Category: NM EPSCoR Impacts

Behind every successful student is someone who took the time to encourage, guide, and simply believe in them. This year, NM EPSCoR is proud to honor individuals who have done exactly that: Anu Ogunleye of Eastern New Mexico University, Thiagarajan Soundappan of Navajo Technical University, and Lisa L. Losada-Rojas of the University of New Mexico, the 2026 recipients of NM EPSCoR’s Mentor Awards. 

EPSCoR in New Mexico: Supporting a Robust Research Ecosystem

NM EPSCoR State Committee Co-Chair John “Jack” Jekowski passed away on July 28, 2026. His contributions remain woven throughout New Mexico’s research and education ecosystems and he will be truly missed. “Jack Jekowski is one of the most intelligent, honest, thoughtful, and giving persons I have ever known.” - Barbara Kimbell 

Students across New Mexico will have new opportunities to participate in hands-on research thanks to Spring 2026 SURE Awards from NM EPSCoR. The funding will support three projects centered on humanoid robotics, autonomous materials research, and semiconductor integrated circuit design.

NM EPSCoR has released an updated science and technology plan, developed in collaboration with the NM EPSCoR Jurisdictional Steering Committee, comprised of more than 20 representatives from New Mexico academic institutions, industry, national laboratories, and state government.

Earlier this month, more than 30 New Mexico EPSCoRians flew to New Orleans for the 2026 NSF EPSCoR Summit, held May 19–22. This year’s conference welcomed more than 600 participants and was organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.New Mexico had a strong presence at the 2026 EPSCoR Summit in New Orleans—showing up not only as attendees but also as facilitators, speakers, moderators, and poster presenters. 

The Research Infrastructure Optimization for New Mexico (RIO‑NM) NSF E‑CORE project, led by NM EPSCoR, continued to gain momentum in Project Year 2. This year, the team reported several notable achievements to the National Science Foundation (NSF) that underscore RIO‑NM’s sustained commitment to strengthening research capacity across New Mexico. Below are two research highlights submitted to NSF as part of the Year 2 Annual Report. 

The New Mexico Research Symposium (NMRS), collaboratively hosted with the New Mexico Academy of Science (NMAS), is an annual conference with oral presentations, a poster competition, and a keynote address. The conference is geared to undergraduate and graduate students from New Mexico’s colleges and universities. Presentation and poster abstracts are published in the New Mexico Journal of Science. View the New Mexico Journal of Science on the NMAS Website.

What does it look like when a state recognizes the quiet but steady work of its research community? On January 29, the New Mexico House of Representatives offered an answer to that question by formally acknowledging NM EPSCoR for its contributions to the state’s research ecosystem.

Research Infrastructure Optimization for New Mexico (RIO-NM) has announced the recipients of its Fall 2025 Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) awards, recognizing three innovative projects that will expand hands-on research opportunities for students across the state. The awards, totaling $49,261, support initiatives in artificial intelligence in computer science education, conservation biology, and fungal ecology.