 EPSCoR
Strategies
The mission of Arkansas EPSCoR is to enhance research funding at the national level by scientists and groups in Arkansas and to encourage the development of initiatives supportive of this mission.
Arkansas EPSCoR will work collaboratively with other groups and organizations that focus on fostering economic growth in Arkansas through the essential building blocks of the knowledge-based economy (knowledge creation through research and development, intellectual property development, commercialization of new technologies, growth of entrepreneurial knowledge-based firms, knowledge workforce and evolution of clusters of such firms) to help create an environment supporting entrepreneurship and continuous innovation.
In keeping with this mission, the EPSCoR advisory committee will:
• Develop strategies to increase building of necessary infrastructure at state universities;
• Develop statewide plans for enhancing competitiveness in research; and
• Support R&D efforts that contribute to both excellence in science and engineering and an enhanced Arkansas' economy.
In keeping with this mission and its collaborative nature, the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority will:
• Serve as a liaison between the Arkansas EPSCoR advisory committee and the Governor's office.
• Coordinate the EPSCoR program's state activities and disseminate information to researchers regarding funding opportunities.
• Provide an administrative structure to facilitate similar activities at each of the research institutions in the state and to be a resource for undergraduate institutions statewide.
• Function as an advocate of, and a source for information on, university research for the Arkansas legislature and for the Congressional delegation.
• Plan, promote, influence, and support with high quality programs and services the commercialization of research innovations, thereby helping to grow the Arkansas economy and increase per capita income.
• Help to increase knowledge worker jobs through entrepreneurship and new company formation.
Researchers competing for EPSCoR funding should consider the following objectives and incorporate these various areas into proposals:
Align research initiatives with economic focus of Arkansas (SEE RESEARCH STRATEGIES).
• Establish multi-university partnerships for research clusters and collaboration between universities.
• Target research initiatives that build or improve sustainable S&T infrastructure, at the state and institutional level, used to increase R&D capabilities.
• Develop initiatives that assist in stimulating multi-institutional collaborative research within Arkansas by organizing multi-university centers or “common” research infrastructure partnerships or integrated organizational teams.
• Continue to implement the “build on strength” philosophy and identify potential mentors and partners.
• Develop a plan to assist researchers to attract the human and intellectual capital needed to successfully compete for Federal and private sector R&D funding.
• Indicate how research will be used to enhance entrepreneurship.
• Indicate how initiatives will support “job-creating” research.
ECONOMIC FOCUS AREAS FOR RESEARCH
For the purpose of R&D planning, the Authority made the following assumptions:
• The context for R&D is economic growth.
• Economic growth is driven by investments in innovation and human capital.
• The key partners in achieving economic growth are existing and emerging technology (or knowledge-based) firms, research universities, and the educational infrastructure.
• The roles of the key partners are to create businesses, high paying jobs, and wealth by commercializing innovations; to produce innovations and knowledge workers; and to focus limited resources on the best research and development opportunities for existing and emerging technology firms.
2008 State R&D Plan
Research areas and cross-cutting disciplines of strategic importance to Arkansas in 2008 include:
Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Systems with emphases on:
• Electronics; Nanotechnology; Photonics; and other Advanced Technologies and
• Lean Manufacturing Quality Management, Six Sigma, and Environmental Issues related to manufacturing.
Environmental Sciences with emphases on:
• Advanced Thermal Technologies;
• Energy and Renewable Resources;
• Geosystems and Environmental Impacts; and
• Sustainability.
Biotechnology, Bioengineering, Agriculture and Life Sciences with emphases on:
• Genetics; Geriatrics Medical Devices; Neuroscience; Nutrition; Oncology and other Medical and Plant Biotechnologies.
• Nanotoxicology.
Information Technology with emphases on developments in:
• Data, Knowledge, and Systems Engineering;
• Data and Information Quality;
• Distributed Systems;
• Software Development; and
• State-of-the-art applications of information technology to Bioinformatics, Healthcare, Logistics, and Transportation.
Human Resource Development with emphases on:
• The knowledge-based Career Pipeline, including undergraduate research support for students;
• Linkages between undergraduate and graduate programs; and
• Career Pathways and improved workforce connections between employment and lifelong education.
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