Morgan State University announced that its Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has received a $2.4 million grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to lead research on converting nuclear radiation into electrical energy.
Morgan State is the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) to lead a DARPA project of this nature.
In addition, the university recently secured nearly $9 million in federal research funding as part of a $58 million statewide investment supporting public safety, Chesapeake Bay preservation, and research initiatives across Maryland.
This funding, secured through the 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science appropriations bill and announced by U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, will enhance Morgan’s research and workforce development in microelectronics and biomedical science.
Morgan will receive $3.4 million to expand its Center for Education and Research in Microelectronics and $5.5 million to establish a Molecular Biology Research Laboratory for the School of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (SCMNS).
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the Department of Commerce, is providing these awards to advance U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness through academic collaboration.
This investment further strengthens Morgan’s position as a national leader in applied research and supports its goal of achieving Carnegie R1 classification, the highest level of research activity among U.S. universities.
Dr. Willie E. May, vice president for research and economic development, emphasized that federal investment in public research universities like Morgan is essential for cultivating the next generation of scientific discovery and innovation, as it enables institutions to harness the intellectual capacity of emerging scholars, researchers, and innovators who will shape America’s future.