 million with four months remaining in the 2022-2023 submission cycle. To date, the University’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences and the College of Agriculture have received the largest single awards totaling $28.9 million.
“TSU’s continued high research output and funded awards are a true testament to the hard work and commitment of our faculty and staff, especially as we also focus our attention on moving from an R2 to R1, the highest research designation, under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning,” says TSU President Glenda Glover.
The TSU Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences is using grants to fund childcare and family support programs in Tennessee.
“A crucial cornerstone of an institution’s success is measured through its research and just as important is how that research will benefit our communities.”
For its work with children and families, the TSU Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences received a total $18,958, 417 in federal and state funding. The Center is using the grants to fund childcare and family support programs in Tennessee. Of that amount, nearly $5.3 million came from the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start (ACF/OHS) to support Head Start and two Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership programs; and just under $13.7 million came from the Tennessee Department of Human Services (HHS/TDHS) to support the Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance and Tennessee Family Child Care Network.
President Glenda Glover
The funding will provide services to 256 children and families and employ approximately 115 staff needed across the state.
“The Center is proud of the work we do to support children, families, and professionals within the early childhood community,” says COELS’ director Dr. Kimberly Smith. “We remain focused on educating and uplifting the early childhood workforce in Tennessee and we remain committed to improving the lives of the families we serve.”
In the College of Agriculture, researchers are using a $10 million capacity building grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support 57 different projects in agricultural education, agricultural business, biotechnology, food science, animal science, environmental science, renewable energy, and human health and nutrition. Two of the major projects will conduct research to enhance nutritional security and environmental quality.
Dr. Chandra Reddy
Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean of the college and principal investigator of the capacity building grant, says the objective is to find solutions to challenges in global food security, enhancing the environmental quality, and nutritional security.
“The other important goal of these projects is the diverse workforce development,” Reddy says. “We are creating new knowledge and graduating diverse background students both at undergraduate and graduate levels. We also share the research findings with public through our statewide extension programs to improve their productivity and quality of life.”
CheKenna Fletcher is a first-year Ph.D. student in agricultural sciences with a concentration in food and animal sciences. Her research focus is on the extraction, isolation, characterization, and application of novel materials in health-promoting food products. She is ecstatic about the amount of funds the university is attracting for research.
“TSU provides students and even professors with various opportunities to conduct research in a variety of fields with global interest,” says Fletcher, of Lebanon, Tennessee. “There are so many conferences, symposiums, and more one can attend to present his/her research, worldwide.”
CheKenna Fletcher
In the first half of this fiscal year, TSU research proposals garnered more than $68.8 million in external sponsored research funding and now stands at $70.2 million, which is on pace to surpass the record $70.7 million received in 2021. That record-setting year for the University was one of the highest among all HBCUs. The new funding report is a major boost for the University in its continued planning to receive the “R1” research designation. An R1 designation would mean more doctoral programs, research initiatives and funding for students and the university.
Associate Vice President of Research and Sponsored Programs Dr. Quincy Quick, who is leading the R1 designation effort, says the goal is double the total amount of grants received. He believes TSU faculty and staff can ultimately reach the $140 million award mark.
Dr. Quincy Quick
“Our recent historic research productivity and achievement over the last two fiscal years is a consequence of our outstanding and dedicated faculty and staff and their commitment to conducting and performing innovative and transformative high-level research,” says Quick. “Our faculty and staff are enthusiastically engaged in our mission for the highest status as we work collegially and diligently to become the fourth R1 designated institution in the state of Tennessee.”
Here are some of the other top awards received in 2022-23:
Dr. Andrea Tyler – Title III, $10,254,498 (Department of Education)
Dr. Quincy Quick – RSP, $5,000,000 (Department of Energy)
Dr. Karla Addesso – College of Agriculture, $2,479,982 (USDA)
Dr. Melanie Cantu – College of Agriculture, $2,016,694 (USDA)
Dr. Rebecca Selove – RSP, $1,772,784 (National Institutes of Health)
Dr. Deo Chimba – College of Engineering, $1,611,168 (Dept. of Transportation)
Dr. Margaret Whalen – RSP, $1,255,618 (National Institutes of Health)
Dr. Roy Sonali – College of Agriculture, $1,158,373 (USDA)
Dr. Jianwei Li, College of Agriculture, $1,118,709 (USDA)
Dr. D’Etra Young – College of Agriculture, $1,000,000 (USDA)
Dr. Robbie Melton – Academic Affairs, $1,000,000 (Apple/Hewlett Packard)
Dr. Catherine Armwood – College of Engineering, $1,000,000 (NSF)
Dr. Dafeng Hui – College of Life & Physical Sciences, $1,000,000 (NSF)
Dr. Lin Li – College of Engineering, $1,000,000 – (NSF)
Dr. Hongwei Si – College of Agriculture, $1,000,000 (USDA/NSF)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University will serve as the lead institution to promote STEM education and careers for Nashville’s HBCUs. TSU is one of 11 minority serving institutions that will share a $30 million grant from the U.S Dept. of Energy to invest in the next generation of STEM leaders. The goal is to develop highly qualified students and foster a well-trained, technically skilled, and a more inclusive workforce.
