Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WASHINGTON – Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA, hosted U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III, and U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to announce that Howard will function the fifteenth University Affiliated Research Center (UARC). With this announcement, Howard makes historical past as the primary HBCU to steer a UARC and the primary middle to be funded by the Air Force.
“Being awarded this contract is a historic and tremendous accomplishment for Howard University. No other UARCs are providing this type of research to the Department of Defense at present, and Howard researchers are uniquely positioned to serve as a leader in the nation’s innovation and application of automated systems,” stated Frederick. “This center puts Howard University at the forefront of progressive science and technology efforts. While the primary goal of the center is conducting valuable research for the Air Force and Department of Defense, this center is also meant to help Howard and the consortium schools increase their research capacity. I have no doubt that this work will move us one step closer to our goal of reaching an R1 classification.”
The middle at Howard University will focus its analysis on tactical autonomy. The UARC will probably be established by means of a five-year, $90 million contract settlement with the Department of Defense. Through the middle, Howard University will probably be awarded $18 million yearly to conduct analysis that can contribute to the event of environment friendly, inexpensive, reliable human-machine teaming and systems-of-systems with autonomy and synthetic intelligence (AI) capabilities that fall throughout the U.S. Air Force, Space Force, and DOD’s modernization priorities.
“Today as we work to build enduring advantages for our brave men and women in uniform, we must seek the latest innovations in science and in engineering. That means building more bridges to America’s outstanding STEM community,” stated Austin. “Only a tiny fraction of our department’s research funding goes to HBCUs. As Secretary of Defense, I am determined to change that. To sharpen America’s technological edge and to strengthen America’s outstanding military, the department is committed to investing in even more HBCUs and minority-serving institutions. Today, we are taking that commitment to a new level.”
This prestigious contract marks the University’s first foray into authorities contracting. The contract is foundational to Howard’s strategic plan transferring ahead. The duties and funding related to a UARC usually develop over time and can present the college with monetary stability not attainable by means of grants or donations. The programmatic basis for the UARC, nevertheless, has been in growth at Howard for years. Currently, there are 15 doctoral college students and two grasp’s degree college students researching autonomous techniques and machine studying. With this contract, Howard turns into the nationwide knowledgeable on tactical autonomy expertise.
“This is the one of the most prestigious research contracts that can be received by a research-focused institution of higher education.. The success we have had thus far was made possible by the relentless efforts of the team at Howard’s Office of Research. Success in the next five years of our work with the Department of Defense can lead to this UARC remaining at Howard in perpetuity and cementing the university’s status as one of the country’s premier research institutions,” stated Bruce Jones, PhD, vice chairman for analysis at Howard University.
Danda Rawat, PhD, professor of pc science and director of Howard’s Data Science and Cybersecurity Center will function the chief director of the UARC and principal investigator on the contract. Along with the important analysis being accomplished, the Howard University UARC will implement programming supposed to spark curiosity in STEM training amongst Okay-12 college students by means of in-school demonstrations and ease their path to a profession within the fields of synthetic intelligence, cybersecurity, tactical autonomy, and machine studying. Undergraduate and graduate college students will probably be inspired to take part in UARC analysis.
“This UARC will be critical in our efforts to continue to recruit, mentor and graduate students who are prepared for high-paying jobs in the future. For decades Howard has produced highly skilled, highly credentialed STEM professionals and the support of the Department of Defense and the Air Force will allow us to do at a higher level than ever before,” stated Rawat.
The institution of the Howard UARC permits the college to create a pipeline for college students from elementary to post-graduate training. A consortium of HBCUs, which Howard will lead, will probably be established as a part of the UARC’s infrastructure. Students collaborating in UARC analysis may have the chance to have their training totally funded as much as the PhD degree at any one of many consortium colleges.
Howard University UARC Consortium Schools embody:
- Jackson State University;
- Hampton University;
- Tuskegee University;
- Bowie State University;
- Delaware State University;
- Florida Memorial University;
- Norfolk State University; and
- Tougaloo College.
About Howard University
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a non-public, analysis college that’s comprised of 14 colleges and schools. Students pursue greater than 140 applications of examine resulting in undergraduate, graduate {and professional} levels. The University operates with a dedication to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced two Schwarzman Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, 4 Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and greater than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard additionally produces extra on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than some other college within the United States. For extra data on Howard University, go to www.howard.edu.
