USF signs $85M contract with US Army for defense innovations

The University of South Florida has received yet another $85 million contract for national defense innovations and research — this one from the U.S. Army.

Officials from the university and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory, known as DEVCOM ARL, signed the five-year contract Sept. 4 in a ceremony at USF’s Research Park Discovery Hall on the school's main Tampa campus. It builds upon an educational partnership agreement the university entered into with the agency last spring, bringing students and faculty from across the university into critical defense research efforts and hands-on student internships. 

The new contract will be overseen by USF’s Institute of Applied Engineering and focus on innovations and research in 16 core competencies including cybersecurity, biotechnology, humans and complex systems, photonics, electronics and quantum sciences, said USF President Rhea Law.