Contact: Jim Laird
Mississippi State's chief research officer will join others from the state's four public research universities in Jackson for a Wednesday [March 16] information-sharing program at the Capitol.
David Shaw, vice president for research and economic development at the land-grant institution, along with students and faculty advisers, will be on hand in the rotunda 7:30 a.m.-noon to meet with legislators, media representatives, lobbyists, and others interested in learning more about the Mississippi Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.
Usually referred to by the acronym EPSCoR, the MSU-based initiative identifies, develops and deploys academic science and technology to increase the state's research and development competitiveness and foster economic growth. Its programs are funded by a five-year, $20 million National Science Foundation grant that utilizes resources of MSU, as well as the universities of Mississippi and Southern Mississippi and Jackson State University. (For more, visit www.msepscor.org.)
The midweek presentation focuses on efforts to boost science, technology, engineering and mathematics opportunities in the state. Student research projects also will be on display.
To arrange interviews or photo opportunities, contact education and outreach coordinator Katie Echols at kechols@research.msstate.edu or 662-325-8904.
Participants in the 2011 EPSCoR Capitol Day include (by institution):
JSU--Student Gabrielle Cooper and biology department faculty mentor Raphael Isokpehi;
MSU--Students Prashanti Manda and Erick Vasquez, along with faculty mentors Susan Bridges and Keisha Walters of, respectively, the departments of computer science and engineering and of chemical engineering;
UM--Students Kari Copeland and Debra Scardino, along with faculty mentors Nathan Hammer and Greg Tschumper, both of the chemistry and biochemistry department.
USM--Student Ying Li and faculty mentor Chaoyang "Joe" Zhang of the School of Computing.