1

2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

Contents

22-2022 RID-0001..................................................................................................................................... 3

SC NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) 2022 - 2027............................................. 3

22-2022 RID-0002..................................................................................................................................... 3

South Dakota NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program......................................... 3

22-2022 RID-0003..................................................................................................................................... 4

NASA Oklahoma EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development............................................................. 4

22-2022 RID-0004..................................................................................................................................... 5

Iowa NASA EPSCoR Competitive Research Network (CoRN) .................................................................... 5

22-2022 RID-0005..................................................................................................................................... 6

Research Infrastructure Development (RID) in West Virginia .................................................................. 6

22-2022 RID-0006..................................................................................................................................... 7

The Kansas NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program.................................... 7

22-2022 RID-0007..................................................................................................................................... 7

ALASKA’S NASA EPSCoR Program 2022-2027 .......................................................................................... 7

22-2022 RID-0008..................................................................................................................................... 8

New Mexico NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID)................................................. 8

22-2022 RID-0009..................................................................................................................................... 9

Building Maine's New Space Economy ..................................................................................................... 9

22-2022 RID-0010................................................................................................................................... 10

North Dakota NASA EPSCoR: Promoting Research Infrastructure Development and Engagement in 

North Dakota.......................................................................................................................................... 10

22-2022 RID-0011................................................................................................................................... 11

PR NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development........................................................................ 11

22-2022 RID-0012................................................................................................................................... 12

The Hawaii NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program........................................... 12

22-2022 RID-0013................................................................................................................................... 12
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

Nevada NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development ............................................................... 12

22-2022 RID-0014................................................................................................................................... 13

NASA Kentucky EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program 2022-2026................... 13

22-2022 RID-0015................................................................................................................................... 15

The Vermont NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program........................................ 15

22-2022 RID-0016................................................................................................................................... 16

NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development in Louisiana......................................................... 16

22-2022 RID-0017................................................................................................................................... 17

A Plan for NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) in Delaware............................... 17

22-2022 RID-0018................................................................................................................................... 18

Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) - Research Infrastructure 

Development (RID) ................................................................................................................................. 18

22-2022 RID-0019................................................................................................................................... 18

Mississippi NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program (RID) .................................. 18

22-2022 RID-0020................................................................................................................................... 19

Arkansas NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) 2022 ........................................... 19

22-2022 RID-0021................................................................................................................................... 20

NEW HAMPSHIRE NASA EPSCoR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (2022-

2027)....................................................................................................................................................... 20

22-2022 RID-0022................................................................................................................................... 21

Montana NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program 2022-2026 .................. 21

22-2022 RID-0023................................................................................................................................... 22

NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) FY22-26 ..................................... 22

22-2022 RID-0024................................................................................................................................... 23

Alabama NASA EPSCoR FY2022 Research Infrastructure Development ................................................ 23

22-2022 RID-0025................................................................................................................................... 24

Idaho NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development 2022.......................................................... 24
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

22-2022 RID-0026................................................................................................................................... 25

Wyoming NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Proposal: 2022-2027................. 25

22-2022 RID-0027................................................................................................................................... 26

NASA EPSCoR in the Virgin Islands of the United States ........................................................................ 26

22-2022 RID-0028................................................................................................................................... 28

NASA Guam EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program.......................................... 28

22-2022 RID-0001

SC NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) 2022 - 2027

College of Charleston

Dr. Cassandra Runyon

The South Carolina Space Grant Consortium (SCSGC) requests $1,000,000 for its 2022-2027 NASA EPSCoR 

Research Infrastructure Development (RID) program to further research and improve the quality of South 

Carolinas future workforce. This RID program will provide support for research and subsequent proposal 

preparation for scientists, engineers and students working to fulfill NASAs mission requirements in support of 

NASAs Vision to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown. In South Carolina, the NASA EPSCoR programs 

goal is to foster academic research that enables faculty to meet NASA mission objectives and to develop a selfsustaining, nationally competitive research program that can successfully compete for non-EPSCoR funds. A 

partnership between the SC NASA EPSCoR / SC Space Grant Consortium (SCSGC) Office and the SC 

EPSCoR/IDeA program helps SC researchers to establish contacts with and access resources from NASA. The 

SC NASA EPSCoR opportunity provides seed grant support for competitively selected projects of benefit to 

both NASA and the South Carolina jurisdiction. Each proposal receives a high quality external peer review as a 

part of the competitive process. Those proposals selected for funding include strong research components, 

and successfully demonstrate: 1) strong NASA ties; 2) the significance of their research to SCs vision for 

competitiveness in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); and 3) make evident their 

potential for growth and sustainability.

22-2022 RID-0002

South Dakota NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Dr. Edward Duke

The goal of the South Dakota Research Infrastructure Development (RID) program is to promote competitive 

research and technology development in the state with an emphasis on areas of strategic importance to NASA. 

Attaining that goal requires close coordination among the states research institutions, government, industry, 
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

NASA Headquarters, and NASA research and development centers. In recent years NASA EPSCoR activities in 

South Dakota have become increasingly integrated with efforts of other EPSCoR and EPSCoR-like programs 

resulting in better overall alignment with the broader mission of nurturing and diversifying the nations 

scientific and engineering research enterprise.

The implementation strategy to achieve the four major objectives of the NASA EPSCoR Program focus on the 

major STEM Ph.D.-granting institutions in the state, but also seeks to develop collaborations between those 

institutions and the seven additional higher education affiliates of the SDSGC, which include two tribal 

universities, as well as with non-affiliated institutions. Because RID resources are limited, the allocation of 

these investments in the state is guided by the following criteria: (1) alignment with NASA R&D priorities, (2) 

development of NASA research contacts, (3) support for state R&D priorities, (4) formation of multi-institution 

collaborations, (5) meaningful involvement of Minority-Serving Institutions (Tribal College) in research, and (6) 

potential for economic development and industry partnerships.

SD NASA EPSCoR offers travel grants and seed grants (Research Initiation Grants) to promote development of 

new contacts and cooperative research ties with NASA Centers and/or Mission Directorates. Because South 

Dakota has limited university-based and industry-based aerospace R&D, a major focus of SD NASA EPSCoR is 

redirection of non-aerospace research assets to efforts that address research and technology development 

needs of NASA. In the solicitations for Research Initiation Grants and NASA EPSCoR major research awards, 

explicit emphasis is given to development of new or continuing partnerships among colleges and universities in 

the jurisdiction that will enhance the jurisdictions abilities to respond to the research and technology 

development needs of NASA.

This NASA EPSCoR RID program proposal outlines South Dakotas plan to continue to support improvement of 

the research environment in South Dakota and to further promote technology developments that align with 

NASAs strategic goals. SD NASA EPSCoR is well positioned to identify and cultivate new research collaborations 

within the state and with NASA that will increase the states capacity in STEM research and education and 

effectively address the critical research and development and economic development priorities of the state 

and NASA.

22-2022 RID-0003

NASA Oklahoma EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development

Oklahoma State University

Dr. Andrew Arena

The key central objectives of this proposal are to:

 - Initiate contacts and forge direct partnerships with scientists and researchers at the Mission Directorates, 

and/or one of more of the NASA Centers;

 - Promote collaborative research programs with the NASA Centers, Mission Directorates and Industry;

 - Initiate research activities in areas of strategic importance to the Agency; and Support undergraduate and 

graduate research experiences.
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

These objectives will be accomplished through the providing competitive opportunities for researchers in the 

state to receive travel grants and research initiation grants which will allow them to partner with NASA 

researchers. The partnerships are designed to build strength and increase competitiveness in research and 

technological development for universities in Oklahoma. Travel grants allow researchers to spend up to three 

days at a NASA center. Research Initiation grants provide a six-month period for researchers to develop 

experience and research capability while working with a NASA researcher. This will help awardees be more 

competitive for follow-on research with NASA Centers and NASA EPSCoR Implementation awards. Graduate 

and undergraduates will also be competitively selected for internship opportunities at NASA Centers and 

Oklahoma companies involved in NASA work.

