UTEP To Get $1.27 Million In Grants For Research
The National Science Foundation and the Department of Health and Human Services awarded the University of Texas at El Paso $1.27 million in federal grants for research into solar energy and computer technology and to assist students pursuing careers in health fields, the office of U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes announced Tuesday.
“Expanding research opportunities at UTEP is critical to the university’s efforts to achieve Tier I status,” Reyes said in a news release. “This funding will provide El Paso-area students with greater research opportunities that will enhance their undergraduate learning experience and also help them pursue careers in high-demand fields.”
The National Science Foundation will give UTEP $450,000 to research solar energy and develop renewable-energy technologies that help reduce pollution. UTEP will also get $135,000 to upgrade the computer system and communication networks in its Distributed Computing Laboratory. Part of the grant will also help organize summer computer camps for minority students.
Two grants from the Department of Health and Human Services, which will total $689,921, will go toward medical research and scholarships for health occupation majors. The university will also get $363,355 to research HIV prevention, and $319,566 for a scholarship program to benefit disadvantaged students pursuing degrees in clinical laboratory technology, speech pathology, pharmacy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and nursing, the release said.
The grants are designed to help address shortages of nurses, doctors and other health practitioners along the U.S.-Mexico border, the new release said.
