110th U.S. Congress -
FY 2008 Federal Agenda
Federal Funding Requests

Energy and Natural Resources

Located in the center of the world’s energy industry, the University of Houston has built partnerships with international energy companies and developed research programs that focus not only on oil and gas, but on electricity, alternative energy sources, conservation and air quality.

Center for Clean Fuels and Power Generation
Nonpolluting, efficient, safe and economical energy is a cornerstone technology for our future economic growth, public health and quality of life. To address this national challenge, the University of Houston requests federal resources to expand the Center for Clean Fuels and Power Generation, which conducts multi-scale engineering research and development of sustainable ultra-clean fuels and efficient power generation.

The Challenge: Clean Energy
Environmentally friendly, economical, and efficient power generation is an essential component of a proactive environmental and energy policy to achieve long-term sustainable growth. Cross-disciplinary research and education and technology development and transfer are needed to discover, develop, and commercialize new fuels and engines that will provide reliable, low cost, and sustainable power sources for the transportation and construction sectors.

UH Response: The Center for Clean Fuels and Power Generation
To address this national challenge, the University of Houston requests federal resources to expand the Center for Clean Fuels and Power Generation (CFPG), a multi-disciplinary effort focused on the synthesis and development of clean and sustainable fuels, their combustion for efficient generation of portable power, and their exhaust after-treatment for minimal impact to the environment. CFPG is one component of a diverse portfolio of programs focused on energy at UH, which is strategically located in a vast regional petrochemical complex and port system, as well as the center of the international energy industry. CFPG program activities include:

Cross-Cutting, Multi-Scale Research in the Sciences and Engineering
This initiative will involve basic and applied research in a broad spectrum of activities spanning the synthesis and combustion of clean and alternative fuels and the development of advanced powertrain systems, control and diagnostics methodologies and emission after-treatment technologies. Engineering and science activities will span discovery-based research in nano-scale catalytic materials, bio-based fuel synthesis, reactor engineering, computational flow and reaction modeling, fuel synthesis and reforming, electrochemistry and catalysis, dynamical systems optimization and control, smart sensors, and multi-scale systems integration and power management.

Technology Transfer and Integration
Partnerships and collaborations with engine companies, catalyst manufacturers, energy companies, and regional and state officials will promote a vigorous discovery-to-development-to-commercialization technology transfer process. This level of national and regional engagement will increase the visibility of UH, thereby facilitating faculty/student recruitment and the positioning of our faculty in emerging national initiatives.

Research Areas
CFPG research activities lie at the intersection of mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, materials and the transportation sciences. This effort will involve basic and applied research in new power generation designs, alternative fuels (including biodiesel and hydrocarbons to hydrogen), integrated feedback control and advanced after-treatment catalytic systems, thermal-fluid sciences research in internal combustion engines, and thin film solid oxide and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells for transportation and auxiliary power units.

Partnerships
Federal support will enhance existing collaborations with private industry and create new ones. We will leverage UH’s materials science research initiative (already receiving state support), partnerships with international companies (Ford, Cummins, BASF Catalysts LLC), and an ongoing diesel emissions testing project with the City of Houston. We will also establish active research partnerships with energy companies (e.g., Chevron, ExxonMobil, Shell, and British Petroleum among others).

Educating a Diverse Workforce
In addition, federal support will enhance current UH efforts to train a highly educated, diverse workforce. Funds will be used to attract undergraduate and graduate students into research and technology development. As one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the nation, UH will be able to draw students historically underrepresented in the sciences and engineering into STEM disciplines at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Funding Request
Funds will be used to support cost-matching for competitive federal programs, research assistantships for undergraduate and graduate students, salary support for faculty and visiting scholars, seed grants for UH faculty, other research costs, development of core state-of-the-art facilities, and outreach programs to excite students about this critical national need.

To implement this initiative, the University of Houston requests $5 million annually for three years from the Department of Energy (Energy Supply and Conservation).

High Temperature Electrochemistry Center (HiTEC) The University of Houston proposes to build upon the national High Temperature Electrochemistry Center (located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories) through the creation of a new satellite center on the UH campus. HiTEC-UH will initiate new and expand existing programs in HiTEC areas of interest, including solid oxide fuel cells, ion transport membranes, oxide thin film ionic devices, and reforming catalysis and reactor design/modeling.

HiTEC Mission
The High Temperature Electrochemistry Center (HiTEC) at Pacific North West National Laboratories (PNNL) is a research collaboration focused on the science and engineering needed to accomplish the Department of Energy’s vision for future energy production. The HiTEC mission is to provide multidisciplinary research leading to advanced electrochemical technologies that minimize environmental consequences of using fossil fuels in energy production. The program is managed by The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and PNNL and includes core research activities at PNNL together with those at HiTEC satellite centers located at universities.

UH Role: A HiTEC Satellite Center
The University of Houston proposes the creation of a new satellite High Temperature Electrochemistry Center on campus (HiTEC-UH). HiTEC-UH will initiate new and expand existing programs in HiTEC areas of interest, conducting materials research that contributes to the development of cost-effective ways to derive clean power and hydrogen from domestic coal, oil, natural gas and biogenic sources (such as ethanol in the U.S.).

