2019 UGPN Research Collaboration Fund Awarded

The University Global Partnership Network recently awarded the eighth round of the annual Research Collaboration Fund to nine projects between the consortium’s universities. NC State faculty are represented on six of the funded projects this year.

The University Global Partnership Network (UGPN) is comprised of four universities – NC State, the University of São Paulo, the University of Surrey, and the University of Wollongong – and aims to develop sustainable world-class research, education and knowledge transfer through an active international network of selected universities collaborating in research, learning and teaching to benefit global society. 

The network focuses on promoting research with global impact and promoting global graduates through student experience and employability. A key aspect of research promotion through the network is the Research Collaboration Fund.

The fund promotes and facilitates high-quality and long-term research collaboration between faculty and researchers at UGPN partners in areas of strategic importance. To date, the Research Collaboration Fund has supported 64 research projects covering a range of topics including carbon economies, bio-nano interfaces, genes and behavior, international trade, visitor impacts and mathematical modeling. 

Congratulations to NC State’s recipients of the 2019 UGPN Research Collaboration Fund:

• Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Project Management (NC State, University of University of São Paulo, University of Surrey, University of Wollongong)
  • NC State lead – Munindar Singh, Alumni Distinguished Graduate Professor, Department of Computer Science
• Integrated Safety and Control of Powertrain System for Electric Vehicles (NC State, University of Surrey, University of Wollongong)
  • NC State lead – Tiegang Fang, professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Optimizing Control Interventions for Visceral Leishmaniasis in Multiple Settings (NC State, University of São Paulo, University of Surrey)
  • NC State lead – Gustavo Machado, assistant professor, Department of Population Health and Pathobiology
• Polyploid Genomic Tool Development (NC State, University of University of São Paulo)
  • NC State lead – Zhao-Bang Zeng, William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor, Bioinformatics Research Center, Department of Horticultural Science 
• UGPN Consortium to Tackle the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance (NC State, University of São Paulo, University of Surrey, University of Wollongong)
  • NC State lead – Sid Thakur, professor, Department of Population Health and Pathobiology
• Using Digital Literacy Tools to Document Young Children’s Understanding of Place (NC State, University of Wollongong)
  • NC State lead – Angela Wiseman, associate professor, Department of Teacher Education and Learning Services

This year, the UGPN received a total of 35 proposals of which 19 involved NC State faculty.