Faculty participating in three different MURI awards

ISR faculty are participating in three of the Department of Defense's (DoD) 48 Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative program (MURI) grants announced for fiscal 2001. The grants total $26.8 million in 2001 and up to $46 million per year starting in fiscal 2002.

MURI grants support multidisciplinary research in basic science and engineering that represent exceptional opportunities for future DoD applications and technology options. The awards provide long-term support for research, graduate students, and the purchase of equipment. The three projects involving ISR and other University of Maryland faculty are the result of rigorous competition over many months. The competition drew 416 white papers, from which 158 full proposals were received. After evaluation by the DoD, 48 of these proposals were found to be suitable for funding. A complete list of 2001 MURI projects is available from the DoD in MS Excel and Adobe PDF formats.

The three 2001 MURI projects are:

Communicating Networked Control Systems
This Army Research Office project will develop mathematical foundations to support the integration of control and communications technologies. Boston University is the prime institution. In addition to the University of Maryland, other participants include Harvard University and the University of Illinois (Urbana).

ISR investigators include Principal Investigator Professor P.S. Krishnaprasad (ECE/ISR), Professor John S. Baras (ECE/ISR), Professor Prakash Narayan (ECE/ISR), Professor Roger W. Brockett (Harvard University) and Assistant Professor Gregory Walsh (ME/ISR). Former ISR student, Assistant Professor Dimitrios Hritsu-Varsakelis (ME) is also one of the investigators.

Others on the team are: from Boston University: John Baillieul (Aerospace and Mechanical), Thomas Bifano (Manufacturing), Yannis Paschalides (Electrical and Computer Eng). From the University of Illinois: P.R. Kumar (Electrical and Computer Eng).

Hybrid Smart Materials and Adaptive Structures
This Office of Naval Research project is aimed at identifying and enhancing the design and performance characterization of new classes of hybrid smart materials and developing enhancements to the use of such materials in macro-structures capable of both actuation and sensing. The University of Maryland is the prime institution, with participation from the University of Minnesota, the University of Rhode Island and California State at Northridge.

ISR-affiliated Professor Ramamoorthy Ramesh (MNE) is one of the investigators. Other University of Maryland faculty participating include Principal Investigator Professor Manfred Wuttig (MNE), Professor Amr Baz (ME), Professor Inderjit Chopra (AE), Professor Abhijit Dasgupta (ME), Assistant Professor Peter Kofinas (MNE), Associate Professor Darryll Pines (AE), Professor Alexander Roytburd (MNE), Associate Professor Lourdes Salamanca-Riba (MNE), Assistant Professor Ichiro Takeuchi (MNE), and Associate Professor Norman Wereley (AE). Senior research scientists are James Cullen (MNE). Graduate assistants are Tanya Shields (ME), D. Viehland, Ruonian Wu and R. James.

The Effects of Radiofrequency Pulses on Electronic Circuits and Systems
This Air Force Office of Scientific Research project will investigate the threats and opportunities associated with the introduction of microwave pulse energy into modern and future electronics. The University of Maryland is the prime institution, with participation from Boise State University.

ISR-affiliated Professor Neil Goldsman  (ECE) is one of the investigators. Other University of Maryland faculty participating include Principal Investigator Victor Granatstein (ECE), Professor Ed Ott (ECE/Physics), Professor Tom Antonsen (ECE), Associate Professor Patrick O’Shea (IPR), Yuval Carmel (IPR), John Rodgers (IPR), Professor John Melngailis (ECE), Assistant Professor Bruce Jacob (ECE), Associate Professor Agis Iliadis (ECE), Assistant Professor Omar Ramahi (ME), and Associate Professor Steve Anlage (Physics).

Published March 7, 2001