Engineering

Engagement Opportunity: OSTP RFI to Inform National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing

June 25, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has released a new Request for Information (RFI) to inform the development of a National Strategic Plan for Advanced Manufacturing. Through this RFI, OSTP seeks input on federal efforts to advance U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, including advanced manufacturing research and development (R&D). The RFI specifically states the need to “accelerate research and development, dismantle regulatory barriers,...

ONR and AFOSR FY26 Young Investigator Programs (YIPs)

June 20, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) released their much-anticipated solicitations for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Young Investigator Programs (YIPs). Both solicitations seek research proposals across a span of defense-related science and engineering research topic areas. Lewis-Burke strongly recommends that interested faculty reach out to the appropriate program officer to discuss research proposals ahead of submission.

ONR YIP

Each investigator must have received a PhD or equivalent degree on or after January 1...

Engagement Opportunity: DARPA BTO Agricultural Defense Innovations

June 11, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technologies Office (BTO) released a Special Topic Area (STA) solicitation, Ag x BTO, seeking proposals to strengthen agricultural defense across the supply chain against both natural and manmade threats. This limited-time solicitation requires applicants to submit 7-minute video pitches addressing one or more of the following technical focus areas:

Early Warning Systems: Improving surveillance...

Defense Innovation Unit Release Dual-Use University Accelerator Challenge

May 30, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released its Dual-Use University Accelerator Challenge solicitation, a 12-week program which aims to provide prize awards, tailored mentorship, and defense engagement opportunities. The DIU University Defense Accelerator Prize seeks to address challenges in technology translation (between TRL 2-4) that students, faculty, and university-founded startups face. Applications will be evaluated by a set of DOD innovation experts, and fifteen finalists will be selected to participate in the Accelerator Challenge starting in August 2025.

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DARPA DSO Office-Wide BAA

June 6, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) has released its annual Office-wide Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), inviting research proposals that could lead to transformative advances in science, technology, and systems relevant to national security. Through this solicitation, DSO is seeking revolutionary, high-risk, high-reward ideas, not incremental advancements of existing or ongoing DARPA programs. While DSO welcomes any proposal that aligns with its mission, applicants are strongly encouraged to align their proposal to DSO’s four technical...

Washington Update - June 6, 2025

June 6, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC periodically provides campus with a Washington Update report. In this report:

Federal Budget Update: Trump Administration Releases FY 2026 Budget Documents Policy Update: Trump Administration Announces New U.S. Entry Restrictions for Nineteen Countries      Funding Opportunity: Funding Opportunity: DARPA DSO Releases Office-Wide BAA Funding Opportunity: U.S. Department of Transportation Releases FY 2025 Pipeline Safety Research Competitive...

Washington Update - May 23, 2025

May 23, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC periodically provides campus with a Washington Update report. In this report:

Policy Update: House of Representatives Advances Reconciliation Package  Policy Update: Make America Healthy Again Commission Releases Report on Chronic Childhood Diseases     Policy Update: Department of Defense Snapshot May 2025       Funding Opportunity: Air Force Office of...

NIST NOFO for Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs

May 15, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced its fiscal year (FY) 2025 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for its extramural Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs. NIST is seeking proposals across a range of science and engineering research areas, such as artificial intelligence, metrology, and advanced manufacturing. A full list of relevant research areas can be found in Lewis-Burke’s summary...

Engagement Opportunity: RFI on the American Science Acceleration Project (ASAP)

May 8, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM) have recently launched theAmerican Science Acceleration Project (ASAP)– a bipartisan initiative to dramatically increase the pace of scientific and technological discovery with the goal of “making American science 10...

Policy Update: National Science Foundation Updates

May 9, 2025
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC

This Lewis-Burke report provides an update on policy developments at the National Science Foundation (NSF). May 10, 2025, marks the 75th Anniversary of NSF – “Since 1950, NSF has invested in ideas and innovations across all fields of science and engineering.” While celebrations have been scaled back, the National Science Board (NSB) noted earlier this week the significant achievements of NSF to date, and that success in the next 50 years will look very different.