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.

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.

NASA EPSCoR Investments in Maine

Maine has been a recipient of NASA EPSCoR funding since the state became eligible in 2000. NASA EPSCoR investments to date are listed below.

2000 NASA EPSCoR Program

2006 NASA EPSCoR Planning Grants

2006 NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development

On May 31, 2007 NASA released the 2007 NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice for the NASA EPSCoR program. Each eligible NASA EPSCoR state may submit two research proposals by the July 10th deadline. However, a state may receive only one award of up to $750,000 over a three-year period. NASA has funds to make 20 awards. There are 25 eligible NASA EPSCoR states.

As outlined in the 2006 NASA EPSCoR Planning Grant proposal, the larger scale research funds will be targeted to faculty at the University of Maine and the University of Southern Maine. Moreover, although the research topics awarded in the 2006 NASA EPSCoR planning grants were to be consider for the 2007 NASA EPSCoR research funding, each institution is permitted to consider other proposals for potential selection as the one proposal from the institution to be submitted in response to the 2007 NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice. Each institution is implementing an internal review process to select the one research topic and research team.

Under the 2007 NASA Cooperative Agreement Notice the Maine Space Grant Consortium is the applicant. If an award is made, the institution would receive a subrecipient award from the Consortium. We are working with each institution's Director of Research Administration and faculty to prepare the proposals.