TSU in partnership with Fisk University and Meharry Medical College were awarded $5 million in total.
“Preparing more technically skilled students will allow TSU graduates to be more competitive in the global marketplace,” said TSU President Glenda Glover.
TSU is serving as the lead institution of a Tennessee HBCU consortium with Meharry Medical College and Fisk University to create an education workforce pipeline for the DOE’s Environmental Management Office.
“With our efforts, this grant will provide access to internships and career opportunities that have traditionally been non-existent or very limited for the HBCU student population.”
Dr. Quincy Quick, professor and interim assistant vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at TSU, said this is an outstanding effort for Tennessee HBCUs.
“Tennessee State University is serving as the lead institution of this Tennessee HBCU consortium with Meharry Medical College and Fisk University to create an education workforce pipeline for the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management as part of the Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program,” Dr. Quick said.
“Socially, this partnership will also contribute to the DOE’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is an outstanding opportunity for all Tennessee HBCUs and the students we serve. Tennessee State University is honored to lead this effort.”
Dr. Quincy Quick, professor and interim assistant vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs .
These grants are distributed by DOE’s Office of Environmental Management’s (EM) Minority Serving Institution Partnership Program (MSIPP).
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said leveraging the full potential of America’s best and brightest means including students from every pocket of the nation, and of all races and ethnicities.
“DOE is following through with our previously announced commitments to MSIs to remove barriers and unlock opportunities for millions of Americans—inspiring the next generation of science and technology leaders and positioning America to lead the world in the industries of the future, from artificial intelligence and clean energy to quantum computing and advanced engineering,” Granholm said.
By advancing the education and training of a culturally diverse workforce of scientists, engineers, and managers, MSIPP builds upon the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to increase the participation, leadership, and success of students from underrepresented and historically marginalized communities.
Photo CUTLINE: TSU is serving as the lead institution of a Tennessee HBCU consortium with Meharry Medical College and Fisk University to create an education workforce pipeline for the DOE’s Environmental Management Office.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The U.S. General Services Administration recently held a two-day training session at Tennessee State University to educate historically black colleges and universities on seeking contracting opportunities with the federal government. Called “Growth ’22 Series,” the event was part of a GSA regional outreach training initiative geared toward advancing equity for HBCUs in the federal market place. It was part of the White Initiative on HBCUs aimed to ensure that these institutions have equal access to GSA contracting programs to purchase products and services.
Dr. Quincy Quick, third from left, TSU’s interim Assistant VP for Research and Sponsored Programs, welcomes GSA officials. From left are: Dale Terry, Special Assistant to the Commissioner; Thomas Meiron, Federal Acquisition Service Regional Commissioner; Dr. Quick; Cheryl Thornton-Cameron, Executive Director; Trina Bilal, Program Manager; and Lanelle Chisolm, National Account Manager. (Photo by Aaron Grayson)
Representatives from several HBCUs including Clark Atlanta University, Alabama A&M University, and Jarvis Christian University joined TSU at the workshop, that also included presenters from the U.S. Departments of the Treasury and Energy.
Cheryl Thornton-Cameron, executive director of the GSA Office of Acquisition Operations, said the agency is “100 percent” committed to spending time with the HBCU community to make them aware of all federal funding and grant opportunities, as well as employment opportunities for HBCU graduates.
“Today we want to bring more awareness to our HBCUs organizations through our Growth ‘22 Series,“ Thornton-Cameron said. “The Biden/ Harris administration is committed to making sure that these institutions are given more opportunities to get federal government business and funding, and also look at hiring more HBCUs students. What we do know is that some of the brightest employees actually come from HBCUs.”
Among HBCUs represented at two-day training were Clark Atlanta University, Alabama A&M University, Jarvis Christian University, and TSU. (Photo by Reginald Cannon)
According to Thornton-Cameron, TSU was the first stop of the Growth ’22 training tour. The next workshop will be at Jackson State University.
