The University of New Mexico has been selected as a recipient of a $600,000 grant from the Department of Defense's Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR). The grant is part of a total of $17.6 million awarded to 27 academic teams to enhance basic research infrastructure in underutilized states and territories.
Leading the UNM team is Mubarak Hussain Syed, assistant professor of Biology, and head of the Syed Neural Diversity Lab, with collaboration from Francesco Sorrentino, a professor in the UNM Department of Mechanical Engineering. Together, they are working on a project titled Building Intelligent Systems Using Fruit Fly Navigational Neural Networks.
Syed expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, "We will use these funds for our collaborative studies that aim to build insect-inspired neuromorphic computing and intelligent machines using information from the fruit fly central complex circuits." He also highlighted the significance of the grant for their research interests and the opportunities it will provide for learning and collaboration.
Francesco Sorrentino emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of the project, stating, "This is a truly interdisciplinary effort, where biology and engineering meet to advance fundamental science and applications."
Syed further elaborated on the research direction, stating, "This is a new direction for our research program. We are excited to utilize the power of genetics, development, and organizing principles of the fruit fly neural circuit to make more efficient computing machines and to advance artificial intelligence."
Bindu Nair, director of the DoD's Basic Research Office, emphasized the importance of fostering a diverse research ecosystem across the country to support the Department of Defense's science and technology mission.
The DEPSCoR grant will not only fund the collaborative research project but also provide resources to train students at the intersection of biology and engineering, preparing the next generation of scientists with interdisciplinary skills and expertise.
The grant reflects the Department of Defense's commitment to building a robust research infrastructure by supporting innovative and impactful research initiatives across various academic institutions.
