3 UCF researchers awarded millions from Department of Defense for projects

ORLANDO, Fla. — Three University of Central Florida researchers were awarded millions of dollars from the U.S. Department of Defense for the Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative.

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The research projects are aimed at facilitating the growth of newly emerging technologies for the U.S. Department of Defense.

The awards will support projects that range from advancing hypersonic propulsion to improving semiconductor performance, and will fund the work for the next five years, UCF said.

The recipients comprised Kareem Ahmed, UCF mechanical and aerospace engineering associate professor, Tania Roy, UCF nanoscience technology center assistant professor, and Kevin Coffey, UCF materials science and engineering professor.

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Ahmed was awarded $7.5 million for the project. The research advances detonation-based propulsion for hypersonic and space rockets using jet and rocket propellant multiphase fuels for ultimate hypersonic and rocket propulsion performance, UCF said.

“This will lead to ultra-fast intercontinental travel, such as from New York to London in less than 5 minutes, and for commercial space activities and interplanetary travel that use a higher power and more efficient rocket propulsion technology in a smaller form, thus making space travel more economical,” Ahmed said.

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Roy also received $7.5 million for a project that will focus on understanding defects caused by ionizing radiation in gallium nitride semiconductors, which are used in high-power and 5G network devices.

“It is important to understand how radiation will affect the devices and what can be done at the roots to make these devices immune to radiation,” Roy said.

Coffey was awarded $7.5 million for a project that will examine advanced metrology, or measuring, techniques for microelectronics.

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“I am very pleased that this MURI was selected for funding and pleased to be part of this strong group of collaborators,” Coffey said. “The project’s longer term of five years is very welcome as it provides the opportunity for significant scientific discovery.”

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