Delaware Gov. Markell: $5 Million Grant to DSU Will Help Delaware’s Economy

NASA funding will launch research center for optical sciences

September 30, 2009 -- DOVER – Delaware Governor Jack Markell praised Delaware State University’s receipt of a $5 million grant from NASA that will allow the university to establish an Optical Sciences Center for Applied Research (OSCAR) on its campus.

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The center will foster new NASA-related science and technology developments based on optical sciences and technology, enhance the aerospace science and technology workforce, and develop partnerships with industry, NASA research centers and other federal laboratories, and minority and non minority-serving colleges and universities.. Specific research areas include Planetary Science, Space Communications & Navigation, and Astrobiology.

The principal investigator is Dr. Noureddine Melikechi, interim dean of the College of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology.

“My administration has been focused on creating jobs and growing the economy since Day One, and our great institutions of higher learning are an important part of my strategy to turn our economy around,” Markell said. “Grants like the DSU received today foster important research and development work in our colleges and universities that can launch new companies and create good jobs for students graduating from those institutions.”

Source: Delaware Governor