Credit: South Dakota NSF EPSCoR

South Dakota EPSCoR
Linking Today's Science and Technology and South Dakota's Future

In 1980, the National Science Foundation (NSF) established the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The EPSCoR program is designed to assist states in establish a self-sustaining academic research enterprise with the competitive capability that will contribute to the states' economic viability and development. The EPSCoR mission is "to strengthen research and education in science and engineering throughout the United States and to avoid undue concentration of such research and education." Today many federal agencies have developed a similar program including NASA, DOE, DoD, NIH, etc.

Current goals of South Dakota EPSCoR include:

• Improving South Dakota's research science and technology capabilities
• Providing educational opportunities for K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students
• Pursuing potential technology transfer and commercialization activities to promote economic development within the state of South Dakota

In order to achieve these goals South Dakota EPSCoR has a working collaboration with the Office of Commercialization, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and the Board of Regents. Actively involved universities include South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, South Dakota State University, and the University of South Dakota.

For a list of current supported programs click here.

Special: A History of Growth by Al Kurtenbach

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History
1978 - 1989 | 1990 - 2000 | 2001 - Present

1978: There is increased concern in Congress about the geographical concentration of research and development (R&D) funding. Congress presses for a program to help disperse R&D funds.

1980: The National Science Foundation (NSF) establishes the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The program is designed to help facilitate grants to geographical areas that historically do not receive substantial amounts of R&D.

Initial funding starts through three rounds of award of research funds which included sixteen states and Puerto Rico. South Dakota unsuccessfully competes in rounds I and II until receiving funding in round III. As a result, scientific research becomes the common bond that begins to create a cooperative venture between South Dakota's universities and other organized institutions.

1985: During round II, South Dakota is one of 12 states invited to apply for NSF EPSCoR II funding, and receives a $75,000 NSF planning grant. A site visit by NSF personnel improved South Dakota's EPSCoR's visibility and resulted in a crucial interview between Donald Langenburg and incoming Governor George Mickelson. This funding enabled scientific research to attract the attention of State Government and force a serious evaluation of priorities within the scientific community.

1986: A committee is formed to oversee EPSCoR activities in South Dakota. The REACH (Research Excellence: A Critical Hallmark) Committee membership includes representatives from higher education, government and business. The first REACH committee included:

1988: Governor Mickelson establishes the South Dakota Future Fund to help build teaching and research capacities in science and engineering at state universities. The Future Fund is supported by taxes paid by South Dakota businesses and acts as the source of state matching funds for NSF awards.

1989: South Dakota applies for and receives $1.8 million award from NSF, which is matched by the Governor's Office through the Future Fund. SDSM&T serves as the host institution with Dr. Kenneth Han as Project Director. Each institution has its own scientific focus:
1. University of South Dakota: Membranes and Interfaces
2. South Dakota State University: Biomolecular Enhancement
3. South Dakota School of Mines & Technology: Materials Science
The primary accomplishments of these projects included the funding of a substantial amount of research, as well as the building of strong cooperative arrangements between the institutions and state government.

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1992: South Dakota applies for the NSF EPSCoR Advanced Development Program competition. The proposal was successfully funded as a $10 million project over a 3-year period.
1. Original award: $3.3 million,
2. $200,000 supplement in Year 1
3. $72,336 ESI award in Year 2
4. $200,000 increase in Year 3

The Future Fund matched $3.3 million and institutions provided $3.4 million in new positions, graduate stipends and waived indirect costs. USD served as host institution with Dr. Royce Engstrom as Project Director. USD, SDSU and SDSM&T were all involved focusing on: "Surface and Interfacial Science"; and “The Role of Biological Membranes in Cell Regulation."

This program promoted the development of strong cooperation between institutions, the initiation of building a real infrastructure, increased visibility of science in the state, and increased scientific productivity.

1993: South Dakota is awarded $256,165 to host the Ninth Annual National EPSCoR Conference in Rapid City, bringing national visibility to the state's EPSCoR program.

