The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) supports the NSF's mission by improving R&D competitiveness in eligible jurisdictions through sustainable improvements in research infrastructure and capacity. The EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII): EPSCoR Research Fellows program offers two tracks, NSF and @NASA, to build research capacity and transform the career trajectories of investigators through collaborations and partnerships. These fellowships aim to establish sustainable Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) professional development pathways at both national and global levels. The program benefits include learning new techniques, developing collaborations, gaining access to unique equipment, and potentially shifting research directions, with the goal of having a lasting impact on the Fellows’ research trajectories and enhancing the research capacity of their institutions.