Delaware EPSCoR

Saltwater intrusion is a growing challenge for Delaware, learn how Dr. Kent Messer and Project WiCCED are working to understand and support community adaptation here:

Facing Rising Challenges: Dr. Kent Messer on Delaware’s Coastal Future “Saltwater intrusion is a problem that Delaware is going to continue to face, and it'll be a growing challenge in the years and decades to come, and that's true around the globe.” Dr.

Researchers, educators, and students from across Delaware came together for this year’s symposium to share ideas, build connections, and showcase innovative work. Featuring more than 100 research presentations, the event highlighted award-winning projects with the potential to create meaningful impacts for Delaware and beyond. Read more about the symposium and posters here:

Research, Innovation, and Impact: Highlights from the 2026 Statewide Research Symposium This year's research event brought together researchers, educators, and students from across Delaware for a day about collaboration, innovation, and discovery. With more than 200 registered attendees, the symposium created an engaging environment where participants could network, exchange ideas, and

Across disciplines, the valuable data collected by faculty and students can be just as important of a resource as laboratory space itself. Before that data can be properly used, however, it needs to be accessible. At the University of Delaware, Cathy Wu, Ph.D., and Chuming Chen, Ph.D., are leaders in streamlining interinstitutional and interdisciplinary data infrastructure.

Read the full article on LinkedIn below:

Driven by Data: How UD Researchers Are Fortifying Statewide Research Infrastructure and Data Accessibility By Riley Bell Across disciplines, the valuable data collected by faculty and students can be just as important of a resource as laboratory space itself. Before that data can be properly used, however, it needs to be accessible.

From saltwater intrusion investigation, to practical applications of genomics, to ecosystem restoration, to dietary research, programs like Delaware EPSCoR and Delaware INBRE are the key to developing the future of the state's research capacity, leadership, and workforce. Check out the full article on UDaily for more about recent research and EPSCoR's impact on researchers and students:

Building leaders, strengthening the workforce | UDaily EPSCoR, INBRE funding serve vital role in Delaware STEM research workforce and biomedical research

“By understanding the life history of a virus, could we synthetically control it so that a phage would be more effective in killing bacteria, for instance?”

Under the leadership of Dr. Eric Wommack and Dr. Shawn Polson, Co-Chief Scientists, and lab coordinator Dr. Barbra Ferrell, The Viral Ecology and Informatics Lab (VEIL) at the University of Delaware is a leader in viral ecology research, pushing the boundaries of discovery about the role of viruses. Read the full article on LinkedIn below:

Lab in the Limelight: UD’s Viral Ecology and Informatics Lab, Student Research Engagement, and Novel Therapies UD's Viral Ecology and Informatics Lab is a leader in viral ecology research, pushing the boundaries of discovery about the role of viruses.

As environmental challenges continue to impact agriculture, researchers like Krystal D Williams, PhD, are working to better understand how plants can adapt and survive.

Through methods like analyzing plant-associated bacteria and gene expression, her work explores how scientists might one day help crops grow more successfully in difficult conditions, including areas affected by soil salinity.

Her journey reflects how regional programs like Delaware EPSCoR can have a lasting impact on both individual careers and broader scientific progress. Read the full article on LinkedIn below:

Growing Resilience: How Krystal D Williams is Advancing Salt-Tolerant Crops Krystal D Williams, PhD is working to better understand how plants can adapt and survive to increasingly salty conditions.

While AI is increasingly being incorporated into everyday life, education, and the workplace, students are more frequently expected to understand not only how to use AI tools but also how to evaluate and engage with them responsibly.

With support from DE EPSCoR, the Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) library and Russell Michalak, its director, are working to prepare students to navigate this AI-driven future by leading initiatives that integrate artificial intelligence literacy into student learning and research. Read the full article on LinkedIn below:

AI Literacy in Higher Education: Preparing Delaware Students for What’s Next | Delaware EPSCoR While AI is increasingly being incorporated into everyday life, education, and the workplace, students are more frequently expected to understand not only how to use AI tools but also how to evaluate and engage with them responsibly. With support from DE EPSCoR, the Goldey-Beacom College (GBC) libra...

“I read that report, and realized, oh my god—this is a really serious problem! [PFAS] hurt people’s health; they cause cancer. Not only for people who have [them] in their body already, but also for future generations.”

Dr. Dongxia Liu, Robert K. Grasselli Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Director of the Center for Catalytic Science & Technology (CCST) at the University of Delaware, saw a grave problem to address in PFAS contamination.

Thanks to a grant under the Focused EPSCoR Collaborations (FEC) initiative, she is now at the forefront of novel research to remove PFAS from the environment and combat their effects on public health. Her lab, uniquely positioned for the job, is a leader alongside institutions across Delaware, South Carolina, and Alabama.

Read the full article on LinkedIn:

Lab in the Limelight: UD’s Dr. Dongxia Liu Pioneers Methods to Address PFAS Contamination At the University of Delaware, Dr. Dongxia Liu, Robert K.

Congratulations to our former EPSCoR Director, Donald Sparks. What a well deserved honor.

We are so excited to announce that we have received an NSF EPSCoR E-CORE award. See announcement here:

NSF invests $40M to strengthen STEM research capacity and workforce development across five EPSCoR jurisdictions The U.S. National Science Foundation is investing approximately $40 million to support research and STEM workforce development in Delaware, Guam, Kentucky…