{"id":41364,"date":"2026-02-11T17:27:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T22:27:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/?p=41364"},"modified":"2026-02-11T17:31:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T22:31:14","slug":"january-2026-funding-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/2026\/02\/january-2026-funding-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"Research in Focus: January 2026 Funding Highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n<p>Faculty in the College of Natural Resources are advancing innovation through cutting-edge research that addresses critical environmental and natural resources challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each month, faculty secure funding from federal and state agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations, supporting initiatives in ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This report highlights the grants awarded in January 2026, showcasing projects that advance scientific understanding and deliver real-world solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Click on the projects listed below to learn more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#gambling-addictions-acc\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#gambling-addictions-acc\">Perceptions of Gambling and Betting Addictions Among ACC Student-Athletes and Administrators<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#geospatial-nps-r1-mod1\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#geospatial-nps-r1-mod1\">Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#rio-grande-cooter-nm\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#rio-grande-cooter-nm\">Continued Monitoring and Building Capacity for Conservation of State-Threatened Rio Grande (Western) Cooter in New Mexico<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#eastern-fire-net\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#eastern-fire-net\">Collaborative Research: Eastern Fire-Net \u2013 Frontiers in Understanding Novel Fire Systems in the Eastern U.S.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"gambling-addictions-acc\"><strong>Perceptions of Gambling and Betting Addictions Among ACC Student-Athletes and Administrators<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/bcclift\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/bcclift\/\">Bryan Clift<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)<br><strong>Awarded Amount:<\/strong>\u00a0$1,725<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0Since the legalization of online sports betting in 2024, gambling and sports betting have seen increasing online wagering. Some estimates have placed the percentage of college students engaging in sports betting as high as 75%. Prior research on gambling highlights that gambling issues among students can lead to feelings of guilt and depression, exacerbate other risky behaviors, lower social support, cause debt and even lead to suicidal ideation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Among college athletes and within college athletics, there is a limited understanding of how both students and administrators perceive it compared with other common addictive behaviors college students face. The psychological, academic and financial harm of sports gambling on college students is well-documented. However, because it is a newer phenomenon, administrators may not view it as a significant problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Existing research, including studies from the NCAA, has primarily focused on the quantitative aspects of student behavior. A new qualitative study could explore the perceptions of both student-athletes and administrators on sports gambling and other addictions. By gathering their subjective opinions, this research can provide the ACC with valuable insights to inform future programming, prevention, and educational efforts to address this growing issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"geospatial-nps-r1-mod1\"><strong>Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/geospatial\/people\/ross-meentemeyer\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/geospatial\/people\/ross-meentemeyer\/\">Ross Meentemeyer<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0U.S. National Park Service<br><strong>Amount Awarded:<\/strong>\u00a0$50,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong>&nbsp;Not available<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rio-grande-cooter-nm\"><strong>Continued Monitoring and Building Capacity for Conservation of State-Threatened Rio Grande (Western) Cooter in New Mexico<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/imali\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/imali\/\">Ivana Mali<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0New Mexico Department of Game and Fish<br><strong>Awarded Amount:<\/strong>\u00a0$45,000<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>This project will survey populations of the Western River Cooter to update their status in the Black River in Eddy County and the Pecos River in Chaves and Eddy counties in New Mexico. Researchers will capture turtles to collect basic biological information, with a focus on the Western River Cooter, to better understand the health of turtle populations in these river systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team will also study the turtles\u2019 habitat and, when needed, evaluate possible threats to their populations. Researchers will obtain all required permits for work in parks, wildlife refuges and on private land. They will also get written permission from landowners before sharing location information about any state or federally protected species found on private property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Population data from trapping surveys will be analyzed using established statistical methods that account for the fact that not every turtle in an area can be captured. This will allow researchers to estimate how many turtles live in each surveyed stretch of the Black and Pecos rivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, researchers will measure the body condition of individual turtles to assess their overall health and examine how different habitat conditions may affect it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"eastern-fire-net\"><strong>Collaborative Research: Eastern Fire-Net \u2013 Frontiers in Understanding Novel Fire Systems in the Eastern U.S.