The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and Institutional Development Awards (IDeA) are federal-state-university partnerships designed to increase extramural research support for those states who have historically received low levels of federal R&D funds. South Carolina EPSCoR/IDeA leverages federal and state support to build research infrastructure; infuse research into education; provide opportunities for diverse groups of institutions, students, faculty, and disciplines in science and technology; and increase collaboration among key stakeholders of the state's science and technology enterprise. Since 1990, South Carolina EPSCoR/IDeA funds have enabled the hire of 95 junior, tenure-track faculty members in science and technology at five South Carolina colleges and universities. These junior faculty complement existing senior scientists, forming research teams that pioneer approaches to address challenges in science and society.
EPSCoR program funding is offered by six federal agencies: Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Science Foundation, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The IDeA program in South Carolina is comprised of the INBRE program and the COBRE program and is funded by the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
SC EPSCoR/IDeA encourages collaborative and complementary research among the state's three PhD granting institutions (Clemson University, the Medical University of South Carolina, and the University of South Carolina) and predominately undergraduate institutions including Furman University, Claflin University, the College of Charleston, Winthrop University, and South Carolina State University (the state's largest public historically black university).
The South Carolina EPSCoR/IDeA program is monitored by several committees both internal and external.
EPSCoR/IDeA
State Committee
The South Carolina EPSCoR/IDeA State Committee brings together the leaders of
the academic institutions involved in carrying out EPSCoR/IDeA objectives, and
therefore oversees the coordination of initiatives across EPSCoR and IDeA funded
programs.
INBRE Steering Committee
The INBRE Steering Committee meets every six weeks to ensure that program goals and
achievements are in line with the INBRE program's strategic goals.