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Systems: Hydrogen based fuel cell systems can efficiently deliver virtually pollution-free energy. Deployment of hydrogen fuel cells requires cost-effective, compact, and reliable units for generating high purity hydrogen for distributed stationary and mobile applications. The program will address the need to develop more compact and responsive hydrogen generation systems.
High Temperature Fuel Cells: High temperature fuel cells provide a highly efficient route to electric power generation that can utilize a range of hydrocarbon fuels. The UH program on intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell materials will be extended to include “reversible” fuel cells that generate either electricity or hydrogen by high temperature electrolysis of water.
Clean Coal Energy: The use of pure oxygen in coal gasification can make coal power plants cleaner and ultimately perform with near-zero emissions by enabling efficient CO2 capture and sequestration. We will continue our work on oxygen separation using oxide membranes for application in clean power generation.

UH Expertise
The HiTEC group at UH is recognized as a leader in these research areas and has an extensive network of academic, industrial and national laboratory (PNNL) collaborators. The group has received funding for collaborative research programs from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. HiTEC-UH would be a separate division within The Texas Center for Superconductivity at the University of Houston (TCSUH), benefiting from TCSUH’s extensive facilities and other infrastructure for materials synthesis and characterization, as well as the internationally recognized expertise of its faculty in high temperature superconductivity research and development.

Funding Request
HiTEC funding would be used to support research programs in the areas outlined above and to train graduate and undergraduate students for careers in the energy industry in Texas.

To develop HiTEC-UH, the University of Houston requests $1 million annually for five years from the Department of Energy (Fossil Energy Research and Development).

National Off-Shore Wind Energy Center
Wind is the fastest growing source of energy production today. The University of Houston proposes to establish a national offshore wind energy center (NOWEC) – a Texas university/ industry/state agency consortium. NOWEC will be the only organization in the world focusing on developing advanced offshore wind technology for cost-effective, renewable clean energy production.

The Challenge: Clean Energy
The United States currently has more than 60% of its petroleum consumption imported from overseas. Texas has also been a net importer of energy since the 1970s due to its dwindling oil reserves. It is imperative that the nation develop major renewable energy resources to meet its ever increasing energy needs. President Bush, on February 21, 2006, called for technology development to generate 20% of our electricity needs through wind power. Wind energy is the fastest growing source of energy production today, having grown at an average rate exceeding 20% per year over the last decade. While land-based wind energy development has been successful, major attention has now turned to offshore wind worldwide, for many compelling reasons. Among them, offshore wind is at least an order of magnitude more abundant in energy production and better in quality than onshore wind. To date, all the world’s offshore wind power plants have been constructed in Europe, and no offshore wind energy production installations exist in the U.S. However, recent studies by the National Renewal Energy Laboratory (NREL) and NASA have shown that huge wind resources are available in the Gulf of Mexico. Technical/ environmental issues for offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Mexico are different from those in Europe.

UH Response: National Offshore Wind Energy Center
In response to these issues, the University of Houston and its government and industry partners propose the creation of the National Offshore Wind Energy Center (NOWEC), which will develop a national large wind turbine test facility in Houston and advance offshore wind energy technology for cost-effective energy production through collaborative R&D with state and federal agencies and industry. NOWEC programs will include:

Basic Research: Addressing science, engineering and innovation issues for new offshore wind energy technology.

Large Wind Turbine Testing and Development: Developing and conducting large-scale turbine testing to define critical R&D issues, and then using the results to advance offshore wind turbine reliability and design.

Demonstration Program: Establishing technology suitability and proof of innovative concepts for field deployment.

Regulatory Issues Program: Investigating scientific and engineering issues related to state and federal permitting, certification and regulatory approval for wind energy installation, operation and safety.

Technology Transfer: Sharing and transferring the technologies developed at NOWEC to U.S. and the Texas offshore wind energy industry.

UH Expertise and Partnerships
While Europeans are currently leading in offshore wind technology, they are facing many critical technical barriers to advance it further. Houston, however, with an organized effort led by the University of Houston can easily surpass them in a very short time. UH has world-leading R&D in large offshore composite structures, and several large global offshore wind turbine manufacturers have come to UH for assistance. Houston is also the leader in the world’s offshore industry, with the most advanced technology for exploration and production operations. NOWEC partners include researchers and scientists from five major Texas universities, leading U.S. wind developers and turbine manufacturers, the offshore industry, Department of Energy national labs, and state and federal agencies. The partners have complementary expertise to cover all areas needed for successful offshore wind energy development.

Funding Request
In creating NOWEC, the University of Houston will leverage federal funding with resources from partner institutions. To date, the Texas General Land Office has committed $6 million for land and buildings to construct testing facilities, and turbine manufacturers have committed $2.5 million annually for testing. We are also in discussions to secure an additional $2 million from industry for focused individual R&D projects.

For FY 2008 and FY 2009, the University of Houston requests $5 million annually for two years from the Department of Energy for equipment, facilities development, and NOWEC research programs. To fund this initiative, the University of Houston urges Congress to increase the funding level for the Wind Energy Program within the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Resources by $5 million to $44 million.

Community Advancement

Houston is one of the most populous and diverse cities in the United State. With no ethnic group constituting a majority, Houston is today what the rest of the nation is rapidly becoming. Houston also accounts for 25% of the state’s economy, with energy, health care, and aerospace serving as major industries. Research and outreach programs at the University of Houston are important for addressing health, education, workforce, and economic issues in the region and state, as well as serving as models for the rest of the nation to follow.