Proposals selected for funding of travel grant and research initiation projects must align with the 2018 NASA 

Strategic Plan. This guarantees the proposal is significant to NASA interests and programs. Proposals which 

also align with Oklahomas 2021-2026 Science and Innovation Strategic plan receive higher evaluation weights.

22-2022 RID-0004

Iowa NASA EPSCoR Competitive Research Network (CoRN)

Iowa State University - Iowa Space Grant Consortium

Dr. Tomas Gonzalez-Torres

The Iowa NASA EPSCoR Competitive Research Network (CoRN) program focuses on continued building of core 

strengths needed to grow competitive research and technology development capabilities in Iowa that address 

scientific and technical problems of importance, as defined by NASA. CoRN seeks to coordinate with existing 

NASA-related research programs and industry contacts within the Iowa jurisdiction to stimulate research that 

aligns with one or more of the NASA Mission Directorates and supports growth efforts of the Iowa Economic 

Development Authority. The CoRN Research Infrastructure Development (RID) proposal focuses on: a) 

collaborative ventures between the states researchers and NASA researchers at the NASA field centers or 

headquarters (virtual or on-site), b) initiation of competitive research and technology development methods 

and activities, collaborations, publications, patents/licenses c) cultivation of a cadre of researchers that have a 

working knowledge of NASA programs and research goals that are capable of responding, d) development of a 

cadre of researchers with long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in aerospace and 

aerospace-related research, e) support of the Iowa Economic Development Authoritys efforts to strengthen 

the Iowa economy. 

The overall goals of this program are to build and grow functional relationships between Iowa researchers and 

the NASA Centers to foster development of joint research projects, and ultimately move to the next level of 

competitiveness in NASA-related research areas as well as STEM research in general. These goals are 

foundational to serve Iowas economic development through STEM research that can transfer to business and 

industry, and to a lesser degree, STEM workforce development, through student engagement in research 

efforts from EPSCoR (direct or indirect in service of transfer to business and industry thereby creating STEM 

jobs and careers) and subsequent work from sustaining programs. In pursuit of these goals, we plan to 

participate in Iowa research development symposia that bring together intra-state scholars and NASA 

researchers to better exchange ideas, explore emerging research areas, and to work more effectively with 
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

NASA Centers and offer competitive grants for a) research building seed grant funding for joint research 

projects within state of Iowa, and b) partnership development travel grants to build upon research connections 

made with NASA researchers, industry, and other research organizations within the Iowa jurisdiction that 

develop from the symposia.

The success of the CoRN RID would establish stronger research connections between Iowa researchers and 

NASA research by increasing awareness of NASA opportunities and NASA researchersefforts. These 

relationships are to then lead to an increased number of researchers working on NASA technical issues. Other 

anticipated outcomes are increased intra-state collaboration in the academic and industry communities in 

NASA-relevant areas. Outcomes would serve the EPSCoR mission of increasing research funding flow to Iowa.

22-2022 RID-0005

Research Infrastructure Development (RID) in West Virginia

NASA WV Space Grant Consortium

Dr. Majid Jaridi

The NASA West Virginia Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) requests $1,000,000 

for the fiscal years 2022-2026 for implementation of the West Virginia Research Infrastructure Development 

(WV RID) Project. NASA EPSCoR is an integral part of the mosaic of research infrastructure building programs 

conducted by the WV EPSCoR Committee as an umbrella organization for all EPSCoR programs in the state. The 

WV State Science and Research Council is the body that oversees all the state's EPSCoR programs and other

science initiatives of the state. As Project Director of WV EPSCoR, Dr. Juliana Serafin chairs the statewide 

EPSCoR Committee.

At the meeting of April 17, 2021, in Charleston, WV, the NASA WV EPSCoR Committee discussed the status and 

future directions of this program in detail. The Committee came to a consensus that the present combination 

of programs offered by NASA WV EPSCoR is in line with the overall vision and strategic plan of the state of 

West Virginia to support and develop high technology workforce and spur economic activities in the state. 

However, based on the data presented by the NASA WV EPSCoR Director relating to the effectiveness of 

various programs and the success of researchers supported by this program in the past five years, it was 

decided that a sub-committee be formed to re-evaluate the matrix of programs to be offered in the next fiveyear cycle. This sub-committee included Dr. Melanie Page, Associate Vice President at West Virginia University, 

Mr. Wes Deadrick, IV & V Office Lead at the NASA IV & V Facility, the NASA WV EPSCoR Director, and the 

EPSCoR Programs Manager. This sub-committee has produced the present document, and the WV EPSCoR 

Director, who is also the Chancellor of Higher Education in the state, has had a chance to examine and sign off 

on this proposal.

NASA WV EPSCoR programs are designed in conjunction with the menu of programs offered by the West 

Virginia Space Grant Consortium. These programs consist of Research Seed Grants, Trave Grants to NASA and 

scientific conferences, and several other capability enhancement initiatives. Our mosaic of programs covers all 

aspects of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education pipeline and research in 
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

West Virginia. Our partners in academia, the high-tech industry, and the government are hard at work to 

ensure that we have a highly cost-efficient and seamless transition between our programs and those of our 

partners. In summary, we have included new offerings to foster and enhance connections and collaborations 

between our faculty and NASA Centers and Mission Directorate, as well as help our relatively new faculty 

conduct research of interest to NASA and train graduate students in STEM disciplines.

22-2022 RID-0006

The Kansas NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program

Wichita State University

Dr. Leonard Miller

The Kansas NASA EPSCoR RID Program (Note: This is what was in the system. JP)

22-2022 RID-0007

ALASKA’S NASA EPSCoR Program 2022-2027

University of Alaska Fairbanks

Dr. Denise Thorsen

The Alaska State Committee on Research (SCoR) updated the Alaska Science and Technology Plan, To Build a 

Fire in 2016. In this report, they present a road map for Alaska science and technology development which 

they organize into seven specific areas to which Alaskas unique characteristics lend themselves&.In this NASA 

EPSCoR RID proposal we identify three priority research areas, Earth System Science, Technologies for Space 

and Extreme Environments, and Aeronautics Research, which define the intersection between NASAs strategic 

goals as outlined in the 2018 NASA Strategic Plan and the research priorities in Alaskas Science and Technology 

Plan. These three areas seek to address current research needs in the state but also to proactively support 

research areas that could lead to the growth of new industries.

Specifically, this NASA EPSCoR RID proposal seeks to build Alaskas research infrastructure and technology 

capabilities in areas of interest to Alaska by providing seed funding and training that will lead toward longterm, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in support of NASA related research and technology 

priorities.

Goal: Increase Alaskas ability to respond to research and technology development needs of NASA and the 

State and to partner with Alaskas aerospace industry to expand the space-related capabilities within the State.

Objective 1: Develop research infrastructure by awarding a minimum of three Research Development Seed 

Grants per year in areas of strategic importance to NASA and Alaska which lead to a minimum of three followon proposals submitted per year.
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

Objective 2: Facilitate new partnerships with NASA researchers by providing Partnership Development 

Travel Grants to attend NASA EPSCoR annual Technical Interchange Meetings and/or other NASA related 

workshops that will lead to a minimum of one new collaborative proposal per year.

