Everything Nac

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Office of Research and Graduate Studies has announced the recipients of its annual Research and Creative Activity grants. The RCA grant program was created to support SFA faculty members’ initial research efforts and to help prepare their research for submission to national grant programs.

Each year, ORGS and the SFA Department of Academic Affairs conduct a university-wide call for proposals, with the end of October typically serving as the deadline for submissions. The University Research Council then conducts a blind peer review of all applications. Grant awardees are notified early in the spring semester, and projects are funded through the remainder of the fiscal year.

This year, ORGS received 13 applications, and the council selected seven applicants to award RCA grants totaling approximately $124,000.

2019 Research and Creative Activity Grants

Dr. Jeremy Becnel – Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Sciences and Mathematics

Generalized Probabilistic Radon Transform

The Radon Transform is a functional analysis tool that has proved to be extremely useful outside of its origin. It is one of the driving forces behind the mathematics of medical CT scans and tomography. Becnel hopes to develop a generalized version of the Radon Transform, which is applicable to most, if not all, probability measures. In addition, he also expects to develop the fundamental results in this setting. These new results will increase the applicability of the Radon Transform and will lead to further areas of study, both pure and applied.

Wesley Berg – School of Art, College of Fine Arts

Tokyo – Digital Drawing

Berg’s project will see Tokyo, Japan, through the lens of digital drawing. His current drawing works on paper to explore architecture, minimalism, color and line. While investigating underground art scenes and pop culture themes present in contemporary Tokyo, Berg will create digital drawings on location with local artists and collaborators. The resulting work will seek to merge both digital and analog drawing approaches.

Dr. Kathryn Kidd – Forestry and Spatial Science, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture

Tree Radial Growth Responses to Climatic and Hydrologic Disturbances in Upland and Bottomland Forests in East Texas

This project focuses on quantifying relationships between annual radial growth of tree species due to climatic and hydrologic disturbances (temperature, precipitation, flooding events, etc.). Both upland and bottomland species will be studied in the West Gulf Coastal Plain region of East Texas. Such research is vital in assisting forest managers who work to manage the forests of tomorrow.

Dr. Jane Long – Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Sciences and Mathematics

Extending Results on the Group Cohomology Properties of the Qd(p) and PSL(3,p) Groups

Long’s project seeks more complete information about a question arising from the intersection of the fields of algebra and topology, which is the study of properties that are preserved through the deformation, twisting and stretching of objects. This project seeks to extend, refine and reframe algebraic information about two infinite families of mathematical groups — the Qd(p) groups and the PSL(3, p) groups, where p is an odd prime. Long hopes to do so in such a way as to obtain more complete information about the ways these groups transform objects built from spheres; provide valuable information about these interesting groups; and develop techniques that can be used to obtain further information about groups with similar structures.

Dr. Brian Oswald – Forestry and Spatial Science, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture

Using Chemical Analysis and GIS to Differentiate between Two East Texas Pine Species and their Hybrids

Oswald’s research will focus on the hybridization between loblolly pine and shortleaf pine along the western edge of the southern forests in Texas. The study will investigate whether differences are occurring in the older overstory canopy trees and those that are younger on the same sites. Using plots from the northeast corner of Texas to south of Conroe, it also is anticipated that locations where these potential differences occur may be influenced by geographic position. This is a preliminary study that Oswald hopes will open avenues to broader investigations.

Dr. Brook Poston – Department of History, College of Liberal and Applied Arts

Curse of the Country: James Monroe’s War against Political Parties

Poston’s research focuses on President Monroe’s mostly successful attempt at eliminating the Federalist Party as a political entity and, subsequently, forever eliminate parties from American political life. Poston will complete an archival research trip to consult the unpublished Monroe documents collected by Dan Preston in addition to other resources as he prepares his manuscript.

Dr. Matibur Zamadar – Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Sciences and Mathematics

Developing a Multifunctional Treatment Solution of TMPyP/DHN/Fe(III) ions for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Zamadar will research a multifunctional treatment solution to determine its potential in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Other potential uses include being utilized in conjunction with other therapeutic methods to combat tumors and as an alternative for lessening the negative side effects of chemotherapy drugs.

Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning drama “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” comes to W.M. Turner Auditorium April 30 through May 4 as part of the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre’s Mainstage Series.

Directed by SFA’s Playwright-in-Residence Jack Heifner, the play is about a southern family in crisis.

Set in the plantation home in the Mississippi Delta of Big Daddy Pollitt, a wealthy cotton tycoon, the play examines the relationships among members of Big Daddy’s family, primarily between his son Brick and “Maggie the Cat,” Brick’s wife.

“‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’ is one of Williams’ most famous plays, winning him his second Pulitzer Prize,” Heifner said, adding the other Pulitzer was for “A Streetcar Named Desire.” “The production is about a night that changes the lives of the characters, and it involves many tense emotional situations.

“It was Williams’ favorite play,” Heifner said. “It hasn’t been performed at SFA since 1989 – 30 years ago. I’ve always loved the play and have taught it in classes for 20 years, but I’ve never directed it. I thought it was about time. The themes of the play are universal, but most of all, it’s a play about a family in crisis.”

Brick, the alcoholic son and former athlete, is haunted by the death of his best friend and his guilt about their relationship. Maggie, his wife, longs for the husband who doesn’t ignore her and craves financial security after a life of struggle. Big Daddy, his father who is unaware he is dying of cancer, has a passion for living and is proud of the accomplishments he has made in his life. Gathered for the celebration of Big Daddy’s 65th birthday, the family’s conflicts are suddenly exposed in an explosive series of confrontations about money that forces the family to part with the lies that have shielded them from reality.

The play takes place in real time, and the action is continuous, Heifner said. Although there are two intermissions, the play takes place in exactly the same time span as the characters that are living it. Overlapping sounds and actions create some challenges in directing, Heifner explained.

“Another challenge is dealing with iconic characters from the world of Tennessee Williams,” he said. “They are well known; audiences know the names ‘Big Daddy’ and ‘Big Mama.’ ‘Maggie the Cat’ is probably one of the hardest and most famous roles Williams ever wrote for an actor. The play is a challenge for the actors involved, both emotionally and physically.”

The Southern accents and the physicality of the production, including a character that is pregnant, another with a broken foot and another with a terminal disease, provide additional challenges for the student actors.

Heifner describes the play as “an American theatre classic” that should be seen by anyone who is interested in good theatre. However, it is for mature audiences, meaning there is strong language, the use of alcohol, a discussion of sexual situations and an impending death.

“Audiences will gain a greater appreciation for Tennessee Williams and experience excitement from watching our young actors grow and learn,” Heifner said.

“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, April 30 through May 4, in Turner Auditorium in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive, on the SFA campus.

Single tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7.50 for youth. Tickets for SFA students are $5. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.theatre.sfasu.edu.