Success Stories

Libby Metcalf, a University of Montana professor of forestry and co-lead of Montana NSF EPSCoR's Smart Fires project, recently was announced as dean of UM’s W.A. College of Forestry and Conservation. Metcalf becomes the first female dean in the college’s 112-year history, marking a milestone for Montana’s cornerstone forestry and conservation unit that delivers statewide and national impact.

DOE designates Idaho National Laboratory as its leading institution for critical research, development, and demonstration efforts concerning used nuclear fuel management.

Pips Veazey, inaugural director of the University of Maine Portland Gateway, is helping strengthen Maine’s research ecosystem by building new partnerships and expanding R&D networks statewide and nationally.

In this profile, she shares how her experience leading large, interdisciplinary initiatives is shaping the future of collaboration through Maine EPSCoR and the NSF E-CORE RII Maine-SMART project.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Engineering has secured a $37 million NASA contract to develop a state-of-the-art freezer that will enable the return of temperature-sensitive materials from the moon and the Gateway Space Station to Earth.

Belhaven University recently secured about $572,600 in external funding, including grants supported by the Mississippi INBRE and EPSCoR programs.

KEARNEY – Two University of Nebraska at Kearney employees were among Kearney’s first Inspire Award winners recognizing outstanding women in business, education, health care and community service. Dr. Julie Shaffer, UNK senior vice chancellor for Academic Affairs, received the Excellence in Education award. Renae Zimmer, UNK director of Student Engagement and Leadership, earned the Community Partner award.

Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine has been awarded a 5-year, $12 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to establish a center of excellence and multidisciplinary research program for implementation science—an emerging discipline in biomedical research that focuses on effectively moving scientific evidence into healthcare policy and practice.

A quantum research project led by The University of New Mexico in collaboration with national labs and universities around the country was awarded a $4 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) program to continue research into the design and future development of a photonic quantum computer.

A $20 million cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation has allowed the University of Guam to conduct research to restore Guam’s coral reef ecosystems and establish coral nurseries to replenish corals damaged by rising sea temperatures, sedimentation and pollution. The funding, known as EPSCoR—the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research—began in 2020.

Dong Zhang, an assistant professor at the Gallogly College of Engineering, has been awarded a highly prestigious CAREER Award by the National Science Foundation (NSF), an early-career recognition that comes with a five-year, $556,000 grant to study next-generation batteries.