LUCI: Laboratory University Collaboration Initiative
Defense-University Partnerships Driving Innovation

LUCI is a program that supports collaboration between DoD lab scientists and DoD-funded academics. An important objective of this phase of LUCI is to engage leading university scientists and their students, introduce them to the DoD research environment, and facilitate collaborative work that addresses long-term DoD basic research needs. 

Historically, basic research in universities is often the source and engine for technological advancements and innovations.  The LUCI program strives to capitalize on the unfettered curiosity driven research and innovative spirit of universities by focusing their energy and ideas on defense research.  This is realized by a partnership with a scientist at a DoD research laboratory, whose primary job is to bring better capabilities to the Future Warfighter. The scientific topic areas that LUCI supports are in applied mathematics, cognitive neuroscience, engineering biology, novel engineered materials, quantum information science, manufacturing science, and other areas of interest.

The LUCI program adds value to the defense enterprise by funding high risk basic research projects and providing adequate time to DoD researchers to cultivate their ideas for long term research. This investment results in new knowledge and insight that can be used to fill capability gaps, generate patents, bring in human capital to the defense research enterprise, and build stronger relationships with academic researchers.
 

FY24 LUCI Competition
The FY2024 Laboratory University Collaboration Initiative (LUCI) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is now open. For more information, click here.

Important Dates:

*These dates are estimates as of the date of this announcement. Please be mindful of the limited scheduling opportunities for the interview phase and plan accordingly.

FY24 LUCI Webinar
To view the FY24 LUCI webinar presentation, click here.