Ohio awards $10.2M for new defense, aerospace, tech R&D statewide

The Ohio Federal Research Network (OFRN) Executive Review Board has approved $10.198 million in funding for seven new research and development projects under OFRN Round 7. The awards, funded through the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and included in the Governor’s budget, will accelerate defense, aerospace, and advanced technology innovation while strengthening partnerships among Ohio’s universities, research institutions, and industry.

The selected projects span critical technology areas – hypersonics, human performance, aerospace power systems, commercial space, quantum technologies, autonomy, and advanced materials – and represent collaborations among seven Ohio research institutions and 11 industry partners. Collectively, the projects are projected to create 64 new jobs, generate more than $69 million in follow-on funding, and leverage over $3.5 million in cost share commitments.

“Ohio continues to lead the way in driving innovation for our nation’s defense and aerospace priorities,” said Mark Bartman, Maj Gen (Ret.), USAF, Executive Director of OFRN. “Through OFRN, we are strengthening research collaborations that not only fuel economic growth in Ohio and ensure that our state remains a critical hub for defense technology and workforce development but also enhance our nation’s security and global competitiveness.”

Round 7 Awarded Projects

• HERCULES: Hypersonic Engineered Reusable Ceramic Ultra-Lightweight Enduring System
  Lead Institution: AsterTech LLC
  Partners: The Ohio State University, Cleveland State University
  Award: $1,250,000
• REACT-X: Resilient Explainable AI for Casualty Triage with Logistics Awareness Using Deep Topological Modeling
  Lead Institution: Mined XAI
  Partners: The Ohio State University, Wright State University, Ohio Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC)
  Award: $1,240,000
• Gas-insulated Cable with Integrated Partial Discharge Detection for Aerospace Systems
  Lead Institution: The Ohio State University
  Partners: Miami University, Case Western Reserve University, GE Aerospace Electric Power, GE Aerospace Research
  Award: $1,093,778
• Space GUIDE: Spaceborne Gain-enabled Ultra-sensitive Infrared Detector with Event-based Sensing
  Lead Institution: The Ohio State University
  Partners: Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), SK Infrared, SenseICs
  Award: $1,250,000
• Photonic Interfaces for Atom-based Quantum Processors
  Lead Institution: The Ohio State University
  Partners: Denison University, SRICO Inc.
  Award: $1,148,105
• Validated Indicators for Selective Trust in Autonomy (VISTA)
  Lead Institution: Kairos Research LLC
  Partners: Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, Dayton Entrepreneur’s Center
  Award: $1,249,875
• Joining of ODS Additive Materials
  Lead Institution: Laser Fusion Solutions LLC
  Partners: Wright State University, The Ohio State University, Hyphen Innovations, Powder Alloy Corporation, North American Manufacturing Pros
  Award: $1,133,686

Since its inception in 2015, OFRN has invested nearly $72 million total across all rounds, supporting cutting-edge R&D in Ohio’s strategic technology areas while fostering collaboration across academia, industry, and government. OFRN is a program managed by Parallax Advanced Research Corporation in collaboration with The Ohio State University and funded by the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Parallax Advanced Research tackles global challenges through strategic partnerships with government, industry, and academia. It accelerates innovation, addresses critical global issues, and develops groundbreaking ideas with its partners. With offices in Ohio and Virginia, Parallax aims to deliver new solutions and speed them to market. In 2023, Parallax and the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) formed a collaborative affiliation to drive innovation and technological advancements in Ohio and for the Nation. OAI plays a pivotal role in advancing the aerospace industry in Ohio and the nation by fostering collaborations between universities, aerospace industries, and government organizations and managing aerospace research, education, and workforce development projects. 

The Ohio Federal Research Network has the mission to stimulate Ohio’s innovation economy by building statewide university-industry research collaborations that meet the requirements of Ohio’s federal laboratories, resulting in the creation of technologies that drive job growth for the State of Ohio.