By Craig Lawson, International Programs
PULLMAN, Wash. – Five faculty are recipients of the third annual International Research Travel Awards (IRTA) at Washington State University. Each will receive $2,000-$5,000 to promote and strengthen their international research collaborations.
This year’s winners are Kelly A. Brayton and Jennifer Zambriski (College of Veterinary Medicine), Patrick A. Carter (College of Arts and Sciences), Praveen Sekhar (School of Engineering and Computer Science, WSU Vancouver) and Éva Szentirmai (College of Medical Sciences, WSU Spokane).
“It’s remarkable how much of the research at Washington State University reaches around the planet, fostering collaborations and tackling tough questions on every continent,” said Chris Keane, WSU vice president for research. “It’s a great way for us to be having an impact on not just the state and nation, but the world.”
Research award topics include disease in livestock, the biology of function-valued traits, the detection of diseases that originate from water contamination, sleep deprivation and parasites that cause sickness of young children in developing countries.
Award winners plan to travel to England, France, Kenya, India and South Africa to conduct research. In addition, one collaborator from Hungary will travel to WSU.
Anticipated outcomes from the funded collaborations include:
8 journal submissions
7 empirical studies
5 grant proposals
1 method development paper
“The IRTA is an important mechanism to help WSU scholars and scientists pursue international collaborations,” said Jerman Rose, WSU interim vice provost for international programs.
The awards are sponsored by the Office of International Programs and the Office of Research. Full-time WSU faculty members who submitted an application that met IRTA guidelines were eligible for the award, provided they weren’t previous recipients.