Electric VehicleThe U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced $209 million in funding for 26 new laboratory projects focusing on electric vehicles, advanced batteries, and connected vehicles. DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory introduced Li-Bridge, a new public-private partnership to bridge gaps in the domestic lithium battery supply chain. Advanced lithium-based batteries play an integral role in 21st century technologies such as electric vehicles, stationary grid storage, and defense applications that are critical to securing a clean energy future. The projects support goals to make the United States a global leader in electric vehicle and battery innovation; advance the development of these technologies to save families money; lower carbon pollution; and create high-quality jobs. (more…)

In the Annual Open Call Funding Announcement (FOA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $400 million in funding for a range of research opportunities to support DOE’s clean energy, economic, and national security goals. The DOE Office of Science’s funding priorities include: 

Research

  • Advanced Scientific Computing Research
  • Basic Energy Sciences
  • Biological and Environmental Research
  • Fusion Energy Sciences
  • High Energy Physics
  • Nuclear Physics
  • Isotope R&D and Production
  • Accelerator R&D and Production

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In early December of 2015, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) penned what he deemed the “Wastebook” – a report detailing what the senator believes to be wasteful federal spending, specifically targeted at research dollars.

The report took aim at research the fiscal conservative considered a waste of federal cash, including projects he summed up as a “shrimp fight club,” a study of cows in China, an exploration of why obese women can’t get dates, and a look at shrimp on a treadmill.

Earlier this month, those very same scientists that Flake criticized and reduced their research to mere waste took to Pennsylvania Avenue to reinforce the legitimacy of their work.

Researchers respond

“I am rock solid about my research. I know it is very good,” said Sheila Patek, an associate professor of biology at Duke University who led the so-called shrimp fight club study. “But this ‘Wastebook’ targeted a short paper that was the first paper in my young graduate student’s career. He is from a long line of firefighters. His father, his uncle, his grandfather. There aren’t any other scientists in his family. They are very proud of him. He is extremely civic-minded. I don’t think I’ve had anyone in my lab like that. And this has been crushing for him.”

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