DoD to Fund Research Tools

Photonics instruments at the University of Maine, an ultrafast laser to study photochemical reactions at the University of Chicago, stereo particle image velocimetry for investigations of unsteady 3-D separation at the University of Arizona, and a fiber-based terahertz spectroscopic system for electro-optic polymer research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County: These are just a few of the research instruments to be purchased with a total of $49.3 million the Department of Defense plans to award for that purpose.

The 210 awards to 98 academic institutions, being made under the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP), are expected to range from about $50,000 to $1,000,000 and average $235,000, DoD said in a statement. DURIP enables university researchers to buy equipment costing $50,000 or more to conduct DoD-relevant research.

The awards are the result of a merit competition for DURIP funding conducted by the Army Research Office, Office of Naval Research, and Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Each office requested proposals from university investigators conducting research related to information technology, remote sensing, propulsion, electronics and electro-optics, advanced materials, and ocean science and engineering.

The research offices received more than 800 proposals requesting a total of $224 million in support, DoD said.

For a list of winning proposals, visit: www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2008/DURIP2008.pdf