WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded seven grants totaling $6,691,289 to five universities in Northeast Ohio to fund critical scientific research projects and to increase participation in STEM fields.

“Research in science and technology is critical to create jobs and improve our economy. We unleash more American innovation when everyone is able to participate and we nurture all Ohio talent,” Brown said. “These awards will help Ohio’s great institutions of higher education advance our knowledge and continue Ohio’s leadership in innovation.” 

Funding from NSF includes:

  • $2,242,820 grant to Cleveland State University to fund research on freshwater and forest management. The project seeks to provide research opportunities to members of underrepresented groups and to broaden interest in science.
  • $2,000,000 grant to Cleveland State University to fund a graduate education program designed to equip students with the skills needed to develop assistive technologies for those with physical disabilities.
  • $394,807 grant to the University of Akron to fund a modern graduate education program for Master’s and Ph.D. students that promotes teamwork, data science research, and multicultural collaboration to prepare them for today’s work environment.
  • $250,000 grant to the University of Akron to fund the development of new processes for lithium battery manufacturing. This project seeks to use 3D printing capabilities to remove the shape limitations of current batteries.
  • $999,995 grant to Case Western Reserve University to fund research investigating how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to predict evolving public health crises. The project hopes to see how AI can help prevent future pandemics and to train the next generation of researchers in this field.
  • $229,027 grant to Oberlin College to fund research on the composition of gas in galaxies to assess contamination levels while providing research opportunities for undergraduate students.
  • $574,640 grant to Kent State University to fund research in data systems and computer science.

Brown has cosponsored the Supporting Early Career Researchers Act to establish a two-year pilot program at NSF to award grants to highly qualified, early-career investigators at independent, higher education research institutions for up to two years. This will help prevent research talent loss due to job market disruptions caused by the pandemic.

NSF supports research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. 

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