National Science Foundation RII Track-1 Project:Expanding Research, Education and Innovation in South Dakota
Student research presentation competition winners to attend national conference in Nashville
BROOKINGS, S.D. — Three South Dakota graduate students will be traveling to the 23rd National Science Foundation
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (NSF EPSCoR) Conference to be held in Nashville, Tenn., Nov.
3-7, 2013.
The SD EPSCoR program will fund the travel for the three students who were winners in a research presentation
competition held on May 29 in Chamberlain, S.D. A total of 70 students competed for recognition as the state’s 2013
outstanding materials research presentations and the travel award.
Each of the students and their research are supported by the SD EPSCoR “Beyond the 2010 Initiative” Research
Infrastructure Improvement award, which receives $20 million over five years from NSF.
Poster session competition winners are:
– Jeevan Meruga, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
– Srujan Mishra, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
– Olusegun Adebanjo, South Dakota State University
The national conference will showcase the research contributions of the nation’s EPSCoR jurisdictions, while highlighting
opportunities to use science and engineering research for job creation, entrepreneurship, external engagement and
innovation.
Students will be able to learn from the industry experts as well and also present their research during the National EPSCoR
Poster Session during the conference.
“It’s a great chance for them to practice how to communicate science to an audience that not only has scientists in it, but
also legislators, business people, other students and the news media,” said James Rice, SD EPSCoR director.
Rice says they will also learn the importance of being advocates not just for their own research, but for the science
community in general.
“They represent South Dakota and show the U.S. the quality of research that is going on in our universities,” said Rice.
SD EPSCoR is funded by the National Science Foundation with the goal to enhance university-based research
infrastructure in the state.