NSF Director Bement and Congressman Mollohan to visit WVU on Dec. 3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Nov. 30, 2007

Contact
Ginny Painter
Communications Manager
Division of Science and Research
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
304.558.4128 ext. 6
ginny.painter@wvepscor.org

NEWS RELEASE

National Science Foundation (NSF) Director Arden L. Bement, Ph.D., and Congressman Alan B. Mollohan will visit the West Virginia University (WVU) campus Monday, Dec. 3, to meet with WVU President Mike Garrison, tour the university’s physics and engineering facilities, and greet research faculty and students. Following the tour, Bement and Mollohan will host a roundtable luncheon for research administrators and representatives of the state’s high-tech industries.

“We are honored to welcome Dr. Bement to West Virginia and are gratified that he and Congressman Mollohan have such a keen interest in our state’s research enterprise. Their support is critical as we continue to build our state’s research infrastructure.” said Paul L. Hill, Ph.D., West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) vice chancellor for science and research.

“During my visit to WVU, I am particularly interested in exploring how the National Science Foundation, researchers and private industry can work together to advance innovation and meet the challenges of global competitiveness,” said Bement. “Investments in education, science and technology are critical to West Virginia’s and America’s future. Now more than ever, we need champions—leaders from both the public and private sectors—who can speak credibly about the importance of science, technology and engineering research and education.”

“Effective research is an absolutely vital part of West Virginia’s drive to diversify its economy and make the lives of its people better,” Mollohan said. “West Virginia University is undoubtedly the standard bearer in those research efforts. Its past success in working with the National Science Foundation serves as a solid foundation for future endeavors. Since 1997 alone, WVU has been successful in securing more than 150 NSF grants to study topics from ion transport in single cells to biometrics. It is an honor to have Dr. Bement visit WVU to see the progress first hand and to discuss future opportunities.”

Bement’s visit and the luncheon are being sponsored by the NSF, the HEPC Division of Science and Research, and the WVU Research Corporation.

The HEPC Division of Science and Research administers the NSF’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) in West Virginia. For more information, contact Ginny Painter at ginny.painter@wvepscor.org or (304) 558-4128, ext. 6.

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