NSF Grants SUU With EPIIC Award
Published: May 01, 2025 | Author: Lawrence Mbaki | Read Time: 2 minutes
Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at Southern Utah University, Dr. Masoud Malekzadeh, is leading a team of collaborators as the principal investigator (PI) on the Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC): Fostering Unity and Teamwork for Rural Excellence (FUTURE) project. The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded the project and granted it $375,000.
The FUTURE project is scheduled to take place throughout the next three years with the aim of developing inclusive innovation ecosystems through targeted capacity-building efforts at higher education institutions with limited research capabilities, helping prepare the institutions to participate in NSF Regional Innovation Engines.
"I'm really excited about the opportunities the EPIIC grant will bring to our students and faculty at SUU,” said Dr. Malekzadeh. “By connecting with local industries and giving students real-world, hands-on experiences, we’re helping prepare them for successful careers while also supporting innovation and economic growth in our area.”
Dr. Malekzadeh will collaborate with co-principal investigators Dr. Jake Johnson, Dr. Jacob Bishop, Dr. Jeffrey Miller, and Cathy Hart, regional pathways manager at SUU. Additionally, SUU is collaborating with Athens State University and Georgia College & State University to share progress and ideas. As all three institutions are primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs), each will offer the others valuable information as they engage in this project.
“This collaboration will strengthen our ability to work across disciplines and form lasting partnerships within industries, ensuring that we’re keeping up with market needs and contributing to the future of our communities,” said Dr. Malekzadeh.
The FUTURE initiative focuses on increasing institutional capacity and fostering innovation partnerships through three key objectives: building faculty expertise, developing centralized knowledge and resources, and strengthening relationships with industry.
"I am excited to be a part of the EPIIC FUTURE grant team. Among other things, I look forward to introducing the BILT (Business and Industry-Led Teams) model to SUU that will take our industry advisory boards to a new level,” said Hart regarding the project. “This will be a huge win for SUU students."
“Collaboration among different people and divisions within a large, distributed organization is challenging, and this EPIIC grant will hopefully bridge that gap by providing communication pathways and coordination among distinct operations within SUU and among other partner institutions,” said Jeffrey Miller, dean of the College of Engineering and Computational Sciences. “Dr. Malekzadeh’s vision for this project will have a lasting impact long after the project has been completed.”
The College of Engineering and Computational Sciences at SUU helps students become creative problem solvers who effectively use quantitative, digital, and mechanical tools to solve challenging real-world problems and improve people’s lives. The faculty supports students as they learn how things work, why they work, and how to make them work better. Their mission is to prepare students for rewarding academic and professional careers in aviation, mathematics, computing, engineering, and related fields.
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Contact Information:
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
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