It will be used to endow a faculty position in Advanced Bioproducts Research & Education.
Frederick, Md (KM) Hood College will be receiving a $994,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Commerce to establish an endowed faculty position in Advanced Bioproducts Research and Education. The money comes from the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative Trust Fund, which was established to promote scientific and technical research.
The grant was Matched by funding from the Hodson Trust, a long time contributor to Hood College.
The school says in a statement that the Endowed Chair in Advance Bioproducts Research and Education will allow Hood to help prepare undergraduate and graduate students with the skills they need for the growing bio-economy, and work with regional partners to bring innovations to biofuels and bioproducts production from the research laboratory to the market.
“The E-Nnovation award will bring new expertise to campus to help prepare both undergraduate and graduate students with the skills to participate in the growing bio-economy,” said Craig Laufer, Ph.D, professor of biology and primary writer of the proposal, in a statement. “This will also enhance and expand our growing collaborations with regional partners to bring innovations in biofuels and bioproducts productions from research to the market.”
The Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland E-Nnovation Fund (MEIF) in 2014, and the governor will appropriate $8.5-million annually from fiscal year 2016 through 2021. Investment earning on the endowments will be put toward research in scientific and technical fields, according to Hood College.
By Kevin McManus