Arlington, Va. – Chief of Naval Research (CNR) Rear Admiral William E. Landay III has announced the 2008 "CNR Challenge" for innovative ideas brought to the Office of Naval Research (ONR) during the upcoming ONR Naval Science & Technology Partnership Conference (12-14 August) at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C.
"I want ONR to be viewed as the preeminent science and technology organization, recognized both inside and outside the Navy, as the place to go with good ideas and innovative concepts," said Landay. "I have done the CNR Challenge for the past two years and it has been one of the most popular features of ONR's annual science and technology conference, and I have allocated $1 million to support the effort again."
This year's CNR Challenge has been revised to support up to ten awards of up to $100,000 each. The purpose is to provide research seed funding to encourage promising ideas and people from both traditional and non-traditional sources. White papers will be received only at the ONR Naval Science & Technology Conference. Ideas will be evaluated in the weeks following the conference and prospective awardees will be announced in the fall.
Participants this year must focus their ideas on the theme for the conference, "Sustaining the Edge: Serving the next generation warfighter, now," and on one or more of the six science and technology topics that will be featured (see http://www.onr.navy.mil/conferences/science_technology_partnership_2008/ for more information). In addition, programs highlighted at the conference will identify research challenges that participants should consider before making their final idea submission.
"As before, the CNR Challenge is not a contest," said Landay. "It is a commitment by me, the Chief of Naval Research, to encourage ideas that can help us meet the needs of today's modern warfighter, ensuring they always have the technological edge. The CNR Challenge is not the only way we encourage innovation at ONR, but it is a valuable tool that may help us uncover the 'next big thing.'"