NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan has just concluded several days filled with impactful activities. Highlights included joining first lady Dr. Jill Biden in North Carolina to announce two of the first-ever NSF Regional Innovation Engines, leading a media briefing for the official launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot, and traveling to India to attend the seventh India-U.S. Forum 2024.
On Friday, Jan. 26, the Director and first lady launched the Piedmont Triad Regenerative Medicine Engine and the North Carolina Sustainable Textiles Innovation Engine. Each project will receive up to $15 million for two years and up to $160 million over 10 years. This groundbreaking investment in place-based science and technology research and development will spur economic growth and catalyze breakthrough technologies in regenerative medicine and textile manufacturing. A total of 10 new flagship NSF Engines were announced on Monday to power innovation and jobs across the country, part of President Joe Biden's Investing in America agenda under the bipartisan "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022."