Science research roundup: February 2022

Last month, Arts & Sciences researchers won awards and honors from the National Science Foundation, St. Louis Astronomical Society, and Dana Foundation.

Rita Parai, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, won a $720,899 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation for her project “Heavy Noble Gases in the Azores Archipelago.” The research will harness new analytical capabilities to measure tiny amounts of gas squeezed from massive quantities of gas-poor minerals, enabling innovative research on ocean island geochemistry. Read more from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Debashis Mondal, associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, received a $299,999 award from the National Science Foundation for research on distance-based analysis for complex high-dimensional data.

Joseph A. Fournier, assistant professor of chemistry, has been announced as the winner of the 2022 Flygare Award. The award is given biannually by the International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (ISMS) to early career independent scientists who showcase outstanding contributions in molecular spectroscopy. Read more from the Department of Chemistry.

Yehuda Ben-Shahar, professor of biology, won a $190,388 supplemental award from the National Science Foundation for his project “Molecular Mechanisms for Signal-Receptor Functional Coupling in Phenomenal Systems.”

Raymond E. Arvidson, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor, won the 2022 Richard D. Schwartz Supportive Faculty Award from the St. Louis Astronomical Society (SLAS). The award recognizes Arvidson's contributions to SLAS' mission to educate the public about, encourage interest in, and disseminate knowledge of the science of astronomy. Read more from the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Erik Herzog, the Viktor Hamburger Distinguished Professor in Arts & Sciences, received a $1,500 grant from the Dana Foundation in support of the 2022 Brain Awareness Week program, “St. Louis Area Brain Bee: Brain Explorers Camp.”

Did we miss something? Contact Shawn Ballard, communications specialist in Arts & Sciences.