The students at KU can expect to be the beneficiaries of a major grant awarded to J. Michael Ashley by the National Science Foundation. The grant is from the NSF Career program, intended to enhance the careers of junior faculty members through both teaching and research components. That involves not just publication but also integrating what I've learned into what I teach the students. My goal is for students to apply what I've taught them to improve the way we use computers. The money will assist in obtaining computer equipment and hire students to help in the basic research.
Software dies all the time.
And what that is saying is that even after 30 or 40 years, we still don't know how to write bug-free programs. The most tangible outcomes for Ashley, though, are the possible benefits his students will gain from his research. The public perception is that research and education are conflicting goals. The fact is that unless faculty are engaged in research, they are teaching dated material from old notes. This grant and the research it funds will improve the quality of the education I deliver to students.