The Kentucky (KY) EPSCoR RII-7 proposal unites eight institutions, University of Kentucky, Berea College, Centre College of Kentucky, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Louisville, and Eastern Kentucky University, to continue the strategy of investing in infrastructure to develop Kentucky?s ?New Economy? by supporting research in Innovative Materials and Devices.
Intellectual Merit
This project will pursue two major research initiatives. Initiative in Innovative Materials and Devices is focused on studies of bulk single-crystal transition metal oxides and epitaxial thin films with complementary functionalities, and applications of multilayered thin films for molecular electrodes as well as for single-molecule magnets. The other part of the project will focus on engineering new platforms to enhance our understanding of a single cell or multiple cell types, interactions between individual cells and cell types, and sensing at the molecular, intracellular and intercellular levels. A statewide Micro/Nano Network will advance micro/nanotechnology and the many fields that utilize this technology.
Broader Impacts
Kentucky EPSCoR has developed a comprehensive plan for increasing diversity and evaluating progress in that area. Programs such as seed-funding that supports research at regional institutions and a program to involve diverse populations of Kentucky students in research will be supported through EPSCoR. A special program for computer science graduate students at Kentucky State University will be introduced. Kentucky EPSCoR also proposes the cyberinfrastructure plans for the state, and augments them with support for increasing the expertise and developing new sources of talent. The project is consistent with the state?s science and technology plan, and the associated higher education plan. The project will develop new facilities and establish new faculty and staff positions in the bio-, nano-, & cyber-technology areas. Kentucky EPSCoR has developed a review process intended to identify infrastructure that should support the most promising research. A system of evaluation metrics has been developed to determine whether a strategy is working, and if it is improving Kentucky?s competitiveness.
This project supported the development of important research infrastructure within Kentucky in four areas of strategic and economic importance to the state’s science and technology economy: (1) advancing an understanding of novel basic materials and their properties; (2) understanding how cells interact and communicate in an effort to engineer better biological devices; (3) acquire high throughput genetic sequencing instrumentation to better understand organisms and how they function; and (4) enhance the capabilities of a micro/nano fabrication facility. The investments supported by this project were made at Kentucky’s postsecondary institutions including the state’s two research universities, Kentucky and Louisville; and also all of its publicly-supported four year colleges and universities, its statewide community and technical college system campuses, and several private colleges and universities. The project enabled hiring six new research faculty members who have expertise in the four research areas. Several hundred research jobs for technical research staff and students were, in part, supported by the project, and more than 160 student researchers who were involved with the project graduated. Almost 400 academic journal publications were produced by the participants supported by this award, as were more than 20 licensed science and technology patents awarded to inventors working in Kentucky on these research projects. The primary goal of this program was to develop competitive, science and technology research infrastructure within Kentucky by making investments in people, facilities and instrumentation at the postsecondary institutions, which then led to: competitive research centers of excellence; an educated and diverse science and technology workforce; and a robust knowledge-based economy.