22-2022 RID-0008

New Mexico NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID)

New Mexico State University

Dr. Paulo Oemig

Research Infrastructure Development Plan. The purposes of the New Mexico NASA EPSCoR Research 

Infrastructure Development (RIDhereafter called NM EPSCoR RID) Program are to build the core competitive 

research strength in New Mexico, and to grow research and technology development core capabilities. We will 

enable faculty to compete for funds from NASA and non-NASA sources outside of the EPSCoR program in order 

to find solutions for scientific and technical problems of importance to NASA Centers and Mission Directorates. 

New Mexico NASA EPSCoR RID will continue focusing on collaborative activities and relationships to develop 

long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in space and aerospace-related research. These 

capabilities will, in turn, contribute to New Mexicos economic viability and expand the Nation's base for 

science and technology innovation agendas. For the purpose of brevity, we will refer to the program in the 

proposal as NM EPSCoR RID Program. The formal name of the program will be New Mexico NASA EPSCoR 

Research Infrastructure Development Program.

Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

NM EPSCoR RID Program participants will perform scientific, engineering research and technology 

development in areas that support the strategic research and technology development priorities of NASAs 

Field Centers and Mission Directorates. An emphasis will be placed on developing a core expertise capable of 

successfully competing for funds from NASA and non-NASA sources outside of the EPSCoR program. The goals, 

objectives, and priorities for the NM EPSCoR RID Program for the next five years are:

1. Contribute to and promote the development of research infrastructure capability in New Mexico, 

particularly in the colleges and universities, in areas of strategic importance to NASA in order to gain support 

from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program that will increase our capacity to develop space and 

aerospace related science, technology, engineering and mathematics research.

2. Improve capabilities of the NM NASA EPSCoR through partnerships to increase use of the International 

Space Station, to grow capability for the New Mexico Universities to design, build, test and fly space 

technologies to support NASA SMD, STMD, ARMD and HEOMD as these directorates are under-represented in 

the portfolio of research capabilities and priorities in New Mexico universities and areas of growth for our 

state. 

3. Develop and strengthen partnerships among NASA research assets and New Mexico academic 

institutions, federal laboratories, industry and private foundations. These partnerships will add to the 

competitive strength of NASA while expanding participation of partners in STEM throughout the State of New 
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

Mexico. These partnerships will provide a gateway for Americans to improve the future capabilities of NASA 

and other government agencies. 

4. Work in close coordination with the New Mexico Space Grant Consortium (NMSGC) to improve 

mission-driven programs enabling STEM engagement in New Mexico.

22-2022 RID-0009

Building Maine's New Space Economy

Maine Space Grant Consortium

Dr. Terry Shehata

Our goal for the next five years is to contribute to the development of a new space economy in Maine as 

envisioned by the proposed Maine Spaceport Complex. Our strategy is to build upon the core research and 

workforce development strengths of our Affiliates to improve Maines research and technology development 

competitiveness along the new Space Value Chain. Our objectives are to:

a. Improve Maine research competitiveness allowing researchers to succeed in gaining support from 

sources outside the RID program by aggressively pursuing additional funding opportunities offered by NASA, 

industry, other federal agencies, and other sources.

b. Develop partnerships between NASA research assets, Maine academic institutions, and Maine 

aerospace-related industry.

c. Support the overall Maine STEM workforce development (faculty and student involvement) that 

contributes to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher education, and 

economic development of Maine.

d. Encourage participation from under-represented groups.

Our priority for the next five years is to invest in collaborative research and workforce development projects in 

topic areas that support strategic research and technology development priorities of NASA Field Centers 

and/or Mission Directorates and that would lay the R&D foundation for the proposed Maine Spaceport 

Complex.
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

22-2022 RID-0010

North Dakota NASA EPSCoR: Promoting Research Infrastructure Development and 

Engagement in North Dakota

North Dakota Space Grant Consortium

Dr. Caitlin Milera

The overall goal of North Dakota NASA EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) is to 

increase the competitiveness of North Dakota for merit-based grants and contracts in support of science and 

technology research from federal funding agencies. This mission statement is the guiding principle for all ND 

NASA EPSCoR program activities. ND NASA EPSCoR has established the following goals, objectives, and 

priorities, to train the North Dakota workforce in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) 

disciplines of relevance to NASA.

Following the NASA EPSCoR programs national initiatives, ND NASA EPSCoR has defined the following goals: 1) 

Establish long-term, self-sustaining, nationally-competitive research capabilities in aerospace and STEM 

disciplines at North Dakota colleges and universities. 2) Promote research in North Dakota of strategic 

importance to the NASA mission. 3) Promote programming that demonstrates a lasting and positive impact on 

the overall research infrastructure, STEM capabilities, economic development, and citizens of North Dakota.

The following ND NASA EPSCoR Objectives each encompass the Goals. 1) Build core competitive research 

strength in NASA-relevant STEM fields through seed grants awarded to faculty at North Dakota colleges and 

universities. 2) Promote collaboration and research partnerships through travel grants awarded to North 

Dakota faculty, staff, and students participating in NASA-relevant research. 3) Support synergistic activities that 

provide opportunities for North Dakota researchers to participate in meetings, workshops, professional 

development opportunities, and travel to enhance NASA-relevant research initiatives. 

The following priorities are overarching, and permeate all ND NASA EPSCoR goals, objectives, and specific 

project elements. These priorities collectively contribute to the establishment and enhancement of a wellrounded network of researchers from a variety of backgrounds to best help ND NASA EPSCoR to achieve its 

goals and objectives.

To achieve ND NASA EPSCoR goals of establishing research capabilities of strategic importance to NASA which 

have a positive and lasting impact on the economic development of North Dakota, it is essential to focus on 

seed grants, travel grants, and synergistic activities that incorporate: 1) Fusion of ND and NASA research 

relevance, 2) Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) initiatives, 3) multi-institution partnerships 

and collaborations, and 4) significant student support.

Through each of the ND NASA EPSCoR project elements, North Dakotas aerospace and STEM research 

presence will continue to grow more robust. ND NASA EPSCoR is committed to promotion of all four program 

priorities in each project element. Goal and objective alignment is discussed within each program element. ND 

NASA EPSCoRs Project Elements include 1) Seed Grants, 2) Travel Grants, and 3) Synergistic Activities.
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

22-2022 RID-0011

PR NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development

University of Puerto Rico

Dr. Gerardo Morell

Established in 1994 by the Central Administration of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in conjunction with 

the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Puerto Rico NASA Established Program to 

Stimulate Competitive Research (PR NASA EPSCoR) implements strategic tasks and projects directed at 

enhancing Puerto Ricos research competitiveness and infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, and 

higher education, while building the core strength required to engage in technology development methods 

and activities for the solution of scientific and technical problems of importance to NASA in alignment with 

NASAs Mission. 

The goal of the PR NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) program is to build in Puerto Rico 

the core strength needed to increase competitive research and technology development methods and 

activities for the solution of scientific and technical problems of importance to NASA in coordination and 

collaboration with NASA Centers and Mission Directorates and other research centers around the Nation that 

seek to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program.

PR NASA EPSCoR RID supports the initiation of new research projects in collaboration with NASA Centers and 

Mission Directorates that expand Puerto Rico's capabilities in NASA mission-related sciences and technologydevelopment projects. To encourage and nurture activities that advance NASAs research priorities, the RID 

projects are competitively selected based on their connection, interaction, and relevance to NASA Centers and 

Mission Directorates. The evaluation criteria include: intrinsic scientific and/or technical merit; alignment with 

NASA technology needs; relevance to, partnerships with, and interactions with NASA; relevance to, 

partnerships with, and interactions within the jurisdiction; credentials and track record of the investigators. 