1995: South Dakota receives the Systemic Improvement Plan award, $4.5 million for 3-5 years, for renewal of the NSF EPSCoR program. This was matched by an equal amount from the Future Fund and further commitments by the three institutions, SDSU, USD and SDSM&T. Dr. Royce Engstrom remains as Project Director. During the award the state accomplishes unprecedented growth in research.

1997: South Dakota EPSCoR is given the $181,498.

1998: South Dakota receives a 3 year, $3 million EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement from the NSF. Matching funds of $3.4 million came from the Regent's Reinvestment Funds and institutional dollars from SDSM&T, SDSU and USD. Dr. David Benfield from SDSU assumes the role of Project Director. Science focused on the following four areas:
1. Biological Response to Stress
2. Geophysical Processes of the Northern Plains
3. Materials and Processes for the 21st Century
4. Telecommunications and Information Technology

2000: A supplemental award to the NSF EPSCoR Cooperative Agreement of $72,434 is received to support American Association for Advancement of Science (AAAS) review teams in South Dakota.

An NSF EPSCoR Competitive Proposal Development Initiative (CPDI) grant of $168,285 is awarded to Dr. Royce Engstrom, USD. This project provided technical assistance support to the participating states in NSF's EPSCoR. The intent of the project was to assist the EPSCoR states in the development of research proposals in order to strengthen the research competitiveness of these states.

Dr. Stan May, USD, receives an NSF EPSCoR standard award for $498,626 to implement the development of a South Dakota Photodynamics Research Program. This project will create high-tech self-sustaining operations in the field of photodynamics, will assemble state-of-the-art facilities, and involves various faculty at USD and SDSU. This project's goal is to continue the development of a collaborative team that is capable of national competitiveness.

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2001: South Dakota EPSCoR receives a 3-year, $9 million South Dakota Rushmore Initiative for Excellence in Research award, with Dr. James Rice, SDSU, as Principal Investigator. Matching funds of $4.5 million will come from the awarded institutions. This project features infrastructure enhancements in three targeted areas:
1. The Center for Biocomplexity Studies will be a collaborative interdisciplinary effort to study the ecosystems of the Northern Great Plains and their sensitivity to internal and external forcing
2. Materials and Processes of the 21st Century will focus on microelectronic materials and devices, structured nanocomposites and photodynamics
3. Molecular and Cellular Biology Core Facilities will build expertise in bioinformatics and proteomics.
4. In addition, a Scientific Visualization and Information Technologies Core will be established, providing a visualization network to the participating universities.

This award will enhance South Dakota's research competitiveness by continuing its infrastructure support through new faculty start up packages, postdoctoral support, and graduate and undergraduate student assistantships, scientific conference support, and various outreach activities.

2001: South Dakota is awarded an NSF EPSCoR Centers Development Initiative (CDI) award for a total of $1,713,836 over 36 months. Dr. Royce Engstrom, USD, served as Principal Investigator of this project, which will provide two complementary strategies: 1) Centers Initiation, which will enhance proposals being developed for submission to major NSF Center programs 2) Centers Infusion, which matches EPSCoR research groups with NSF funded centers.

The goal of this EPSCoR project is to increase the participation and competitiveness of EPSCoR researchers in multi-investigator centers grant programs funded by the NSF. This project will provide direct consultation and assistance to the EPSCoR community, will build and expand on previous project successes as well as add increased collaboration between EPSCoR and non-EPSCoR jurisdictions.
2005: South Dakota is awarded an NSF EPSCoR Planning Grant award for $208,494. This award funded a series of planning activities designed to address the competitive research challenges facing South Dakota.

2006: South Dakota applies for and is awarded a $6.75 million Research Infrastructure Improvement grant, "The 2010 Initiative: Science-Based Leadership for South Dakota." Led by James Rice, the award will help strengthen the state's research in Photo-Activate Nanoscale Systems (PANS). This research will help advance and:
1. Develop alternative sources of energy generation
2. Develop new ways to manufacture electronic devices using nanoscale-based inks
3. Identify new ways to protect and repair the environment

This award also provides significant investments into institutional infrastructure improvements at Sinte Gleska University, a tribal university.

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