News

BREE project member Declan McCabe, PhD received the Accomplished Graduate Alumnus of the Year Award from the University of Vermont (UVM) on May 17, 2019. He highlighted his BREE research during the Honors Day Award ceremony at UVM which led up to his acceptance of the award.

Professor of Geography Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux was recently elected as a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the nation’s premier scientific and professional organization disseminating information about the atmospheric, oceanic, and hydrologic sciences.

Veronica Sosa-Gonzalez, PhD, Coordinator for the VT EPSCoR CWDD, and Tabitha Finch, PhD, Vermont Genetics Network (VGN) Director of Professional Development and Education Core, visited the Vermont State House on May 16, 2019 to discuss the missions of Vermont EPSCoR and VGN with state representatives.

Our BREE colleagues continue to grow and receive recognitions for their expertise and accomplishments. Please explore our summer newsletter.

Strengthening biosecurity is widely considered the best strategy to reduce the devastating impact of disease outbreaks in the multi-billion-dollar global swine industry, but successfully doing so all comes down to human decision-making, a University of Vermont study shows.

This summer the VT EPSCoR Center for Workforce Development & Diversity (CWDD) has been busy welcoming 18 undergraduate interns and 46 high school participants to both the Saint Michael’s College and University of Vermont campuses for the 2019-2020 research year.

A buzz in the skies over the Richmond green this week turned out to be the University of Vermont Spacial Analysis Lab's drone team out practicing.


The lab has been using drones since 2011 and has found them an easy way to stretch a research budget. "Drones offer a very cost effective way to collect data. They're a lot cheaper say than hiring a manned chopper to collect data or information," said the lab's Emma Estabrook, showing off the drone they use for mapping projects.

In our first hour, a conversation with three scientists from the VT EPSCoR program at the University of Vermont. We’ll talk about how we’re learning about water in Vermont and elsewhere. Their research is extensive and innovative, and pertinent to the issues of water quality Vermont is addressing today.

Three female founded startups were selected to receive cash awards totalling $35,000 at the seventh annual LaunchVT Demo Night. All eight startups in the 2019 cohort have been partnered with local businesses and will receive professional services worth over $100,000. Demo Night, LaunchVT (link is external)’s annual investor showcase and pitch event, comes at the end of an eight week intensive program where entrepreneurs in the LaunchVT cohort work with a dedicated coach, strategic advisors, and each other to refine their business models, hone their pitches, and prepare for the future. Two hundred investors, advisors, and observers came out on May 31st to cheer on the founders and celebrate the local community that supports them.

Congrats to the Launch VT 2019 Cohort!

VT EPSCoR held a successful kick off to Year 4 with an exciting All Hands Meeting on June 4, 2019 at Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, VT. Over 80 participants attended including the new 2019 Undergraduate interns, graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and members from the VT EPSCoR External Advisory Committee.

Veronica Sosa-Gonzalez, PhD, Vermont EPSCoR's CWDD Coordinator, presented on the topic of diversity, equality, and inclusion at Universidad Ana G. Mendez 2nd Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Symposium in Carolina, Puerto Rico on May 17, 2019. Presenting remotely to approximately 400 students, Dr. Sosa-Gonzalez detailed Vermont EPSCoR's diversity efforts as a case study to foster inclusion and diversity. She also answered questions from the audience about how Vermont EPSCoR built and expanded its network and why the program considers training to be an important part of the diversity initiative.

BREE High School teacher Glenda Almodovar Morales presented her Vermont EPSCoR funded research at the National Science Foundation's Long-Term Ecological Research (NSF LTER) All Scientists Meeting in Pacific Grove, California in October 2018. The meeting, which occurs once every three years, provided Ms. Almodovar Morales with an opportunity to highlight research that her students worked on during the 2017-2018 academic year.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) held a first ever meeting with all Research Infrastructure Improvement Awardees (RII) Tracks 1 -2 and 4 in Old Alexandria, Virginia on May 15 – 17, 2019. The meeting theme focused on “Convergence” and provided the opportunity for Principle Investigators (PIs) from all EPSCoR states and jurisdictions around the country to hear about funding trends at the NSF and other EPSCoR-like programs including the newly announced funding opportunities expected from the Department of Defense (DEPSCoR) program. The forum also provided a venue for PIs from different RII funding mechanisms to network and discover potential future collaborative areas of common interest – and convergence.

Several VT EPSCoR CWDD High School Student Interns from Puerto Rico traveled to Vermont to attend the Annual Research Symposium and share experiences with Vermont students at Burlington High School for a cultural exchange visit. Burlington High School is in the pilot year of the Burlington City & Lake (BCL) Semester.

f we want to build the capacity for scientific solutions that address the needs of all Vermonters then we must encourage the voices of under-represented groups to join the conversation. Having more scientifically trained people in Vermont, no matter what career pathway they take, is incredibly important for our state’s economic future. Even if we can’t see it, science is built into practically everything we do: from the decisions we make to the products we use. We strive to enrich our story by offering opportunities to those groups who have been traditionally underrepresented in these areas by connecting more students of different genders, races, ethnicities, and socio-economic positions, to career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).

A forum to advance science and policy recommendations on Lake Champlain water quality was held on May 8th, 2019 at the St. Michael's College Dion Event Center.

Objectives:
To build foundations for transboundary water quality management

To clarify existing science and policy initiatives in both countries

To identify gaps in science, data, and policy across transboundary borders and consider opportunities for partnerships among science communities

To review and further develop policy and management recommendations to inform the study report

Ryan McDevitt, 37, is CEO of Benchmark Space Systems, a 2-year-old South Burlington company that makes compact propulsion systems for small satellites.

Benchmark has six employees and is hiring three more to meet a $680,000 contract signed with the U.S. Air Force in March. In November, the company closed on $1.1 million in investment from local angel investors and two venture capital firms: Launch Capital in Boston and Fresh Tracks in Vermont. It’s receiving another $600,000 from investors this month and expects to start selling its product to other customers later this year or early in 2020.

The DoD released a Notice of Intent for the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) Program. Approximately $3.6 million may be made available to support up to six awards. Eligibility is restricted to institutions of higher education in DEPSCoR eligible states. Application due dates are to be determined. More information regarding

LaunchVT has selected the eight Vermont startups that will be participating in its 2019 Accelerator Cohort. This is the seventh cohort of startups to come through LaunchVT’s acceleration program. Over the past six years LaunchVT has provided business development support, strategic coaching, and over $550,000 in cash and services to accelerate 43 Vermont startups.