Modesto Junior College received a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation (EPIIC) program to support a research effort with Louisiana State University Eunice and the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology at Cobleskill.
The EPIIC grant program assists minority-serving, two-year colleges that are emerging as research institutions. MJC’s School of Science, Engineering & Math and School of Agriculture will receive the bulk of the new funds.
The three collegiate partners are working on a project called A-SPARK: Agriculture and Science Practice and Access for Research-Driven Knowledge. According to a press release from MJC, the grant funding will build research capacity, expand partnerships for workforce pipelines and align their efforts with biomanufacturing and bioeconomy innovation.
“This investment positions MJC as a key contributor to the growing circular bioeconomy ecosystem throughout the North San Joaquin Valley,” the press release stated. “This will create opportunities for students and faculty, within education, professional development, applied research, and industry collaboration and workforce opportunities with regional employers.”