Center on High-Risk Children
In No Child Left Behind, the President and Congress established a goal that all school children will reach proficiency in reading, math and science by 2014. A major barrier in achieving this goal is the growing number of students who are at-risk due to environmental and biological factors (e.g., English as a second language, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, neurological disorders such as spina bifida). Faculty members at the University of Houston have developed several highly successful evaluation tools, interventions and instructional models to address these issues. The proposed Center on High-Risk Children would allow the dissemination of this important work on a national level.

The Challenge: No Child Left Behind and High-Risk Children
In the last seven years, Congress has passed the most significant and far reaching education legislation since the creation of Title I. With the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) passed in 2000, the President and Congress set a significant goal of having all children reach proficiency in reading, math, and science by the year 2014. The successful accomplishment of this national goal hinges on the achievement and intellectual accomplishments over the next eight years of our at-risk students. Biological and environmental factors interact to place children at risk for adverse outcomes such as educational problems, difficulties with independent living, and social and emotional disorders. Biological factors that place children at risk include dyslexia and other learning disabilities, as well as defined neurological disorders such as spina bifida. Environmental factors include poverty and growing up in a home where a language other than English is spoken in the home. And many at-risk children must overcome being affected by multiple risk factors, as environmental conditions and biological risk factors are known to co-occur.

At the same time, the size of the at-risk population is growing more rapidly than the public school population. Indeed, the fastest growing segment of the public school population is comprised of students who are classified as language minority students, i.e., those who hear and/or speak a language other than English in the home. In the last two decades, the population of students known as English Language Learners (ELLs) has grown by 169% in comparison to 12% growth in the overall school-aged population. Although more than 400 home languages are represented within the school-aged population, by far the predominant language is Spanish, which is the home language of roughly 80% of ELLs. Moreover, just as English speaking students are at-risk for biologically mediated developmental disabilities, such as dyslexia, so too are non-English speaking students. In some cases, such as with spina bifida, incidence rates are significantly higher among Hispanics than among either whites or African-Americans (e.g., estimated ratio of 3:2:1 Hispanic:White:African-American). As the year 2014 approaches, the success of schools is likely to hinge more and more on the success of these at-risk populations, both because of their increased prevalence in American society, but also because these are likely to be the children who have the farthest to climb to reach state proficiency standards.

UH Programs Addressing the Needs of High-Risk Children
Faculty members in the University of Houston’s Department of Psychology have developed several highly successful research programs involving children at risk from both biological and environmental factors – especially in the areas of reading and mathematics development. These faculty members have been pioneers in examining the validity and reliability of specific approaches to the identification of learning disabilities, and in developing and rigorously testing treatments, interventions, and scientifically based whole-class instruction. In these efforts, they have developed and validated assessment tools for identifying high-risk children and interventions for preventing or remediating their disabilities. In using rigorous, scientific designs to empirically test and validate their findings, they are also using state-of-the-art functional neuroimaging methods to document the impact of instruction and intervention on specific brain systems in these populations.

This research has resulted in the development of early reading assessments in English (the Texas Primary Reading Inventory) and in Spanish (Tejas LEE and the Test of Phonological Processes in Spanish). In addition to these diagnostic assessments for early reading, they are currently developing measures to diagnose comprehension problems, measures to monitor students’ progress in response to interventions, and measures for both these purposes that are suitable for use with adolescent, struggling readers. Related to these assessment activities are studies in Houston, Austin, Brownsville, California, and Massachusetts that are designed and conducted in order to rigorously test and validate the effectiveness of scientifically based interventions for use with English-language learners at both the elementary and middle school levels. These activities are conducted through the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES), the National Research and Development Center for English Language Learners (an IES-funded National Research Center), and the Texas Center for Learning Disabilities (an NICHD Learning Disability Research Center). In addition to these two federally funded center grants, specific research projects are supported by grants from the Institute of Education Sciences and NICHD, including two program project grants from NICHD, one on math disabilities, and one on spina bifida that includes genetic, neuroimaging, and neuropsychological studies. Additional research projects are supported by a contract with the Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas at Austin to develop and test interventions for adolescents with reading disabilities.

In creating the Center on High-Risk Children, funding for research is not needed. Rather, resources are needed to enhance the ability of our faculty to build the infrastructure necessary to sustain this effort with the next generation of scientists. This goal will be accomplished by recruiting and training the best graduate and undergraduate students to learn the science of prevention, assessment, and intervention with at-risk populations. In addition, funds are needed to disseminate findings effectively to practitioners working in classrooms, as school principals, and as district leaders in such a way that effective interventions are brought to scale without loss of efficacy. In addition, training must take place in ways that have been demonstrated to be effective in leading schools and districts to take ownership of these interventions so that they are sustained after the research team is no longer available to deliver the intervention, or train school personnel in its delivery.

The Center on High-Risk Children will conduct training and disseminate information on evidence-based instruction and interventions across the nation. In order to take advantage of the synergy represented by the diverse research efforts already represented within organizations that will comprise the center, we would seek linkages with other related programs at the Texas Medical Center, the Texas Education Agency, other State of Texas institutions, other nationally funded research centers, and various federal interests in these areas. The center would also serve as a resource for recruiting other top scientists in the related disciplines of statistics, psychology, education, epidemiology, sociology, computer science, neuroscience, and economics to participate in the Center on High-Risk Children. By expanding the center to include a more interdisciplinary team of scientists pursuing additional federal and state research funding, as well as faculty development and different training programs, it will be possible to develop and test more effective models of intervention, information dissemination, and pre-service and in-service training of teachers, school administrators, and medical practitioners who serve at-risk populations of children and adolescents.