“We want to thank President (Glenda) Glover for opening the doors and allowing us to come and set up to where we can have a conversation with other HBCU brothers and sisters, because lots of HBCUs don’t even know that they can play in the federal government market place. HBCUs can tap into billions, whether it is federal procurement, grants or hiring HBCU students.”
Dr. Quincy Quick, professor and interim assistant vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs at TSU, said the GSA training allows the university to enhance its systems, and helps staff to be more efficient in seeking contract opportunities.
“The forum provided an opportunity for HBCUs to partner with GSA, and gave us the ability to acquire contracts from the federal government,” Quick said. “The forum also gave us another way for us to be able to identify research opportunities that will be more contract base.”
The event at TSU followed a Feb. 16 roundtable discussion GSA held in Atlanta aimed at increasing the number of HBCUs with “Multiple Award Schedule” (MAS) contracts and provide training and education to help the institutions achieve success in the federal marketplace. The MAS, also known as the “Federal Supply Schedule,” is a procurement option often overlooked by public institutions of higher learning.
Kenny Sessions, a doctoral student and a representative of the Small Business Administration at TSU, said he went to the workshop to see how the GSA can expand its services to the university in ways that help business owners.
“We found today in working with the GSA that there is a lot of initiatives coming in from the White House in which HBCUs can expand their reach, as well as participate in projects that can bring them revenues for services that they can provide government agencies,” Sessions said. “There is a large reach and as most of the GSA representatives presented, they need to get familiar with us and we need to get familiar with them.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University, Nashville’s only public university, aims to become only the second HBCU to reach the nation’s top research echelon with an “R1” designation under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning. The designation would mean more doctoral programs, research initiatives and funding for students and the university. Currently, TSU is one of only 11 HBCUs with an R2 designation under the category of “high research activity.”
Dr. Quincy Quick is leading the university’s effort to achieve the ‘R1’ designation.
For its drive to “R1” status or “very high research activity,” the university is mobilizing its research enterprise – teaching faculty, researchers, graduate school, staff, students – to support its vision for the coveted designation. Howard University, an “R2” institution, achieved the “R1” designation in 2000 but lost it in a reclassification.
On Friday, Oct. 14, under the theme, “R2 to R1,” the university’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs held an open forum to acquaint the research community with what is needed to help move the university to an R1 status.
“One of the goals of the forum was to find out the needs of researchers as they commit themselves to the execution of the many grant-awarded research projects going on throughout the campus,” said Dr. Quincy Quick, interim assistant vice president of Research and Sponsored Programs.
TSU’s move to achieve an R1 designation comes just three years after receiving the R2 status. (File photo)
“Our goal was to provide an accurate understanding of exactly what is R1 and what going from R2 to R1 requires. We wanted to make sure everyone understood that research is important but it really comes down to programs and the number of Ph.D. completers that you have.”
The R1 designation by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning is based on characteristics such as number of doctoral degrees conferred and money spent on research. In Tennessee, if TSU’s effort is successful, it will join the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee Knoxville as the only institutions with the R1 designation.
Branndon Jones, a Ph.D. candidate in engineering and computational sciences, said he’s very optimistic about TSU’s effort.
“The research enterprise here at TSU is led by professors and advisors who have immense passion and dedication to their work and field of study,” said Jones, of Franklin, Tennessee, who is in his second year of his doctoral studies.
“The research areas are also unique since many are in the area of security and defense which forces researchers to think outside the box to develop novel approaches to solve today’s problems and problems that may arise 10 years in the future.”
A cross section of the university’s research community – faculty, staff, administrators – participated in the discussion to make the case for TSU’s quest for the top research designation. (Photo by TSU Media Relations)
TSU has a thriving research enterprise. Over the last two years, the University has been awarded more than $70 and $67 million in sponsored research and external funding, the highest in school history.
The university’s move to achieve an R1 designation comes just three years after receiving the R2 status, joining three of Tennessee’s four-year public institutions with that designation. Climbing to the top tier of R1 will be quite a fete. With nearly 4,000 colleges and universities classified by the Carnegie system, only 3 percent are R1s, considered the best research institutions in the world.
“The fact that there is no HBCU in that R1 classification, we are trying to set the standard,” said Dr. Robbie Melton, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
“We need to let everyone know that HBCUs have the same quality, rigor, and support for an R1 classification.”
