I welcome you to The University of Montana (UM) portion of the National Science Foundation Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR). We are fortunate to serve as the host institution for this prestigious award that runs from August 2004 through July 2007.

First, however, I am pleased to report that the milestones in the 2001-2004 award period were all accomplished. Highlights of specific accomplishments for the sub-projects are listed below.

In the 2004-2007 award, there are several continued strategic partnerships encompassed, most notably with Montana State University, Montana Tech and the Tribal Colleges of Montana, among others. Unique partnerships have also been formed with the State of Montana, for example, the Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology (MBRCT) and the Department of Commerce (DOC), which will greatly aid economic development. These partnerships amplify, strengthen and diversify our mission to build science and technology (S&T) infrastructure in the State of Montana. More importantly, these institutional and statewide partnerships are aimed to strengthen S&T with our most valuable resource – people.

UM NSF EPSCoR funding will be used to build S&T infrastructure in two core areas: (a) biomolecular structure and dynamics (BSD), and (b) Neuroscience, although a number of other scientific areas will be supported through an array of EPSCoR initiatives (below). Specific NSF EPSCoR investment in the BSD and Neuroscience core areas will support new PhD programs, a Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, startup packages for new faculty and graduate stipends. The impact of these investments should be beneficial to a number of academic units, students and the state. The BSD core area was targeted for a five-year EPSCoR investment beginning with the UM Science Vision Committee document forwarded in 2000 and therefore, development of this core area will end in this EPSCoR round. As a result, an important mission of the current NSF EPSCoR award is to identify new research core areas that will be targeted for support in the 2007 submission.

Investigators, faculty, academic units and students at UM may participate in the NSF EPSCoR through a number of initiatives. In brief, a number of support mechanisms are available including: undergraduate research, graduate stipends, seminar speakers, visiting scholars, conferences, SBIR Phase 0 awards, program assessment and development, science education, and a number of diversity and outreach platforms. It is important to emphasize that the EPSCoR program is flexible, and novel ideas for S&T support are encouraged. For further information, contact us or visit the website.

The University of Montana NSF EPSCoR program expects to achieve the following specific S&T milestones:
(1) Seven new tenure-track faculty in the sciences
(2) Two new state- and regential-approved PhD programs
(3) A state approved Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics
(4) Ten new single-investigator awards, and two new multi-investigator awards
(5) Increased number of women (2-4) and a 10% increase in minority program participants
(6) Improved outreach and diversity
(7) Increase the national ranking of The University of Montana.

To assist program participants, these implementation guidelines have been prepared and most of the initiatives have forms that aid the application process. An EPSCoR internal advisory committee has been formed to further develop the guidelines, provide feedback and to ensure the successful management of the project. A statewide governance plan has been formulated to better integrate the academic components with the state. NSF EPSCoR sub-committees have been formed to address specific program needs, for example, to assign graduate stipends to qualified individuals. As a result, broad representation of EPSCoR across the departments is sought to afford better stewardship of the program.

Overall, our goal is to have everyone at The University of Montana identify the NSF EPSCoR program as the key partner in building people, programs and possibilities. I look forward to working with everyone.

Professor of Medicinal Chemistry & Toxicology
UM NSF EPSCoR Project Director