Department of War Announces $150 Million in MURI Awards: 20 Teams at 57 Universities, Averaging $7.5 Million Over Five Years
In Washington, the U.S. Department of War announced on October 29 that it will award $150 million for basic defense-related research projects under the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI). The awards, averaging $7.5 million over five years, will support 20 teams at 57 U.S. academic institutions, subject to satisfactory research progress and the availability of funds.
"The MURI program brings together multidisciplinary teams from institutions across the country to tackle some of our most complex scientific challenges," said Jason Day, Research Policy Director within the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. "By deploying a mix of perspectives and approaches, MURI projects foster the kind of bold, cross-cutting research that can spark breakthroughs and push the boundaries of what's possible."
Since its inception in 1985, the Department's MURI program has brought together teams of investigators from many different disciplines to generate collective insights and develop cutting-edge technologies for the Department's unique challenges, complementing its single-investigator basic research grants. Notable MURI achievements include breakthroughs in solid-acid fuel cells, novel nanoscale X-ray imaging techniques that enable advances in battery design and microelectronics, and advances in self-assembled materials that led to the first demonstration of microcontact printing, now widely used in microelectronics, surface chemistry, and cell biology.
The Army Research Office, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and the Office of Naval Research solicited fiscal year 2026 proposals in topic areas of strategic importance to the Department. After a merit-based review of 451 white papers, a panel of experts narrowed the pool to 74 full proposals, from which the 20 final awards were selected. The list of winning teams has been published by the Department.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿县的五角大楼航拍。David B. Gleason 摄，CC BY-SA 2.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Aerial view of the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia. Photo by David B. Gleason, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
