Maine NASA EPSCoR Program

The goal of NASA EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) is to enable Maine and the other 24 eligible NASA EPSCoR states, with seed funding, to develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and aerospace-related research.  This capability will, in turn, contribute to the state's economic viability and expand the nation's base for aerospace research and development. Statistical Profiles of all states from NSF Science Resources Studies Division are available.

Specific objectives of the Maine NASA EPSCoR program:

• Contribute to and promote the development of research infrastructure in Maine in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission;

• Improve the capabilities of Maine to gain support from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program;

• Develop partnerships between NASA research assets, academic institutions, and industry;

• Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and/or economic development of the state; and

• Work in close coordination with the NASA Space Grant program to improve the environment for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education in the state.

Cooperative Agreements under NASA EPSCoR Research Announcements are awarded to the institution of the NASA EPSCoR/Space Grant Director. In Maine, this institution is the Maine Space Grant Consortium. NASA requires the NASA EPSCoR Director to serve as the Principal Investigator (PI). The faculty member who submits the EPSCoR proposal to the Consortium is considered the Science-PI. Individuals and individual institutions participating in a jurisdiction’s NASA EPSCoR project need not be members of the jurisdiction’s Space Grant Consortium.

The Maine Space Grant Consortium has oversight responsibility for the NASA EPSCoR Program.  The NASA Space Grant Director also serves as the State NASA EPSCoR Director. The Maine Space Grant Consortium, through the NASA Space Grant/EPSCoR Director, is responsible for the overall development and direction of the program, the activities of the research groups and/or individuals, construction of a timeline and milestones, achievement of program milestones, goals and objectives, and national dissemination of research results.  NASA EPSCoR funds are awarded to the Maine Space Grant Consortium, and subrecipient awards are made to participating institutions.

EPSCoR in Maine

A total of seven Federal agencies conduct EPSCoR programs; National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, NASA, and the National Institutes of Health. The Maine NSF EPSCoR Program is managed by the University of Maine. Maine EPSCoR is overseen by the Maine Science & Technology Advisory Council, a statewide steering committee representing Maine's education, research, and business communities, and state government.  The Council is under the auspices of Maine's Office of Innovation.

Current Competition

In anticipation of NASA releasing the 2012 EPSCoR Research Announcement for the NASA EPSCoR program, MSGC is inviting institutions to submit a short pre-proposal. It is expected that each eligible NASA EPSCoR state will submit two research proposals, for up to $750,000 per award for a three year period.

The following document can be downloaded to help you prepare your proposal:

2012 Maine/NASA call for Pre-proposals