UC to receive over $1.5 million from the National Science Foundation
Academic research at UC gets a boost from federal agency
The National Science Foundation has awarded $1.8 million in grant awards to two Ohio universities: The University of Cincinnati and The University of Dayton.
Per a press release from the office of Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, UC will receive the lion’s share of the grant monies (over $1.5 million) to fund critical scientific research projects and to increase participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.
“Scientific research is critical for creating jobs and improving our economy. We unleash more American innovation when everyone is able to participate and we nurture all Ohio talent,” Brown said in the release, adding: “The University of Cincinnati and the University of Dayton are some of Ohio’s great institutions of higher education. This award will help them advance our knowledge and continue Ohio’s leadership in innovation.”
The NSF funds will be applied to the following areas of study at UC:
- $800,366 grant to the UC Department of Physics to address how the universe through observing the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica.
- $249,303 grant to the UC College of Engineering to explore and address negative mental health experiences of minorities in engineering and to promote racial equity in the discipline.
- $499,999 grant to UC’s Center for Public Engagement With Science (PEWS), within the Department of Philosophy, to fund graduate level education to improve public engagement with science.
UC’s Angela Potochnik, associate professor in the UC Department of Philosophy, says the PEWS grant will support the development of cutting-edge educational opportunities for UC graduate students in a wide range of programs and research into the value these educational opportunities hold for students.
“We have a top-notch group of collaborators from philosophy, psychology, anthropology, geology and biology, and we've laid groundwork for collaboration with a number of community partner organizations, such as the Cincinnati Museum Center to provide hands on training with students," says Potochnik.
Press coverage includes:
Philosophers Among Recent NSF Grant Winners
University of Dayton receiving federal grant money from National Science Foundation
Featured image at top courtesy of Unsplash.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Related Stories
Cincinnati sees record rainfall in weekend deluge
July 21, 2026
The Cincinnati Enquirer talks to UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Associate Professor Patrick Ray for context about a July 17 rainstorm that dumped a record amount of rain on parts of Cincinnati.
Putting preschool into perspective
July 20, 2026
Preschool and childcare can be difficult to navigate for parents, as Spectrum News 1 Ohio recently reported. Waitlists are long, and factors like cost, location and transportation can limit options. According to a recent study published by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, only 41% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Ohio were enrolled in preschool between 2020 and 2024 — a 4% decrease from pre-pandemic numbers. For University of Cincinnati early childhood education faculty member Chad Nunamaker, that statistic has caveats.
Engineering magnets for a cleaner future
July 20, 2026
The United States is heavily reliant on imported rare-earth materials to make permanent magnets. Ugochukwu Philip Ochieze, materials science student at the University of Cincinnati, is studying how to use common materials to create permanent magnets, eliminating the need for expensive and scarce rare-earth materials. Pursuing his PhD, Ochieze was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by the College of Engineering and Applied Science.