Register for the 2026 Iowa NSF EPSCoR Symposium
Registration is now open for the 2026 Iowa NSF EPSCoR Symposium, taking place Tuesday, July 28, from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy Building (180 S. Grand Ave.) in Iowa City. Hosted by the University of Iowa, this statewide event convenes researchers, students, and partners for a full day of collaboration, research exchange, and professional development.
The program will open with remarks from project leadership and a keynote address by Patrick Mueller, President of IBI Scientific. Throughout the day, attendees will engage in breakout sessions, poster presentations, and networking opportunities. Highlights include a Strategies for Industry Engagement workshop led by Jeff Keuter, Director of Corporate Engagement at the University of Iowa Office of Innovation, and a professional development session with Amy Colbert, University of Iowa Distinguished Chair and Professor.
Student-focused programming includes poster presentations and a Communication Skills Workshop led by Taylor Sklenar, Lecturer in the Department of English at Iowa State University. Students and postdoctoral scholars are encouraged to present their research during the poster session.
Register here now
Poster registration here
Agenda*:
- 7:30 – 8:45 a.m.: Check-in and Breakfast
- 8:45 – 9:45 a.m.: Welcome with David Schwebel (UofI), Aliasger Salem (UofI), Laura Jarboe (ISU), and Keynote from Patrick Mueller, President of IBI Scientific
- 10:00 – 10:45 a.m.: Focal Area and EWD Breakout Sessions
- 10:45 – 11:30 a.m.: Team-Building Trivia Challenge
- 11:30 – 11:45 a.m.: Group Photo
- 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Lunch
- 12:45 – 1:45 p.m.: Strategies for Industry Engagement Workshop with Jeff Keuter
- 1:45 – 3:15 p.m.: Poster Sessions and Networking
- 3:15 – 4:00 p.m.: Breakout Sessions (External Evaluator Talks for faculty and staff; Communication Skills Workshop with Taylor Sklenar for students)
- 4:00 – 4:45 p.m.: Professional Development Session with Amy Colbert
- 4:45 – 5:00 p.m.: Closing Remarks and Awards Presentation
*Agenda subject to change
Attendees should register and submit poster abstracts by Friday, July 10.
Parking vouchers will be provided for Parking Ramp 4, located south of the Field House (225 S. Grand Ave.) on Hawkeye Wave Way.
Add to calendar here
Summit Attendees Spotlights
Members of the Chemurgy 2.0 community recently shared their experiences and insights from the 2026 NSF EPSCoR Summit in New Orleans, a gathering that brought together researchers, early-career professionals, and program leaders from NSF-supported institutions.
Graduate student Mirza Md Tasnim Mukarram (University of Iowa) described the summit as the “best experience by far,” noting that it offered a unique chance to meet top researchers, learn how they identify research gaps, and receive valuable feedback on his poster presentation that strengthened his research concept.
Uday Venkat Kiran Kommineni, a Ph.D. graduate research assistant at Iowa State University, highlighted the wide range of NFS-supported research across EPSCoR jurisdictions and the opportunities for new collaborations beyond his work with Oak Ridge National Laboratory. He also emphasized the value of the early-career workshops, where he gained evidence-based strategies for building meaningful relationships with advisors and peers, as well as practical mentoring skills.
Fatima Toor, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Toor Lab at the University of Iowa, called the summit “tremendously valuable,” particularly for the rare opportunity to meet directly with NSF program managers and connect with colleagues from other state EPSCoR programs. She also found the sessions on preparing competitive EPSCoR proposals especially useful for her future work.
Binayak Raj Pandey, a third-year Ph.D. student and Chemurgy 2.0 participant at Iowa State University, said the summit provided him with a broad overview of EPSCoR-funded research areas and how they translate into public benefit. He attended the EPSCoR Research Fellows sessions and gained important insights into funding agency expectations and why strong projects sometimes fail to secure grants.