The emphasis is placed on developing a core expertise capable of successfully competing for funds from NASA 

and non-NASA sources outside of the EPSCoR program. With the guidance and support of the Technical 

Advisory Committee, the RID researchers receive technical assistance to transition their projects progressively 

toward gaining support from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program by aggressively pursuing additional 

funding opportunities offered by industry and other sources.
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

22-2022 RID-0012

The Hawaii NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Dr. Luke Flynn

The objectives of Hawaii NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) proposal are three-fold: (1) 

We will assist and lead the development of a new aerospace economy in Hawaii that is centered on small 

satellites and UAVs. (1a) Dedicated Small Launch We will support new DoD and commercial launch requests 

from the Pacific Missile Range Facility rail launcher on Kauai. We will manage new launch opportunities from 

the State of Hawaii. (1b) Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL) was established in 2007 to facilitate the design, 

building, testing, launching, and operating small satellites from the Hawaiian Islands. HSFL continues to 

develop and support UH Faculty small satellite and UAV instrument, software, and hardware projects. (1c) 

Managing/Facilitating State Aerospace Infrastructure Development In addition to the development of small 

satellite and UAV projects, management of other aerospace-related projects include support for very high 

altitude UAV projects (like the HAPSMobile HAWK 30), facilitating flight support for suborbital launch providers 

(like the Dawn Aerospace Mark II rocketplane), and upgrading the Kauai CC ground station with software 

defined radios. (2) We will partner with other islandconsortia to develop unique research capabilities and 

opportunities by pooling our resources to form larger collaborative research efforts. (3) We will encourage new 

NASA infrastructure development in Hawaii by providing seed grants and travel grants to investigators willing 

to work with NASA Centers or Mission Directorates.

22-2022 RID-0013

Nevada NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development

Nevada System of Higher Education

Dr. Lynn Fenstermaker

"The most recent Nevada NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) activities have led to the 

teaming of researchers in the areas of battery development, materials research, aerosol research, life in 

extreme environments, robotics and vision research, earth systems sciences research, planetary surface 

processes, and UAS hardware, software and applications. As NSHE plans for the future, the NSHE Sponsored 

Programs and EPSCoR Office (NSHE SPO/EPSCoR) and its advisory board, as well as the Nevada NASA EPSCoR 

RID Technical Advisory Committee (Nevada RID TAC) continue to help identify additional strengths and new 

opportunities to build competitive research programs within NASA relevant STEM fields. 

This proposal identifies opportunities to enhance Nevadas research infrastructure that will result in the 

development of collaborations and research programs relevant to NASA, the State of Nevada and NSHEs STEM 

interests. 

The overall goals of the Nevada NASA EPSCoR program have been and continue to include: 
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

"" Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, and economic 

development of Nevada; 

"" Improve the capabilities of Nevada faculty/researchers to gain support from sources outside the NASA 

EPSCoR program that are most relevant to NASA research and missions;

"" Develop partnerships among researchers at NSHE, NASA Centers, and industry; and

"" Coordinate with the national NASA EPSCoR Project Manager and the Space Grant program to address 

NASA research priorities and improve the environment for science, mathematics, engineering, and technology 

infrastructure and training in Nevada.

Specific objectives that have been targeted to meet Nevada NASA EPSCoR RID program goals include:

"" Objective 1: Enhance research infrastructure by competitively awarding at least two significant RID 

seed grants each year. Seed grants must be relevant to both NASA and Nevada strategic science plans, and in 

particular must address a NASA Center and/or Mission Directorate science priority as provided in a list by the 

national NASA EPSCoR Project Manager. A requirement of the seed grant solicitation is the submission of at 

least one competitive proposal. 

"" Objective 2: Promote the planning and implementation of training and proposal development 

workshops that will foster NASA collaboration and the development of skills and knowledge to improve 

Nevada research infrastructure. Funding for at least one workshop per year is budgeted. An expected 

outcome from any workshop is the submission of a competitive research proposal.

"" Objective 3: Facilitate new research collaborations among NASA Center scientists and NSHE faculty by 

awarding travel grants. As many travel sub-awards as possible with remaining RID funds will be made available 

each year. An expected outcome is the submission of a competitive and collaborative research proposal 

among NSHE faculty and NASA Center scientists.

"" Objective 4: Provide administrative support and promote NASA EPSCoR programs and goals within the 

state of Nevada.

22-2022 RID-0014

NASA Kentucky EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program 2022-2026

University of Kentucky

Prof. Alexandre Martin

The mission of Kentuckys Statewide EPSCoR Program is to enhance research and intellectual capacity of 

Kentucky universities and colleges by building and coordinating strategic investments in state research 

capability needed for Kentucky to excel in federal R&D funding competitiveness. This mission aligns with 

Kentucky's economic development strategy, which emphasizes leveraging growth areas like aerospace and an 

innovation-driven economy supported by strengths of state academic institutions to enable cutting-edge R&D 

and a highly educated workforce.
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

Supporting this statewide mission, NASA Kentucky EPSCoR program goals are to enhance R&D capacity 

through strategic investments in NASA-priority research areas and to increase competitiveness of state 

researchers for non-EPSCoR NASA funding. A key factor is initiation of working relationships between Kentucky 

researchers and NASA engineers and scientists that can develop into productive research partnerships. Every 

aspect of the programs current RID portfolio emphasizes collaborative relationship-building, including pursuing 

opportunities that support commercial space partnerships and state industry.

Four specific objectives of the NASA Kentucky EPSCoR program are designed to align with goals of the national 

NASA EPSCoR program, in combination with state objectives: 1) develop faculty expertise and research 

infrastructure in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission, 2) improve capabilities to gain support 

from sources outside the NASA EPSCoR program, 3) develop partnerships among NASA research assets, 

academic institutions, commercial space programs and industry, and 4) contribute to overall research 

infrastructure, science and technology capabilities of higher education, and economic development in 

Kentucky.

Central to the NASA KY EPSCoR RID Program are Research Infrastructure Development Grants (RIDG), 

competitively awarded to faculty for one-year research partnerships with NASA. RIDG proposals must 

demonstrate efforts to build collaborative working relationships with NASA personnel. Faculty principle 

investigators (PIs) must include a letter of collaboration from a NASA partner based on prior interactions, 

describe a schedule for regular contact with the NASA partner and plans to visit the NASA site, and, if funded, 

are expected to result in submission of a jointly authored paper to a conference or journal.

To assist researchers establishing initial connections with NASA and to develop interdisciplinary and multiinstitutional research teams, faculty are encouraged to submit proposals for Workshop/Conference/Seminar 

awards (WCS). Workshop funding builds Kentucky and NASA partnerships to develop interdisciplinary teams 

interested in pursuing the three-year NASA EPSCoR Research Award (RA) or other nationally competitive 

solicitations. Conference funding provides partial support for a meeting hosted in Kentucky focused on NASArelated research. Seminar funding supports a series of seminars or webinars on an aerospace topic.

Research Travel (RT) awards assist faculty in initiating new relationships with NASA. Individual travel awards 

are awarded to researchers after review of their application, which must include a NASA invitation to visit and 

discuss potential collaboration. Analysis of the NASA EPSCoR RA awards to Kentucky research teams shows 

that, to be competitive nationally, it is advantageous for a proposed project to have multiple NASA 

connections. Helping new-to-NASA PIs make an all-important initial contact will help enable successful 

submissions for RIDG awards; allowing RIDG PIs to develop relationships and expand their network will 

prepare them for RA submissions and national non-EPSCoR competitive solicitations in subsequent years.