Funding Request
Funding would be used for infrastructure support to create and manage the center. Initial funding would enable UH to approach the Texas Legislature and the Texas Education Agency, as well as non-profit private foundations for extended funding for the center. In the long term, faculty would be recruited in areas that involve behavioral genetics, autism, neuroimaging, and quantitative methodology, in addition to the areas noted above. Support for graduate students is needed, and a post-doctoral program would be added. Professional development would be provided for teachers to implement research-based instructional methods in reading and math for high-risk populations, and for training content area teachers how best to develop the academic language of their students who are English language learners (or who otherwise struggle with the language demands of academic content).

To accomplish these goals, the University of Houston requests $1.23 annually for two years from the Department of Education (Fund for the Improvement of Education).

Community Development Resource Center The mission of the Community Development Resource Center (at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture) is to enhance the quality of life in Houston�s communities through community development and design activities in partnership with neighborhood organizations, public agencies, private entities, and other stakeholders. Federal funding would enable the CDRC to implement a community development initiative in the Houston East End and Third Ward neighborhoods, home to 150,000 Houstonians, many of whom are economically disadvantaged and of Hispanic or African-American descent.

The Challenge: Urban Development in Economically Challenged Communities
In its 2025 Regional Growth Forecast, the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) projects that the population of Harris County will nearly double, from 3,401,000 in 2000 to 5,385,000 in 2025 – an increase of nearly 2 million people or 636,000 households. As a result, strains on our environment, infrastructure and transportation systems will increase; competition for housing and jobs will challenge neighborhoods; and gentrification and urban development will bring large changes to our communities. It is clear that issues related to air quality, transportation, housing, the environment, education and economic/community development will become even more pressing in the coming years.

UH Response: The Community Development Resource Center
Created in 2006, the UH Community Development Resource Center (CDRC) at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture is working to address these issues. The CDRC mission is to enhance the quality of life in Houston’s communities through integrated and comprehensive community development and design activities. It does so through design, research, education, and practice, in partnership with community and neighborhood organizations, non-profit organizations, public agencies, units of local government, private entities and other stakeholders. The Community Development Resource Center’s projects include:

Oscar Romero Day Labor Center Project, in partnership with the Gulfton Area Neighborhood Organization

East End Strategic Vision Project, an eighteen-month effort resulting in a ten-year strategic vision for the East End community, in partnership with the Greater East End Management District, the Houston East End Chamber of Commerce, and area stakeholders

Strategies for Change Project, in partnership with the City of Houston, which includes comprehensive strategies for urban and economic development and affordable housing.

Partnerships and Financial Support
To support these and other initiatives, the Community Development Resource Center has already received over $125,000 in external funding from private corporations, public agencies, foundations and non-profit organizations during its first year. This includes $20,000 from Gensler Architects, $38,000 from the Union Pacific Foundation, $20,000 from FCA Corp (and a pledge for future support of $20,000), $40,000 in project specific funding for the East End Strategic Vision Project, $2,700 from the City of Houston for the Main Street Survey, and $3,500 to publish the Houston Hope Strategies for Change Project – a community design and affordable housing initiative.

Funding Request
Coupled with this funding, federal support would enable the Community Development Resource Center to develop the partnerships, resources and expertise necessary to address the challenges of growth, enhance the overall quality of life of our citizens, and provide students with opportunities for applied research, inter-disciplinary learning and community service.

The CDRC requests $500,000 annually for three years from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (Economic Development Initiatives). These funds would enable the CDRC to implement a new community development initiative with the University of Houston’s two surrounding neighborhoods: the East End and the Third Ward. Together these neighborhoods are home to approximately 150,000 people, many of whom are of African-American and Hispanic descent, and who share the challenges of growth, change, disinvestment, and economic hardship.

Bay Area Houston Technology and Education Center (BAHTEC)
BAHTEC supports the regional bio- and technology industries through business acceleration; education, research and workforce development; and community development. BAHTEC achieves its mission by pooling and leveraging resources to accelerate technology transfer, small business development, and workforce training. Federal funding would allow BAHTEC to expand support for companies and workers across the region.

BAHTEC Mission and Activities
The University of Houston-Clear Lake (UHCL) is a founding member of the Bay Area Houston Technology and Education Center (BAHTEC), whose mission is to support the regional bio- and technology industries through business acceleration; education, research and workforce development; and community development. Other partners include the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, San Jacinto College District, and University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB-Galveston). BAHTEC achieves its mission by pooling and leveraging resources to accelerate technology transfer, small business development, and workforce training.

UHCL Expertise
UHCL works closely with San Jacinto College and the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to provide a K-18 pipeline in critical areas including biotechnology, information technology and the management of technology for regional employers. UHCL has recently added a master of science degree in biotechnology and is the first university in Texas to have its programs in computer information systems, computer science and computer systems engineering accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. In addition, UHCL offers the MBA with a concentration in Management of Technology and is developing a master of science degree in engineering management to integrate engineering and business education in support of the area’s high technology organizations.

