A team of faculty members at Stanislaus State has received a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help develop a regional pathway for advancing the circular bioeconomy in California’s Central Valley. The funding comes through the NSF’s Enabling Partnerships to Increase Innovation Capacity (EPIIC) program and is intended to strengthen the university’s ability to build external partnerships and expand learning and career opportunities for students.
The grant was awarded as part of the North San Joaquin Valley Regional Innovation Translation Ecosystem (NSJV-RITE) project, a collaboration between Stanislaus State and the University of the Pacific. The initiative aims to enhance innovation capacity and economic resilience in the region by aligning university resources with local industry needs.
The Stanislaus State EPIIC team includes Professor of Art Jake Weigel, Associate Professor of Teacher Education Adam Devitt, Dean of Professional and Global Education Kari Knutson Miller, and Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs Kris Roney. Weigel serves as principal investigator and project coordinator, while Devitt and Knutson Miller are co-principal investigators. Roney provides additional support on policy and research interests.
Weigel emphasized that the grant is important for creating career pathways for students. “What we’re doing with the money from this grant is looking at what Stan State already does in the area of building and sustaining external partnerships, and figuring out what we could do better,” Weigel said. “It’s ground level, but it’s incredibly important in helping determine what policies, staff and administrative support is needed.”
“It will also help determine what kind of partnerships we have and can develop, in addition to what workforce readiness is needed and how we can be more responsive as an institution.”
The EPIIC grant supports analysis of existing university efforts while identifying new opportunities for student internships, externships, applied research experiences, greater access to STEM fields, and preparation for high-demand jobs. It also allows faculty to establish clearer structures for partnership development.
“We need to be looking at what kind of skills industries in the region are looking for from our students, and how we can better support that,” Weigel said. “As an institution, how can we build those 21st-century skills and soft skills? What is the region in need of, in terms of sustainable, higher wage jobs that can push this newer industry and bring some more life to the Central Valley?”
“We want industries to know that Stanislaus State is looking to respond to their needs and concerns. This is a good way for us to start developing a plan and move forward.”
By participating in this approach, Stanislaus State seeks to improve its institutional identity connected with regional economic transformation while strengthening collaborations across campuses and sectors.
Stanislaus State partners with BEAM Circular—a connection that links academic strengths with sustainability initiatives—and participates in projects such as North Valley THRIVE. In August 2025, BEAM Circular awarded Stanislaus State a $435,255 grant aimed at establishing a Centre for Sustainable Biotechnology focused on workforce development within biotechnology fields locally. The university also helped found the Circular Bioeconomy Innovation Collaborative (CBIO Collaborative), which brings together multiple partners with NSF support.
The EPIIC funding will help create frameworks designed not only for current partnership growth but also to position Stanislaus State competitively when seeking future federal grants.
“We want industries to know that Stanislaus State is looking to respond to their needs, concerns and aspirations,” Weigel said. “This is a good way for us to start developing a plan and move forward strategically as an institution.”
