Idaho NSF EPSCoR I-CREWS funding is available to facilitate the development of VIP (Vertically Integrated Programs) courses related to the I-CREWS research areas. VIP is a program to increase student access to hands-on learning with faculty mentors and diverse teams. The VIP approach is at the center of the Idaho NSF EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-1 I-CREWS Education, Workforce Development, and Diversity plans.
Community Integrated Programs (CIP) engage members of the community, often with undergraduate or graduate students, and are co-created with Tribal nations partners and/or community members and organizations outside academia to address priority issues identified by the community, particularly issues related to Energy-Water Systems. CIPs engage learners across disciplines (e.g., across STEM, policy, and law) and knowledge systems (e.g., local and Indigenous knowledge, academic knowledge). Community, students, and faculty together learn with each other as they imagine more equitable interdisciplinary solutions to complex E-W issues.
This Seed Funding program is part of Idaho’s multi-year (2023-2028) statewide National Science Foundation (NSF) Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Track-1 Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) award, “Idaho Community-engaged Resilience for Energy-Water (E-W) Systems (I-CREWS).” The project is highly aligned with Idaho’s Higher Education Research Strategic Plan. I-CREWS Seed projects must address topics at the intersections of Energy-Water systems; proposals that fail to do so will be returned without review. Here the term Energy-water (E-W) Systems refers to the intersection between the systems, consisting of the physical infrastructure, data/information/knowledge, the people, laws and policy, as well as the fuel and water that flows or is in reserve. This includes interdependent power and water systems tied to the physical infrastructure for generation, transmission, distribution and use of power and water along with governance and management practices, knowledge flows, and effects on end users. I-CREWS represents a statewide collaborative community-engaged academic research and education program aligned with areas supported by NSF. Participants work collaboratively across institutions on basic research; integration of science disciplines; integration of research, education, and workforce development; and fostering integration of science, communities, and stakeholders. Hyperlinks are available in the “learn more and apply” button or copy & paste links: I-CREWS Project Description - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bpmcK-BSieUZxn60ixVelKXFFVkqIFTG/view I-CREWS Strategic Plan - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fzKvg7xk9gcuMTm-xFLjITRy4phmu5oE/view Seed Open Forums: Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 10 am PT/11 am MT Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 1 pm PT/2 pm MT Monday, Oct. 28 at 10 am PT/11 am MT Thursday, Nov. 7 at 2 pm PT /3 pm MT Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 10 am PT/11 am MT Register to attend optional forums: https://uidaho.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4V3csKSE0rgY7iK