NSF invests $40M to strengthen STEM research capacity and workforce development across five EPSCoR jurisdictions
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced awards totaling approximately $40 million to support research and STEM workforce development in Delaware, Guam, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Vermont, according to a January 22 NSF press release. These grants are part of the NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR).
“Strengthening Partnerships for Advancing Research Capacity in Delaware” is led by the University of Delaware and delivered in partnership with the Delaware EPSCoR State Committee, Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College, Goldey-Beacom College, and Wilmington University. The award abstract, notes that the project is expected to strengthen the data and intellectual property infrastructure among the participating institutions, boost interdisciplinary team-based research, improve communication and access to STEM programming, and support entrepreneurial training.
“Optimizing Research Infrastructure in Guam” is led by the University of Guam in collaboration with Guam Community College. The project’s award abstract states the funding enables “student research experiences to employ a near-peer mentoring model that will provide mentorship uniting science, culture, and identity.” Additionally, the partners will work with Guam’s public and private research stakeholder community to assess the overall research enterprise and, through an Optimizing Research Infrastructure in Guam project funded by the award, increase collaboration across the institutions and private sector partners and industries to advance key elements of Guam’s Science and Technology Plan.
“Technology for Innovative Visualization, Aggregation & Training in Environmental Preparedness and Resilience for Kentucky” is led by Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation in partnership with Kentucky State University and AdvanceKentucky. The abstract suggests the project aims, after the lessons learned from a series of recent natural disasters hitting the state, to expedite the ability to identify, develop, and implement solutions to existing and rising challenges toward building resilience in Kentucky. Specifically, the abstract notes, “the team will work to increase the connectivity of the research ecosystem throughout the state, emphasize relevant career opportunities through its STEM workforce development efforts, and implement … a new interdisciplinary high school data and environmental science curriculum. … It is hoped the coordinated efforts and focus will help in attracting new technology companies to Kentucky.”
“Louisiana Networks of Excellence for Tomorrow” aims to “build and sustain strong networks of collaboration, communication, and partnership” among Louisiana’s more than 60 colleges to expand involvement in the research ecosystem, according to the award abstract. The funding will support Networks of Excellence in the S&T areas of materials and manufacturing, bioscience and biotechnology, energy solutions, and environmental solutions bolstered by the cross-cutting areas of data, computational science, and cybersecurity. Additional project activities include mentoring programs, competitive graduate student scholarships and fellowships, and K-12 outreach activities. The Louisiana Board of Regents will lead this initiative in partnership with Louisiana State University and A&M College, Louisiana Tech University, Southern University and A&M College, and the University of New Orleans.
“The Science and Technology Research Initiative for the Vermont Economy" (STRIVE), according to its award abstract, will "build S&T research capacity through training, increasing research opportunities, and creating new S&T jobs…. STRIVE will invest in research administrators, research scholars, improvements to a research farm, experiential learning opportunities, S&T research grants, professional development, and outreach activities." STRIVE is a collaboration between the lead institution Landmark College, Bennington College, and the Community College of Vermont.
Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Vermontnsf, stem