The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is one of the nation’s top research universities, as recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. In FY 2022, the university had $54.1 million in research awards. More than three-quarters of that amount – $41.5 million – came from federal agencies. Here is a look at the largest federal grants.
ENVIRONMENT AND CHILDREN’S BRAINS
Krista Lisdahl, psychology
$8 million over seven years, National Institutes of Health
A partner in the largest long-term study of brain development and child health, UWM is tracking biological and behavioral factors in 384 Wisconsin children to identify how environment and biology interact to affect brain development. The children are being followed from ages 9 or 10 through young adulthood.
GRAVITATIONAL WAVE DATA ANALYSIS
Patrick Brady and Warren Anderson, physics
$7.5 million over four years, National Science Foundation
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is part of a global network of detectors that use gravitational waves to learn more about the universe. This grant invests in LIGO’s massive computational data analysis and cyber infrastructure.
A BETTER WAY TO WEIGH
Michele Polfuss, nursing
$3.6 million over five years, National Institutes of Health
Children with spina bifida, a developmental disability, have higher rates of obesity than typically developing peers. But aspects of the disease make it difficult to obtain body measurements. This project aims to develop an accurate method of measuring body composition in a clinical setting.
RISK AND RESILIENCE IN BLACK TRAUMA SURVIVORS
Christine Larson, psychology
$3.6 million over five years, National Institutes of Health
This project explores neurobiological factors that predict risk for long-term, post-traumatic stress disorder in Black trauma survivors. The study focuses on assessment of people soon after they have experienced trauma, with the goal of earlier intervention to improve health after trauma.
CHILDREN, TRAUMA AND PTSD RISK
Christine Larson, psychology
$3.5 million over five years, National Institutes of Health
This study uses brain imaging and machine learning techniques to assess neurological and social factors among children who have experienced violence. The goal is to identify predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder risk, enabling early interventions.
OCEAN FARMING A BIOFUEL SOURCE
Filipe Alberto, biological sciences
$2.8 million over three years, U.S. Department of Energy
Giant kelp, the fastest growing organism on Earth, could be a valuable biofuel source. UWM researchers are creating a seed bank and using genomic selection to improve traits. This will allow others to not only breed the crop and farm it in the ocean, but also protect it from environmental threats.
ALCOHOL AND INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AMONG LGB PEOPLE
Ryan Shorey, psychology
$2.7 million over five years, National Institutes of Health
The researchers are conducting the most comprehensive look at the associations between alcohol use and intimate partner violence among people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual – a population overlooked in this research. The goal is to improve prevention efforts.
REVEALING HOW AUTISM BEGINS
Christopher Quinn, biological sciences
$1.7 million over five years, National Institutes of Health
The onset of autism usually involves complicated interactions between many genes. In order to better understand how autism begins at the genetic level, this project studies a simplified model: a single-gene mutation that causes a childhood disease called Timothy syndrome. A symptom of this gene mutation is autism.
ASTRONOMY WITH GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
Jolien Creighton and Patrick Brady, physics
$1.5 million over three years, National Science Foundation
A global network of gravitational wave detectors, including LIGO detectors in the U.S., is detecting gravitational waves at an increasing pace. This project aims to identify and interpret signals as the detection rate increases to facilitate multimessenger astronomy – coordinated observations from multiple observatories.
PUBLIC TRANSIT SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO JOBS
Robert Schneider, urban planning
$1 million for one year, National Science Foundation
In this project, two on-demand microtransit service models will be implemented and compared. The models coordinate public transit services across county jurisdictions so that job seekers in segregated, urban Black neighborhoods can access jobs in surrounding suburban counties where employers need workers.
Updated September 2022