The University of Tulsa Shark Tank Kick-Start program recently awarded $35,000 in project grants to assistant professors to create or further research academic projects ranging from concussion prevention to electrochemical purification of solar grade silicon.

This year’s winners are listed below.

Rachel Hildebrand PhD, LAT, ATC
Director of the Athletic Training Program
Clinical Assistant Professor of Athletic Training
Oxley College of Health Sciences
Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitative Sciences
Project title: Analysis of Real-Time Acceleration in HS Football Players and the Application of 90-minute Rule to Prevent Concussion

Roger Kollock PhD, AT, CSCS
Assistant Professor of Athletic Training/Exercise Sports
Oxley College of Health Sciences
Department of Kinesiology and Rehabilitative Sciences
Project title: Validation of Ground Reaction Forces Measured by Wearable Sensor Technology

Laura Wilson PhD, CCC-SLP, CBIST
Assistant Professor of Speech-Language Pathology Oxley College of Health Sciences
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Project title: Traumatic Brain Injury: Community Needs Assessment

Gabriel LeBlanc PhD
Wellspring Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Engineering & Natural Sciences
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project title: From Sand to Solar: Electrochemical Purification of Solar Grade Silicon

Erin Iski PhD
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Engineering & Natural Sciences
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Project title: Novel Thermal Stability of Nano-Alloy Systems

Hema Ransurn PhD
Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering
College of Engineering & Natural Sciences
Russell School of Chemical Engineering
Project title: Investigating the Direct Liquefaction of Green Coal (or Biochar) as a Feedstock for Specialty Chemicals and/or Transportation Fuels

Alicia Odewale PhD
Assistant Professor of Anthropology
Henry Kendall College of Arts & Sciences
Anthropology
Project title: Sustainable Archeology in the Caribbean

To secure the grant, each faculty member completed an application and was selected to give a live pitch to the ‘sharks’ including:

Dr. Robin Ploeger – Dean of the Oxley College of Health Sciences
Dr. James Sorem – Dean of College of Engineering and Natural Sciences
Dr. Kalpana Misra – Dean of the Kendall College of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Gale Sullenberger – Dean of the Collins College of Business
Dr. Lyn Entzeroth – Dean of the College of Law
Dr. Janet Haggerty – Dean of the Graduate School

The event was moderated by TU President Dr. Gerard Clancy.

Congratulations to the award recipients for surviving the shark tank. For more information on future TU Shark Tank Kick-Start grants, contact Gosia Bodurka at  gosia-bodurka@utulsa.edu or phone 918-631-2612.