Energy Department Awards Universities $7.5 Million
for Basic Research
March 28, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Department of Energy has awarded grants totaling $7.5 million to universities in New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware and Kentucky for research ranging from nanomaterials to biofuels. The states will match at least 50 percent of this funding.  The grants are part of an experimental program to improve the capability of universities to conduct nationally competitive energy-related research in states that have historically received less federal research and development funding.

“As President Bush so forcefully stated in his 2006 State of the Union address, ‘we must continue to lead the world in human talent and creativity.  Our greatest advantage in the world has always been our educated, hardworking, ambitious people, and we’re going to keep that edge.’  This program uses federal research funding to develop the scientific expertise of our entire nation, fulfilling the President’s vision,” Under Secretary for Science Dr. Raymond L. Orbach said.

The grants were made through EPSCoR, the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, which supports basic research activities spanning the broad range of science and technology programs within DOE.  The program also seeks to increase the number of scientists and engineers in energy-related areas to help meet current and future needs of the Nation.

DOE plans to fund each project at $1.5 million - $2 million over three years.  Funding may continue for up to six years.

The recipients of DOE’s FY2007 EPSCoR Research Implementation Awards are:

• The University of New Hampshire
  Principal Investigator:  Dr. Amitava Bhattacharjee
  Title:  Cluster for Integrated Computation and Analysis of Reconnection and Turbulence
  
• The University of Kentucky Research Foundation
  Principal Investigator:  Dr. Eric Grulke
  Title:  Nanoscale Materials and Architectures for Energy Conversion
  
• The University of Maine
  Principal Investigator:  Dr. Hemant Pendse
  Title:  Thermochemical Conversion of Woody Biomass to Fuels and Chemicals
  
• The University of Delaware
  Principal Investigator:  Dr. John Xiao
  Title:  Center for Spintronics and Biodetection

Academic institutions in these four states were among 26 states and territories eligible for FY 2007 funding under the EPSCoR program.  The department’s Office of Science administers DOE’s EPSCoR program.  Additional information on DOE’s EPSCoR program is available at:  http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/EPSCoR/

Media contact(s):
Jeff Sherwood, (202) 586-5806