RTI International and Duke University are working together to drive new projects uniting researchers from both through what they are calling “Funds Launching Alliances for Research Exploration.”
Two projects are receiving $100,000 each to kick-start the partnership.
One focuses “on create a structure for conducting air quality assessments before shale gas fracking operations begin in a local area.”
The other will examine means “to improve nursing home care through patient-directed planning integrating resident values, choices and preferences.”
The awards were based on a request for proposal for research not already funded and are deemed to have the possibility on landing federal or other funding in the future.
“By joining forces with Duke, we have the opportunity to further new areas of research,” said RTI President CEO Wayne Holden. “The original intent was to fund one research project; however, we were very impressed by the project proposals that we decided to fund two projects that we believe can make a tremendous impact.”
Holden and Larry Carin, Duke’s Vice Provost for Research, made the announcement.
RTI and Duke’s Department of Economics and Nicholas School of the Environment will work on the fracking project.
“Researchers will document the ambient pollution before fracking starts, which is critical to accurately measuring the air quality effects of the practice,” RTI said. “The collected data will be merged with birth records, hospital records and schooling data to examine the impact of air toxics and particulate matter on fetal and child health.”
Duke’s Department of Sociology and School of Nursing and RTI’s Aging, Disability, and Long-term Care program will team up for the health project.
“The project aims to create a theoretical and an operational framework for person-directed assessment and care planning. After a year of theoretical framing and data collection, the group hopes to submit a proposal to the National Institute of Nursing Research,” RTI said.