In addition to managing the proposal submission competitions described above, NASA Kentucky program 

management also tracks and communicates the impact of NASA Kentucky EPSCoR Programs.
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22-2022 RID-0015

The Vermont NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program

University of Vermont

Prof. Bernard Cole

Vermonts NASA EPSCoR program has had significant success creating an interest in NASA research priorities 

among Vermonts academic researchers. It has supported activities that have established and strengthened 

connections between Vermonts academic researchers and collaborators at NASA centers and has made our 

jurisdictions academic researchers more competitive for non-EPSCoR external funding on the national level. 

These supported activities have fostered the development of additional aerospace-related research 

infrastructure in Vermont. The overarching objective of our programs is to encourage research that is (a) novel 

and strongly aligned with new and continuing NASA priorities and technical needs, (b) builds jurisdictional 

research capacity, (c) has the potential for attracting new external research funding, and (d) advances 

collaborative ties between academia, industry, and NASA. The major goals of Vermonts NASA EPSCoR Phase 

VII RID program are:

Goal 1: Provide opportunities for Vermonts academic researchers to compete for seed funding that will enable 

early-stage research projects in STEM-related areas that have strong alignment with NASA priorities. 

Supported projects must have a strong potential to attract additional external research funding. Interaction 

with NASA research collaborators, including travel to NASA centers, is strongly encouraged. 

Goal 2: Provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students (enrolled in a degree program at a 

Vermont university or college) to participate in NASA-related research under the mentorship of a Vermont 

faculty member.

Goal 3: Expand the base of Vermont NASA EPSCoR industrial affiliates performing research and development 

activities in aerospace with the purpose of supporting novel research and advancing collaborative ties with 

Vermonts academic researchers and NASA.

Our plans to achieve these goals are based on three major priorities of the Vermont NASA EPSCoR Office. Our 

first priority is to offer an array of funding opportunities in support of early-stage research. These 

opportunities range from small (travel grants) to moderate (pilot research grants) to significant (small-scale 

research grants). This range of opportunities encourages participation at all levels, including, for example, 

researchers having little or no prior NASA-related work, who may begin with a travel grant or pilot research 

grant as an entry to working in an aerospace-related area. Our next priority is to advance collaborative ties 

between Vermont industry and Vermont academic researchers by expanding our base of industry affiliates, 

encouraging academic/industry collaborations on pilot and small-scale research projects, and offering grants 

for NASA-related industrial R&D.

The main project elements proposed for Vermonts RID project include pilot research grants (up to $5,000), 

small-scale research grants (up to $25,000), and research travel grants for eligible academic researchers. Pilot 

and small-scale research grants are awarded based on a rigorous competitive process with peer review of 

applications. Additionally, through our Industrial Partners Initiative (IPI) we will seek to expand our portfolio of 
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industry affiliates in order to facilitate research collaborations between industry and higher education. The IPI 

includes an annual ""Phase 0"" grant competition conducted in a cooperative effort with the Vermont State 

EPSCoR Office. One IPI award of $10,000 will be made annually based on ability to (a) increase opportunities 

for Vermonts academic researchers and companies in areas that align with NASAs research and technology 

needs, (b) promote economic development and the science and technology goals of the state, (c) facilitate 

technology transfer, and (d) build partnerships between Vermont participants and NASA.

22-2022 RID-0016

NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development in Louisiana

Louisiana State University

Prof. T. Gregory Guzik

Louisiana participates in all agency EPSCoR programs through the Office of Sponsored Programs at the 

Louisiana Board of Regents (BoR), which provides state matching funds and, consequently, acts as the fiscal 

agent for all EPSCoR awards. The NASA EPSCoR program management & technical oversight is conducted 

primarily out of the Louisiana Space Grant/NASA EPSCoR office housed at LSU. The two offices work in-tandem 

to fulfill the mission-driven requirements of NASA while investing in the research infrastructure development 

needs of the state. Louisianas commitment to Aerospace Science & Technology development has been well 

established over decades. We have a diverse cadre of researchers working on active NASA & NASA-related 

projects across institutions and facilities in the state, and there is an increasing understanding that a highly 

skilled technical workforce is necessary for our long-term goals. The NASA ESPCoR program is a crucial 

contributor to the continued growth of Aerospace Science & Technology development.

Louisianas strategy for EPSCoR success involves engagement, collaboration, and partnership. We engage 

faculty, post-docs, and students in performing research projects; we develop Collaborations/Mentorships 

between NASA scientists/engineers and the Louisiana research community, and we establish Partnerships 

between educational institutions (minority and majority) and with external facilities and other agencies. We 

are currently working with most of the designated research universities in the State, many of the smaller less 

research-intensive institutions, and with all NASA Centers and JPL through both EPSCoR and the Louisiana 

Space Grant (LaSPACE) funded projects. The NASA EPSCoR RID Award provides financial support and a 

framework to improve the research infrastructure in Louisiana while supporting the mission goals at NASA. The 

primary objective of the NASA EPSCoR RID program in Louisiana is to expose a wide array of Louisiana 

researchers to NASA priorities by funding participation in Technical Interchange Meetings at NASA Centers and 

workshops led by NASA, supporting small-scale research endeavors endorsed by NASA researchers, and 

increasing the breadth of research support by recruiting participation from less traditionally funded campuses 

such as HBCUs and community colleges. Finally, the NASA RID allows our management team to support local 

researchers with networking, proposal development, and help with meeting administrative requirements for 

NASA funded projects. 

As of the writing of this proposal, we are two years into our current three-year FY19 RID award, we have 

supported 9 different research projects for faculty representing 5 different Louisiana Universities (LaTech, LSU, 

Tulane, ULL, and UNO) to conduct research projects in collaboration with 9 different NASA researchers from 6 
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NASA Centers (Ames, Glenn, Johnson, JPL, Langley, and Marshall). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have been 

unable to run our Travel Awards Program and pandemic conditions also impacted our already fledgling 

Summer Assisted Research program for faculty at teaching-intensive institutions. Our goal for the next fiveyear award is to sustain our highly successful Travel and Research Award Programs (TAP & RAP), while building 

a new program to encourage participation from Minority Serving Institutions in Louisiana.

22-2022 RID-0017

A Plan for NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) in Delaware

University of Delaware

Prof. William Matthaeus

The aim of NASAs EPSCoR RID program is to build the core strength needed to develop competitive research 

and technology development methods and activities for the solution of scientific and technical problems of 

importance to NASA as defined by one or more of the four Mission Directorates and/or one or more of the 

nine NASA Centers plus the Agencys Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). 

The major goals of the Delaware program include both academic and industrial components: (i) develop new 

collaborative activities among researchers in academia and researchers at NASA Centers so that the academic 

researchers may become better equipped and /or better prepared to submit successful research applications 

to competitive programs announced by NASA and other agencies; (ii) develop links with industry to identify 

research areas that align with the states economic priorities. In the present proposal, we describe how NASAs 

goals for EPSCoR RID may be implemented in the State of Delaware.
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22-2022 RID-0018

Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) - Research 

Infrastructure Development (RID)

Brown University

Prof. Peter Schultz

This proposal will allow Rhode Island faculty and researchers to develop innovative and cooperative research 

in space exploration across all NASA Directorates, thereby developing new research directions, enhancing 

competitiveness, contributing to new collaborations across institutions of higher education, and bringing the 

business of space into Rhode Island. This proposal will provide partial support for the Principle Investigator 

(Director) and Program Manager. Their roles will be to inform RI faculty and researchers about opportunities 

and specifically to solicit and advise potential applicants for NASA/EPSCoR RID Research Seed Grants, = 

International Space Station, and Rapid Response opportunities. Selections will be based on relevance and 

priorities for the jurisdiction and NASAs guidelines. The NASA/RI Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will 

select applicants for the NASA EPSCoR Competitive Research opportunities through pre-CAN White Papers 

solicited by this Office. The Program Office will host an annual symposium and/or workshops to describe and 

discuss these various opportunities and inform potential applicants through various Research Offices, 

websites, and Space Grant network. The NASA/RI EPSCoR Technical Advisory Committee will meet once a year 

in order to provide general advice and reviews of proposals to be selected for EPSCoR competitions.

