The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) announced that it will award approximately $16.6M in grants to scientists and engineers from 43 research institutions and small businesses who submitted winning research proposals through the Air Force's Young Investigator Research Program (YIP). For his research in tunable multifunctional organic thermal and thermoelectric materials, Dr. Shannon Yee is one of 57 recipients of this award.

The YIP is open to scientists and engineers at research institutions across the United States who received Ph.D. or equivalent degrees in the last five years and who show exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research. The objective of this program is to foster creative basic research in science and engineering, enhance early career development of outstanding young investigators, and increase opportunities for the young investigators to recognize the Air Force mission and the related challenges in science and engineering.

This year AFOSR received over 200 proposals in response to the AFOSR broad agency announcement solicitation in major areas of interest to the Air Force. These areas include: Dynamical Systems and Control, Quantum and Non-Equilibrium Processes, Information, Decision and Complex Networks, Complex Materials and Devices, and Energy, Power and Propulsion. AFOSR officials select proposals based on the evaluation criteria listed in the broad agency announcement. Those selected will receive the grants over a 3-year period.