NSF just released the FY 2021 EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track-4: EPSCoR Research Fellows solicitation. The solicitation was revised to include RII Track-4:FAST, a new pilot program in collaboration with NASA EPSCoR.
EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Track 4: EPSCoR Research Fellows offers the following tracks: RII Track-4:NSF and RII Track-4:Fellows Advancing Science and Technology (RII Track-4: FAST). While they are similar in achieving the same goals, RII Track-4:NSF is open to a broad community and RII Track-4:FAST focuses on faculty from specific institutions of higher education to collaborate with researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) participating research centers. PIs that are eligible for both tracks may apply for only one track per competition cycle.
RII Track-4:FAST provides opportunities for PIs from specific institutions of higher education with high enrollments of trainees from underrepresented populations in STEM (See Section “IV. Eligibility Information” for more details). The aim of this opportunity is to further develop their individual research potential through extended collaborative visits to NASA research facilities located at NASA Centers throughout the United States.