About EPSCoR
The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) was established by the National Science Foundation in 1979 to strengthen science and engineering infrastructure in states that historically have received less in federal research grants. There are now 27 states and 2 territories that have EPSCoR status. Since NH became an EPSCoR state in 2004, $92 million in federal grants have been awarded to build research capacity in New Hampshire.
In New Hampshire, the NSF NH EPSCoR program is based at the University of New Hampshire, administered by the UNH Senior Vice Provost for Research and a Statewide Committee composed of representatives from industry, academia and government. Research and outreach activities funded by the NSF EPSCoR awards in NH have created new collaborations between colleges and universities, with the private sector, and with K-12 educators.
The EPSCoR national program’s objectives are:
- To catalyze key research themes and related activities within and among EPSCoR jurisdictions that empower knowledge generation, dissemination and application
- To activate effective jurisdictional and regional collaborations among academic, government and private sector stakeholders that advance scientific research, promote innovation and provide multiple societal benefits
- To broaden participation in science and engineering by institutions, organizations and people within and among EPSCoR jurisdictions
- To use EPSCoR for development, implementation and evaluation of future programmatic experiments that motivate positive change and progression.
About this project
The project represented by this website and the database behind it touches on all four of EPSCoR’s primary objectives, with specific emphasis on number 2, by helping to develop and foster collaborations among and between a variety of institutions. In a small state like New Hampshire, the research community can still be separated into silos, making it quite difficult to find other researchers working on similar or complementary topics. The EPSCoR program is intended to help bring researchers together across boundaries. This website and database is intended to be a tool towards that end.
Currently in the “pilot project” phase, the website will become a searchable database of local researchers and snapshot of their relevant projects. The website and database will be used by others looking for collaborators, advice, or lessons learned. Eventually, other planned databases (such as one intended to house environmental data) will link from this current website, making searching for research and results much more streamlined and intuitive.
Take a look around and let us know what you think!