A Delaware-based research program aimed at climate change is getting a $24 million boost.
The five-year Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) aims to expand and enhance environmental research in the state.
The program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation. It supports states’ efforts to increase their research competitiveness through improvements in infrastructure, including facilities, programs and personnel. Currently, 31 states and territories are designated as EPSCoR jurisdictions.
The new grant is the third EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) grant awarded to Delaware since its designation as an EPSCoR state in 2003. The award will be divided among four partner institutions — the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, Wesley College and Delaware Technical Community College.
A total of $4 million of the overall grant will be contributed as matching funds by the state of Delaware over the next five years.
“The impacts of climate change are going to affect every Delawarean, every Delaware industry, especially agriculture, tourism, manufacturing. We’ve got to be very prepared and take very thoughtful and cost-effective steps today to make sure we’re ready for the changes ahead,” Gov. Jack Markell said at a ceremony last month that marked the awarding of the grant.
U.S. Rep. John Carney also spoke, remarking that he was gratified to see the program, which he was instrumental in initiating 10 years ago as lieutenant governor of Delaware, reach this new milestone.
Leaders from all four partner institutions — President Patrick Harker of UD, President Harry Williams of DSU, President William Johnston of Wesley and Executive Vice President Mark Brainard of DTCC – were on hand late last month to discuss the funding at a meeting in Newark.
Delaware EPSCoR Director Don Sparks, S. Hallock du Pont chair in Soil and Environmental Chemistry at UD and director of the Delaware Environmental Institute discussed the research themes that will be addressed with the new grant, including the effect of sea level rise on contaminant mobility and cycling, coupled land use and climate change impacts on water and natural systems, the development of small sensors to provide data for environmental monitoring and forecasting systems, and innovations in renewable energy.
