Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced today that the National Science Foundation (NSF) is awarding a total of $477,329 to support two research projects at Colby College. 

“These grants will provide Colby’s skilled faculty and students with the opportunity to study important facets of chemistry and earth science,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “Maine’s colleges and universities are leaders in cutting-edge research, and funding for these projects will help train the next generation of scientists and promote breakthroughs.”

The funding will be awarded as follows:

• $227,796 for a research project that will study methods to produce chemical compounds called helicenes, which have potential applications as chemical sensors, organic electronics, and new polymeric materials.

• $249,533 for a research project that will investigate the environmental changes that caused a mass extinction 252 million years ago, which will help researchers understand current threats to animal and plant life.

Founded in 1950 by an act of Congress, the NSF is an independent federal agency that supports research, innovation, and discovery that provides the foundation for economic growth in this country.

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