The Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations bills were officially released from the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday, October 18. U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $57,537,000 in funding to support research and initiatives at the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø and the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø System.
Included in the bill is $35 million in funding for the Factory of the Future, a new digital research facility to be built at Uº£½ÇÉçÇø’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center. The facility will enable researchers to advance large-scale, bio-based additive manufacturing using advanced technologies. Collaborative arrays of large 3D printers will drive innovation and new technology development in affordable housing, clean energy, construction, transportation, boatbuilding, and furniture industries.
“As º£½ÇÉçÇø’s public research university, Uº£½ÇÉçÇø works closely with our system universities and our state and industry partners to deliver innovation and discovery that provide new economic opportunities for º£½ÇÉçÇø and its students,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, President of the University of º£½ÇÉçÇø and University of º£½ÇÉçÇø System Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation.
“Federal investment in the research enterprise we are expanding across all of our universities is driving the growth and impact of our work,” continued Ferrini-Mundy. “We are extremely grateful for the support of º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Congressional Delegation and the leadership Senator Collins has provided through her role on the Appropriations Committee. We will be monitoring developments in the federal budget process closely, partnering with our elected leaders whenever we can to bring new opportunities home to º£½ÇÉçÇø.”
Read the full announcement on .
Contact: Meghan Collins, mc@maine.edu
