Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI)

Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is sponsored by Department of Defense (DoD), administered by AFOSR, Army Research Office, and Office of Naval Research. MURI supports basic research in science and engineering areas that intersect multiple traditional disciplines. The program focuses on multidisciplinary team efforts to address issues of critical concern to the DoD and the Air Force.

**DEFENSE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION PROGRAM (DURIP)** check the list of the latest BAAs [](https://www. afrl. af.

mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Fact-Sheet-Display/Article/2282120/afosr-funding-opportunities-university-research-initiative-uri/) **MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH PROGRAM OF THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE (MURI)** MURI supports basic research in the science and engineering areas intersecting more than one traditional discipline.

The program is focused on multidisciplinary team efforts to address issues of critical concern to the DoD and the AF. The goal of this program is to advance defense research, accelerate technology transition, and educate scientists and engineers in the interdisciplinary areas important to national defense.

MURI is a DoD-wide program which complements other DoD programs that support university research through the single-investigator awards. The awards are typically for a period of three years with two additional years as options. New awards can be funded up to $1.

5M per year, with the actual amount contingent upon the availability of funds, the specific topic and the scope of the proposed work. All the award selections result from a merit based competition of the proposals. Proposal submission is a two-stage process including white papers and full proposals.

The MURI 2018 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is available on Grants. gov. [](https://www. afrl.

af.

mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Fact-Sheet-Display/Article/2282120/afosr-funding-opportunities-university-research-initiative-uri/) **NATIONAL DEFENSE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING GRADUATE (NDSEG) FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM** The**National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate**(NDSEG) Fellowship program was established in 1989 by direction of congress as an approach to increasing the number of United States (U.S.) citizens receiving doctoral degrees in science and engineering (S&E) disciplines of military importance.

Applicants who are interested in furthering their education in the disciplines of military importance compete for Fellowship opportunities listed under DoD's Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) in research development.

The broad research area disciplines include, but are not limited to the following: aeronautical and astronautical engineering, Astrodynamics, biomedical engineering, biosciences (includes toxicology); chemical engineering; chemistry; civil engineering; cognitive, neural, and behavioral sciences; computer and computational sciences; electrical engineering; geosciences (includes terrain, water, and air); materials science and engineering; mathematics; mechanical engineering; naval architecture and ocean engineering (includes undersea systems); oceanography (includes ocean acoustics, remote sensing, and marine meteorology); physics (including optics) and space physics.

–**CITIZENSHIP**: The NDSEG Fellowship Program is open only to applicants who are citizens or nationals of the United States. The term “nationals” refers to native residents of a possession of the United States such as American Samoa. It does not refer to a citizen of another country who has applied for U.S. citizenship.

Persons who hold permanent resident status are not eligible. Proof of citizenship will be required upon formal offer. Dual Citizens are eligible to apply.

–**EDUCATION**: Applicants are eligible if they have received or will receive a baccalaureate degree in the year of their fellowship application, are within first two years of their graduate study for a traditional program (Graduate (1st-2nd year), or within the first two years of a PhD (1st-2nd year) in science or engineering.

–**MUST MAJOR IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING DISCIPLINES**: The Air Force is excited to welcome their sister service, The United States Space Force (USSF), to the NDSEG program. The USSF has added Astrodynamics to the research disciplines.

However, there are other USSF specific research areas such as Astronomy, Atmospheric Physics, Imaging Physics, Materials for Extreme Environments, On-orbit Servicing, Solar Physics and Space Weather, Spacecraft Robotics, Space Domain Awareness, Space Photonics, and Space Power and Propulsion which are encompassed within the other NDSEG discipline areas: * Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering * Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning * Biosciences (includes toxicology) * Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences (Note: PsyD programs are not eligible) * Computer and Computational Sciences * Cyber Sciences (includes "hard" networks, cybersecurity and disinformation) * Geosciences (includes terrain, water and air) * Materials Science and Engineering (includes Materials for Extreme Environments) * Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering (includes undersea systems) * Oceanography (includes ocean acoustics, remote sensing and marine meteorology) * Physics (includes optics) * Political, Economic and Sociocultural Sciences The duration of an NDSEG Fellowship is thirty-six months cumulative starting in the fall.

NDSEG Fellows may choose as their fellowship institution any accredited U.S. institution of higher education offering doctoral degrees in science or engineering. The availability of funds for the second and third years of each three-year award is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress.

**Tuition, Stipends and Allowances** NDSEG fellows will receive stipends of $30,500, $31,000 and $31,500 in the first, second, and third years, respectively. Additionally, the NDSEG fellowship will pay the fellow's full tuition, required fees (not to include room and board) and minimum health insurance coverage offered through the institution, up to a total value of $1,000.

Any excess insurance costs will be the responsibility of the fellow and can be paid using the stipend. The stipends will be prorated monthly based on a twelve-month academic year. If the fellow is not enrolled in an institutionally approved academic study and/or research during the summer months, financial support will not be provided.

There are no dependency allowances. Persons with disabilities will be considered for additional allowances to offset special educational expenses. An on-line application is available at: https://ndseg.

sysplus. com/. Applications are accepted: 01 August through 01 November.

This program is currently administered by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE): c/o American Society for Engineering Education Website: http://ndseg. sysplus. com/ Email: NDSEG.

afosr@us. af. mil **PRESIDENTIAL EARLY CAREER AWARD IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (PECASE)** The PECASE recognize some of the nation's finest scientists and engineers who, while early in their research careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of scientific knowledge during the 21st century.

The Awards foster innovative and far-reaching developments in science and technology, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientific missions of participating agencies, enhance connections between fundamental research and national goals, and highlight the importance of science and technology for the nation's future.

The Awards are conferred annually at the White House following recommendations from participating agencies. Individuals can not apply to the PECASE program but MUST be nominated by an AFOSR Program Officer. Their proposal must address U.S. Air Force research interests as described in the current AFOSR Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), FA955025S0001 found on www.

grants. gov. Each award will be $200K per year for five years. An individual must be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident with no more than five years from receipt of the doctorate degree and hold tenure-track positions at U.S. universities.

Current or former AFOSR traditional grant, National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) fellowship, or Young Investigator Research Program (YIP) recipient. Criteria based upon technical research, university commitment resources and support, and community service and outreach. AFOSR nominates four researchers and one alternate.

However, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will make and announce the final selection of the awardees. Selection Criteria includes technical research, university commitment resources and support, and community service and outreach. * Technical research actively pursues advancements in new or unexploited groundbreaking research resulting in a positive impact on AF and DoD community at large.

* University commitment to researcher for resources (facilities and support personnel). Recommendations from colleagues within technical community and other collaborations * Community service and outreach through mentoring/advising of STEM students and active involvement in professional scientific community (memberships, peer reviews, publications, or presentations).

For additional information, please submit correspondence to: PECASE@us. af. mil or info@us.

af. mil. Email: PECASE@us.

af. mil or info@us. af.

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