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/robert-scheller\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/robert-scheller\/\">Robert Scheller<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0National Science Foundation (NSF)<br><strong>Amount Awarded:<\/strong>\u00a0$195,959<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>The Eastern Fire Network, or EFNet, will bring together researchers, educators and partners to improve understanding of wildland fire in the eastern United States. Through ongoing collaboration, including annual workshops with stakeholder participation, EFNet will identify and organize the data needed to better understand what drives wildfires in the eastern U.S. The network will begin analyzing these data to help improve emergency preparedness at the local, regional and national levels.<\/p>\n\n\n<aside class=\"with-image wp-block-ncst-highlight\">\n    <h2 class=\"highlight__label\">Related<\/h2>\n    <a \n      href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/category\/research-innovation\/\"\n      class=\"highlight__link\"\n    >\n              <div class=\"highlight__image-container\">\n          <div class=\"highlight__image-background\">\n            <img \n              decoding=\"async\"\n              class=\"highlight__image wp-image-40498\"\n              src=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/10\/lokendra-pal-pulp-paper-lab-ncsu-1500x844-1.jpeg\"\n              alt=\"Man in safety goggles at a workstation in an industrial setting with machinery.\">\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n            <div class=\"highlight__text-container\">\n        <h3 class=\"highlight__heading\">Innovation in Action<\/h3>\n                  <p class=\"highlight__teaser\">College of Natural Resources faculty and students drive innovative research for a healthier, more sustainable planet.<\/p>\n                          <p class=\"highlight__cta\">\n            <span class=\"text\">Read more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"arrow-indicator\">\n              <svg class=\"wolficon\" role=\"img\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                <use xlink:href=\"#wolficon-arrow-right-bold\"><\/use>\n              <\/svg>\n            <\/span>\n          <\/p>\n              <\/div>\n    <\/a>\n  <\/aside>\n","protected":false,"raw":"<!-- wp:ncst\/dynamic-header {\"block\":\"ncst\/default-post-header\"} -->\n<!-- wp:ncst\/default-post-header {\"displayCategoryID\":3} \/-->\n<!-- \/wp:ncst\/dynamic-header -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Faculty in the College of Natural Resources are advancing innovation through cutting-edge research that addresses critical environmental and natural resources challenges.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Each month, faculty secure funding from federal and state agencies as well as nongovernmental organizations, supporting initiatives in ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and more.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This report highlights the grants awarded in January 2026, showcasing projects that advance scientific understanding and deliver real-world solutions.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Click on the projects listed below to learn more:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"#gambling-addictions-acc\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#gambling-addictions-acc\">Perceptions of Gambling and Betting Addictions Among ACC Student-Athletes and Administrators<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"#geospatial-nps-r1-mod1\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#geospatial-nps-r1-mod1\">Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1)<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"#rio-grande-cooter-nm\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#rio-grande-cooter-nm\">Continued Monitoring and Building Capacity for Conservation of State-Threatened Rio Grande (Western) Cooter in New Mexico<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><a href=\"#eastern-fire-net\" data-type=\"internal\" data-id=\"#eastern-fire-net\">Collaborative Research: Eastern Fire-Net \u2013 Frontiers in Understanding Novel Fire Systems in the Eastern U.S.<\/a><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3,\"levelOptions\":[2,3,4,5,6]} -->\n<h3 id=\"gambling-addictions-acc\"><strong>Perceptions of Gambling and Betting Addictions Among ACC Student-Athletes and Administrators<\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/bcclift\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/bcclift\/\">Bryan Clift<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)<br><strong>Awarded Amount:<\/strong>\u00a0$1,725<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong>\u00a0Since the legalization of online sports betting in 2024, gambling and sports betting have seen increasing online wagering. Some estimates have placed the percentage of college students engaging in sports betting as high as 75%. Prior research on gambling highlights that gambling issues among students can lead to feelings of guilt and depression, exacerbate other risky behaviors, lower social support, cause debt and even lead to suicidal ideation.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Among college athletes and within college athletics, there is a limited understanding of how both students and administrators perceive it compared with other common addictive behaviors college students face. The psychological, academic and financial harm of sports gambling on college students is well-documented. However, because it is a newer phenomenon, administrators may not view it as a significant problem.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Existing research, including studies from the NCAA, has primarily focused on the quantitative aspects of student behavior. A new qualitative study could explore the perceptions of both student-athletes and administrators on sports gambling and other addictions. By gathering their subjective opinions, this research can provide the ACC with valuable insights to inform future programming, prevention, and educational efforts to address this growing issue.