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Background

RI EPSCoR Mission and Initiatives

RI EPSCoR’s mission to create lasting improvement in Rhode Island’s research infrastructure has three key goals:

Advance statewide innovation by strengthening Rhode Island's basic science and engineering research capacity
Increase efforts to convert ideas into jobs through technology commercialization
Address Rhode Island’s workforce needs by enhancing science and engineering training and education for students.

RI EPSCoR creates initiatives that address each of these areas by sponsoring programs, receiving grants, and making necessary connections between industry and researchers. Those initiatives are:

Research Focus Area — developing the state's research strength in the life sciences
Education and Outreach — enhancing K-16 education in STEM disciplines
Industry Connections — promoting technology commercialization with local industries

NSF and EPSCoR

In 1978, the National Science Foundation founded the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). EPSCoR stimulates sustainable improvements in academic science and technology infrastructure in states that receive low levels of NSF research funds. These investments create a foundation for economic growth based on science and technology. Several other agencies have also developed EPSCoR or EPSCoR-like programs.

EPSCoR in Rhode Island

Rhode Island became an EPSCoR state in February 2004 following a successful $200,000 planning grant proposal led by the University of Rhode Island and Brown University. This initial proposal involved a three-tiered strategy for research infrastructure improvement:

Develop the state's emerging research strength in life sciences
Enhance K-16 education in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)
Promote technology commercialization with local industries.

The planning process proved invaluable in identifying Rhode Island's research strengths, potential barriers to success and the critical next steps for developing research capacity to drive the state’s economic development.

Encouraging Research Partnerships & Collaboration

This planning process helped to cement a partnership between URI and Brown that leveraged their planned $180 million investment in life science research facilities. URI and Brown recognized that neither institution alone had sufficient capacity to create a globally competitive life science research enterprise. Rhode Island could only succeed by leveraging shared resources and by synthesizing the unique capabilities of Rhode Island’s 11 institutions of higher education.

The forging of a true research partnership between these institutions has had a profound impact on both institutions and the state.

RI EPSCoR Leadership

Rhode Island’s collaborative research network is represented by the state's two standing governance and advisory committees:

Science and Technology Advisory Council: The Rhode Island Science and Advisory Council (STAC) provides oversight and governance for the program. Its Governor-appointed membership includes key leadership from government, local industry and institutions of higher learning. STAC ensures that EPSCoR-funded programs are integrated and aligned with the state's research infrastructure and economic development objectives.

RI EPSCoR Advisory Council: The RI EPSCoR Advisory Council serves in an advisory capacity to the RI EPSCoR program and STAC. The Council is composed of individuals representing all 11 Rhode Island institutions of higher education who have expertise in life-science research, K-16 education initiatives and workforce development.

Dr. Edythe Anthony, Chair, Department of Biology, Rhode Island College
Dr. John Costello, Department of Biology, Providence College
Dr. William Ferrante, Associate Provost, New England Institute of Technology
Dr. Laura Galligan, Science Department Chair, Johnson & Wales University
Pamela Harrington, Director of Corporate, Foundation and Government Relations, Rhode Island School of Design
Dr. Dan McNally, Chair, Department of Science and Technology, Bryant College
Dr. Lonnie Guralnick, Assistant Dean of Math and Natural Sciences, Roger Williams University
Dr. Jaqueline F. Webb, Professor & Coordinator, Marine Biology Program, University of Rhode Island
Dr. Valerie Wilson, Associate Dean, Graduate School & Director, Leadership Alliance, Brown University
Dr. Peter Woodberry, Dean of Business, Science and Technology, Community College of Rhode Island
Dr. Lisa A. Zuccarelli, Chair, Department of Biology and Biomedical Sciences & Department of Chemistry, Salve Regina University

RI EPSCoR Partners

Many of Rhode Island's institutions of higher learning specialize in fields that have great potential to advance the state's life sciences research. Drawing on these resources, RI EPSCoR is creating new interdisciplinary research teams with the potential to be globally competitive. RI EPSCoR's partner institutions include:

In addition to institutions of research and higher learning, organizations instrumental in connecting research to the marketplace include:

RI EPSCoR works closely with the RI Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC). STAC assists Rhode Island's public and private sector leadership in strengthening the state's research platform, attracting and retaining serial entrepreneurs, and facilitating collaborative innovation and public/private partnerships.