Defense Department Grants Research Funds to Ten UC San Diego Scientists for Instrumentation Development

UC San Diego Researchers Receive Defense Awards for Innovative Projects

The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded ten researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) through the Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP). These awards will support a range of groundbreaking projects, from developing specialized instruments related to SC-islet organoids with blood vessels to improving ocean weather and climate prediction.

One of the recipients is Peter Gerstoft, a graduate student, and Mark Wagner, who received funds to develop an electromagnetic radar sensing system for sensing the atmospheric structure in the marine boundary layer. This system could have wide-ranging military applications.

Farhat Beg, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the director of the Center for Energy Research at UC San Diego, received an award to build a linear transformer driver. The project aims to advance the field of energy research.

Chemistry professor Wei Xiong received an Air Force Office of Scientific Research award to construct a unique table-top ultrafast X-ray spectrometer. This instrument could have significant implications for various scientific fields.

Uwe Send, another recipient, will use the funds to acquire additional equipment for underwater acoustic data telemetry. This technology could help scientists characterize waves in the deep ocean more accurately.

Bruce Appelgate, associate director for Ship Operations and Marine Technical Support at UC San Diego, received awards to procure an advanced deep-water multibeam echosounder and a system of instruments that will remotely track underwater objects, image biomass in the water beneath the vessel, and continuously measure the concentration of CO2 in the surface water.

Scripps researchers have a history of collaboration with the U.S. Navy, dating back to the years immediately prior to World War II. They played a role in developing ways to time amphibious assaults on Nazi positions using wind forecasts to select periods with favorable surf and swell conditions.

Eric Terrill and Sophia Merrifield were awarded a DURIP Award for autonomous sampling equipment for extreme sea states. Ken Melville's group at the Air-Sea Interaction Laboratory received a DURIP award to purchase an autonomous surface vehicle known as a Wave Glider, instrumented for marine atmospheric boundary layer and marine boundary layer measurements across the air-sea interface.

Drew Hall, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received an award to purchase a multichannel arbitrary waveform generator.

U.S. 53rd District Rep. Susan Davis congratulated the award recipients, stating that the DURIP awards will help them continue their state-of-the-art development and testing. Rep. Scott Peters expressed his support, stating that these awards will aid the UC San Diego researchers in their endeavors.

UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla stated that these awards underscore the significance of their work, further cementing UC San Diego's reputation as a hub for groundbreaking research. The awards will help scientists characterize waves, improve ocean weather and climate prediction, and analyze acoustics in the deep ocean.

Defense Department Grants Research Funds to Ten UC San Diego Scientists for Instrumentation Development