This Project Grant award of $246,355 from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Integrative Activities (IA) program, titled "COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: E-RISE RII: ENHANCING MAINE FOREST ECONOMY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM TO ACCELERATE INNOVATION," will support a collaborative research initiative led by the University of Maine.
The key products and services to be delivered under this grant include:
Developing a statewide research, education, and innovation incubator to fuel growth of Maine's forest-based economy and support rural communities
Advancing research and development capabilities in four convergent areas: environmental AI & informatics, cellulosic nanofiber bioproducts, rural & tribal resilience, and smart rural development
Increasing research capacity with support for 20 early-career faculty, a new forest sector business development faculty position, and an actionable dashboard of metrics related to Maine's forest, economy, and workforce
Engaging diverse stakeholders, including 45 faculty, 85 undergraduate students, 10 graduate students, 4 postdocs, 200 K-12 educators, and nearly 2,000 students across 15 schools, as well as 10 rural and economically distressed Maine communities and a tribal nation.