The National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) has partnered with Ke ... ntucky’s state government, academic institutions and industries since 1986 to build a strong science and technology (S&T) research infrastructure within the state. The program has directly supported 1,900 Commonwealth researchers in the last ten years and creates about 50 new S&T jobs each year. Our supported participants represent academic institutions across the entire state, including both of the Commonwealth’s research universities, as well as regional, private and community/technical colleges. Most recently, the NSF ESPCoR program has awarded eight institutions across the state a five-year, $24 million grant to support the fundamental science needed to advance next generation manufacturing technologies, flexible electronics and robotics. The grant will also support the development of a greater STEM-literate workforce. read more