22-2022 RID-0019

Mississippi NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development Program (RID)

The University of Mississippi

Dr. Nathan Murray

The Mississippi NASA EPSCoR Director proposes a continuation of its successful, competitive, seed-grant 

program to strengthen Mississippis research competitiveness. Individual seed grants will (a) build on the 

current strengths of individual members of the Consortium, (b) focus these strengths on issues of particular 

relevance to NASA, and (c) increase the applicability of Mississippis research to areas of interest within NASA. 

MSSGC uses the RID program to fill a unique role by infusing NASA investment into human research asset 

development. The goal is to provide initiation funds to set in motion the maturation of innovative research and 

technology ventures that are relevant to NASA and NASA related Mississippi industry. The competitive seed 

grant opportunities are focused on developing and/or maturing research activities that EXPLORE promising 

research avenues, ESTABLISH or strengthen collaboration between researchers in the Jurisdiction, and 

ENHANCE MS research relevance to NASA through communication/collaboration with NASA scientists.

The MSSGC NASA EPSCoR RID program will utilize the science and technology resources at Jackson State 

University, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi 

to stimulate sustainable science and technology infrastructure improvements at these institutions to 
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Proposal Abstracts

accelerate the ability of their researchers to compete for federal and private sector research and development 

funding.

The proposed program will achieve its goals and objectives through two programmatic elements. First, the 

bulk of the funds will be used to fund seed grants. Second, a small portion of funds will be made available to 

research faculty to provide travel opportunities to NASA Centers.

22-2022 RID-0020

Arkansas NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) 2022

University Of Arkansas at Little Rock

Dr. Mitchell Hudson

Arkansas NASA EPSCoR plans to:"" Continue to fund the NASA EPSCoR program office to ensure 

continued momentum and good progress in NASA relevant aerospace research in Arkansas

"" Continue our Planning and Preparatory (P&P) Grant program to enable Arkansas researchers to obtain 

NASA EPSCoR Research Award funding with a statewide annual workshop to disseminate information and 

know-how to potential P&P competitors

"" Continue our Planning and Preparatory (P&P) Travel Grant program to enable Arkansas researchers to 

obtain funding for teams of researchers to visit NASA Centers, Mission Directorates or the Office of Chief 

Technologist

"" Conduct a statewide one day long NASA EPSCoR Conference, in conjunction with the annual Arkansas 

EPSCoR Conference if possible, to bring NASA and other agency sponsored individuals together
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Proposal Abstracts

22-2022 RID-0021

NEW HAMPSHIRE NASA EPSCoR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT 

PROGRAM (2022-2027)

University of New Hampshire

Dr. Antoinette Galvin

The strategic goal of the NASA EPSCoR RID project in New Hampshire is to support promising academic 

research enterprises within the State that are directed toward generating or enhancing long-term, selfsustaining, nationally-competitive capabilities in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission and of 

mutual benefit to the research infrastructure in New Hampshire. This is a collaborative program between the 

University of New Hampshire (the directorship institution) and Dartmouth College. UNH and Dartmouth 

College have Masters and Doctoral degree programs in NASA-related disciplines, encompassing both 

theoretical and experimental research areas. Both are rated as very high researchin the Carnegie Classification 

System.

The strategic goals of NASA EPSCoR RID in New Hampshire are:

1) To enhance New Hampshires science and technology research infrastructure and expertise in areas 

aligned with NASA and state priorities, focusing on the states research institutions of higher learning 

2) To improve the states capabilities of gaining competitive financial support in areas aligned with NASA and 

state priorities from non-EPSCoR sources, particularly at the states institutions of higher learning, through

* increasing awareness of NASA as a research funding source

* strengthening partnerships among NH institutions of higher learning in areas of mutual interest that are 

aligned with NASA priorities

* developing collaborations among university research investigators with researchers at NASA Centers and 

other federal agencies

* strengthening partnerships with the regions industry and research nonprofits 

The NH RID will consist of two technical elements: 

1) The Seed Grants (Research) contribute to the NASA EPSCoR purpose of building core strength needed 

to increase competitive research and technology development methods and activities for the solution of 

scientific and technical problems of importance to NASA through the vehicle of small awards for research 

initiation and/or research analysis grants. These mini-grants are intended to enhance each universitys ability to 

respond to future research and technology proposal solicitations from NASA or other federal agencies by 

building up needed personnel expertise, institutional expertise, and/or by increasing the Technical Readiness 

Level (TRL) of different space hardware concepts. 

2) Seed Grants (Travel) may be used to request travel support to NASA technical interface meetings or 

other federal agency contact opportunities, with or without an attached Research funding request. The intent 

is to provide networking opportunities that may result in collaborations in future proposals.
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The seed grant elements contribute to NASA Strategic Goals, with particular application to

"" Expanding the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunity in space, using seed grants that 

address the development of research tools, mission concepts, and rocket, cubesat, and spacecraft 

instrumentation; 

"" Advancing understanding of Earth and developing technologies to improve the quality of life on our 

home planet, through seed grants in earth science and natural resources that address infrastructure needed to 

study climate change, cropland, marshes, and estuaries, and other resources that are essential to society 

wellbeing; and seed grants in space science and engineering to contribute to magnetometer and particle 

instrument development for the purpose of space weather monitoring and prediction, in order to safeguard 

our technical systems on earth and in space;

"" Serving the American public and accomplish the NASA Mission by enabling and advancement of 

technical and scientific skills for our faculty, research staff and students

22-2022 RID-0022

Montana NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program 2022-2026

Montana Space Grant Consortium

Dr. Angela Des Jardins

Under the Montana NASA EPSCoR 2022-2026 Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program, we 

propose to offer two primary opportunities for Montana faculty to develop research programs: research seed 

grants and small travel grants. The foci of these programs are: importance to NASA's mission and building 

strength in aerospace research and economic development in Montana.

Since the beginning of the NASA EPSCoR program in Montana in 1994, great strides have been made in 

developing and coordinating Montana research activities aimed at solving current technical and scientific 

problems facing NASA and the aerospace community. These accomplishments and their resulting 

infrastructure have given many Montana researchers opportunities to work with NASA that were not present 

prior to the implementation of NASA EPSCoR program. For example, Dr. Brock LaMeres, Montana State 

University (MSU) Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received a Research Initiation Grant from 

Montana NASA EPSCoR (MNE) in 2008. Subsequently, Dr. LaMeres won a NASA EPSCoR Research Award, two 

EPSCoR ISS awards, and is now building a payload that was selected for the 2023 Artemis lunar mission. Due to 

successes achieved thus far, the MNE RID goals will remain consistent with those of the established program. 

RID-Specific Goal (Outcome Objective): Increase the number and quality of NASA research programs led by 

Montana higher education faculty in areas that match scientific and technical problems of importance to 

NASA, enabling the investigators to compete successfully for non-EPSCoR NASA research funding. 

General Montana NASA EPSCoR Goals:

Goal 1. Bring the capabilities of Montanas nationally competitive researchers to the attention of NASA.
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Goal 2. Build infrastructure to enhance Montanas capabilities and expertise in areas of importance to NASA, 

focusing on institutions of higher learning. 

Goal 3. Use EPSCoR sponsored research to strengthen partnerships with Montanas high-tech companies and 

drive the growth of Montana's aerospace-related economy.

Goal 4. Focus on building nationally prominent, competitive research groups at Montana's major universities 

while also providing collaborative opportunities to faculty members at smaller institutions.

