Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington, DC                             June 7, 2001
(Phone: 202/358-1761)

RELEASE:  01-115

NASA AWARDS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
TO HELP STRENGTHEN STATES' RESEARCH CAPABILITIES

     NASA competitively selected 35 meritorious, peer-reviewed 
research proposals under the Experimental Program to Stimulate 
Competitive Research, or EPSCoR. The 3-year performance-based awards 
cover 19 states at a total cost of $6.6 million, subject to 
appropriation in future years.

What makes the EPSCoR program unique is its goal to target states of 
modest research infrastructure. EPSCoR provides funding to assist 
states in developing a more competitive research base within their 
selected academic institutions.

In addition to the research awards, each of the NASA EPSCoR states 
will receive awards of $125,000 for core funding for research 
infrastructure development. The funding enables researchers to 
initiate technical discussions and onsite visits with NASA 
researchers and allows the states to become more competitive for 
future NASA research opportunities.

"For the first time in the history of NASA EPSCoR, we are making 
awards to proposals whose research directly supports NASA's research 
needs", said Frank Owens, Director, NASA Education Division. "These 
awards will continue to contribute to the academic research efforts 
of the universities and to the state priorities, while also directly 
contributing to NASA's mission."

EPSCoR began in 1993 after NASA saw the need to strengthen the 
research capability of states that previously had not participated 
equably in competitive aerospace research activities.

EPSCoR also works closely with the states' NASA Space Grant College 
and Fellowship Programs to help improve the opportunities for 
science, mathematics, engineering and technology education. For a 
list of research and core funding awards on the internet, go to: 

        http://calspace.ucsd.edu/epscor/contents.html

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