Six UofSC Aiken Researchers Receive RISE Awards

Aiken, SC (03/05/2021) — Six members of the University of South Carolina Aiken (UofSC Aiken) faculty have been awarded support for their research projects through the Research Initiative for Summer Engagement (RISE) program.

RISE was initiated in 2012 to support summer research for faculty members at the University of South Carolina's system campuses. Funding for summer salary, research supplies, travel, and undergraduate support is awarded through a competitive application process.

The 2021 recipients from UofSC Aiken and their research projects are:

Dr. Julie Wise, Associate Professor of English - "Glide Lingering, Ceaseless Tide": The Movements of Time in Augusta Webster's Aesthetic Lyrics

Dr. Kelly Gibson, Assistant Professor of Biology and Geology - Abrupt Climate Change: Constructing a Tropical Counterpart to the Iconic Greenland Ice Core Record

Dr. Ken Roberts, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Physics - Solvent and substituent effects in the reaction of 2,4'-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase

Dr. Titan Paul, Assistant Professor of Mathematical Sciences - Experimental Investigation of Stability of Nanoparticle Enhanced Ionic Liquids (NEILs)

Dr. Bridget Cho, Assistant Professor of Psychology - Emotion dysregulation as a mechanism of the link between adversity and parenting behavior

Dr. Tieling Chen, Professor of Mathematical Sciences - Color Distribution Comparison and its Applications

"I'm very grateful for the support USC Aiken and the University of South Carolina Office for the Vice President of Research have offered to my work," Wise said. "After a busy year for teaching, reframing course materials for hybrid and online classes, I'm especially glad for this opportunity to keep my research progressing and to see my colleagues moving forward with their important work, too. It's terrific to see the university providing support for a range of disciplines, ensuring a vibrant academic community for our students."

Along with helping faculty develop research programs, RISE also aims to equip regional and senior campuses to better serve their local communities as well as to support the larger university mission.

"I saw a need to create a system by which our regional and senior faculty have the time release to develop their research programs in the summer months," said University of South Carolina Vice President for Research Prakash Nagarkatti on the RISE Award web page.

The breadth and depth of the research highlights the range of expertise professors at UofSC Aiken have, and showcases their vision and leadership in their fields of study.

"I really value the opportunity for summer scholarship support through the RISE Awards," said Gibson, who will be co-writing a paper with a colleague at the University of Miami. "Being able to devote time to research in the summer allows me to involve students in a more in-depth way with the research process, because they don't have to worry about classwork. It also keeps my collaborations with faculty at other universities alive. With this RISE award, I will be co-writing a paper and we both hope to involve students in the some of the data collection prep process. These efforts wouldn't be possible without RISE support."