The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the University of Maine more than $700,000 to host the 27th NSF EPSCoR National Conference in Portland next year.

The national EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) conference is proposed for November 2021. According to UMaine, in a news release, the conference theme, “Translating Stakeholder Needs into Impactful Research Outcomes,” will engage audiences from different sectors, disciplines and jurisdictions, including state legislators, congressional representatives, federal employees, jurisdictional project directors and administrators, as well as members of EPSCoR state committees, scientists, junior faculty members, and students.

EPSCoR aims to increase research capacity, strengthen STEM education, and advance science and engineering in jurisdictions that have historically received limited funding from NSF. The 27th NSF EPSCoR National Conference will support this overall mission, according to UMaine.

“We are very pleased that the University of Maine is hosting this important and very significant event designed to bring together our stakeholders across all 28 jurisdictions,” said Loretta Moore, who serves as the section head of NSF EPSCoR. “The selected theme is important in facilitating our vision of advanced research competitiveness, and this meeting will create tailored opportunities for all participants to engage.”

The conference will not only provide the necessary tools and inspiration for EPSCoR communities to create national change, but also encourage EPSCoR jurisdictions to find new and innovative ways to impact their home states and territories, according to Shane Moeykens, director of Maine EPSCoR, which is based at the University of Maine.

Workshops and information sessions will focus on broadening community participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), economic development, commercialization, best practices for virtual delivery of curricular content to underrepresented communities, and more. 

Students from EPSCoR jurisdictions will present their research, and research outcomes achieved through community science engagement will be showcased. This conference will also offer opportunities to explore new ideas, build collaborations, and gain new skills, which will result in increased research and education capacity in EPSCoR jurisdictions across the nation, including Maine.

“We are delighted to be hosting this event, and appreciate NSF’s confidence in selecting us to serve in this leadership role for the 27th NSF EPSCoR National Conference,” said Kody Varahramyan, UMaine Vice President of Research and dean of the graduate school.

More information on the national conference will be available on the Maine EPSCoR website closer to the event.
 
About the University of Maine:
The University of Maine, founded in Orono in 1865, is the state's land grant, sea grant and space grant university. It is located on Marsh Island in the homeland of the Penobscot Nation. As Maine's flagship public university, UMaine has a statewide mission of teaching, research and economic development, and community service. UMaine is the state's only public research university and among the most comprehensive higher education institutions in the Northeast. It attracts students from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. UMaine currently enrolls 11,561 undergraduate and graduate students who have opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research with world-class scholars. UMaine offers more than 100 degree programs through which students can earn master's, doctoral or professional science master's degrees, as well as graduate certificates. The university promotes environmental stewardship, with substantial efforts campuswide to conserve energy, recycle and adhere to green building standards in new construction. For more information about UMaine, visit umaine.edu.