Sacramento State’s science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, programs got a boost this past year from President Barack Obama’s 2009 stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

About eight Sac State STEM projects have been awarded more than $1 million in stimulus funds since last year.

The projects focused primarily on outreach, teaching and STEM research efforts.

The California State University system as a whole received $62 million in stimulus funds to support roughly 200 STEM projects on 22 campuses, according to a CSU press release.

The funds augmented more than $300 million of other ongoing federal funding that helps the CSU advance education and research in science and engineering.

Some of the projects focused on health, such as Sac State chemistry professor Katherine McReynold’s biomedical research funded by $17,664 from the stimulus fund.

“The award provided stipends and supplies for two undergraduate students to assist with research for the summer last year and part of this year,” McReynolds said. “This allowed those students to focus on their research full time, instead of having to get non-chemistry summer jobs.”

If successful, the research would lead to anti-viral drugs to treat and prevent certain diseases, such as HIV, McReynolds said.

Other stimulus-funded Sac State projects went toward a study of computer security, a math-teaching program, equipment and post-graduate work for biochemistry projects and 48 work-study jobs.

Almost $900,000 supported two National Science Foundation grants that upgraded analytical tools for chemical, biochemical and atmospheric research.

A $257,795 award to Sac State chemistry professor Brad Baker had a major research focus, which is examining how much of a particular family of chemical compounds are emitted by plants, said Sean Kearns, science communications adviser for the CSU chancellor’s office.

“It’s examining the levels of sesquiterpenes in the atmosphere, which is a group of naturally occurring hydrocarbons involved in pheromones and other plant physiology,” Kearns said. “Sesquiterpenes have been of intense interest to pharmaceutical researchers. Some have been shown to inhibit tumors.”

Three stimulus awards for STEM projects were given during the 2008-09 awards period, said David Earwicker, assistant vice president for research administration and contract administration.

Two went to the chemistry department, and one toward a teacher education project.

About eight awards were given during the 2009-10 period, but the cut off date is Sept. 30, which means additional grants could be on the way.

Earwicker declined to say which projects could qualify for the grants.

“I don’t want to jinx it by saying which projects could qualify, but the proposals are out there,” Earwicker said. “At this late date, we’re not overly optimistic. We’re just quietly waiting.”

While additional stimulus funds for STEM projects is uncertain, it is clear that research professionals have paved the way for growth in science fields.

“Sac State has been designated an emerging research institute by a National Academy of Sciences cooperative. What this means is that there’s expanded capacity to pursue federal funding for our research,” said Sac State spokeswoman Kimberly Nava.

Other campuses that received stimulus funding in the past year for STEM research are CSU, Stanislaus, San Jose State, San Diego State, CSU, Monterey Bay, Fresno State, CSU, Los Angeles, CSU, Fullerton, San Francisco State, CSU, Northridge, Cal Poly, Pomona, CSU, Long Beach and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Ken Paglia can be reached at [email protected].