Advancing Discovery: College of Arts and Sciences faculty earn Strategic Research Initiative grants, boost faculty-led research
Mississippi State University’s College of Arts and Sciences announces the newest recipients of the Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) Faculty Seed Funding. This annual grant program -- now in its eighth year -- provides financial support to faculty members to help advance their research and position their projects for future external funding, highlighting the college’s commitment to fostering innovative research and supporting faculty in their pursuit of groundbreaking discoveries.
The SRI program awards up to $10,000 per proposal through two tracks: Track I, designed for pre-tenure CAS faculty, and Track II, open to all CAS faculty with priority-area or high-impact projects. These initiatives serve as a catalyst for securing competitive federal grants and contributing to high-quality, peer-reviewed publications.
Giselle Thibaudeau, associate dean for research for the College of Arts and Sciences, said, “Through the generosity of the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office and the CAS Advisory Board, we are able to support faculty in advancing transformative research. I am continually impressed by the dedication, creativity and scholarly excellence of our faculty. The 2025 SRI awards will undoubtedly drive significant contributions to their fields, our university and beyond.”
Faculty who received 2025 SRI Faculty Seed Funding include:
Elizabeth Miller, associate professor in the Department of English: Miller’s study examines rhetorical invention through the lens of gender and embodiment, focusing on twentieth-century women’s inquiry practices in writing about food, civil rights and nature. Figures such as Julia Child, Pauli Murray and Rachel Carson are analyzed for their embodied approaches to knowledge-making. The project challenges traditional rhetoric theories that downplay bodily experience, contributing a feminist history of rhetorical invention.
Justin Pinta, assistant professor in the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literatures: Pinta’s project explores the sociolinguistic dynamics of Mayan-speaking Guatemalan migrants in Mississippi, challenging the assumption that Latin American migrants are monolingual Spanish speakers. It examines language use across English, Spanish and Mayan languages, investigating how linguistic choices influence identity, intergenerational transmission and community belonging. Findings will contribute to sociolinguistic literature and inform policies on linguistic inclusivity.
Jaspreet Singh Randhawa, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy: Randhawa’s research seeks to verify the existence of the X-17 boson, a hypothesized “fifth force” carrier that could link dark matter and ordinary matter. Using a Time Projection Chamber and machine learning-based classification, the study will analyze electron-positron pairs from nuclear transitions. The project will refine data selection, reject background noise and investigate anomalies in prior experimental results, contributing to fundamental physics research.
Colleen Scott, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry: Scott’s project investigates near-infrared (NIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) xanthene-based dyes for biosensing and bioimaging. These dyes have potential applications in deep tissue imaging and photodynamic therapy but face challenges such as low quantum yields and poor solubility. The study aims to synthesize water-soluble dyes and generate preliminary data for an NIH R01 grant proposal.
Megan Smith, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences: Smith’s research investigates the invasion history of Arion slugs in the U.S., which pose threats to agriculture, human health and biodiversity. Despite their significance, these invasive gastropods remain understudied. Her study will identify distributions, sources and histories through targeted sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The project will develop genomic resources applicable to other agricultural pests and provide insights into the factors that drive invasiveness.
For more details about MSU’s College of Arts, visit www.cas.msstate.edu.
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Sarah Nicholas | College of Arts and Sciences