Cutting Edge Scientific Research Instrumentation Coming to UArizona

Three University of Arizona faculty will acquire equipment for cutting-edge research crucial to national defense through the FY’24 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). The program is administered through a merit competition by the basic research agencies of the U.S. Army (ARO), Navy (ONR), and Air Force (AFOSR).

Oliver Monti, Chemistry & Biochemistry, received an AFOSR-funded DURIP award for “Resolved Momentum Microscopy of Symmetry-Broken Materials.” Monti appreciates how the award helps put his lab on the map. “The DURIP award enables LabMonti to be the first lab in the U.S. to measure complete magnetic and electronic properties of revolutionary materials for high-efficiency green electronics.”

Pierre Lucas, Materials Science & Engineering, was awarded DURIP funding for “Fabrication of Infrared Optics for Extreme Environments,” also by AFOSR. “The DURIP award will enable the Lucas lab to produce glass by mechanical milling instead of melting,” he says. 

James Threadgill, Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering, secured funding for “Optical Glass and Precise Mach Number Control for the Transonic Portion of the Arizona Polysonic Wind Tunnel” from ARO. Threadgill explains that the financing “enables operation of the wind tunnel at conditions close to the speed of sound to investigate fundamental aerodynamic physics and support applied vehicle testing.”

The Institute for Defense Analysis (IDA) ranked UArizona No. 8 in the top 20 research institutions awarded the most DURIP awards from 1997 to 2015, with 70 awards. During the last five years, UArizona has been awarded at least three DURIP awards per year.

The Department of Defense anticipates distributing approximately $53 million in awards ranging between $50,000 and $3M each under the FY’25 DURIP competition, with a proposal submission deadline of February 16, 2024.

According to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), DOD priorities emphasize the development of cutting-edge technologies in hypersonics, artificial intelligence, quantum, microelectronics, unmanned aircraft, and nuclear stockpiles, delivery systems, and infrastructure. All competitive DURIP proposals demonstrate the integration of research and education.

To learn more about DURIP funding, please contact Cody Nicholls or Nate Cody at RDS@arizona.edu, or visit https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/350951.