WASHINGTON — NASA has awarded $12.6 million to colleges and universities to conduct research and technology development in areas important to the agency’s mission. In addition to research and technology development, the awards enable faculty development and support higher education students.

The selections are part of NASA’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR. The program helps develop partnerships among NASA research missions and programs, academic institutions and industry. It also helps the awardees establish long-term academic research enterprises that will be self-sustaining and competitive, and contribute to the jurisdictions’ economic viability and development.

Seventeen proposals were selected for funding in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina (in conjunction with the U.S. Virgin Islands), South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Vermont. Winning proposals were selected through a merit-based, peer-reviewed competition.

Two proposals were selected from the College of Charleston, S.C., with one of the two proposals being from the EPSCoR-eligible University of the Virgin Islands, which is being aligned under South Carolina for administrative purposes.

One proposal was selected from each of the following universities and organizations:

– Louisiana Board of Regents
– Maine Space Grant Consortium
– Missouri University of Science and Technology
– South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
– University of Arkansas at Little Rock
– University of Kentucky, Lexington
– University of Mississippi
– University of New Hampshire, Durham
– University of Northern Iowa
– University of Oklahoma, Norman
– University of Puerto Rico, San Juan
– University of Utah, Salt Lake City
– University of Vermont, Burlington
– Vanderbilt University
– Wichita State University

For a list of selected proposals, visit: http://nspires.nasaprs.com

For more information about EPSCoR, visit: http://education.nasa.gov/epscor

For more information about NASA’s education programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education