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3,\"levelOptions\":[2,3,4,5,6]} -->\n<h3 id=\"geospatial-nps-r1-mod1\"><strong>Integrating Geospatial Capacity with Management and Operations in NPS Interior Region 1 (Mod1)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/geospatial\/people\/ross-meentemeyer\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/geospatial\/people\/ross-meentemeyer\/\">Ross Meentemeyer<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0U.S. National Park Service<br><strong>Amount Awarded:<\/strong>\u00a0$50,000<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Summary:<\/strong>&nbsp;Not available<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3,\"levelOptions\":[2,3,4,5,6]} -->\n<h3 id=\"rio-grande-cooter-nm\"><strong>Continued Monitoring and Building Capacity for Conservation of State-Threatened Rio Grande (Western) Cooter in New Mexico<\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/imali\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/imali\/\">Ivana Mali<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0New Mexico Department of Game and Fish<br><strong>Awarded Amount:<\/strong>\u00a0$45,000<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>This project will survey populations of the Western River Cooter to update their status in the Black River in Eddy County and the Pecos River in Chaves and Eddy counties in New Mexico. Researchers will capture turtles to collect basic biological information, with a focus on the Western River Cooter, to better understand the health of turtle populations in these river systems.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The team will also study the turtles\u2019 habitat and, when needed, evaluate possible threats to their populations. Researchers will obtain all required permits for work in parks, wildlife refuges and on private land. They will also get written permission from landowners before sharing location information about any state or federally protected species found on private property.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Population data from trapping surveys will be analyzed using established statistical methods that account for the fact that not every turtle in an area can be captured. This will allow researchers to estimate how many turtles live in each surveyed stretch of the Black and Pecos rivers.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Finally, researchers will measure the body condition of individual turtles to assess their overall health and examine how different habitat conditions may affect it.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":3,\"levelOptions\":[2,3,4,5,6]} -->\n<h3 id=\"eastern-fire-net\"><strong>Collaborative Research: Eastern Fire-Net \u2013 Frontiers in Understanding Novel Fire Systems in the Eastern U.S.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>PI:<\/strong>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/robert-scheller\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/directory\/robert-scheller\/\">Robert Scheller<\/a><br><strong>Direct Sponsor Name:<\/strong>\u00a0National Science Foundation (NSF)<br><strong>Amount Awarded:<\/strong>\u00a0$195,959<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Summary: <\/strong>The Eastern Fire Network, or EFNet, will bring together researchers, educators and partners to improve understanding of wildland fire in the eastern United States. Through ongoing collaboration, including annual workshops with stakeholder participation, EFNet will identify and organize the data needed to better understand what drives wildfires in the eastern U.S. The network will begin analyzing these data to help improve emergency preparedness at the local, regional and national levels.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ncst\/highlight {\"heading\":\"Innovation in Action\",\"teaser\":\"College of Natural Resources faculty and students drive innovative research for a healthier, more sustainable planet.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/category\/research-innovation\/\",\"callToAction\":\"Read more\",\"imageID\":40498,\"imageURL\":\"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2025\/10\/lokendra-pal-pulp-paper-lab-ncsu-1500x844-1.jpeg\",\"imageAlt\":\"Man in safety goggles at a workstation in an industrial setting with machinery.\"} \/-->"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover how faculty in the College of Natural Resources are advancing sustainability and driving solutions to complex global and community challenges through recently awarded grants.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":41369,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"displayCategoryID\":3,\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,102,3],"tags":[21,261,362,259,42,268],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-41364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hidden-news","category-hidden-newswire","category-research-innovation","tag-center-for-geospatial-analytics","tag-fer-research","tag-forestry-and-environmental-resources","tag-geospatial-analytics","tag-parks-recreation-and-tourism-management","tag-prtm-research"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":3,"name":"Research and Innovation","slug":"research-innovation","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":3,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Discover the innovative research our faculty and students devote themselves to year around. At the College of Natural Resources, we are working to create a healthier and more sustainable planet across various disciplines \u2014 including paper science and engineering, forest management and wildlife conservation, and parks, recreation and tourism management. ","parent":0,"count":165,"filter":"raw"},"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/171"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41364"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41374,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41364\/revisions\/41374"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41369"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41364"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cnr.ncsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=41364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}