The National Science Foundation has awarded $20 million to Idaho researchers to study the connections between society and landscapes.
The research work is aimed at helping Idahoans better understand ecosystems in the state, and to help residents better understand the relationship between people and the environment. The five year, $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation is the seventh in a row to Idaho EPSCor, a statewide program targeting competitive research.
EPSCor brings together researchers from the University of Idaho, Boise State University, Idaho State University and the state’s other higher education institutions. This is the largest amount of money yet awarded to EPSCor from the NSF, and it will allow for the hiring of eleven new faculty members at the UI, BSU, and Idaho State, and will also fund dozens of student research projects and internships.
The researchers will examine growth in three of Idaho’s mid-sized urban areas near sagebrush, forest and agricultural landscapes – namely, Boise and the Treasure Valley, Coeur d’Alene/Post Falls, and Pocatello/Idaho Falls.
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