Basic Research | Research Directorate > Programs

Pictured above: OUSD(R&E) and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Program Managers pictured with student summer interns and faculty fellows during the War-gaming and Poster Session at AFRL, Rome, NY.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program

The purpose of the HBCU/MI Program is to 1) increase the research and educational capacity of HBCUs/MIs, and 2) to foster workforce diversity and entry of underrepresented minorities into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines important to national defense. This program is coordinated with the Service research offices, and partners with DoD laboratories for the Centers of Excellence. The HBCU/MI program is carried out under the authority at 10 USC § 4144. For more information about the program, please contact the program director, Ms. Evelyn Kent, by clicking here.

DoD HBCU/MI Program Awards

The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD(R&E)), is pleased to announce awards to 82 university researchers at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority-Serving Institutions (HBCUs/MIs) totaling $61.7 million as part of the fiscal year 2023 DoD HBCU/MI Research and Education Program. The competitive awards support research projects in scientific disciplines of critical importance to DoD. The list of awardees may be accessed by selecting an emblem below.

Supplemental DoD HBCU/MI Research Activities
The Department of Defense announced awards totaling $27 million to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to conduct research in defense critical technology areas. These competitive awards are funded through the DoD HBCU and Minority-Serving Institution Research and Education Program and range up to $9 million for each institution. A merit-based competition administered by the Office of Naval Research selected three HBCUs to conduct five-year research projects in areas including artificial intelligence, machine learning, cyber security, and autonomy. For more information, access the press release here.

HBCU/MI Student Internship and Faculty Fellowship Program

The DoD HBCU/MI Summer Research Program aims to increase the number of minority scientists and engineers throughout the Department of Defense. The initiative encourages students in STEM disciplines, guides them toward advanced studies, and prepares them for careers in science and engineering fields important to the defense mission. Motivated students, both undergraduate and graduate, are placed for a 10-week research experience at DoD facilities across the nation. Under the supervision of DoD scientists and engineers, students conduct research relevant to the defense mission. To view a playback of the 2021 Summer Research Program, visit DoDSTEM.

Faculty Fellowship Program

The DoD HBCU/MI Faculty Fellowship Program aims to strengthen the collaboration between the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and STEM faculty affiliated with HBCU/MI. Participation requires a commitment of ten consecutive weeks between May 1st and August 31st. Fellows will receive a total stipend of $25,000 paid on a bi-weekly schedule. A housing and travel allowance is available for eligible participants. Selected Faculty Fellows will participate in research at one of five Army Research Lab Directorates.

Resources

Funding Opportunity Announcements

Grants.gov is the common website for DoD and the other 25 federal grant-awarding agencies to post discretionary funding opportunities and for entities to search and apply for them. For more information on finding DoD grants and cooperative agreement funding opportunities, please view Grants.gov Fact Sheet, here.

Funding Opportunity Announcements currently posted to grants.gov:

Department of Defense Research and Education Program for HBCU/MSI. Funding opportunity announcement is open 30 May 2019 – 30 April 2024.

Technical Assistance
The OUSD(R&E) provides technical assistance workshops as part of a series of training and educational activities intended to provide program, process, and funding opportunity information to our minority-serving institutions. The workshops focus on both Department of Defense funding opportunities and best practices in writing effective technical proposals. Representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Army, Navy, Air Force, and other Federal Agencies, present funding opportunity information along with sharing insights on writing competitive proposals in response to Broad Agency Announcements and other funding opportunities.

The 2023 Opportunities Awareness Workshop: Expanding the Competitiveness and Research Capacity at HBCUs and MIs will occur July 26 - 28 in Arlington, VA. Registration is available here.

Centers of Excellence
Centers of Excellence

The DoD HBCU/MI Program established 11 Centers of Excellence (COEs). Each of these COEs are funded at $1 million per year for five years and contribute to areas of research of strategic importance to DoD. COEs conduct multidisciplinary, collaborative research that attracts early-career researchers. The Centers also provide opportunities for student participation leading to the next generation of scientists and engineers. *Listed in order of establishment*

- Autonomy (North Carolina A&T State University)

- Cyber Security (Norfolk State University)

- Research Data Analytics (Prairie View A&M University)

- STEM Scholars (Hampton University)

- Minority Women in STEM (Spelman College)

- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (Howard University)

- Aerospace Education, Research, and Innovation Center (Tuskegee University)

- Advanced Quantum Sensing (Delaware State University)

- Networked Configurable Command, Control, and Communications for Rapid Situational Awareness (University of California, Riverside)

- Biotechnology (North Carolina A&T State University)
- Materials Science, Advanced Electro-Photonics with 2D Materials (Morgan State University)
SERVICE RESEARCH PARTNERS
Service Research Office Partners

The HBCU/MI research and equipment grants are executed and receive technical oversight from program managers based at the three Military Service research organizations: the Army Research Office, the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research / Air Force Research Laboratory. OUSD(R&E) and the Service Components also conduct joint webinars and technical assistance workshops to inform HBCUs/MIs of areas of DoD program interest.
Collaboration with White House Initiatives
HBCU/MI Collaboration with White House Initiatives

Under the HBCU/MI Program, the USD(R&E) Research Directorate serves as the DoD Liaison to the Department of Education White House Initiatives. Each Initiative is authorized by an Executive Order (E.O.) to increase the competitiveness and capabilities of underrepresented minorities in each group. In accordance with the E.O., agencies are required to create and annually implement agency plans to increase participation in and access to federal programs which underrepresented minorities are underserved.