The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $31 million funding initiative aimed at enhancing research capacity across 36 academic institutions in 24 states. This effort, part of the Funding for Accelerated, Inclusive Research (FAIR) initiative, seeks to establish enduring collaborations between leading institutions and DOE National Laboratories, Office of Science scientific user facilities, or research-intensive academic institutions.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm emphasized the importance of the initiative by stating, “Providing America’s best and brightest students with pathways to STEM fields is the key to advancing American leadership in innovation.” She added that FAIR assists academic institutions in broadening their research capabilities and fostering future scientific breakthroughs.
The projects supported by this funding cover a wide array of fundamental research topics. These include developing machine learning algorithms for materials modeling, improving global snow predictions, and advancing additive manufacturing for tungsten-based components used in fusion reactors. Such foundational research is vital for technological advancements that will contribute to a clean energy future.
Of the 36 awardee institutions, 33 are classified as Emerging Research Institutions. The group also includes six Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), six Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), three Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), with eight being both HSIs and AANAPISIs.
The allocated funds will support projects with durations of up to three years. Further details on the projects can be accessed on the FAIR website.
It should be noted that selection for award negotiations does not guarantee funding from DOE. A negotiation process will follow before any funds are disbursed, during which DOE reserves the right to cancel negotiations or withdraw selections if necessary.