BAHTEC will leverage its resources by working with the Aerospace and Biotechnology Academy and the Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program, whose missions are to enhance the regional high tech workforce and facilitate technology transfer.

Funding Request
For the current fiscal year BAHTEC has been awarded $990,000 from federal sources.

For FY 2008, we are seeking $4 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (Economic Development Initiatives) to expand the support to companies and workers from across the region. BAHTEC, with additional funding, will (1) increase the number of graduates in science, technology and engineering; (2) increase the quality and quantity of educators teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics; (3) increase the skill levels of the existing high technology workforce; and (4) expand the technology transfer outreach program to more area small businesses. Specific initiatives will be directed to the aerospace and biotechnology industries.

Materials Science and Space Engineering

Technological advances in energy, medicine, aerospace, and defense are all greatly dependent upon the development and commercialization of new materials. The University of Houston has developed world-renowned expertise in materials science and engineering as they relate to these and other industries critical to the United States.

SHIELD
Through the SHIELD program, UH Scientists will develop new materials for advanced electronics and space exploration (e.g., solar cells, transistors, micro fuel cells, nanosensors) in the ultra-vacuum of space (SHIELD will travel on the International Space Station for two years). Resources are needed to deploy and operate the SHIELD during its mission.

SHIELD Mission and Activities
The mission of the SHIELD program is to research the growth and fabrication of advanced thin-film materials and devices in the ultra-vacuum of space. The program is a partnership between the University of Houston, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Kazakhstan Academy of Sciences and will utilize the International Space Station (ISS) for advanced materials research and development. The SHIELD program has been developed as an advancement of the University of Houston’s very successful Wake Shield Facility program (1989-1998), during which the WSF was flown on three Space Shuttle missions to generate an ultra-vacuum in low earth orbit and develop thin-film materials in that environment. During these flights, the WSF advanced the science of epitaxial thin-film growth in an ultra-vacuum environment, grew unique high quality n-type gallium arsenide semiconductor samples, and enabled the development of new thin-film materials in the terrestrial laboratory environment. Through the Wake Shield Facility, materials were developed for semiconductor infra-red lasers, advanced solar cells, resistive computer memory, and artificial retina.

The SHIELD is a new design wake shield that will utilize the existing flight-proven WSF electronics and materials growth apparatus with a newly designed deployable disc structure for ultra-vacuum generation in low-earth-orbit space. The SHIELD will be flown to the ISS on a Russian rocket and will be attached to the FGB2 module via an extendable boom, to allow for deployment of the SHIELD at some distance from the ISS to minimize vacuum contamination. The SHIELD program will accomplish the following:

Develop advanced thin-film heterostructures by molecular and chemical beam epitaxy.

Utilize the ISS for research in new epitaxial materials and product development in the areas of advanced electronics and optoelectronics (e.g., solar cells, advanced transistors).

Support the development of advanced thin-film devices for use in the nation’s space exploration program (e.g., solar cells, micro fuel cells, nanosensors).

Promote economic development through the commercialization of thin-film growth technologies developed in space.

Partners and Financial Support
The Russian and Kazakhstan governments are providing support for the design and fabrication of the new SHIELD superstructure. In addition, Russian space companies Krunichev and RKK Energia have agreed to integrate and launch the SHIELD facility when the FGB2 module is launched in 2009. In terms of U.S. support, resources are needed from NASA through the ISS Science Development Directorate to test and re-qualify the WSF equipment to be used in the SHIELD, ship the equipment to Russia and integrate it with the SHIELD hardware, test and confirm operation of the complete SHIELD setup, and support on-orbit operation of the SHIELD during its long-term flight on the ISS.

Funding Request
To fund this initiative, the University of Houston urges Congress to follow through on authorization language setting aside funding for science on the International Space Station. These funds will support all UH personnel and equipment needed for the successful deployment and two-year operation of the SHIELD. The international collaboration with the Russian and Kazakhstan Academies of Science will leverage these funds by an estimated $30 million or more, which includes SHIELD fabrication, assembly, testing, integration, launch and operation. Economic benefits will accrue to the electronics, energy, and communications industries in the United States and internationally.

To implement this program, the University of Houston requests from NASA $2.5 million in FY 2008 and an additional $8.4 million over the following four years.

Consortium for Nanomaterials for Aerospace Commerce and Technology (CONTACT)
CONTACT represents a partnership among the University of Houston, several other Texas universities, and the Air Force Research Laboratory. The mission of CONTACT is to develop and commercialize materials and devices for superior aerospace systems for the United States Air Force. The University of Houston supports the University of Texas System’s request for appropriations on behalf of the consortium.

CONTACT Mission and Activities
The Consortium for Nanomaterials for Aerospace Commerce and Technology (CONTACT) comprises researchers from the University of Houston, Rice University, and several University of Texas System institutions (including UT-Austin) in collaboration with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/ML) in Dayton, Ohio. The goals of CONTACT are to spur and accelerate university/industry technology transfer; to foster nanotechnology-based education, R&D, and commercialization; to provide materials and devices for superior aerospace systems for the US Air Force; and to thereby provide enhanced security and important new products for the United States. CONTACT will achieve these goals by leveraging and significantly growing the intellectual and experimental centers developed through the current Strategic Partnership for Research in Nanotechnology (SPRING) and by focusing on the most critical aerospace technology development needs of the AFRL and the aerospace industry.

