Since 2004, Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) has supported statewide partnerships among institutions of higher education, government, industry and communities to develop basic and applied scientific research addressing real-world problems locally and beyond.

With Narragansett Bay as the state's vital economic, social and cultural resource, EPSCoR is positioning Rhode Island to be nationally competitive in many areas of scientific inquiry, developing the next generation of scientists, and providing equitable opportunities in areas such as science communication, technological entrepreneurship, and data visualization.