The Department of Defense has awarded $53 million in total funds for 175 U.S. university researchers to obtain modern technology platforms that can aid their projects.
DoD said Tuesday awardees came from 91 institutions and were selected out of 671 proposers through a joint merit competition of U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force research offices as part of the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program.
All three services chose university investigators who orchestrate science and engineering studies that aim to help address national defense challenges.
Dale Ormond, principal director for research in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, said that DURIP allows the department to help universities acquire laboratory equipment needed to carry out defense research efforts.
Ormond added the program also supports science, technology, engineering and math training initiatives.
DURIP backs studies on materials, structures and manufacturing science; quantum and nanosciences; computing and networks, electronics, electromagnetics and electro optics; acoustics, neuroscience, fluid dynamics, robotics and artificial intelligence; and ocean, environmental and life sciences and engineering.
The department also selected 24 multidisciplinary research projects to receive up to $169 million through its Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative.