The University of Minnesota’s Research and Innovation Office (RIO) and the National Security Research Institute (NSRI) are pleased to announce the 2026 awardees of the NSRI Seed Grants program.
Six interdisciplinary projects have been selected to catalyze innovative research that addresses high-priority national security challenges. By supporting early-stage concepts in strategic areas like hypersonics and materials for extreme environments, these awards foster critical partnerships between the University, industry, and government while preparing the next generation of researchers for the national security workforce. Significantly, several of the selected projects aim to solve complex challenges and develop breakthroughs that have an impact well beyond the field of national security.