National Science Foundation Announces $60 Million Investment in Developing and Strengthening Academic Institutional Infrastructure for Providing Industry-Driven SolutionsFebruary 14, 2023

The National Science Foundation’s new Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program is a game-changer for universities in the United States. The $60 million program will provide up to $6 million per award over four years to academic institutions to build capacity and infrastructure needed to strengthen and scale the translation of basic research outcomes into impactful solutions and practice. This will help universities to bridge the gap between academic research and the solutions our country needs.

The National Science Foundation’s new Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program is a much-needed initiative that will help universities to drive innovation and create economic growth. The ART program will provide universities with educational and training opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers to become entrepreneurs and/or seek use-inspired and translational research-oriented careers in the public and private sectors. It will also help universities to develop and strengthen institutional infrastructure to build and sustainably grow the institutional capacity for research translation.

The ART program is an important part of advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to accelerate science and technology innovation in every part of America. It will help universities to foster innovation, create new products and services, and generate economic growth. This will be beneficial for both universities and the country as a whole.

The CHIPS and Science Act is a U.S. federal statute enacted by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on August 9, 2022. The act provides roughly $280 billion in new funding to boost domestic research and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States. The CHIPS and Science Act combines two bipartisan bills: the Endless Frontier Act, designed to boost investment in domestic high-tech research and the CHIPS for America Act, designed to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. The act is aimed at competing with China.

The ART program is closely aligned with the goals of the CHIPS and Science Act and will help universities to identify academic research with potential for technology transfer, ensure availability of staff with technology transfer expertise, and support education and training of entrepreneurial students and faculty.

To learn more, the public may sign up at this link to join an introductory webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023, 2-3 p.m. ET.

Gregory Lars Gunnerson is an Intellectual Property Attorney in the Mechanical and Electrical Patent Practice Groups at McKee, Voorhees & Sease, PLC. For additional information please visit www.ipmvs.com or contact Lars directly via email at gregory.gunnerson@ipmvs.com.