EPSCoR Partnership

How Delaware’s Latest EPSCoR Grant is Enhancing Delaware Tech’s STEM Education Initiatives

Delaware Technical Community College, the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, and Wesley College are partners in Delaware’s EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program (RII-3) grant. EPSCoR, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, is a federal grant program led by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help states develop their research capabilities and institutions.

This is the third EPSCoR grant awarded to the partnership since Delaware was designated an EPSCoR state in January 2003. The grant goals are to engage multiple stakeholders to address environmental and energy challenges and to develop a new generation of experts in science, technology and policy through education programs. The four research themes are (1) the effect of sea level rise on contaminant mobility and cycling, (2) the impact of climate change and land use patterns on water quality and ecosystems, (3) development and deployment of environmental sensors at multiple spatial and temporal scales, and (4) innovations in environmentally sound renewable energy sources. In support of education, this latest grant seeks to increase recruitment, retention and graduation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs and expand research opportunities for students in areas related to the grant’s research themes to encourage students to enter STEM careers. 

At Delaware Tech, funding from this grant will provide:

1. Professional development opportunities for Delaware Tech faculty to embed research opportunities into associate degree curricula;
2. Undergraduate research internships for Delaware Tech students at our sister institutions. The Delaware Tech academic programs that are participating are Environmental Engineering Technology and Energy Management; however, other programs also have opportunities to be involved.
3. STEM learning opportunities for Delaware’s K-12 students such as our annual STEM expo for high school juniors and seniors.
4. Resources to help map the STEM pipeline of career opportunities and educational requirements. Delaware’s Tech’s Center for Industry Research & Workforce Alignment (CIRWA) is a future-focused, labor-market research and analysis center aimed at identifying evolving change within an industry and assessing the impact on educational programs and the available workforce within the region. CIRWA will be working in conjunction with the EPSCoR grant to look at STEM-related jobs in the industries identified in the grant to educate middle and high school students about lesser known or emerging careers they may be unaware exist, and to create a career map for the students so they can clearly see the educational pathways they need to take.