EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation

New Executive Director of the Foundation

Posted on October 29th, 2008 at 6:15pm

Joseph G. Danek, Ph.D. recently announced he has stepped down as Executive Director of the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that works with states that historically received lesser amounts of Federal research money. Dr. Danek will remain active in the Foundation as the Senior Advisor and will continue to serve as the Senior Vice President of The Implementation Group, Inc., an education and research-consulting firm. He had been Executive Director of the Foundation since 1996.

Jim Hoehn, Senior Associate at the Foundation since 2003, is the new Executive Director. “Jim is exceptionally well qualified and a great choice to assume the role of Executive Director,” said Dr. Danek.

“No one deserves more credit than Joe Danek for building the Federal-wide Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR),” said Paul Hill, Chairman of the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation Board.

Dr. Danek created the first EPSCoR program in 1979, while at the National Science Foundation. He was instrumental in expanding the concept to six other Federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health version called the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program. Total EPSCoR/IDeA budgets have grown from $8 million in 1990 to over $400 million in fiscal year 2008, Dr. Hill said.

The purpose of the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation, and the Federal programs by the same name, is to ensure that public research funds develop research and education capacity and competitiveness in science, technology, education, and mathematics (STEM) in all states, and that all regions benefit from new discoveries in science and their applications. At a time when Congress and the Administration is focused on strengthening America’s economic competitiveness, security, and the workforce, it is increasingly important that all states and regions contribute their scientific expertise to advance the nation’s well being.

“Dr. Danek is a hard act to follow, but I have had the benefit of working with him for many years on EPSCoR, both in and out of government” said Mr. Hoehn, who became Executive Director effective August 1.

As the Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of The Implementation Group, Dr. Danek will concentrate his efforts on expanding the company and working with universities, schools, and non-profit organizations to increase their competitiveness for Federal research and education funding. The Implementation Group is one of four Van Scoyoc Companies.

“EPSCoR has been a big part of my life for many, many years, and I’ll miss the daily interaction with the dedicated leaders and talented faculty in the states. I have been extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to be involved in the development and growth of the EPSCoR/IDeA programs. The program and the people engaged in EPSCoR/IDeA have stimulated remarkable changes in the capacity and competitiveness of the participating states and jurisdictions. It’s been a learning experience and an exciting ride,” Dr. Danek observed.

Prior to joining the EPSCoR/ IDeA Foundation and The Implementation Group, Dr. Danek spent 26 years at the National Science Foundation. In addition to directing the NSF EPSCoR program, he managed the NSF’s large scale K-12 systemic reform programs and programs for broadening participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Md. and his Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Before coming to the EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation, Mr. Hoehn spent more than 30 years in various capacities at the National Science Foundation, including as head of the NSF EPSCoR Office starting in 1998 and as Chair of the EPSCoR/IDeA Interagency Coordinating Committee from 1998 to 2003. Earlier, Mr. Hoehn had oversight of NSF’s Congressionally mandated evaluations of academic research equipment, instrumentation, and funding.

Twenty-five states plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands participate in EPSCoR/IDeA programs. The states are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.