NH EPSCoR and Campus Compact for NH have established a seed-grant program for faculty at undergraduate higher ed institutions to broaden participation and build research capacity in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) disciplines. Funding may go towards exploring a concept or integrating research experiences into an undergraduate STEM curriculum. Priority is given to environmental sciences.

These mini-grants are aligned with the Enhancing Inclusive Excellence for NH Communities Initiative, designed to expand outreach efforts and broaden community participation. Funded activities should enhance New Hampshire’s capacity to develop a talented, robust, and diverse STEM-oriented work force capable of performing, adapting, and thriving in a dynamic knowledge-driven economy.

Keene State’s projects that were funded under this grant include a $4,160 award to Associate Professor of Biology Loren Launen (in collaboration with Nick Baer of Colby-Sawyer College, Kelley Thomas of UNH, and Celia Chen of Dartmouth College) for her project, “Sequencing and Analysis of the Gut Microbiome of the Flat Headed Mayflies and Brook Trout from a Mercury-impacted Stream of the Lake Sunapee Watershed.”

Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Nora Traviss and Assistant Professor of Geography Christopher Brehme received an award of $4,997 for their project, “Using a Community-Based, Undergraduate Research Approach to Evaluate Spatiotemporal Patterns of Seasonal Air Pollution in Keene, NH.”

Associate Professors of Architecture Bart Sapeta and Donna Paley received a $3,455 grant for their project, “Use of a Testing Bay for Faculty Research and Experiential Education in the Building Sciences.”