The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced $18 million in awards under the Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) to 28 collaborative academic teams. The DEPSCoR program aims to enhance basic research infrastructure in underutilized states/territories.
The awards are part of the DEPSCoR Research Collaboration and Capacity Building competitions held in Fiscal Year 2022. The Research Collaboration competition selected 25 teams led by universities in eligible states, while the Capacity Building competition chose three finalists, including George Washington University, the University of New Mexico, and the University of South Dakota.
Dr. Bindu Nair, Director of DoD’s Basic Research Office, highlighted the importance of tapping into institutions with substantial research capability and growing the Department’s ecosystem of researchers to bolster national security. The selected teams will receive funding over a period of performance to pursue science and engineering research aligned with DoD initiatives supporting the National Defense Strategy.
The DEPSCoR program plays a crucial role in strengthening the United States’ research capacity and fostering collaboration between academia and the Department of Defense. The awards reflect DoD’s commitment to leveraging diverse research expertise from across the country to address the nation’s defense challenges.