Transcript Slide 1

OK EPSCoR’s New RII Award
Jim Wicksted, Associate Director
Oklahoma EPSCoR
Presented at the Oklahoma Grant Administrators Meeting
Northeastern Oklahoma State University - Broken Arrow
November 14, 2008
WHAT IS EPSCoR?
Experimental Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research”
EPSCoR is a merit based science and
technology (S&T) initiative to improve the
research capacity capability and
competitiveness in states that historically
have not received significant federal
research and development (R&D) funding.
National Science Foundation
Research Infrastructure Improvement Grants:
60-month grants of up to $15 million to support infrastructure
improvements in S&T areas selected by the state’s EPSCoR
governing committee as being critical to its future R&D
competitiveness.
Current Project: $9 million – Frank Waxman, PI - 2005-2008
Current Project: $20.5 million – Jim Wicksted, PI - 2008-2013
BUILDING OKLAHOMA’S LEADERSHIP
ROLE IN CELLULOSIC BIOENERGY
Objective 1. Discover molecular mechanisms and tools
for biomass development
Objective 2. Effective conversion of biomass to liquid
fuels
Instead of looking solely at
corn, researchers at OSU, OU
and Noble Foundation will
study all types of perennial
grasses, including switchgrass.
Why Switchgrass?
• Indigenous to Oklahoma
• Non-food feedstock requiring lower
amounts of fertilizer and water
• Good yield, strong seed production
• Lower costs required
• Grows in poor soils
• More tolerant to flooding and droughts
• Large potential for underutilized acres
(marginal lands)
Potential for Oklahoma
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Governor’s Biofuels Coalition
– 25% of energy needs through biofuels by
2025 {25x’25 Alliance}
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In Oklahoma by 2025*
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2.4 billion gallons of biofuels per year
43.3 billion KWh of electricity
134,000 new jobs
$13 billion in economic activity
* Dr. Ernie Shea, 25x25’ Project Coordinator
Research Needs
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Still need higher biomass yields:
Current potential: 4.5 to 7.5 tons/acre
Want to go as high as 11 tons/acre {doubling as has
been done with corn}
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Improve stress tolerance to:
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Improve nutrient requirements:
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Drought
Herbicide (weed elimination)
Less fertilizer required
Less nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions
Reduction in Greenhouse Gases and
improved carbon sequestration
BUILDING OKLAHOMA’S LEADERSHIP
ROLE IN CELLULOSIC BIOENERGY
 Utilizing molecular-genetic, genomic and transgenic
approaches to improve biomass accumulation and
stress tolerance, and decrease lignin content in
switchgrass
 Functional genomic and molecular mapping
approaches to identify expressed unigenes and major
genes for improved biomass production and reduced
cell wall in switchgrass
 Microbial conversion (Enzymatic)
 Catalytic/chemical conversion
EHR Outreach Initiatives
K-12 Student Development
 Bioenergy Summer Technology Academies
 Educational Robotics Teams (BOTBALL)
 OKMN Mobile Science Vehicle
Postsecondary Outreach
 Comanche Nation College (Information Tech.)
 Supplemental Instruction Program
at Langston University
 GRE Preparation at Langston University
 Research Experiences for Undergraduates
 Oklahoma Research Day for Regional Universities
 Women in Science Conference
 Travel for Students to Professional Meetings
 NSF SURE-STEP at UCO
Faculty Development
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Research Opportunity Awards - ROAs
Annual State Conference
NSF Grants Workshop
OU Supercomputing Symposium
NSF ADVANCE
NEW PROJECTS
Entrepreneurship
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Entrepreneurial Workshops
Industry Internships
Business Plan Competitions
i2E Commercialization Vouchers
Public Outreach
 Research Day at the State Capitol
 Partnerships Science Museums
 Sci Tech Student Reporting Awards
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
AT COMANCHE NATION COLLEGE
Postsecondary Student Development
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Salary support for IT Technician
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Provide support for enhancing both
needed laboratory capabilities and
cyberinfrastructure in order to
promote a cultural-based approach
for students pursuing programs in
the STEM disciplines.
SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM
Postsecondary Student Development
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Supplemental Instruction (SI) program for gatekeeper
courses (i.e., algebra, biology & chemistry)
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NO STIGMA - targets the class rather than the individual
to promote success
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Participation is strictly voluntary
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Peer mentors lead study session
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Offered to increase retention rates
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Students who participated showed gains at nearly a full
grade letter better than non-participants
OK RESEARCH DAY
FOR REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES
Postsecondary Student Development
 Showcase contributions of
undergraduate students to
statewide research efforts
(regional & community colleges)
 ~750-800 attendees annually
 Allows students to share results
from research in poster and oral
presentations
WOMEN IN SCIENCE CONFERENCES
Postsecondary Student Development
 Successfully draws between 500-600
participants
 Conferences provide keynote address,
interactive panel discussions, recruitment
fair and career planning sessions &
teacher’s lounge with resources/info on
summer research opportunities
 Includes entrance into Science Museum
Oklahoma (hands-on science exhibits)
RESEARCH
OPPORTUNITY AWARDS (ROA)
Faculty Development
 Summer research opportunities for regional university faculty
 Paired with mentors at research-intensive campuses
(OU, OUHSC, OSU, TU, OMRF, SNRF, etc.)
 Selected on a competitive basis
 Expands Oklahoma’s research efforts across the state
 Aides in development of ongoing collaborations between junior
and senior level faculty
Faculty Development
GOAL 1: Increase the number and quality of proposals submitted to NSF
and other funding agencies
GOAL 2: Encourage collaboration
Annual State Conferences – ~200 faculty
& students
 Gather to share research results & future trends
 Scientific poster session for RII theme area
NSF Grants Workshops – ~150 faculty &
students
 Nuts & bolts of grant writing
 NSF Program Officers share info on
directorates & funding opportunities
NEW RESEARCH PROJECTS
EPSCoR Directors Funding Additional Research Projects
Faculty Development
 “Corrosion Monitoring Equipment”
PI: Joseph Suflita, OU, Dept. of Botany & Microbiology & Sarkey’s Energy Ctr
Equipment & graduate student support
 “Geographical Signatures of Bacterial Nanowires”*
Estella Atekwana, OSU, School of Geology
Preliminary data to be used for future NSF proposal
New/Additional Projects Funds
 “Stillwater Children’s Museum – Museum Without Walls”
 “Physics Masters Program at University of Tulsa with Emphasis on
Nanoscience”
PI: Dr. Parameswar Hari
Entrepreneurship
GOAL: In collaboration with i2E, Inc., provide resources for students and
faculty in pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities and support
development of high tech business in the state
OK Governor’s Cup Statewide Collegiate
Business Plan Competition
Competition sponsored by Donald W. Reynolds Foundation with
partners including EPSCoR & i2E to encourage students to
develop and implement businesses
 Competition kick-off: “Who Wants to Be an Entrepreneur?”
 8 businesses launched by winners
 One winner received $80K SBIR grant (USDA)
I2E Commercialization Vouchers
$1K vouchers to researchers for commercialization assessment of
inventions
 30 technologies assessed
 7 resulted in new start-up companies
 25 resulted in commercial development
 ~10 potential licensing opportunities
Entrepreneurship
GOAL: In collaboration with i2E, Inc., provide resources for students and
faculty in pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities and support
development of high tech business in the state
Who wants to be an Entrepreneur?
EPSCoR teams up with the i2E to
sponsor this interactive workshop
which is designed to assist Oklahoma’s
entrepreneurial-minded college
students by addressing topics in the
workshop ranging from business plans
to venture capital financing. This
workshop attracts 100-150 students
and faculty.
Barry Moltz, author of “You Need to
be a Little Crazy” signed copies of his
book at the 2006 Who Wants to be an
Entrepreneur Workshop.
