Grant Details

The U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) is the Department of the Army's corporate laboratory and sole fundamental research laboratory. The ARO is focused exclusively on extramural basic research, and is responsible for the vast majority of Army Research Lab's (ARL) extramural research programs and funding. 

Proposals are expected to be for cutting-edge innovative research that could produce discoveries that would have a significant impact on enabling new and improved Army operational capabilities and related technologies. In FY 2021, the ARL BAA identified the following topics for scientific research

• Physical Sciences - Research in the Physical Sciences is focused on basic research to discover, understand, and exploit physical, chemical, and biological phenomena. This research is of a fundamental nature; however, in the long term, discoveries in this area are expected to lead to revolutionary capabilities in sensing, communications, protection, wound healing, power/energy storage and generation, and materials that extend the performance of Army systems well beyond current limits.
• Engineering Sciences - Research in the Engineering Sciences is focused on basic research to discover, understand, and exploit new material systems, mechanical systems, electronics, and earth sciences that are expected to create revolutionary capabilities for the Army. Discoveries in this area are expected to lead to capabilities in materials, the sciences for maneuver, the information domain, the sciences of lethality and protection, and Soldier performance augmentation, well beyond the limits facing today's Army.
• Information Sciences - Research in the Information Sciences is focused on discovering, understanding, and exploiting the mathematical, computational, and algorithmic foundations that are expected to create revolutionary capabilities for the future Army. Discoveries in this area are expected to lead to capabilities in materials, the information domain, and Soldier performance augmentation, well beyond the limits facing today's Army.

The specific research areas and topics of interest described above should be viewed as suggestive, rather than limiting. ARO is always interested in considering new innovative research concepts of relevance to the Army.

Additional funding is available in ARO Special Programs, including 

• Short-Term Innovative Research (STIR) Program - The objectives of the STIR program are to support rapid, short-term investigations to assess the merit of innovative new concepts in basic research. STIR program awards provide an excellent opportunity to showcase new concepts and explore new areas in basic research. Historically STIR program awards have helped shape new directions in research for the Army.
• Young Investigator Program (YIP) - YIP awards are one of the most prestigious honors bestowed by the Army on outstanding scientists beginning their independent careers. The objective of the YIP is to attract outstanding young university faculty members to pursue fundamental research in areas relevant to the Army, to support their research in these areas, and to encourage their teaching and research careers.
• Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) - An individual may not directly apply for a PECASE award. Instead, once a year, ARO technical program managers will nominate PECASE candidates from among all ARO YIP and other proposals received
• Research Instrumentation (RI) Program - RI is designed to improve the capabilities of U.S. institutions of higher education to conduct research and educate scientists and engineers in areas important to national defense. Of the funds available to support ARO mission research described in this BAA, funds may be provided to purchase instrumentation in support of this research or in the development of new research capabilities.
• Conference and Symposia Grants - The Army supports conferences and symposia in areas of science that bring experts together to discuss recent research or educational findings or to expose other researchers or advanced graduate students to new research and educational techniques.
• High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP)/Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP) - The HSAP funds the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) apprenticeship of promising high school juniors and seniors to work in a university structured research environment under the direction of ARO sponsored PIs serving as mentors. The URAP provides similar opportunities for undergraduate students.