Howard Payne University was recently notified that the university has been selected as a recipient of a $90,000 Department Grant from the Robert A. Welch Foundation. The grant will be distributed over the next three years beginning in June 2025. The Welch Foundation is committed to the mission of “Advancing Chemistry and Improving Life” through grant-making in several capacities, all relating to chemistry.

“We are excited for this opportunity that HPU has received,” said Dr. Dennis Gibson, associate professor of chemistry and department chair of physical sciences. “This grant will allow HPU’s students the opportunity to work on cutting edge research projects and network with professionals in their fields of study.”

The Department Grant opportunity from the Welch Foundation is awarded to universities that support research in chemistry and closely related fields by departmental faculty members and provide an opportunity for students to gain experience in laboratory research. 

“The Welch Foundation has a distinguished heritage of supporting chemistry research across the nation,” said Dr. Dale Meinecke, vice president for advancement. “It is an honor for Howard Payne University to be recognized by the foundation and receive this grant.”

Through funding from the grant, the HPU Chemistry Department will be able to provide students with the tools they need to gain and develop an interest in pursuing a career in chemistry. This funding will support students with scholarships, lab equipment and chemicals, as well as travel to meetings and conferences. 

The Welch grant will fund programs for university students like HPU’s Summer Research Symposium and allow for more students to participate. The symposium is a four-week program during which students research a current topic in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Last year’s projects included: extracting and testing novel fluorescent probes for understanding the formation of microplastics; researching the development of an alternative to inhibit the growth of bacteria in preservative-free eye drops; derivatizing the structure of Naloxone to create an alternative drug for preventing opioid overdoses; and optimizing a new extraction technique of a common bio-polymer.

For more information about the HPU School of Science and Mathematics, visit www.hputx.edu/sosm.