Grantee Research Project Results

2007 Progress Report: Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems

EPA Grant Number: X832325
Center: Indoor Environmental Quality: Assessing and Mitigating the Impact of Exposure to Multiple Indoor Contaminants on Human Health
Center Director: Abraham, Jerrold L.
Title: Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems
Investigators: Bogucz, Edward A
Institution: Syracuse University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: October 1, 2007 through September 30, 2008
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007
Project Amount: $11,704,724
RFA: Targeted Research Center (2003) Recipients Lists
Research Category: Targeted Research

Objective:

This report summaries progress made by the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (Syracuse CoE) during the second year of a four-year grant to Syracuse University from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Grant No. X-83232501-0. The Syracuse CoE is a federation that includes 12 academic and research institutions. Members of the Syracuse CoE federation collaborate to develop fundamental knowledge, technologies and processes that will improve the health and well being of persons living and working in built and urban environments. This US EPA grant supports Syracuse CoE activities that pursue the following specific objectives:

• Increase the number of active multidisciplinary collaborations among academic and research member institutions within the Syracuse CoE;
• Increase the number, quality and diversity of students who pursue degrees in environmental science and engineering and who enter the workforce in these areas; and
• Increase the number of academic-industry research collaborations.

Progress Summary:

In pursuit of these objectives, grant funds are allocated in five areas:

1. Collaborative Activities for Research and Technology Innovations (CARTI) program for funding academic research,
2. Graduate Student Fellowship program, 
3. Technology Application and Demonstration (TAD) program to foster pre-commercial development of products and systems, 
4. Student Internships, and
5. Outreach and dissemination activities.

The CARTI, Fellowship, and TAD programs involve competitive peer reviews by members of an independent Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), which also periodically reviews the overall direction of Syracuse CoE activities funded by the EPA grant.

The second year of Syracuse CoE activities under the EPA grant was very successful, including conducting four separate grant competitions. Major accomplishments during this period include:

• The second CARTI competition attracted 60 applications and yielded 16 new projects, committing $3.6 million;
• The first round of 13 CARTI projects ($2.1 million in project funding awarded in the previous year) began to achieve outcomes, including 4 conference presentations, 10 journal papers pending or in preparation, 9 patents filed or pending, and 2 awards of competitive funding from other sources for follow-on work;
• Two TAD competitions were completed, attracting a total of 19 applications and resulting in 10 awards, committing nearly $1.4 million; and 
• The second Graduate Fellowship competition was completed, attracting 15 applicants and resulting in 4 awards. 

Supplemental Keywords:

RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, Atmosphere, Air Pollution Effects, climate change, Environmental Monitoring, air quality, water quality, climate variability, ecosystem sustainability, adaptive technologies

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

2008 Progress Report

Final