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A Mighty Wind: Using Wind Tunnels to Measure Sound by Deadening the Noise

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) sponsored a project at Virginia Tech University nearly 20 years ago that is now growing in influence across the world for measuring aerospace and aeronautical acoustics. Since noise reverberates against solid surfaces, such as the walls of a wind tunnel where acoustical testing takes place, collecting accurate sound data had been nearly impossible at the time. Researchers were also struggling to discern the sound of the wind tunnel’s air flow from the noise of the object traveling through it. After learning about some experiments on Kevlar as a wind screen, William Devenport, an engineering professor and director of Virginia Tech’s Stability Wind Tunnel, said he and a colleague wrote a proposal to then-ONR program officer Ron Joslin to try adding Kevlar to their wind tunnel walls. Devenport submitted the original grant proposal (N00014–04–1–04933) through the FY 2004 Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) for alterations to Virginia Tech’s existing Stability Wind Tunnel that would allow it to measure flow-induced noise of relevance to Navy applications.

August 14, 2023

GlobalX Challenge: Official Guidelines

GlobalX Challenge: Official Guidelines
May 19, 2025

Marine Mammal Animal Use Protocol

The Department of Defense Instruction 3216.01, which as recently been implemented, clarifies several animal use requirements that are applicable to marine mammal studies.
March 18, 2022

Energetic Materials (EM)

The Office of Naval Research's Energetic Materials (EM) program explores materials/synthetic chemistry, advanced dynamic diagnostics and theoretical/computational/predictive approaches to provide novel energetic material concepts (explosives, propellants, reactive materials) that maximize molecular and formulation energy densities, synthesis efficiencies and predicted properties to achieve performance goals.
March 18, 2022

Sailors and Marines Driving Twenty Years of Innovation through TechSolutions

TechSolutions has just celebrated its 1000th request for a technology-driven solution identified by the men and women who need it most – Sailors and Marines on the frontlines of the mission. “Necessity is the mother of invention, which is why it’s so important to deliver what our warfighters need when they need it – not five to ten years later, but as soon as possible,” said Capt. Andy Berner, commanding officer of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global, which oversees TechSolutions. “When a viable request comes in, TechSolutions works to put that technology into the hands of our Sailors and Marines within months while other procurement requests are still working their way through red tape.” TechSolutions received its 1000th request on Jan. 19. Jason Payne, director of TechSolutions, said they are looking forward to celebrating the next milestone, number 1500, which he hopes comes in sooner than the first 500 requests since warfighters can now contact TechSolutions directly by phone, email, Teams, or through the ONR mobile app.
January 26, 2024

2019 Young Investigator Award Recipients

See a list of the 2019 recipients of the U.S. Department of the Navy's Young Investigator Program.
March 18, 2022

Electronic Devices, RF Semiconductors and Amplifiers

The objective of the Office of Naval Research's RF Semiconductor Devices, RF Solid State Amplifiers and Wide Bandgap Materials program is to develop solid state (e.g., wide bandgap semiconductor), low noise, high speed electronic devices and circuits for use in surveillance, electronic warfare, multifunctional RF systems and communications.
March 18, 2022

ONR Global Gaining Insight into the Effects of Glacial Melting in Coastal Regions

A research project from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Global is providing valuable information about the effects of melting glaciers in Patagonia that feed into coastal fjords, transporting sediments, freshwater and nutrients. Dr. Chris Konek, science director at ONR Global in Chile, said the research will help the Department of the Navy (DoN) understand the effects of a changing climate on the coastal environment. “That’s the kind of the thing the Marines need to be able to handle,” he said. “It’s basic research and so it will help provide a fundamental understanding of this aspect of coastal systems where you can expect more things like this to happen in the future – more glacial melting as opposed to less.” Cristian Escauriaza, professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, is the principal investigator along with his university colleague, Megan Williams. They are working with the Filantropía Cortés-Solari, a conservation organization that owns and manages the Melimoyu Elemental Reserve in northern Patagonia. Patagonia is largely remote with a diverse ecosystem and a rich array of wildlife, including penguins and blue whales. Konek said ONR Global is interested in Escauriaza’s project for its potential to inform what’s happening to that ecosystem, which can also help inform what’s happening to other coastal regions experiencing the same challenges.
February 14, 2024

International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR)

The U.S. Department of Defense has been developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with partner nations in order to improve defense and security capabilities in the Arctic. The International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR) is the vehicle for this collaboration.
March 18, 2022

GlobalX Challenge: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

GlobalX Challenge: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
May 19, 2025