UNT partners with Bioeffects Division of Airman Systems Directorate

A group of eleven faculty from University of North Texas College of Engineering, College of Science and UNT Health Science Center recently visited the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Bioeffects Division of Airman Systems Directorate at Fort Sam Huston in San Antonio.

As part of this visit, the UNT team, including Interim Vice President of Research and Innovation Narendra Dahotre,  College of Engineering Interim Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Andrey Voevodin, Kathleen Borgmann from the Health Science Center and professors from eight departments, met with Robert Thomas, technical advisor of the Bioeffects Division, and his team of AFRL scientists to discuss collaborative projects, tour the facilities and increase opportunities for student advising among the three organizations.

Both UNT and the UNT Health Science Center entered into educational partnership agreements with Directed Energy Bioeffects Institute (DEBI), which seeks to support American troops in environments where directed energy effects – which utilize lasers and focused radio frequency emitters – are applied for non-lethal uses. As part of the partnership, government scientists, engineers and clinical researchers will focus on fundamental understanding directed energy effects on biological systems and people and how to more safely use it.

“These established research and education partnerships help to not only engage our faculty and AFRL scientists in multidisciplinary research, but also to steer our graduate students into exciting research and job opportunities in Bioeffects Division, where they will have the opportunity to work in premier military facilities and be mentored by leading scientists nationwide,” said Voevodin.