What is EPSCoR?The National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate

Competitive Research (EPSCoR) is a federal program that builds research

capacity in smaller states to spur competitiveness, scientific discovery

and economic development.

West Virginia is one of 31 eligible states and territories.

The mission of EPSCoR is to assist the National Science Foundation in its statutory function "to strengthen research and education in science and engineering throughout the United States and to avoid undue concentration of such research and education." EPSCoR goals are:

a) to provide strategic programs and opportunities for EPSCoR participants that stimulate sustainable improvements in their R&D capacity and competitiveness;

b) to advance science and engineering capabilities in EPSCoR jurisdictions for discovery, innovation and overall knowledge-based prosperity.

“A flexible driver for unique state resources”

West Virginia at a glancePopulation, 2011 estimate 1,855,364

White 94.1%White, Non-Hispanic 93.0%Black 3.5%Am. Indian/Alaskan Native 0.2%Asian 0.7%Native HI and Pac. Islanders > 0.1%Hispanic/Latino 1.3%

 Bachelor’s degree, age 25+ 17.3% HS graduation rate in 2011 77.3%Median household income $38,380 Persons below poverty level 17.4% Land Area in sq. miles 24,038

Persons per sq. mile 77.1

West Virginia GDP 66.8 billion State Budget for FY 2013 $11.6 billion

Major IndustriesChemicals, biotechnology, tourism, energy production,timber

178 West Virginia Regional Innovation ParticipantsGeneral Tech, Biometrics, Biotech, Materials & Chemicalsand Energy

Chancellor

Vice Chancellor for Science and ResearchWVEPSCoR State Director

USDA EPA NASAEPSCoR

NSFResearch

InfrastructureImprovement

DOEEPSCoR

DODEPSCoR

NIHIDeA

External Technical Advisory Board

Science and Research Advisory Council

Higher Education Policy Commission

Governor

Education,Human Resource

Developmentand Outreach

WorkforceEvaluation

Universities, PUI’s, CTS’s

Interdisciplinary ResearchTeams

AdministrationDiversity

Administration

VISION2015VISION 2015 is the strategic framework of actions and initiatives that position West Virginia to achieve measurable growth in research and technology-based economic development.

Fourteen goals in five categories will be coordinated by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the Science and Research Council and the West Virginia Development Office, in conjunction with the business community and higher education institutions.

West Virginia’s Blueprint for Technology-Based Economic Development –

recommends West Virginia’s focus on four technology platforms

Energy and Energy-Related Technology;

Materials Science and Chemicals;

Identification, Security and Sensing Technology (Biometrics);

Molecular Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Targeted Delivery Systems.(Biotechnology)

Federal and State Research Investments in West Virginia Higher Education

FBI Fingerprint Center Clarksburg, WV

3,000 employees

Biometrics Fusion Center Bridgeport, WV

DoD

Cyberinfrastructure

Dr. Feruz Ganikhanov

Dr. Cerasela Zoica Dinu

Dr. Michael Xiaodong Shi

West Virginia Regional Technology Park

Executive Summary Consensus opinions from the EPSCoR 2030 Workshop

The report summarizes background, issues, consensus opinions and a series of five major recommendations that grew out of the workshop. Consensus opinions include:

Consensus EPSCoR research universities are a vital resource that can and must be employed as the States tackles S&T issues impacting the ability of the country to compete in high-tech global markets. Any national research agenda that ignores or diminishes the role of half the states is an agenda that makes a serious omission by excluding highly productive and important components of the nation’s R&D capability.

Consensus There are challenges where EPSCoR institutions have the experience that can help NSF and nation including energy, climate variation, health, defense and homeland security and cyberinfrastructure.

Consensus opinions Continued

Consensus While the NSF EPSCoR investment has fueled incredible advancements in building research infrastructure, both NSF and the EPSCoR states need to better articulate the need for and achievements of the NSF (and federal-wide) EPSCoR and IDeA efforts.

Consensus One of EPSCoR’s strengths is that state committees, universities and faculty are committed to scientific and engineering excellence.

Consensus EPSCoR’s current award mechanisms could be modified to better reflect new NSF priorities, reduce the emphasis on funding multiple activities with a single award, focus funding on achieving critical needs in science and infrastructure and allow groups of EPSCoR researchers to better pool the expertise which EPSCoR already has developed in areas like water, energy, and cyberinfrastructure.

Executive Summary Recommendations from the EPSCoR 2030 Workshop

Since NSF EPSCoR research is critical to the nation’s science and technology policy, NSF must continue to expand its EPSCoR funding and overall support in order to guarantee this program’s relevance.

NSF EPSCoR should return to its original focus of increasing research capacity.

NSF should use EPSCoR states and their research institutions as a test bed for new agency initiatives taking advantage of their size, diversity and nimble structures.

NSF and EPSCoR institutions must act now to develop a robust cyberinfrastructure to ensure that faculties are, and remain, competitive.

The “EPSCoR success story” must be better told in the national interest.