Story by Kayla VonBurg-King
Dr. Yi “Jason” Hua, an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, has been honored with the Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, marking the first time in 17 years a faculty member from the School of Engineering has received this accolade.
The Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards, facilitated by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), are designed to enrich the research skills and professional growth of young faculty members at ORAU member institutions. These competitive research awards provide seed money, often leading to additional funding. Each ORAU member institution is limited to two nominations per year, highlighting the significance of Hua’s selection among potential candidates. Hua was awarded $5,000, with an additional $5,000 matched by the university for a one-year grant to support his research initiatives.
Dr. Hua’s research proposal addresses critical issues in the treatment of glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. His project focuses on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of retinal ganglion cell loss in glaucoma, aiming to foster a deeper understanding that could lead to more effective treatments.
Hua did not expect to win this prestigious award and initially thought he was being rejected when he received the acceptance email. “The notification e-mail did not say ‘congratulations’ in the first line, so I thought I didn’t get it. As I kept reading, I eventually saw that I had won,” he reflected. “The award is very competitive, so it was a great surprise.”
Support from the University of Mississippi was crucial in Dr. Hua’s successful award bid. He praised the tremendous support from his department chair, Dr. Dwight Waddell, and the collaborative environment Waddell fostered in the department. Dr. Hua also commended Dr. Glenn Walker, the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Education at the School of Engineering. Notably, Dr. Walker was the first person Dr. Hua spoke with after receiving the award news and the one who initially informed him about the opportunity.
“I am excited that Dr. Hua won this award because it will further his research program and bolster ongoing efforts in the School of Engineering,” Walker remarked. “The School of Engineering encourages and promotes experiential learning opportunities for all undergraduates, and Dr. Hua’s award provides such an opportunity by allowing students to participate in research that could benefit glaucoma patients.”
Additionally, Dr. Hua expressed his gratitude for the invaluable assistance from Jason Hale at the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) since he joined Ole Miss in January 2023. He found the workshops and seminars organized by ORSP particularly useful, especially for junior faculty like himself.
The preliminary results included in this proposal were produced by two talented undergraduate students, Lydia Miller and Krish Patel, from the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Their hard work and dedication were instrumental in making this award possible.
This award underscores the University of Mississippi’s commitment to fostering a supportive environment for research among its junior faculty, promoting innovative studies that have the potential to make significant impacts in their fields. Dr. Hua’s project is expected to bridge gaps in current understanding and contribute to the development of new preventive methods and treatments for glaucoma, aiming to ultimately prevent vision loss from this disease.
For more information on Dr. Hua’s research, visit https://www.visionlaboratory.org/.