A $8 million initiative over four years that will strengthen research infrastructure and capacity in RI and position the state to develop transdisciplinary, use-inspired research, specifically around the Blue Economy, as well as societal and economic growth into the future.
Rhode Island is a global leader in research, namely in the life sciences and the Blue Economy. Underpinning these sectors is a strong research community of faculty, students and administrators at 13 institutions of higher education. RI NEST is perfectly placed to improve coordination of research activity and opportunity among many partners throughout Rhode Island, as well as deepen experiences around research for faculty and students.
RI-NEST Goals
Strengthen workforce development by broadening opportunities for research and education, which in turn creates pathways to careers in tech and research industries.
Catalyze partnerships by seeding diverse and use-inspired research, focusing on small businesses that increase competitiveness in Rhode Island’s Blue Economy and retain STEAM graduates from state institutions of higher education.
Implement opportunities for science communication, visualization, and data sharing to improve translation of science for understanding and use by a broad spectrum of partners, and increase funding into the state.
Core Focus
To maximize efforts for research and related activities across the state, RI-NEST has been organized into infrastructure “cores,” or areas of focus that will support a sustainable and competitive research ecosystem.
- Administration – Managing the day-to-day and coordinating research activities across the state in partnership with the RI Science and Technology Advisory Council. Key Goal: Establishing a statewide EPSCoR office
- Workforce Development – Broadening opportunities for faculty and students to engage in use-inspired research and career development. Key Goal: Develop pathways for secondary-level students to enter into STEM fields
- Partnerships – Facilitating critical dialogues that build trust, develop innovations, and link researchers and partners to sustainable funding. Key Goal: Develop use-inspired research partnerships with local industries and communities.
- Science Communications – Fostering unique, transdisciplinary collaborations in art, design and journalism to advance discovery and innovation “in service to society”. Key Goal: Facilitate and make sustainable the VIS-A-THON, Open Newsroom and RI Data Discovery Center.
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RI NSF EPSCoR is supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation under EPSCoR Cooperative Agreements #OIA-2433276 and in part by the RI Commerce Corporation via the Science and Technology Advisory Committee [STAC]. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation, the RI Commerce Corporation, STAC, our partners or our collaborators.