The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in the state of Puerto Rico will enhance the research competitiveness of approximately 70 faculty working in 7 research clusters. The selected research areas: (1) Development of a Marine Biotechnology Center: Molecular Regulation of Biotic Interactions, Response, and Production; (2) Molecular Biology of Parasites Group; (3) Research in Cellular and Molecular Mechanism of Nervous System Regeneration Group; (4) Computational Mathematics Group; (5) Development of an Engineering Infrastructure Research Center; (6) Development of a Materials Research Center; and (7) Development of an Interdisciplinary Group of Research on Metal Clusters: Their Structure, Bonding, and Reactivity. Each of the projects have identified short, intermediate, and long range goals (up to the year 2000) and devised strategies to: achieve national and international levels of excellence; strengthen human resources in S&E, including the development of two new Ph.D.s, and provide for the involvement of four- year institutions faculty and students in their research project; create advisory councils of distinguished researchers to guide project development; establish collaborative agreement with national and international groups and laboratories; and vigorously seek additional funds to build on the base provided by EPSCoR. Collaborative agreements have been made with the Industry/University/Research Center (INDUNIV), the Corporation for the Technological Development of Tropical Resources (TROPICO), and the Puerto Rico Scientific Community Council (SCC) to promote and advocate for the strengthening of the S&E community and the development of R&D in the private and government sectors. Institutional commitments to EPSCoR include, $4.5 million contributed by UPR from Commonwealth funds, a waiver of indirect cost amounting to $2.1 million; as well as commitments to incrementally hire 35 new tenure-track S&E researchers. From the private sector $900,000 from TROPICO, and $45,00 from INDUNIV were secured to contribute to EPSCoR efforts.
