University and Industry Research Centers

Abstract

This program element (PE) fosters university and industry based research to provide a scientific foundation for enabling technologies for future force capabilities. Broadly, the work in this project falls into three categories: Collaborative Technology Alliances (CTAs), University Centers of Excellence (COE), and University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs). The Army formed CTAs to leverage large investments by the commercial sector in basic research areas that are of great interest to the Army. CTAs are industry-led partnerships between industry, academia, and the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) to incorporate the practicality of industry, the expansion of the boundaries of knowledge from universities, and Army scientists to shape, mature, and transition technology relevant to the Army mission. CTAs have been competitively established in the areas of Micro Autonomous Systems Technology (MAST), Network Sciences, Robotics and Cognition and Neuroergonomics. COEs focus on expanding the frontiers of knowledge in research areas where the Army has enduring needs, such as rotorcraft, automotive, microelectronics, materials, and information sciences. COEs couple state-of-the-art research programs at academic institutions with broad-based graduate education programs to increase the supply of scientists and engineers in information sciences, materials science, electronics, automotive, and rotary wing technology. Also included are Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) and activities to stimulate interest in science, math, and technology among middle and high school students. This PE includes support for basic research at four Army UARCs, which have been created to exploit opportunities to advance new capabilities through a sustained long-term multidisciplinary effort. The Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT) funds basic research in electromagnetic and hypervelocity physics. In January 2012 the UARC contract with IAT will end with remaining funds moved to project VS2. These funds will be used to competitively establish a new external center to address the extreme challenges associated with understanding and modeling materials subject to high impact rates. The Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies focuses on Soldier protection by emphasizing revolutionary materials research for advanced Soldier protection and survivability. The Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies focuses on enabling network centric-technologies, and broadening the Army's use of biotechnology for the development of bio-inspired materials, sensors, and information processing. The Institute for Creative Technologies is a partnership with academia and the entertainment and gaming industries to leverage innovative research and concepts for training and simulation. Examples of specific research of mutual interest to the entertainment industry and the Army are technologies for realistic immersion in synthetic environments, networked simulation, standards for interoperability, and tools for creating simulated environments. This PE also includes the Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institution (HBCU/MI) Centers of Excellence that address critical research areas for Army Transformation. The cited work is consistent with the Assistant Secretary of Defense, Research and Engineering science and technology focus areas and the Army Modernization Strategy. Work in this PE is performed by: the Army Research Lab (ARL) in Adelphi, MD; the US Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development, and Engineering Center (TARDEC) in Warren, MI; the Simulation and Training Technology Center (STTC) in Orlando, FL; and the US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI) in Arlington, VA.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2013
• Source ID: 0601104A_1_2040_PB_2013
• Service Agency Name: Army

Entities

Organizations

• United States Army

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Advanced Electronics
• Autonomy
• Biomedical
• Energy and Power Technologies
• Ground and Sea Platforms
• Human Systems
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Artificial Intelligence
• Composite Materials
• Computational Science
• Computer Vision
• Detectors
• Education
• Materials Laboratories
• Materials Processing
• Materials Science
• Materials Testing
• Mechanical Properties
• Multiscale Modeling
• Nanotechnology
• Network Science
• Students
• Three Dimensional
• United States Military Academy

Readers

• Defense Technology Research and Development.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.

Technology Areas

• AI & ML
• AI & ML - DoD AI Strategy
• Autonomy
• Biotechnology
• Hypersonics
• Microelectronics