Terri Sindelar
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                                 
January 28, 1994
(Phone:  202/358-1977)                                                                     
4 p.m. EST


RELEASE:  94-13

NASA FOSTERS AEROSPACE RESEARCH IN STATES

  NASA today announced a new initiative that will strengthen the 
research capability of six states and increase their 
competitiveness in space and aeronautics research activities.  

  The NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research 
(EPSCoR) Program will provide funding to enable the states to 
develop an academic research enterprise directed toward long-term, 
self-sustaining, nationally competitive capability in space 
science and applications and aeronautical and space research and 
technology programs.  This capability will contribute to the 
state's economic viability.

  The six states selected for the 3-year, $500,000 annual award 
include Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Montana and the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

  "After a thorough peer review process, we determined that these 
six state proposals clearly showed the most potential to 
contribute to NASA's mission and to build the states' long term 
capability," said Spence Armstrong, Associate Administrator for 
NASA's Office of Human Resources and Education.  Armstrong also 
indicated that NASA will work through existing programs, such as 
the Space Grant Capability Enhancement Program, to build upon the 
excellent components found in the other proposals.

  The states eligible to apply for this award were designated by 
the National Science Foundation (NSF) as eligible for the NSF 
EPSCoR and/or those states currently designated as Capability 
Enhancement grantees in NASA's National Space Grant College and 
Fellowship Program.  



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  NSF established EPSCoR in 1979 in response to congressional 
concerns that federal R&D efforts supported only a handful of 
states.  A decade later, in 1990, Congress began the process of 
expanding EPSCoR beyond NSF.  Consequently, NASA along with the 
Departments of Agriculture, Energy and Defense, the Environmental 
Protection Agency and the National Institutes of Health are 
developing or implementing EPSCoR programs. 

  The NASA EPSCoR program was conceived to improve a states 
competitive research capacity in areas relevant to the agency's 
mission.  NASA EPSCoR should contribute to a stronger science and 
technology base, broaden geographic participation of 
technologically sophisticated businesses and industries while 
supporting a more competitive national economy, strengthen science 
education and expand science and engineering training 
opportunities particularly for women and minorities and reinforce 
the importance of supporting science and technology.

  The selected states will use the award for research funding and 
to enhance the existing infrastructure by purchasing equipment, 
supporting graduate students and funding interdisciplinary 
research activities.  Developing the infrastructure will require 
enhanced interaction and cooperation in research and in technology 
information dissemination among universities, state government and 
business and industry in the state.

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Editor's Note:  A list of participating institutions in the 
selected states can be obtained by contacting the NASA 
Headquarters Newsroom on 202/358-1600.