McBride Named Director of UW’s EPSCoR/IDeA Office

Shawna McBride, who has served as interim director of the University of Wyoming’s EPSCoR/IDeA and Research Development Office, has officially been appointed senior director of that important resource to the state.

EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) is a federal program at five agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the IDeA (Institutional Development Award) Program and an equivalent program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The university’s EPSCoR and IDeA programs foster research in specialized, jurisdiction-specific areas in ways that position Wyoming to be more competitive for NSF and NIH research programs.

The UW programs also increase research opportunities through other agencies, including NASA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DOD).

“Dr. McBride has excelled in her work as interim director, and her proven ability to foster collaboration and target offerings to the current needs of UW will be critical in meeting the goals of the Research and Economic Development Division and UW’s strategic goals,” says Parag Chitnis, UW’s vice president for research and economic development. “We are thrilled she will continue the great work she has done in a permanent role at this important office, which plays a crucial role in fostering competitive research in Wyoming.”

The newly established EPSCoR/IDeA and Research Development Office will serve coordinating and catalytic roles to increase funding opportunities while fostering research activities at UW. It also will manage the Science and Technology Committee required by the NSF EPSCoR program. Additionally, it will increase UW competitiveness in getting funding from DOE, DOD and other EPSCoR programs; provide research development and grant preparation assistance and coordination; catalyze new research by managing seed grant programs; and coordinate and communicate the broader impacts of UW’s research enterprise.

“I’m very excited about this new role on campus and the opportunities it offers UW faculty, staff and students,” McBride says. “We’re here to help people find and engage in research opportunities and explore new programs.”

To learn more about UW’s EPSCoR/IDeA programs, visit www.uwyo.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/epscor/index.html.