Funds will enhance research in medicine, education,
agriculture and more
The New Mexico Higher Education Department has awarded $14.3 million to four New Mexico public universities and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center to fund research projects in medicine, education, agriculture, transportation engineering and other areas that directly benefit the state.
Nearly 30 projects have been selected for funding through the Technology Enhancement Fund, which provides state dollars to help colleges and universities secure funding from federal and private sources that require matching funds. This year’s awards could help bring over $100 million into New Mexico from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA and others.
Gov. Lujan Grisham approved $55 million for the Technology Enhancement Fund following this year’s legislative session, a $10 million increase from the prior year.
“The innovative research led by New Mexico’s colleges and universities is an essential driver of our state and national economy and directly contributes to the wellbeing of New Mexicans, which is why we are proud to support this work through the Technology Enhancement Fund. This fund not only brings federal dollars into our state but makes it possible for our research universities and programs to continue this important work without passing the full cost on to New Mexicans,” said Higher Education Secretary Stephanie M. Rodriguez.
“This is a one-of-a-kind investment that will help research institutions in our state grow capacity and graduate students that are better trained in STEM fields. It will also help recruit new industry and increase potential for technology transfer and commercialization. I want to thank Governor Lujan Grisham, the Legislature and the New Mexico Higher Education Department for helping to make this possible,” said Dr. Luis Cifuentes, Vice President for Research at New Mexico State University.
Project proposals were reviewed by a state committee of experts including representatives from the New Mexico Higher Education Department, the state’s three research universities and Navajo Technical University. Awarded project proposals demonstrated how the funds will be used to enhance public post-secondary education and research benefitting New Mexico. Universities must also have equal or greater matching funds for each project from non-state sources to quality for state matching grants.
The following proposals have received funding this year via the Technology Enhancement Fund:
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech) - $2 million
- $766,027 for STATEMAP - Geological Studies in New Mexico via the U.S. Geological Survey
- $296,637 for the Air Force Research Labs Southwest Regional Partnership Intermediary Agreement through the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force and Air Force Research Laboratory
- $230,907 for CarbonSAFE Phase III via the U.S. Department of Energy
- $196,660 for the New Mexico Water Data Initiative: Improving water data access for modeling in the middle Rio Grande via the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior
- $170,115 for a Raman microscope via the National Science Foundation
- $123,094 for CORE-CM Assessment via the U.S. Department of Energy
- $113,550 for research into Hydrophilic-omniphobic HF membrane-based DCMD and crystallization for zero liquid discharge of oilfield produced water via the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior
- $112,500 for Additive Manufacturing for Space Applications via NASA
New Mexico State University - $5.4 million
- $2.7 million to establish a biomedical research facility at NMSU as a Hispanic-Serving Institution on the US-Mexico border via the National Institutes of Health
- $1.9 million to establish an Analytical Instrumentation Suite for Research in energy, agriculture, water and materials science
- $651,315 for a chemistry and biochemistry molecular structure determination core via the National Institutes of Health
University of New Mexico - $4.5 million
- $2 million for the UNM FIRST Program: Promoting Inclusive Excellence in Neuroscience and Data Science through the National Institutes of Health
- $1.2 million for phase two of an integrative treatment center for holistic recovery from comorbid chronic pain and opioid use disorder
- $447,027 for the Teachers Organizing Diverse Opportunities Across STEM Ecosystems (TODOS) project via the National Science Foundation
- $314,908 for the UNM Taos HIVE pollinator project via the U.S. Economic Development Administration
- $187,276 for a x-ray micro-computed tomography scanner for specimen-based and material science research via the National Science Foundation
- $164,114 toward wildlife habitat analysis for conservation via the U.S. Forest Service
- $99,105 for research into solid-state mixed-potential electrochemical sensors for natural gas leak detection and quality control via the U.S. Department of Energy
Navajo Technical University - $393,135
- $300,000 for a research Center for New Equitable, Responsible and Adaptable Housing (NewERAH) through the National Science Foundation
- $75,890 toward research into extending the life of concrete in transportation infrastructure via the U.S. Department of Transportation
- $17,245 for a Navajo Environmental Center through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Program
University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center - $2 million
- $500,000 for Thinking Zinc: A study of zinc supplementation to counteract toxicity associated with exposure to environmental metal toxicants via the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
- $400,000 for a state-of-the-art cell sorting instrument for biomedical research via the National Cancer Institute
- $400,000 toward Enhancing Career pathways for underrepresented minorities in clinical and translational research via the National Institutes of Health
- $375,000 to research access to kidney transplants in minority populations via the National Institutes of Health
- $250,000 toward a telehealth equity project via the Health Resources and Services Administration
- $100,000 for research to support the education and wellbeing of children and youth who are deaf or blind via the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs