Award Abstract # 1226306
Planning Grant for EPSCoR Missouri
| NSF Org: | OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities |
| Recipient: | |
| Initial Amendment Date: | April 27, 2012 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 23, 2013 |
| Award Number: | 1226306 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: | Sean Kennan skennan@nsf.gov (703)292-7575 OIA OIA-Office of Integrative Activities O/D Office Of The Director |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2012 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2014(Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $249,796.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $374,766.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: | FY 2013 = $124,970.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: | 121 UNIVERSITY HALL COLUMBIA MO US 65211-3020 (573)882-7560 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: | |
| Primary Place of Performance: | 310 Jesse Hall Columbia MO US 65211-1230 |
| Primary Place of Performance Congressional District: | |
| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): | |
| Parent UEI: | |
| NSF Program(s): | EPSCoR Research Infrastructure |
| Primary Program Source: | 01001314DBNSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): | |
| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.079, 47.080 |
ABSTRACT The EPSCoR governing committee will solicit concept papers and convene stakeholder discussions to define research themes and inform the plans for cyberinfrastructure, external engagement, workforce development, diversity, evaluation and assessment, and sustainability. The EPSCoR team will work with state officials to finalize the Science and Technology Plan. The governing committee will ensure all stakeholders are fairly represented, and an external advisory board and experienced EPSCoR consultant will guide the planning process. Intellectual Merit. The focal area for EPSCoR Missouri will be biosciences as supported by cyberinfrastructure. This focus was determined by examining comprehensive research on Missouri's job and wealth generation potential, relevant support services, educational opportunities, research activity, recent events, infrastructure, and stakeholder input. The research identified seven "target clusters" as key to Missouri's economic development, and NSF funding across these clusters points very clearly to a state-wide strength in the biosciences. The biosciences are increasingly dependent on the ability to manage, mine and store very large datasets, that can traverse widely divergent phylogenies and span molecular, cellular and population scales. Missouri's overall cyberinfrastructure, however, limits further growth in bioscience research. With the opportunity to increase the power and breadth of the state's cyberinfrastructure, Missouri scientists can expand work in areas of strength - among them modeling of protein structure, metabolic networks and ecological interactions. Broader Impacts. The Missouri EPSCoR planning process will build a network of stakeholders who are invested in education and workforce development initiatives. This network will include all relevant research, education, government, and industry stakeholders as we increase collaborative capabilities through better communication and cyberinfrastructure, and plan for a sustainable steady state through an RII Track-1 award. With 34 institutions of higher education (including top-notch private universities, a Research-I land grant university, an HBCU and a large network of 2- and 4-year institutions) and world-class research centers and industry, Missouri can become a national leader in bioscience, producing and sustaining a diverse STEM workforce.
This EPSCoR planning grant will identify the most powerful points of leverage for building Missouri's research and technology enterprise. The NSF Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: Track-1 (RII Track-1) proposal will use those leverage points to develop and sustain a national leadership role.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The Missouri EPSCoR effort seeks to improve infrastructure for research and education that will help Missouri compete in a global economy. Researchers from universities and industry across the state have come together to obtain federal funding that will improve the lives of Missourians. Recent extreme weather events, like the drought of 2012, have shown just how vulnerable Missouri’s crops and economy are to shifts in the climate. Losses in valuable crops, such as soybean and corn, are felt throughout the economy, affecting everything from the cost of animal feed and milk to international trade. With funding from the National Science Foundation, the Missouri Transect will lead to the development of predictive tools and new crops so farmers can better cope with the changing environment. These developments will help Missouri’s agricultural economy thrive, and ensure the state remains competitive in the world economy. Missouri Transect research will help the state adapt to climate change by modeling, and predicting short- and long-term trends. The climate data will be integrated with the analysis of plant genotypes and phenotypes to understand the impact of climate change on plant productivity. This will help farmers increase yields by utilizing crops that are optimized for their local conditions. Missouri Transect job training is helping people with disabilities learn cutting-edge information processing skills that will enable Missouri to stay apace in the information-based economy. Rising food prices and shrinking tax revenue due to loss of crops cause stress for consumers. Through Missouri Transect research, scientists are working across the state to determine the impacts of climate change and minimize the repercussions on our livelihoods now and into the future.
Last Modified: 07/02/2014
Modified by: AnnaWaldron
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