Researchers of the CONTACT universities and the Air Force Research Laboratory initiated collaborative research four years ago, thereby building a strong infrastructure for cooperative nanotechnology research in Texas and providing breakthrough technologies. These research efforts and those planned for the future will be enormously strengthened by the cross-cutting intellectual collaborations and by the availability of state-of-art equipment. Together, these efforts will lead to important economic, aerospace (both military and civilian), and security related technological breakthroughs, and thus to an aggressive technology transfer effort for our nation. FY 2008 funding will leverage existing infrastructure and enable research, development and technology transfer in the following areas:

Power on Demand: CONTACT will develop breakthrough nanomaterial technologies for energy storage, energy generation and actuation. Nanotechnology will enable products that are ultra lightweight, that have high efficiency, that exploit waste energy, and that exhibit multifunctionality (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors, photocells, fuel cells, actuators, thermal and vibration energy harvesting systems).
Reconfigurable Full Spectrum Detectors: CONTACT will develop breakthrough nanomaterials technologies for detectors with unprecedented wavelength selectivity and adaptability. Nanotechnology will enable detectors with enhanced sensitivity at very long infrared wavelengths, and will have the ability to operate in hostile environments. Device-level integration will produce compact, multifunctional systems needed by the Air Force (e.g., infrared detectors, hyperspectral detectors, optical communications systems, terahertz detectors, ultraviolet detectors, and agile electromagnetic protection).
Interdisciplinary Basic Research Foundations: Fundamental tool and technique development is planned to ensure scientific and technological superiority in the aforementioned areas of power on demand and reconfigurable full spectrum detectors.

Partnerships
The consortium will establish an industrial partnership for transferring technology to the private sector, as well as transitioning capabilities into Air Force and other Department of Defense systems. The consortium will develop an intellectual property management plan and will team with at least five key industrial partners having technology transfer experience. A key component will also be the development of a broader network of commercialization partners, including small and medium-size businesses. We expect such partners to amplify funding and the capabilities of the consortium by a combination of monetary, in-kind and personnel contributions. Through these collaborations, CONTACT will develop leading-edge nanotechnology aerospace applications faster and better than could be achieved individually at each institution.

Funding Request
Approximately 67% of the funding will support technology transfer and R&D projects in the three focus areas. The remainder of the funding will be applied to infrastructure improvements at the participating universities and at AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate (AFRL/ML). The University of Houston supports the appropriation of these resources.

To develop CONTACT, the University of Texas System, on behalf of the partner institutions, is requesting $8 million annually for three years from the Department of Defense.

Biomedical Sciences and Engineering

Partnering with institutions in the Texas Medical Center, the University of Houston is developing research programs in the biomedical sciences and engineering of national recognition. Areas of expertise include biomaterials, bioimaging, and drug design.

Alliance for NanoHealth (ANH) Biomedical Nanotechnology Fabrication Center
The mission of the Alliance for NanoHealth, a consortium of Texas universities and medical institutions, is to facilitate the translation of biomedical nanotechnology from the laboratory to clinical practice through commercialization. The proposed nanotechnology fabrication center would enable ANH members to develop new drugs and medical devices in a facility that meets the rigorous manufacturing standards required by the FDA for drugs and devices to be used in human clinical trials. It would be the first facility of its kind in the world. The University of Houston supports the University of Texas System’s request for appropriations on behalf of the consortium.

ANH Mission and Activities
The Alliance for NanoHealth is one of the nation’s leading institutional collaborations dedicated to applying nanotechnology to solve some of medicine’s most compelling questions. The heavily anticipated promise of nanotechnology lies in the novel cutting-edge approaches for developing next-generation healthcare technologies such as targeted therapeutics, smart drug delivery devices, and highly sensitive diagnostics. The mission of the ANH is to facilitate the translation of nanotechnology from the laboratory bench to clinical practice through commercialization.

Partner Institutions
Member institutions of the ANH include Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas, the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Rice University, the University of Houston, the UT Health Science Center at Houston, Texas A&M University, and the UT Medical Branch at Galveston. With more than 5.5 million patient visits each year, the Texas Medical Center is the world's largest medical complex, consisting of 42 member institutions that are home to more than 4,000 doctors, 11,000 registered nurses, and 22,000 students. Located within three miles of the TMC medical facilities are Rice University and the University of Houston, two of the leading science & engineering institutions in the nation. The infrastructure and expertise of ANH institutions position the consortium to assume the lead in nanotechnology innovation and clinical translation.

Proposed Project: Biomedical Nanotechnology Fabrication Center
At this time, the Alliance for NanoHealth is planning a new biomedical nanotechnology fabrication center that conforms to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards. The FDA mandates that all drugs and devices must be manufactured in compliance with GMP standards in order to be used in human clinical trials in the United States. In fact, the most challenging “barrier to entry” with regard to the commercialization of medical devices/drugs is meeting the regulatory standards defined by the FDA. Currently, there are no multi-faceted GMP facilities dedicated solely for biomedical nanotechnology research.