To be considered for an R1 classification, an institution must award at least 20 research and or scholarship doctoral degrees during the update year, which takes place every three years, as well as spend at least $5 million in total research expenditures according to the National Science Foundation’sHigher Education Research & Development Survey. The institution must also score high on the Research Activity Index calculation, which is an aggregate level of overall and per capita research activity.
Quick, who is leading the university’s efforts and oversees the research enterprise, said achieving the R1 designation wouldn’t be easy, but TSU is up to the task.
“We are in a much better shape than most people realize,” he said. “TSU is very strong in the STEM disciplines. We are producing a good number of Ph.D.s in those areas, as well as in education and agriculture. We are also doing well in the number of non-faculty Ph.D. researchers, which now stands at 18.”
Quick added that research expenditures, which stood at $15.4 million in TSU’s most recent ranking, is another area of improvement. The greatest challenge, he said, is in the humanities, which does not currently have doctoral programs.
“Where we are going to meet the challenge is with the humanities, and there is a consensus across the board at the highest leadership, with President (Glenda) Glover, Academic Affairs, Research and Sponsored Program, and Institutional Research on what it is going to take to meet this challenge,” adds Quick.
Dr. Samantha Morgan Curtis, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts, said the college is looking at a number of programs that could be elevated to the doctoral level.
“One of the first one we are looking at is criminal justice. There is also great interest in music, another incredibly strong program,” Morgan Curtis said. “We have a master’s program in music that will be rolling out shortly. The natural growth there is to look at the doctorate.”
For more information on research at TSU, visit https://www.tnstate.edu/research-1/
Featured Photo by Reginald Cannon Dr. Quincy Quick (at the podium), head of TSU’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the University’s chief research officer, spearheads the discussion as he and other officials present the institution’s case for an “R1” research designation. Sitting from left are: Dr. Robbie Melton, Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. William Johnson, Executive Research Director for R2 to R1 for New Academic Programs; andDr. John Robinson, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Two Tennessee State University researchers have been named among the “1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America” by Cell Mentor.
Dr. Frances Williams
Dr. Frances Williams, associate vice president of Research and Sponsored Programs and professor of electrical engineering; and Dr. Quincy Quick, associate professor of biology, were cited by Community of Scholars in its latest posting in Cell Mentors, a web resource that provides support and resources for emerging scientists.
Williams and Quick, acknowledged as top scientists in the nation, have extensive research, teaching and scientific backgrounds.
“It is an honor to be recognized as one of the ‘1000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America’ on Cell Mentor,” Williams said upon receiving news of her selection.
“I am humbled to be included with some of my STEM heroes and sheroes. I hope that students see the list and are able to envision themselves as the next generation of scientists and innovators that make a positive impact on our world.”
Williams is widely published, and holds a patent in the areas of advanced materials and devices, biosensors, and nano- and micro-electromechanical systems processing and devices. She has received grants totaling over $15 million as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator.
Dr. Quincy Quick
Quick, who investigates brain tumors and serves as scientific grant reviewer for several cancer journals in the nation, said it is a “humbling and grateful experience to be acknowledged for your work, along with your peers like Dr. Williams, as well as the other African American scientists” around the United States.
“The visibility from a minority standpoint is critical,” Quick said. “Often times our work at HBCUs is overlooked in comparison to other majority institutions. Acknowledging the breadth of all of the African Americans across all types of institutions is a critical exposure for everybody.”
In addition to research projects supported by federal state funding, Quick has mentored more than 80 students at the Ph.D., master’s and undergraduate levels, as well as a research mentor for several NSF and NIH training and developmental programs.
At TSU, students are also celebrating the selection of Williams and Quick as inspiring black scientists by Cell Mentor.
“It is no surprise that Dr. (Quincy) Quick would be recognized for an accomplishment such as this,” Mariel Liggin, a senior biology major from Louisville, Kentucky, said about her professor. “His dedication to science can be been in the classroom as well as in the lab. He is one of the reasons why I continue to pursue my major in biology.”
Of Dr. Williams, civil engineering graduate student Morgan Chatmon, congratulated her professor for the recognition.
“Dr. Williams is a dynamic leader, powerful motivator, and beneficial contributor to the STEM staff and student at TSU,” said Chatmon, of Omaha, Nebraska.
According to the Cell mentor, The Community of Scholars is “a group of Persons Excluded because of their Ethnicity or Race (PEER) composed of postdoctoral fellows, early-stage investigators, instructors, and consultants with a common passion to advance scientific discovery while innovating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.”
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About Tennessee State UniversityFounded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 39 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees. TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee. With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.