Tim Stanley, a graduate student in Biochemistry working in the Yandeau-Nelson Lab at Iowa State University, found networking easier than expected because everyone was eager to share their research. He received insightful feedback during his poster presentation that will guide his future research directions, and he said the experience increased his confidence for future conferences.
We are grateful to the 2026 conference organizers and look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s summit!
PAM/FFR Kemin Tour
The Plastics for Additive Manufacturing (PAM) subgroup of Chemurgy 2.0, including faculty and graduate student researchers, toured Kemin Industries’ headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa. The visit offered valuable insight into how biochemists and engineers turn lab research into real-world products, followed by a discussion with the Fibers for Flexible and Rigid Materials (FFR) focal area on future collaboration and funding opportunities.
To learn more about these focal areas, click here.
Lunch and Learn - High Performance Computation System (HPC) Training Now Available
Now on our YouTube channel: Brandon Schmidt from the University of Northern Iowa introduces high-performance computing (HPC), explaining how it differs from local systems, the advantages of parallel processing, and practical steps for accessing and using HPC resources—from account setup to job submission.
Watch his full talk here.
News
Dr. Nigel Reuel Awarded NIH MIRA Renewal for Bio-Based Therapeutics Research
Nigel Reuel, an Iowa State University researcher and Iowa NSF EPSCoR Associate Director for Research and Technology Transfer, has received a five-year renewal of NIH MIRA funding to advance protein therapeutics. His team will expand efforts to streamline the design and manufacturing of biological products using integrated experimental and machine-learning approaches, with applications in new therapies and workforce training.
Read the full article here.
Call for Proposals: 2026 Iowa STEM Summit (Submit by July 29)
The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council seeks proposals for presentations, panels, and roundtables at the 2026 Iowa STEM Summit (“Where Bold Ideas Take Flight”) on November 6 in Des Moines. Focus areas include innovative teaching, STEM leadership, partnerships, and emerging technologies such as AI and quantum computing. 20- and 50-minute slots available; all STEM disciplines welcome. Submit by July 29 here. Questions? Email summit@iowastem.org.
More info here.
Events
EPSCoR E-CORE Office Hours (July 9, July 16)
The NSF EPSCoR E-CORE RII program strengthens statewide research ecosystems by building sustainable infrastructure and collaborative networks that enhance research capacity and competitiveness. Researchers and administrators in EPSCoR jurisdictions are invited to join virtual office hours to discuss the E-CORE RII solicitation (NSF 25-523).
Sessions will be held from 2–3 p.m. CDT on July 9 and July 16.
Register using your institutional email and submit questions in advance to epscor-core@nsf.gov. Full details here.
PUI Network Webinar “Student Projects for 2026 Symposium“ (July 14)
An upcoming webinar will provide an overview of the Iowa EPSCoR PUI Network and Summer Mentored Research Projects, including student projects selected for the 2026 Iowa NSF EPSCoR Symposium. The session, held on Tuesday, July 14, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM CST, will feature project overviews, graduate perspectives, and a preview of research in bioscience and advanced manufacturing.
Join the webinar here.
2026 Community Stem Day - Presented by Collins Aerospace and Southeast Iowa STEM Hub - Cedar Rapids - (July 16)
A day of hands-on STEM exploration and community engagement is coming to Cedar Rapids. Community STEM Day will take place on Thursday, July 16, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at 400 Collins Road NE. This free event will feature a STEM fair, workshops, lab tours, music, food trucks, and more!
More information here.
NSF Webinars
Introduction to NSF PESOSE - (6/23)
NSF CAREER Proposal Submission Logistics - (6/25)
Intro to the NSF I-Corps Teams program - (7/9)
2026 Iowa NSF EPSCoR Symposium
The 2026 Iowa NSF EPSCoR Chemurgy 2.0 Symposium will be held on July 28, 2026, on the University of Iowa campus in the College of Pharmacy Building.
Register now here
Poster registration and details here
Attendees should register and submit poster abstracts by Friday, July 10.
Symposium agenda, calendar link, and further details here.
Stay up-to-date with our Events here!
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Award No.2242763