AFOSR: Fiscal Year 2008 Young Investigator Research Program

Sponsor: The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

The AFOSR’s Young Investigator Research Program (YIP) is to support scientists and engineers who have received Ph.D. or equivalent degrees in the last five years (on or after 1 May 2002) and who show exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research. The objective of this program is to foster creative basic research in science and engineering, enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators, and increase opportunities for the young investigators to recognize Air Force mission and the related challenges in science and engineering.

Proposals addressing the research areas of interest for the Air Force Research Laboratory will be considered.

Major Research Areas:

1- Physics and Electronics

2- Aerospace, Chemical and Material Sciences

3- Mathematics, Information and Life Sciences

The Directorate is responsible for research activities in mathematics, information and life sciences. A wide range of fundamental mathematical, information and computer sciences, biology, and behavioral research is supported to provide the Air Force with novel options to increase performance and operational flexibility. Although the program descriptions that follow are specific sub areas of interest, there is interest in exploring novel ideas that bridge the disciplines. Many critical research activities are multidisciplinary and involve support from the other scientific directorates within AFOSR. The interfaces between disciplines often provide the insights necessary for technological advances. Creativity is encouraged in suggesting novel scientific approaches for our consideration.

Artificial Intelligence, Dr. David R. Luginbuhl

Biological Response Profiling and Assessment, Dr. Walter Kozumbo

Biomimetics, Biomaterials, and Biointerfacial Sciences, Dr. Hugh DeLong

Biophysical Mechanisms, Maj. Jennifer Gresham

Chronobiology, Dr. Willard Larkin

Cognition and Decision, Dr. Jerome Busemeyer

Computational Mathematics, Dr. Fariba Fahroo

Distributed Intelligence, Dr. David R. Luginbuhl

Dynamics and Control, Lt. Col. Scott Wells

Information Fusion and Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Robert Herklotz

Optimization and Discrete Mathematics, Dr. Fariba Fahroo

Sensory Systems, Dr. Willard Larkin

Socio-Cultural Modeling, Maj. Grady Phillips

Software and Systems, Dr. Robert Herklotz for Information and Software Security, and Dr. David R. Luginbuhl for Software Engineering and Information Management

For detailed information regarding technical goals, potential applicants are advised to refer to the announcement cited above and may contact AFOSR program managers listed therein to explore mutual interest before submitting proposals.

Amount: Through this YIP competition, AFOSR plans to make approximately 15 awards for FY 2008, subject to the availability of funds. The anticipated types of awards will be grants or contracts. The estimated value of each award is $100K but no more than $120K per year, for three years. In FY 2007, 21 proposals were funded totaling $6.8M for the three-year period. Five additional proposals were selected and awarded using other AFOSR BAAs.

Deadline: 24 July 2007

For further information, please visit: http://www.afosr.af.mil/pdfs/afosr_baa_2007_7.pdf