Nelson: $6.9 million in stimulus funding for nanoscience research at UNL

WASHINGTON -- Today, Nebraska's Senator Ben Nelson welcomed an announcement by the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology that the University of Nebraska -- Lincoln will receive a $6.9 million grant to help construct and update a research facility specializing in nanoscience metrology. The funds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"These stimulus funds will not only jump start a major construction project, but are also an investment in the future of our state," said Senator Nelson. "The new research facility will keep UNL at the forefront of exciting new fields of scientific research."

According to the U.S. Commerce Department, the planned Nanoscience Metrology Facility (NMF) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will stimulate major new collaborative research by upgrading central facilities for nanofabrication, electron microscopy, and other synthesis and characterization laboratories. The $6.9 million federal grant will supplement the total project budget of $13.8 million.

The 32,000 square foot NMF will be a temperature-stabilized, low-vibration, low electromagnetic field building designed to achieve a minimum LEED certification of silver. The ground floor of the new facility will house a nanofabrication cleanroom and materials preparation facility, and the upper floor will house laboratories for nanofiber characterization, manufacturing metrology and nanophotonics. Also included in the project will be the construction of electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, X-ray materials characterization, mechanical characterization and crystallography labs.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln possesses one of the largest and most robust research programs in nanomagnetism and spintronics in the world. The construction of these facilities will enable the university to expand and improve its programs in these and other areas complementary to research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology including basic nanoscale science and the development of measurement techniques to support nanotechnologies.

The project is expected to be completed in summer, 2011.

The funds for UNL were part of $123 million in grants announced today by the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology to support the construction of new scientific research facilities at 11 universities and one non-profit research organization. The funds for the 12 projects will help support more than $250 million in new laboratory construction.

In addition to satisfying the core objectives of the Recovery Act -- creating and saving jobs and investment in infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits -- the projects were chosen on the basis of the scientific and technical merit of the proposals, the need for federal funding, design quality and suitability for the intended purpose, and the strength of the project-management plan, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

Senator Nelson played a key role in the passage of the $787 billion stimulus bill. He worked with a bipartisan group of nearly 20 Senators to better focus The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on tax cuts for the middle class and job creation for millions of Americans. Senator Nelson led the group through the initial bill line by line, dollar by dollar, to reduce spending and cut out $108 billion of inefficient or less-stimulative spending. The bipartisan group helped the improved bill win congressional approval. President Obama signed it into law February 17, 2009.

Senator Nelson is posting information about the release of stimulus finds on his website as it becomes available. Visit http://bennelson.senate.gov/feature_4.cfm for more information.