22-2022 RID-0023

NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) FY22-26

University of Nebraska at Omaha

Dr. Scott Tarry

Introduction-The NASA Nebraska EPSCoR program supports Nebraska faculty researchers who are pursuing 

aerospace-related research to become nationally competitive and to build research infrastructure in the state. 

Growing collaborations with NASA scientists and Mission Directorates allows the researchers to solve scientific 

and technical problems of importance to NASA, while training students for the future workforce. NASA 

Nebraska EPSCoR has established an outstanding record of success and has demonstrated its commitment to 

developing research capabilities that are long-term, self-sustaining, and nationally competitive. 

The proposed research infrastructure development (RID) program for FY2022 to FY2026 will continue to 

support and sustain unique research activities that address the priorities of both NASA and Nebraska. In 2020, 

the Nebraska EPSCoR office released the Science and Technology Plan for Nebraska with input from the state 

EPSCoR Committee and the Governors office. Research funded by the RID will help to advance the Nebraska 

priorities identified in this plan. This will be accomplished by continuing our philosophy of using strategic 

investments in seed projects to develop competitive proposals for the national NASA EPSCoR competitions has 

been successful in developing Nebraskas aerospace infrastructure. Industry partnerships have been, and will 

continue to be, vital to the programs success. The proposed RID program will build on these historically 

productive relationships and will actively involve industry in all facets of the programs implementation - from 

RID to technology transfer. 

Goals, Objectives, and Priorities of the NASA Nebraska EPSCoR Program

Nebraskas slogan has long been The Good Life. Building upon this slogan, business, industry, and civic leaders 

came together from across the state to develop and implement Blueprint Nebraska in April 2018. They 

recognized that Nebraska has some systemic challenges that may inhibit future generations from enjoying the 

good life that we know and love today (Blueprint Nebraska, 2019, p. 4). As a result of this effort, a blueprint 

for the next decade was published in July 2019. The blueprint identifies 15 high-priority initiatives including 

promoting statewide economic growth and prosperity (Blueprint Nebraska, 2019, p. 4). 

The overarching goal of the NASA Nebraska EPSCoR program is to develop the states research infrastructure to 

facilitate and support long-term, self-sustaining, and nationally competitive research capabilities in aerospace 
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Proposal Abstracts

and aerospace-related research. To this end, the NASA Nebraska EPSCoR program administers a mini-grant 

program designed to achieve the following objectives: 

1. to elevate the aerospace-related research being conducted in Nebraska to support future infrastructure

building and workforce development opportunities, and 

2. to help Nebraska researchers develop the capabilities and connections necessary to be successful in securing 

additional funding through competitive proposals to NASA and/or other federal, state, or private 

organizations. 

Our aerospace research mini-grant program prioritizes capacity-building research projects with strategic 

importance to NASAs Mission Directorates and to the state of Nebraska.

22-2022 RID-0024

Alabama NASA EPSCoR FY2022 Research Infrastructure Development

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Dr. Lawrence Thomas

The central programmatic focus of the Alabama NASA EPSCoR RID program is to build core capabilities at 

Alabamas universities and other collaborative institutions by further engaging and utilizing Alabamas unique 

resources and talent for enhancing greater scientific discovery and developing new technologies to address 

NASAs goals and objectives: 

"" Goal 1: Contribute to and promote the development of research capability in NASA EPSCoR 

jurisdictions in areas of strategic importance to the NASA mission;

"" Goal 2: Improve the capabilities of the NASA EPSCoR jurisdictions to gain support from sources outside 

the NASA EPSCoR program;

"" Goal 3: Develop partnerships among NASA research assets, academic institutions, and industry; and

"" Goal 4: Contribute to the overall research infrastructure, science and technology capabilities, higher 

education, and economic development of the jurisdiction.

With RID funding, we shall continue to build competitive research and technology development capabilities in 

areas of interest to both NASA and the State of Alabama. The interests of the State of Alabama in this regard 

are defined by the Alabama State EPSCoR Committee (AESC, https://alepscor.org/leadership/) which oversees 

all EPSCoR programs within the state (info@alepscor.org). The PI of this proposal is Dr. Dale Thomas, the 

Alabama NASA EPSCoR and the Alabama Space Grant Consortium Director, and Professor at The University of 

Alabama in Huntsville. Alabama proposes a RID portfolio of projects based on the following 4 

elements/objectives:

"" Objective 1: Researcher Seed Grants Award seed grants each year for Yrs. 1-5 to FY2022-2027 seed 

research grant/research initiation awardees to researchers in early stages of their careers (5 grants @ 

$20K/year) awardees shall be competitively selected;
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

Proposal Abstracts

"" Objective 2: Contact Development - Develop new contacts and cooperative research ties with NASA 

Centers (plus JPL) and/or Mission Directorates each year for Yrs. 1-5;

"" Objective 3: Travel Grants Award travel grants for jurisdiction researchers to attend Technical 

Interchange Meetings (TIMs) and provide small travel funding for EPSCoR Director, Associate Director and 

Program Manager travel to attend NASA EPSCoR National Directors Meetings/Technical Interchange Meetings 

each year for Yrs. 1-5; and

"" Objective 4: Partnerships - Develop new or continuing partnerships among colleges and universities in 

the jurisdiction that will enhance our jurisdictionsability to respond to NASAs research and technology 

development needs each year for Yrs. 1-5.

22-2022 RID-0025

Idaho NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development 2022

University of Idaho

Dr. Matthew Bernards

Central objectives of the proposal: 

Idaho NASA EPSCoR is dedicated to increasing Idahos competitive research capabilities in areas aligned with 

NASAs missions and activities. Idaho NASA EPSCoR is guided by the following Vision, Mission, and Strategic 

Goals that align with NASAs priorities while serving the unique needs of Idaho. 

Vision: A nationally-competitive aerospace research capability in Idaho

Mission: To provide opportunities, foster collaboration, stimulate research, and develop innovation in Idaho.

Strategic Goals

"" Goal 1: Promote the development of research expertise and infrastructure that will allow Idaho 

researchers to compete nationally in areas of strategic interest to NASA and help to retain qualified early 

career scientists and engineers in Idaho.

"" Goal 2: Develop partnerships with NASA and industry that enable Idahos researchers and students to 

contribute to NASAs missions through innovative research opportunities. 

"" Goal 3: Support research in areas with the potential to enhance economic development in Idaho.

Methods/techniques proposed to accomplish the proposal objectives: 

Through the proposed work, the Idaho NASA EPSCoR will execute a portfolio of competitive and merit-based 

projects to enhance Idahos research capabilities in areas of interest to NASA. The majority of funds will 

support competitive research initiation grants, collaboration grants, and faculty fellowships for NASA research 

alignment. In addition to the competitive grants, Idaho NASA EPSCoR will identify promising Idaho researchers 

to attend the Technical Interchange Meetings organized by NASA EPSCoR to help initiate further collaboration 
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Proposal Abstracts

between NASA researchers and Idaho researchers. All of the proposed activities align with Idaho NASA 

EPSCoRs Vision, Mission and Strategic Goals. 

Perceived significance of proposed work: 

Idaho NASA EPSCoRs programs are designed to increase development and use of aerospace and STEM 

workforce and infrastructure through competitive opportunities and partnerships with Idaho institutions of 

higher education, state and federal agencies, and other STEM-focused organizations.

