NC State University

DOE Announces $85 Million in Recovery Act Funding for Early Career
Scientists’ Research

Summary: U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that up to $85
million in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be
awarded in early 2010 to support at least 50 early career researchers for
five years at U.S. academic institutions and DOE national laboratories.

“This funding highlights the Administrations continued commitment to
building the nation’s scientific workforce by attracting top emerging
researchers to careers in vital areas of basic research,” said Secretary
Chu.  “By investing in scientific researchers in their formative years, we
can provide scientists with the resources to do some of their most exciting
and productive work.”

To be eligible for the competition, a researcher must be an untenured,
tenure-track assistant professor at a U.S. academic institution or a
full-time employee at a DOE national laboratory. The applicant must also
have received a Ph.D. within the past ten years.

Each university award will be at least $150,000 per year for five years to
support summer salary and other research expenses. For DOE national
laboratories, awards will be at least $500,000 per year for five years to
support year-round salary and expenses.

Early career researchers may apply to one of six Office of Science program
offices: Advanced Scientific Computing Research; Biological and
Environmental Research; Basic Energy Sciences; Fusion Energy Sciences; High
Energy Physics; or Nuclear Physics. Proposed research topics must fall
within the programmatic priorities of DOE’s Office of Science, which are
provided in the program announcements. Funding will be competitively awarded
on the basis of peer review.

http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7665.htm

DOE Grant - Development of Algal / Advanced Biofuels Consortia

Summary: The Department of Energy announced a notice of availability of
funding for establishing Consortia for two primary topic areas: development
of Algae Based Biofuels, and development of Advanced Cellulosic Biofuels.
The intended purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to
serve three primary goals of EERE: 1) increase the viability and deployment
of renewable energy technologies, 2) spur the creation of a domestic
bio-industry, and 3) dramatically reduce dependence on imported oil.

Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0000123

Estimated Total Funding Available: $85,000,000

CFDA Number: 81.087

Applications Due By: September 14, 2009
Energy Secretary Chu, Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announce $6.3 million for Biofuels Research

Summary: U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu and U.S. Department
of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the joint selection of
awards of up to $6.3 million towards fundamental genomics-enabled research
leading to the improved use of plant feedstocks for biofuel production.

These grants will be awarded under a joint DOE-USDA program begun in 2006
that is committed to fundamental research in biomass genomics, providing the
scientific foundation to facilitate use of lignocellulosic materials for
bioenergy and biofuels. Since lignocellulosic crop plants are less intensive
to produce and can grow on poorer quality land, competition with crops grown
for food production is avoided.

DOE will provide $4 million in funding for four projects, while USDA will
award $2.3 million to fund three projects. Initial funding will support
research projects for up to three years.

Source: July 22, 2009 DOE Press Release

Web site: The full press release is at
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7683.htm

USDA Announces Funding Available For Bioenergy Development and Production

Summary: Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is
accepting applications for up to $50 million in projects to promote the
continued production and use of biofuels.

This $50 million in 2008 Farm Bill money will advance two USDA efforts: $20
million to provide financial incentives to biorefineries to replace fossil
fuels used to produce heat or power at their facilities with renewable
biomass; and $30 million to provide payments to eligible advanced biofuel
producers to encourage the increased production and use of biofuels.

Source: July 21, 2009 USDA Press Release

Applications Due By: Applications for the advanced biofuels program are due
August 11; applications for the biorefineries to replace fossil fuels are
due November 1.