United States Department of Defense NEWS RELEASE On the web: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Feb2001/b02022001_bt054-01.html Media contact: newsdesk@osd.pentagon.mil or +1 (703) 697-5131 Public contact: defenselink@osd.pentagon.mil or +1 (703) 697-5737

The Department of Defense (DoD) announced today plans to award 48 grants totaling $26.8 million in fiscal 2001, and up to $46 million per year starting in fiscal 2002 to 32 academic institutions to conduct multidisciplinary research in 38 topic areas of basic science and engineering. These grants will be made under the fiscal 2001 DoD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative program (MURI), a program designed to address large multidisciplinary topic areas representing exceptional opportunities for future DoD applications and technology options.

Subject to the successful completion of negotiation between DoD and the academic institutions, the 48 awards will provide long-term support for research, graduate students, and the purchase of equipment supporting specific science and engineering research themes vital to national defense.

The average award will be $1 million per year over a three-year period. Two additional years of funding will be possible as options to bring the total award to five years. Out-year funding is subject to the availability of appropriations.

Today's announcement is the result of rigorous competition over many months under the DoD MURI program. The competition drew 416 white papers, from which 158 full proposals were received. After a thorough evaluation by technical expert teams, 48 of these proposals were found to be suitable for funding.

The list of projects selected for fiscal 2001 funding may be found here (PDF).

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