Collaborative research: e-core RII: strengthening partnerships for advancing research capacity in delaware

The National Science Foundation awarded a $3,061,772 Cooperative Agreement through its Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) to the University of Delaware to lead the "Strengthening Partnerships for Advancing Research Capacity in Delaware" (SPARC-DE) project. This collaborative effort aims to create an inclusive, open research ecosystem to expand Delaware's research capacity, retain a highly skilled workforce, and increase research innovation across priority sectors.

The project will invest in three specialized cores - a Research Support Core, a STEM Pathways K-16 Core, and a Workforce Development Core - along with an Administrative Core. Key activities include strengthening data infrastructure and networking, broadening participation in Delaware's STEM pipeline, and providing experiential entrepreneurial learning opportunities. Sub-awards to Goldey-Beacom College and Delaware Technical & Community College support workforce development initiatives and STEM education pathways. The project runs from March 2025 through February 2029.

Abstract

This collaborative project is led by the university delaware. The project's vision is to create an inclusive, open, collaborative research ecosystem where faculty and students are supported and encouraged to expand their interests. A highly skilled workforce will be expanded and retained, and research innovation and interconnectedness will be increased across all state priority sectors. The project has potential to foster new collaborations across institutions in delaware. Additionally, through its focus on strengthening the state's research infrastructure, the project has potential to strengthen the state's data and intellectual property infrastructure, improve communication and access to stem programming, and support entrepreneurial training. By addressing these needs, this project has potential to boost cutting-edge research carried out by interdisciplinary teams, resulting in substantial gains in delaware's knowledge-based economy. This collaborative project is led by the university delaware in partnership with the delaware epscor state committee, delaware state university, delaware technical community college, goldey-beacom college and wilmington university. The project goals are to form lasting networks that facilitate access to expertise, specialized equipment and resources, and support for meaningful experiential-entrepreneurial learning opportunities. To achieve this, the project will invest in three specialized cores, along with an administrative core. The project will support a research support core to provide high-quality research translation, strengthen data infrastructure, connectivity, and networking capabilities through strategic investments in cyber, human, and physical infrastructure. The stem pathways k-16 core aims to strengthen and broaden participation in delaware's stem pipeline and related pathways. The workforce development core will focus on strengthening skills and broadening participation in stem through investments in team building, research collaboration, and connectivity to meet the needs of employers in the state's priority areas. In addition, an administrative core will support overall cohesion, facilitate research and infrastructure collaborations, communicate opportunities and enhance and sustain jurisdiction-wide research administration. These investments will make delaware an ideal testbed to implement e-core's mission to promote sustainable improvements in the research infrastructure and r & d capacity and competitiveness. This project is supported by the epscor research infrastructure improvement program: epscor collaborations for optimizing research ecosystems (e-core). E-core supports jurisdictions in strengthening their jurisdiction-wide research ecosystems through fostering interconnected networks, building research infrastructure, and growing research capacity and competitiveness aligned with jurisdictional priorities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.