Since last November, one of the things we’ve been telling researchers is to look beyond their normal avenues of funding for other possibilities. As it seems we will be dealing with lower federal research budgets (significantly so for some agencies), it is more important than ever for a researcher to diversify their funding portfolio.

One of the agencies we’ve been recommending faculty look at is the Department of Defense. While the stereotype of DOD is that they only fund research to make explosions bigger and jet fighters faster, the reality is that DOD has a broad research agenda covering everything from physics, engineering, and medicine to economics, communications, and social sciences. Nowhere is this more evident than in the annual DOD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiatives (MURI) program.

MURI is a broad funding opportunity consisting of 24 different topic areas, most eligible for a maximum award of $1.5 million per year for 4-6 investigators. As the M in MURI implies, these are expected to be multidisciplinary teams, with faculty from a few different departments.

Over the last few weeks OPD and the Office of Research have been contacting those that we thought might have an interest, but anyone who is interested in leading or being part of a MURI team is encouraged to sign up on OPD’s FOCUS webpage.

The list of MURI topics is as follows:

Army Research Office Topic 1: Integrated Quantum Sensing and Control for High Fidelity Qubit Operations Topic 2: Novel solid- state materials and color centers for quantum science and engineering Topic 3: Controlling Protein Function Using Dynamic Chemical Switches to Modulate Structure Topic 4: Consolidation of Novel Materials and Macrostructures from a Dusty Plasma Topic 5: Embodied Learning and Control Topic 6: Coevolution of Neural, Cognitive, & Social Networks: Mind-Body-Community Connections Topic 7: Network Games Topic 8: Modeling Interdependence among Natural Systems and Human Population Dynamics

Air Force Office of Scientific Research Topic 9: Physically Viable Learning for Control of Autonomous Dynamical Systems Topic 10: Nanoscale Vacuum Field Effect Transistors Topic 11: Molecular-scale Studies of Liquid-Solid Interfaces in Electrochemical Processes Topic 12: Electromagnetic Non-reciprocity via Temporal Modulation Topic 13: Heterogeneous Interfaces: Route to New Optoelectronic Properties Topic 14: Piezoelectric Nanoenergetic Materials with Adaptable and Tailorable Reactivity Topic 15: Advanced Mean-Field Game Theory for Complex Physical & Socio-Economical Systems Topic 16: β-Ga2O3 as a High-Critical Field Strength Material for Power Systems

Office of Naval Research Topic 17: Predicting and Validating Pathways for Chemical Synthesis Topic 18: Synthetic Microbial Electronics Topic 19: Automated Technical Document Comprehension Topic 20: Materials for Smart Multifunctional Superstructures [(MS)2] Topic 21: Advanced Optical Materials that Create Force from Light Topic 22: In situ Microstructural and Defect Evolution below the Micron Scale in as-Deposited Metal Alloys Topic 23: Enhancing Thermal Transport at Material Interfaces Topic 24: Self-Assessment of Proficiency for Autonomous and Intelligent Systems