(KLZA)-- The Rural Futures Institute has announced nine teaching and research grants worth almost $400,000--including one involving two Peru State College professors.

Peru State College Professor of Business, Dr. Sheri Grotrian-Ryan and Professor of Kinesiology, Dr. Kyle Ryan, are attached to a project based in Nebraska City focused on obesity education for post-secondary students.

The Rural Futures Institute noted the project was a collaborative project to combat the epidemic of rural pediatric obesity. University of Nebraska at Omaha Assistant Professor Danae Dinkel and Peru State College Professors Kyle Ryan and Sheri Grotrian-Ryan are working with schools and community-based organizations in Nebraska City to create a service-learning course for undergraduate students.

Ryan notes that, even though the obesity epidemic has been well chronicled, many are unaware of the circumstances that make combating rural obesity more challenging.

The grants build on RFI’s successful Competitive Awards program that so far has funded 50 teaching and research projects in more than 100 Nebraska communities.