Alaska EPSCoR to award seed grants

The Alaska NSF EPSCoR Fire and Ice project announces the availability of a series of seed grants to University of Alaska faculty, staff and students. Individuals who have not previously received EPSCoR funding are especially encouraged to apply.

Grants will be awarded in four categories:

1.        Faculty Research Seed Grants of up to $20,000 each will be awarded to full-time faculty members of the University of Alaska to carry out proposals for new and innovative research projects that support the goals of the Alaska NSF EPSCoR “Fire and Ice” research project.

2.        Student Research Seed Grants of up to $4,000 each will be awarded for similar proposals from graduate or undergraduate students at the University of Alaska.

3.        Education and Outreach Seed Grants of up to $12,500 each will be awarded to UA faculty or staff to carry out innovative proposals to build key competencies among stakeholders to address ecological change; to build a diverse pool of STEM learners and workers in Alaska; and/or to increase capacity for Fire and Ice science and teaching among UA faculty and students.  

4.        Visualization Seed Grants of up to $2,500 each will be awarded to UA faculty, staff or students to produce visualizations of STEM research data.

Projects should address themes relevant to the “Fire and Ice” project, which consists of two research components: a Boreal Fires team studying climate-driven changes to fire regimes in the boreal forest, and a Coastal Margins team studying the impacts of climate-driven changes to nearshore ecosystems and organisms in the Gulf of Alaska. Research projects that increase diversity in STEM engagement will be given priority.

The deadline for submission of proposals is 5 p.m. Oct. 15, 2021. The program will award up to four faculty research, five student research, two education and outreach, and 15 visualization awards, with an award period of Jan. 1-Sept. 30, 2022. Awards will be announced by Nov. 5, 2021. Visit the EPSCoR awards page for full criteria and to apply.

For more information, contact Tara Borland at taborland@alaska.edu or 474-6288.