The U.S. Department of Defense has announced the Minerva Research Initiative (MRI). Minerva is a university-based social science research program initiated by the Secretary of Defense. It focuses on areas of strategic importance to U.S. national security policy. It seeks to increase the department’s intellectual capital in the social sciences and humanities and improve its ability to address future challenges and build bridges between the department and the social science community. Minerva will bring together universities, research institutions, and individual scholars and support multidisciplinary and cross-institutional projects addressing specific topic areas determined by the department.

Proposals from a team of university investigators may be warranted because the necessary expertise in addressing the multiple facets of the topics. Total amount of funding for five years is estimated to be about $50 million. It is anticipated that the awards will range from $0.5 million to $3 million per year, with typical awards in the range of $1 million to $1.5 million per year.

The 2009 MRI competition is for research related to the five topics listed below. White papers and full proposals are solicited which address the following topics:

(1) Chinese Military and Technology Research and Archive Programs
(2) Studies of the Strategic Impact of Religious and Cultural Changes within the Islamic World
(3) Iraqi Perspectives Project
(4) Studies of Terrorist Organization and Ideologies
(5) New Approaches to Understanding Dimensions of National Security, Conflict, and Cooperation

More information, a full RFP, and application details can be found at:http://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?Action=6&Page=8

This post first appeared on AHA Today.