In answer to the Targeted Excellence RFP that was extended in June 2007, 25 pre-proposals were received for consideration. Of these, 12 were chosen to submit full proposals, with 3 of those receiving funding. Recommendations regarding proposals to be funded were made to Provost Nellis by a panel of reviewers from on, and off, campus. This group was chaired by K-State Associate Professor Doris Wright-Carroll (Special Education, Counseling, and Student Affairs), with final allocations for funding as follows:
$850,000—Eduard Akhunov, Bikram Gill, Frank White, Karen Garrett, James Nelson, Susan Brown, Loretta Johnson, Michael Herman, Jianming Yu, Sanjeev Narayanan, Ludek Zurek, Doina Caragea, co-PIs
$640,000—Mo Hosni, Bryon Jones, Helmut Hirt, Andrew Smith, co-PIs
$515,000—Anthony Joern, David Hartnett, co-PIs