22-2022 RID-0026

Wyoming NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Proposal: 2022-

2027

University of Wyoming

Dr. Shawna McBride

Wyoming remains the state with the smallest population (~500,000) and its economy is largely driven by 

extractive industries, agriculture, and tourism. The University of Wyoming is the only Ph.D. granting research 

institution in the state and therefore scientific activities that address key areas of state concern are 

concentrated at UW. Over the next five years, the Wyoming NASA EPSCoR Research Infrastructure 

Development (RID) project will focus on two areas of research that have been identified as critical areas for 

increased research and economic development in the state, as well as areas of interest to NASA: 1) materials 

science and 2) computing and technology research innovations. 

With support from previous Wyoming NASA EPSCoR RID awards, the Materials Science and Engineering 

program (MSE) at the University of Wyoming has become a recognized and cohesive research group on 

campus. The MSE program brings together students and faculty with research interests and expertise in 

materials science and engineering from physics, chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, 

environmental engineering, geology and geophysics, and mechanical engineering. Materials science is a 

multidisciplinary field involving collaborations across many traditional academic programs and the MSE 

program provides a rich, collaborative research environment for graduate students, research scientists, and 

faculty to interact across departments. 

Current strengths at UW include new materials synthesis, including 2D materials and composite materials, 

advanced laser materials processing and analytics, as well as computational methods for materials design. 

These strengths fall into four main areas of emphasis within the core members of the program: catalytic 

materials, biomaterials, nanomaterials, and optoelectronic materials. Many of the core MSE members also 

collaborate with established centers of excellence on campus, including the School of Energy Resources, which 

is engaged in a Carbon Engineering Initiative, as well as the newly formed Artificially Intelligent Manufacturing 

Center at the University. In addition, several MSE members are supported by the NIH INBRE program, which 

sponsors biomaterials and bioinformatics-related research projects. The development of the MSE program has 

allowed for greater networking, collaboration, equipment sharing, and student opportunities in the area of 

materials science at the University of Wyoming.
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While the MSE program has become a recognized program on campus, there is still a considerable need for 

growth to establish the MSE program as a core center of expertise and excellence on campus. One of the goals 

of this RID project, therefore, is to further develop and continue to support NASA-related materials science 

research at the University of Wyoming and to assist in expanding the MSE program. Wyoming NASA EPSCoR 

will continue to support the MSE program by providing funding for a MSE Speaker Series, MSE Research 

Symposium, and travel grants to encourage collaboration.

To further expand research infrastructure development in Wyoming in a manner that complements the MSE 

program and supports the needs of the Jurisdiction, the University of Wyoming, and NASA Mission Directorate 

research priorities, Wyoming NASA EPSCoR will focus research efforts in computing and technology research 

innovations, including computer science, computational science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, 

quantum computing, quantum materials, data science, and breakthrough technologies. Support will be 

provided for faculty seed grants and travel grants for faculty, postdocs, and graduate students to attend 

scientific conferences, travel to NASA Centers, or for research collaborations.

22-2022 RID-0027

NASA EPSCoR in the Virgin Islands of the United States

University of the Virgin Islands

Dr. Dario Carbone

The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) has entered a new era in its partnership with NASA to promote STEM 

research, education, and outreach in the territory. Over the past 9 years, the University of the Virgin Islands 

(UVI) has led a focused effort to leverage existing facilities and faculty expertise to raise the level of awareness 

of, participation in, and support for NASA-related science activities in the USVI. Just 10 years ago, UVI had $0 in 

NASA federal awards, only 1 full-time physics faculty, and no scientists in the territory were submitting 

competitive proposals to NASA's Cooperative Agreement Notices (CAN). Over the past 10 years, UVI has raised 

its level of CAN responses to 5 per year (academic 2017-21), its level of NASA-sponsored research and 

education support to more than $1,000,000 per year (academic 2017-21), and now employs 10 full-time 

physics faculty and researchers. 

This dramatic growth in NASA-related research activities at UVI was initiated through a 2013 NASA-EPSCoR 

Research Award that supported revitalization of research instrumentation at UVI's Etelman Observatory, 

provided student funding for authentic research experiences at the Observatory and at our NASA partner, 

Goddard Space Flight Center, and provided funding to hire the first-ever full-time astrophysics resident 

observer-researcher at UVI (stationed at Etelman Observatory). The success of this project coincided with an 

unprecedented growth in interest and enrollment in physics and astronomy courses at UVI from 2009-2014 as 

well as a dramatic increase in scientific production in physics and astronomy. This dramatic increase in physics 

and astronomy activity at UVI led to our successful submission of a NASA-MIRO proposal, in 2015, to support 

the first-ever 4-year degree in physics at UVI, designed to capitalize on the success of our ongoing NASA 

EPSCoR-funded project and to better meet the increased demand for physics offerings at UVI. Through the 
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2022 NASA EPSCOR RID

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new UVI physics program, UVI has hired 3 new full-time physics faculty who now support this increasing 

demand for physics and astronomy offerings at UVI with research projects and additional courses in physics 

and astronomy. We have also dramatically increased the number of students doing research at UVI and with 

our research partners. At the same time, researchers at UVI in fields other than physics and astronomy have 

also begun to recognize opportunities to do NASA-related research in their own fields and have begun to 

respond to NASA requests for proposals. In 2015, UVI's Center for Marine and Environmental Research became 

the first-ever non-physics group at UVI to be awarded a NASA research award, receiving a 3-year NASA EPSCoR 

research award.

This unprecedented growth in faculty and student research activity in the USVI together with rapidly growing 

ranks of faculty and researchers with NASA-related research interests and highly-trained students in physics 

and astronomy, has provided an unparalleled opportunity to embed NASA research activities as a cornerstone 

of the STEM educational experience in the USVI. This tremendous growth has been made possible through 

infrastructure support provided by the NASA EPSCoR program. Through the project described within this 

proposal, we seek to strengthen and expand these ongoing research activities and bring new research 

communities in the USVI into the NASA research world.
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Proposal Abstracts

22-2022 RID-0028

NASA Guam EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) Program

University of Guam

Dr. Leslie Aquino

The U.S. territory of Guam is located some 3800 miles west of Hawaii, making it one of the westernmost 

locations of U.S. soil. It is isolated from the U.S. mainland by its distance yet still closely connected by everimproving technology and political ties. Guam is also part of the region, Micronesia, which is part of the richly 

diverse areas of Oceania and nearby Asia, with regional and historical influences evident in Guams culture and 

common challenges facing Guam and its neighbors. This creates an opportunity for Guam as a jurisdiction to 

build a sustainable research infrastructure that utilizes and advances NASA research goals while also 

investigating topics crucial to Guams economic future and of importance to the region. Of particular relevance 

is research conducted by NASAs Earth Science Mission Directorate, which encompasses research pertaining to 

physical geography, including but not limited to, climate change, soil science, oceanography, geology, 

freshwater systems, coral reef ecosystems, terrestrial habitats, karst terrains, atmospheric studies. As Guam 

seeks new industries beyond tourism that can be sustained within a small economy, there may be 

opportunities for a new generation of STEM-savvy entrepreneurs, tech developers, and engineers to work with 

NASA technologies or to support NASA suborbital flight or space missions. 

The goal of the NASA Guam EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) project is to develop a 

competitive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-based research program within Guam 

that aligns with NASA missions and goals. The primary objectives are: 

"" Conduct research relevant to Guam and the region and aligned with NASA missions, increasing 

competitiveness for non-NASA EPSCoR funding; 

"" Promote education and workforce development, with a focus on GIS and remote sensing applications; 

"" Promote research and capacity building efforts through faculty seed grant awards, travel awards, and 

other initiatives; 

"" Improve and maintain a strong cyber infrastructure backbone, and serve as a data science hub in 

Micronesia in order to encourage computer intensive analyses at UOG;

"" Foster collaboration and partnerships between Guam and NASA scientists, U.S. and international 

academic institutions, local and federal government agencies, non-governmental organizations and private 

industry."