Four projects proposed by Southwestern faculty members have received funding from the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS).

The proposals were funded through the ACS Faculty Renewal Program, which was created in 2008 to help faculty members explore new possibilities, expand their background and skills, and take advantage of opportunities that would not otherwise be available. Grants are available in four categories - professional development, leadership development, personal growth, and mentoring. The program is funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Alisa Gaunder, associate professor of political science, received $5,000 for a study of barriers facing female candidates running for national office in Japan.

Mark Bottorff, associate professor of physics, and Michael Kamen, associate professor of education, received $8,000 to work with other ACS schools to develop an astronomy course in which students will learn by using their own observations. The resulting course will be available for use at all ACS schools, even ones without observatory facilities.

Fay Guarraci, assistant professor of psychology, and Maha Zawail Foote, assistant professor of chemistry, received $8,000 for a collaborative research project linking animal behavior with reproductive success.

Gulnar Rawji, associate professor chemistry, received $5,000 for a project to improve the teaching of inorganic chemistry by incorporating hands-on research into the curriculum.