The Puerto Rico EPSCoR program was created in 1986 with a grant from the National Science Foundation. Since then it has grown to include EPSCoR programs from the following agencies: NASA, DoE, DoD, and NIH. The EPSCoR programs identify, develop, and use academic science and technology resources to increase Puerto Rico’s research and development competitiveness and support economic growth through innovation in the Jurisdiction’s colleges and universities, their science and engineering faculty, and their students. The Puerto Rico EPSCoR program helps create infrastructure to enhance the research capabilities of the Jurisdiction.

Increasing Puerto Rico’s scientific and technological research competitiveness is critical. The EPSCoR program utilizes the science and technology resources at the University of Puerto Rico to stimulate sustainable science and technology infrastructure improvements in the Jurisdiction to accelerate the capacity of their researchers to compete for federal and private sector research and development funds.