Gov. Jennifer Granholm visited campus Wednesday to congratulate faculty who were awarded more than $13 million for their research in expanding industries.
On Sept. 6, MSU received 11 awards — the highest amount in any one area of the state — out of 61 offered through the 21st Century Jobs Fund. More than 500 applications for research and business projects were originally submitted for funding, including 22 from MSU.
Granholm said she was encouraged by all the diverse research being done by MSU.
"This is blockbuster research," Granholm told researchers. "We have a sweet spot in Michigan, and it's right here at MSU."
MSU projects funded through the state's initiative include ethanol fuel engines, laser-based molecular scalpel technology and nano-sized material and sensors to detect dangerous compounds in food and water supplies.
Granholm's visit to the MSU Engineering Building included a tour of the facilities and brief presentations by researchers about their projects.
Steve Nartker, a doctoral student in chemical engineering, is working to reduce the cost and increase the performance of technology that will detect potentially dangerous chemicals or bacteria in food and water supplies.
He said it's exciting to be part of the 21st Century Jobs Fund, and it suggests that the research he is doing is on the cutting edge of the technology and is worth funding.
"There were 500 (applications) that were submitted and only 60 were accepted," Nartker said. "That means this research is meaningful."
The funding might also mean more jobs in on-campus laboratories that previously weren't affordable, he said. The 21st Century Jobs Fund focuses on helping the economy by encouraging research and creating jobs in developing industries that will foster more employment opportunities in the future.
The $2 billion initiative is aimed toward industries such as alternative energy, advanced automotive materials and manufacturing and homeland security.
Only $100 million was awarded to research and business projects throughout the state earlier this month, which is part of the first phase of the fund.
Mike Rich, senior specialist in the on-campus Composite Materials and Structures Center, said research equipment in labs used for non-teaching purposes can cost up to $1 million per instrument, which is why the funding from the state is appreciated.
The research at MSU that can't be done as easily anywhere else comes at a price, he said.
Rich said the visit from Granholm gives positive publicity to what MSU is doing in research, which is sometimes overshadowed by other news, such as sporting events.
"It's very hard for universities to get recognition for what they do in the university," he said.
