The Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors ("Board") received legislative approval (See HB1690) to offer one-time grants for state programs providing qualifying education in engineering and surveying leading to professional licensure. In October 2020, the Board issued a call for grant applications for its 2021 award season. All colleges and / or universities actively operating in the State of Mississippi with a known, qualifying engineering and /or surveying program as of October 2020 were sent both Email and regular mail notice of the availability of grant funds and invited to submit grant applications accordingly. To apply for possible grant funding, applicants must have, at a minimum, meet the following criteria:
- Be a four-year ABET/EAC accredited engineering programs.
- Be a two-year college offering surveying curricula.
- Be a four-year colleges or university offering Bachelor of Science degrees in
- Engineering
- Mathematics
- Forestry
- GIS
- Cartography
- or a similar science deemed by the Board as supporting the educational requirements for surveying licensure.
(See Rule 8.2-Surveying Curricula Approved by the Board and Rule 8.3 2-Related Science, in the Rules and Regulations which may be viewed at the Board website: www.pepls.ms.gov)
As a part of the grant application for surveying and surveying related programs, verification must be provided that the program complies with surveying curriculum requirements and that the program is active at the time of the application. Under the terms of HB1690 Section 7, institutions can submit applications for any applicable and /or related engineering department or program within their purview.
A total of 16 grant applications were received for the 2021 awards season from the following colleges and /or universities:
- Electrical Engineering
- Civil Engineering Technology
- Civil Engineering Department – Structural
- Civil Engineering Department – Water Resources
- Civil Engineering Department – Environmental
- Civil Engineering Department – Construction Engineering & Management
- Civil Engineering Department – Surveying
- Civil Engineering Department – Materials & Geotechnical Engineering
- Civil Engineering Department – Transportation
- Polymer Science & Engineering
- Electrical Engineering – Bachelor of Science
- Electrical Engineering – Computer Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering – Mechatronics Lab
- Chemical Engineering Department
- Geology & Geological Engineering
A total of $300,000 was awarded in January 2021 to 14 of the 16 applications received, with each entity receiving at least one grant for an eligible application. Funds from the grant program may be used for capital improvements through the purchase of instructional equipment, including items such as computers, survey equipment, laboratory equipment, library resources, etc. Funds cannot be used for facilities or for personnel expenses.
Congratulations to those grantees selected for 2021 and thank you for your submissions.