Project Justification
In being the first facility of its kind, the proposed Alliance for NanoHealth GMP nanotechnology fabrication center is a truly “difference making” endeavor for Texas and the nation. Houston remains the world’s frontrunner in the field of biomedical nanotechnology, although the city’s once dominating lead is shrinking as other regions vie for position. A GMP nanotechnology facility offers the promise of reasserting Houston’s competitive advantage as the world’s center for biomedical nanotechnology. It would complement Houston’s prestigious academic research institutions, world-renown medical center, and prolific clinical trial machine by completing the critical path for nanotechnology discovery and commercialization in the region. It would also attract to Houston nano-based companies seeking regulatory compliant manufacturing capabilities. The significance of this facility is apparent: a GMP facility will “fast-track” novel nano-based drugs and devices to human clinical trials, which will offer patients new innovative clinical options at an unprecedented rate.

Funding Request
The estimated cost of the GMP facility is $25 million to build out approximately 30,000 gross square feet of existing or newly constructed space in the Texas Medical Center.

To build the facility, the University of Texas System will request $14 million from federal sources in FY 2008 (plus an additional $6 million for ANH research). As a member of the Alliance for NanoHealth, the University of Houston supports the appropriation of these resources. The remainder of the funding for the GMP facility is expected to come from the State of Texas Emerging Technology Fund, private sector sponsorship, and philanthropy.

Cell Differentiation Synthetic Biology at the Institute for Molecular Design
Scientists at the Institute for Molecular Design have discovered the method through which human cells differentiate in order to repair injuries caused by trauma – or proliferate into diseases such as cancer. Funding for cell differentiation synthetic biology at IMD would enable scientists to develop chemical level solutions for regenerative medicine and cancer treatments.

The Challenge: Regenerative Medicine and Cancer Treatments
Cell differentiations hold the promise of nerve regeneration and re-growth of a variety of human tissues. Understanding how cells make decisions to self-renew or differentiate is the key to cancer treatment, as well. Cell differentiation regulation comes from a newly found signaling agent called miRNA – a piece of small non-coding genetic material triggered by external situations and biochemicals. Researchers at the UH Institute for Molecular Design (IMD) have demonstrated that these small bits of genetic material are capable of directing cells to differentiate. Using computer-aided analysis and design, coupled with biochips and synthetic biology, cell differentiation research can bring about a transformation in medicine through the identification of a full scientific basis for tissue regeneration. However, considerable basic science in the chemistry of these compounds and the signaling process is missing.

UH Response: Cell Differentiation Synthetic Biology at IMD
Faculty at the UH Institute for Molecular Design have led the revolution in synthetic biology by creating the design principles for detecting miRNA via biochip engineering and creating biochips capable of synthesizing genetic materials. As in any world-class research center, meeting IMD’s full potential rests on the facilities, equipment and talented scientists who choose to work here. In this regard, IMD needs to recruit more bioscientists and bioengineers in diverse areas of expertise. In addition, existing infrastructure will not sustain our current growth, so equipment for synthetic biology and chemistry laboratories is needed. To support these activities, the University of Houston requests $5 million from the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Resources and Services Administration). Funding will be used specifically for the following:

Outfitting labs in the newly constructed UH Science & Engineering Research Building
Gene sequencing equipment
Wet and dry clean room fabrication facilities
Cell culture facilities and purification equipment
Genetic synthesis equipment
Tissue culture facilities
Research faculty in computational biology, cell differentiation, and miRNA biochemistry

Expected Outcomes
The intended outcome of our request for cell differentiation synthetic biology is collaborative, interdisciplinary basic research targeting chemical level solutions to the problems of regenerative medicine. Ultimately, this research will allow us to develop new methods to control proliferating diseases, like cancer, and medical problems that lack proliferation, such as those induced by trauma. In terms of addressing tissue trauma and nerve breakage, the ability to chemically direct cells to transform into the correct tissues and physical forms would revolutionize treatment.

In the broader picture, these investments will support IMD in fabricating the new genes, compounds and products that will enhance U.S. competitiveness in science. In addition, the presence of world class facilities and faculty at the Institute for Molecular Design will enhance the health care industry in Houston and beyond, as well as support our partnerships with the Texas Medical Center. IMD is a focal point for inter-institutional ties in Houston via the Keck Center for Interdisciplinary Bioscience. The Keck Center sponsors fellowships for 85 graduate students and postdocs per year. These individuals are competitively drawn from UH, Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, the MD Anderson Cancer Center, the UT Health Science Center at Houston, and UT Medical Branch at Galveston.

Funding Request
$5 million in FY 2008 from the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Resources and Services Administration).

UH-Victoria Genetic Diagnostics DNA Laboratory
The Victoria region is the center for two regional hospital systems serving a large community of over 15 counties in South Texas. Although there is very good health care available in the area, there is very little health care support. Specifically, testing for neonatal genetics, hereditary genetic disease, and DNA identification (as needed in criminal investigations) is not available. Federal funding would enable UHV to establish a DNA laboratory that would to solve the genotyping needs of the university’s 15-county service area.

The Challenge: Availability of DNA Testing
The Victoria region is the center for two regional hospital systems serving a large community of over 15 counties in South Texas. Although there is very good health care available in the area, there is very little health care support. Specifically, testing for neonatal genetics, hereditary genetic disease, and DNA identification (as needed in criminal investigations) is not available. Furthermore, the state of Texas has a large backlog in the analysis and genotyping of DNA samples (which is true nationwide). Instead, these tests are conducted in biotechnology diagnostic laboratories out of state.

