Research Infrastructure

One of the main goals of NM EPSCoR is to support research infrastructure through shared-use equipment. Several higher education institutions across the state benefit from state-of-the-art equipment purchases using NM EPSCoR funding, including a magnetotelluric system, laser-based isotope systems, gas chromatography systems, mass spectrometers, and more. These equipment purchases will remain available for faculty and students at their home universities, and will support their research projects for years to come.

Current Research

Natives in STEM

Natives in STEM is a collaborative project between NM EPSCoR and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES). The project aims to increase Native American identity and sense of belonging in STEM by creating and sharing positive images and stories of Native STEM professionals. Natives in STEM provides access to Native STEM professionals, creates an educational tool for teachers and schools, increases understanding of and interest in STEM for Native communities, broadens educational and career choices for Native students, and strengthens the Native STEM community network.

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Museum Exhibits

In order to communicate research broadly to the public, NM EPSCoR funded three exhibits at science museums in Albuquerque: a bioalgal exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, a solar energy exhibit at Explora Science Center, and a uranium exhibit at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. These museum exhibits provide a vehicle for NM EPSCoR research to be shared with hundreds of thousands of members of the general public, on a much larger scale than could be accomplished through traditional outreach activities.

Creative Startups

The Creative Startups Accelerator was launched in 2014 with seed funding from NM EPSCoR to help jump-start the careers and businesses of creative entrepreneurs. The program is now located in three sites domestically (Albuquerque; Winston-Salem, NC; Baltimore, MD) and recently expanded internationally in Kuwait and Malaysia. To date, they have graduated 40 startups from the New Mexico Accelerator program. So far, the startup companies that participated in the accelerator have raised $11 million in private investment, generated $10 million in new revenues, and created over 160 new jobs in New Mexico (210 jobs globally).

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By the Numbers

Since 2001, EPSCoR programs have provided $183 million to New Mexico to build capacity in research infrastructure, cyberinfrastructure, and STEM workforce development and education. In the last National Science Foundation (NSF) Track 1 project (Energize New Mexico), NM EPSCoR participants brought in over $58 million in external funding, published over 200 peer-reviewed publications, and reached over 10,000 people through museum exhibits and public events.