OCAST Industry Partnerships
GOAL: In collaboration with OCAST, Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR provides
support ($10,000/per internship) for two research internships each year to
engage students in industrial settings. Industry internships are offered to
encourage undergraduate students to prepare for careers in scientific and
technical fields including areas that support high-tech companies in
Oklahoma. OCAST assists the EPSCoR program by matching students to
industrial partners desiring student interns.
Kyle Hatcher, left and Jamie
Meade, right, both from Redlands
Community College, received
internships for Martin Biochem.
Oklahoma EPSCoR
Oklahoma City
Frank Waxman, State Director
Dawn Scott, Administrative Coordinator
Shelley Wear, Programs Coordinator
Stillwater
Jim Wicksted, Assoc. Dir.
Valerie Pogue, Program Manager
Pat Greer, Administrative Asst.
655 Research Parkway, Suite 200
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
405.225.9459
Fax 405.225.9230
415 Whitehurst
Stillwater, OK 74078-1038
405.744.9964
Fax 405.744.7688
Oklahoma EPSCoR Website
http://okepscor.org/
Bioenergy Summer Technology
Academies
INTEGRATING GPS & GIS INTO K-12 CLASSROOMS
 Use GPS & GIS mapping to increase positive
attitudes of students & teachers toward STEM
 Participants learn topics on biofuels and bioenergy
9 Summer Academies/2 Mini-Academies
411 students & 37 teachers
44 students served as mentors
 Offered student mentoring opportunities
Half of all participants were female
 Broadened participation of women & minorities
Minority Participation:
Yr. 1 - 50% (25% American Indian)
Yr. 2 - 69% (62% African American)
Yr. 3 - 60% (50% African American)
"I really thank the staff and teachers for a
good time and helping me when I was
struggling, and I really appreciate it. I would
hope to be back as a mentor next year.“
~Student Participant
“I have used my summer academy model to
help write four subsequent grants, two of
which have been funded and the other two are
still waiting for a decision.”
~Dr. David Brown, Project Coordinator
Research Opportunity Awards (ROAs)
GOAL 1: Provide funds ($10 K) and opportunities for faculty at Regional
Colleges to conduct Research at Oklahoma’s Comprehensive
Universities (OSU, OU, TU)
GOAL 2: Encourage collaboration
Previous Awardees
 Mauricio A. Sanchez of UCO worked with Dr. Feng C. Lai at OU on
a project titled “Discrete Ordinate Simulation of the Propagation of
Incident Flux In Aoritc Tissue”.
 Dr. Xiaomin Ma of ORU worked with Dr. Hazem H. Refai at OU on a
project titled "Summer Research on Vehicular Ad Hoc Wireless
Communication System”.
 Dr. Evan Lemley of UCO worked with Dr. Dimitrios V. Papavassiliou
at OU on a project titled “Microfluidic Pressure Losses in T and Y
Junctions”.
 Dr. Mohamed Bingabr of UCO worked with Dr. Robert Rennaker at
OU on a project titled “Auditory Nervous System Coding of Sound”.
OU Supercomputing Symposia
Faculty Development
 Event Organized by
Dr. Henry Neeman, Director,
OU Supercomputing Center
for Education & Research
 Bring Oklahoma researchers
together to discuss the use
of supercomputing in science
and engineering research
 Hosts >250 faculty, staff
and student participants annually
RESEARCH DAY AT THE CAPITOL
Public Outreach
 College & university presidents nominate
research projects
 Students receive training on poster preparation
 $250 stipend to develop poster/display
 Legislators and public invited to attend
 Students compete in poster competition
 Year 3 - 2 categories
research-intensive
regional & community colleges
(1st - $500, 2nd - $250, 3rd - $100)
 One overall grand prize winner received summer
research internship at Oklahoma college or university
of choice plus $500 cash prize (REU)
Photo courtesy State Capitol Photographer