UHV Response: Genetic Diagnostics DNA Laboratory
To address this issue, UH-Victoria proposes the creation of a Genetic Diagnostics DNA Laboratory. UHV has a strong program in the biological sciences with a core in molecular genetics and graduate concentrations in bioinformatics and forensics. In partnership with DNA Research Genomics, Inc., the UHV DNA Lab would provide a solution to the genotyping needs of the university’s 15-county service area in both health care and forensics. In addition, the public/private partnership would facilitate the commercialization of diagnostics technology developed by UH-Victoria scientists. In addition to DNA Research Genomics, partners in the new venture include the MD Anderson Cancer Center, the Houston Police Department Crime Laboratory, the Victoria County Sheriff’s Department, Baylor College of Medicine, and Texas A&M University.

Funding Request

Upon completion, the new lab will enable faster and more affordable diagnosis of genetic ailments, a reduction in the regional and state backlogs in DNA testing, and criminal cases being processed faster and justice being granted more effectively.

To create the new DNA lab, UH-Victoria requests $1.748 from the Department of Health and Human Services (Health Resources and Services Administration) to cover construction and equipment costs.

Complex Systems

The technology boom of the past twenty years has led to the application of advanced computer, network and database technologies to address some of the nation’s most important challenges. At the University of Houston, scientists are incorporating the traditional disciplines of computer science, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, and psychology among others into complex systems that address such diverse issues as air quality, homeland security, student learning, and space operations.

Southwest Public Safety Technology Center (SWTC)
Some of the most significant challenges to the law enforcement and emergency response communities (e.g., border security, port security, hurricane preparedness) exist in the southwest United States. The SWTC, in partnership with Texas law enforcement and government agencies, has established regional test beds for developing, testing and implementing technologies and information systems related to public safety and security (e.g., smart police cars, air quality emissions sensors, evacuation planning). Federal funding would allow SWTC to expand its test bed along the Gulf Coast and Mexican border.

The Challenge: Public Safety and Security
Some of the most significant challenges to the law enforcement and emergency response communities (e.g., border security, port security, hurricane preparedness) exist in the southwest region of the United States. As a result, this area provides an ideal test bed for public safety and security technology. Through recent efforts of the University of Houston and the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas (SAT), a unique test bed environment has been created in both urban and rural areas. With additional support, this environment could be expanded to cover the entire southwest region and the Gulf Coast, which would have national impact and significance. Recent incidents of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita clearly illustrate the need for better situation awareness and coordination among different jurisdictions.

UH Response: Southwest Public Safety Technology Center
Founded in October 2005, the Southwest Public Safety Technology Center (SWTC) is an innovative multi-disciplinary center designed to serve the entire first responder public safety workforce – from law enforcement and fire services to emergency medical and management services. SWTC is geographically dispersed in order to effectively address both rural and urban safety/security issues and to integrate strategies and resources for maximum impact. SWTC has accomplished this through its test beds in Houston, the Middle Rio Grande area (from San Antonio to Del Rio), and the Vega Verde area along the Mexican border. SWTC includes four divisions that pursue the following activities:

Research and Development of Safety and Security Technology: Among other technologies, SWTC has developed a facial recognition system protocol for use in secure facilities, correctional settings, and ultimately to identify criminal suspects and terrorists.
Testing and Evaluation: SWTC has worked with the Houston Police Department to assess smart police car technology, law enforcement body armor, and radio frequency identification.

Technology Assistance: SWTC provides communications engineering support to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security, the Texas Radio Task Force, and various cities, counties, police departments, and sheriff’s offices throughout the state.
Education and Training: SWTC is developing a degree program and certificates in public safety technology engineering, as well as distance learning techniques for training rural public safety personnel.

Partnerships
In pursuing these activities, the Southwest Public Safety Technology Center has developed partnerships with a wide array of federal, state and local agencies. These include the NIJ’s National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center System (NLECTC), the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas (and other sheriff’s organizations), the Houston Port Strategic Steering Council, and the Texas Homeland Security Group and Body Armor Consortium, which include numerous Texas universities. On behalf of Harris County and the Port of Houston, SWTC leads the Port Security Council and manages its $26 million grant from the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Fund. SWTC is also supported through $4 million from the National Institute of Justice.

Funding Request
In order to achieve global situation awareness, the initiative will address not only engineering issues but system integration, public policy issues, and planning protocols. Primary focus will be on developing a regional SensorNet to collect public safety and security information; control and command centers to respond to data collected from the SensorNet; information sharing between the Federal Highway Administration and port security; plans and schedules for evacuation routes; and an advanced emergency and disaster information broadcasting system.

For FY 2008, the Southwest Public Safety Technology Center requests $5 million from the Department of Justice (National Institute of Justice) to develop and implement the Regional Emergency Response Initiative, a safety/security technology test bed along the Gulf Coast and Mexican border. In addition, there is currently no NLECTC System Regional Center in the southwest region of the United States. The Southwest Public Safety Technology Center believes it could fulfill this role, and therefore requests that $2.5 million be added to the NLECTC budget on SWTC’s behalf.

110th U.S. Congress - FY 2008 Federal Agenda Federal Funding Requests

110th U.S. Congress -
FY 2008 Federal Agenda
Federal Funding Requests