In preparation for the March for Science on Earth Day, April 22nd, Senator Martin Heinrich penned an essay touting his support of science and research in New Mexico. Earlier in the week, Senator Heinrich visited the University of New Mexico to visit with the Vice President for Research Gabriel Lopez as well as students and faculty to discuss the importance of federally funded research in STEM areas.

The Externship Program is a research exchange program that allows New Mexico graduate students (with an existing assistantship) to spend a semester or summer doing research at a partnering New Mexico university or research facility. This report is from University of New Mexico student Asifur Rahman about his time as an extern at the USGS New Mexico Water Science Center.

In order to put the focus on our amazing people in the Energize New Mexico project, we are continuing our NM EPSCoR Spotlight series! We feature someone in the project and learn a little more about where they come from, and what they do for Energize New Mexico. This month, we have Natalie Rogers, Public Relations Specialist for the NM EPSCoR State Office. Natalie has a Mathematics degree from the University of New Mexico and has been with NM EPSCoR for seven years. She helps create the face of NM EPSCoR to the public and makes us look good. Learn more about Natalie below.

The November 2016 issue of the National Science Teacher's Association (NSTA) journal The Science Teacher features an article co-authored by Becky Bixby, one of our Bioalgal Energy component co-leads. Together with Molly Sultany, a high school science teacher in Portland, Oregon, Becky emphasizes the importance of including diatoms in lessons for students in biology, chemistry, and environmental science.

Creative Startups, the NM EPSCoR-sponsored accelerator for creative entrepreneurs, is making headlines again! This time, the program was featured in the Albuquerque Journal for its expansion overseas to Kuwait as the country's first business accelerator. This is the program's first expansion to the Middle East following a successful expansion from its humble beginnings in Albuquerque to North Carolina, Maryland, and Portugal last year.