NCRR Announces Two More Science Education Partnership Awards for FY 2007

On January 21, 2008, the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) announced that it will provide more than $2 million to fund two additional 2007 Science Education Partnership Awards (SEPA) to institutions at opposite ends of the country: Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI) and the University of Southern Maine.

Designed to improve the public's understanding of health and biomedical research, the SEPA program supports projects that increase scientific literacy, create innovative educational opportunities and provide the nation's youth with early exposure to the excitement of science—ultimately contributing to the development of a future generation of scientists and clinical researchers.

SBRI's three-year grant of approximately $800,000 will build upon its BioQuest science education program to create an innovative science immersion program for teens. This program aims to foster science career interest by providing high school students with access to biomedical research.

More than $1.3 million will go to the University of Southern Maine for a five-year grant to explore the micro- and nano-scale worlds of health and disease. This unique project will develop and distribute educational curricula for elementary and middle school students and expand outreach efforts throughout Maine.

Supported by NCRR, the SEPA program funds grants for innovative educational programs. Such projects create partnerships among biomedical and clinical researchers, K-12 teachers and schools, museums and science centers, media experts and other educational organizations.

To learn more about current SEPA programs, read the fall 2007 issue of the NCRR Reporter. View an active list of SEPA-funded projects. For more information about SEPA, visit http://www.ncrrsepa.org.