Andy Ellington Wins National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship

Andy Ellington, the Wilson M. and Kathryn Fraser Research Professor in Biochemistry, has been awarded a National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (NSSEFF), one of only 11 in the country.

The fellowship is intended to support unclassified, basic research that may transform the DOD's capabilities in the long term. It comes with a five year grant of more than $500,000 per year.

Ellington's research focuses on using evolutionary techniques -- in particular, a method known as "directed evolution" -- to engineer biopolymers, cells, and even entire organisms that can help solve real-world biotechnology challenges. He also employs techniques in bioinformatics, modeling, and rational design to accelerate evolutionary processes.

"These distinguished researchers have a demonstrated record of success in fields of strategic importance to the DoD," said Zachary J. Lemnios, director of Defense Research and Engineering for the Department of Defense. "Their work will not only contribute to preparing the the nation for an uncertain future, but will also develop the necessary high quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics talent that will be essential to the DoD's continued success,"

The fellows conduct basic research in core science and engineering disciplines that are expected to underpin future DoD  technology development. For this competition, the research proposals were in the areas of high temperature superconductors; resilient networks; synthetic biology;  computational electromagnetics; quantum information science; waves in random media; image acquisition, analysis and integration; attosecond electron  processes in solids; theoretical and computational design of light and force-driven molecular materials; and emergency of shape and patterns in  biomolecular assemblies in ionic solutions.