RPI awarded $3.3M research grant

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has won several grant awards for research projects on topics like broadband, renewable energy, and atmospheric sciences.

The $3,342,212 in funding, administered through the National Science Foundation, was announced by Congressman Paul D. Tonko on Friday. “The incredible research being done at our Capital Region colleges and universities is among the most innovative in the nation and helps break new ground in scientific discovery,” he said. “The pioneering efforts of our local researchers and professors also help to advance interest in STEM fields and shape talented young minds by giving students opportunities to make meaningful contributions in their various disciplines.”

The funds are broken out into seven different projects:

• $499,999 to research and manufacture protein-based polymers as an alternative to petroleum-based plastics
• $837,261 to study evolutionary adaptations of organisms in high-pressure environments like the ocean
• $339,961 for research into turbulence and waves to aid in understanding ocean and atmosphere dynamics
• $749,999 to develop technology to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm and optimize productivity
• $428,404 for research into wireless spectrum utilization to improve and develop broadband networks
• $389,418 for research into the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of data storage software
• $97,170 to facilitate new research partnerships addressing scientific, environmental, and economic challenges facing communities in the Arctic

“These projects reflect the levels of expertise and breadth of inquiry at Rensselaer that are aimed at understanding the fundamental mechanisms of natural processes and how we may harness them to the advantage of society,” said Curt Breneman, dean of the School of Science at Rensselaer.