Kentucky EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID)

The NASA Kentucky Space Grant and EPSCoR Programs are in transition from the previous leadership and host institution, Western Kentucky University (WKU), to the new leadership of Drs. Suzanne Weaver Smith (NASA Kentucky Space Grant Consortium Director) and Janet K. Lumpp (NASA KSGC Associate Director) at the University of Kentucky (UK). The transition plan was developed by UK and WKU under the guidance of NASA Space Grant Director Diane DeTroye. The timeline in Figure 1 illustrates the various elements comprising the NASA Kentucky Space Grant and EPSCoR Programs. Highlighted among these is the 2-year EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Development (RID) effort defined with this proposal. Consequently, in addition to providing the ongoing intent of the EPSCoR RID program to build and strengthen Kentucky's research capacity and capability, this proposal also necessarily addresses transition influences - especially during the first year of the program. This proposal exercises the RFP option of requesting - in Year 1 only - an additional $25,000 for development of a management structure for NASA EPSCoR. This proposal presents a program plan that both recognizes and respects the jurisdiction's research strengths in space science, but also incorporates new aspects to expand, and thus better align, the program to serve current NASA and Kentucky priorities.