Research awards are surging at the College of Engineering & Applied Science from levels during the COVID pandemic and have also increased greatly from this time a year ago. In fact, the college is leading all other UWM colleges’ research funding at the mid-point of the 2025 fiscal year.
The college’s research awards total just over $10.5 million ($9.5 from federal sources) with six months to go in the cycle. While the amount of external funding is elevated nearly campuswide, compared to this time last year, the amount in engineering and computer science research represents a peak over the last decade.
Leveraging the college’s expertise in energy auditing
One of the largest grants in recent years was awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy in June. The $5.7 million grant is designated to set up Industrial Training Assessment Centers (ITACs) around the Midwest to help small- and medium-sized companies remain competitive in the face of climate change.
“We were selected because of our longstanding DOE-supported program that trains UWM engineering students to conduct energy audits through our Industrial Assessment Center, the only one in Wisconsin,” said Ryo Amano, professor, mechanical engineering, who is directing the new initiative. “So now we are ‘training the trainers’ at ITACs at nine communities in four states.”
Douglas Hamm is vice president of teaching and learning at Moraine Park Technical College, with has campuses in Fond du Lac, Beaver Dam and West Bend.
“An attractive aspect of this grant opportunity, in addition to collaborating with UW-Milwaukee who certainly is a recognized leader in the space, is our ability to add energy auditing and conservation into the programs we offer where they can provide the most benefit,” Hamm said. “For our students, this added skill set could distinguish them from other job seekers who don’t have it.”
Other notable research funding this year
- An Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation was one of five awarded in Wisconsin this year, in NSF Directorate “Computer and Information Science and Engineering.” The CAREER grant is the NSF’s most prestigious award for early-career researchers. (Mahsa Dabagh, biomedical engineering)
- The NSF also funded a third Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) at the college. The Concrete Advancement Network, with industry members across the industry, is devoted to making concrete more durable and sustainable. (Konstantin Sobolev, civil & environmental engineering)
- Research in energy storage technologies, and also in cost-effective uninterruptible power supply solutions. The work includes microgrids and all-electric ships. (Robert Cuzner, electrical engineering)
- Funding in biomedical engineering spanned several topics, from nuclear imaging to use of quantum dots as detectors of pathogens. (Qingsu Cheng, biomedical engineering)
- Multiple awards supported the refinement of rehabilitation robotics, specifically for a robotic assistive arm for use with physical therapy patients. (Habib Rahman, mechanical engineering)
- Continued work on traffic and pedestrian safety solutions. (Xiao Qin, civil & environmental engineering)
- Continued work in battery technology (Deyang Qu)