Graduate Research Grants - Directed Energy

The Directed Energy Professional Society (DEPS) is the premier organization for the exchange of information on the development, application and transition of directed energy (DE) technologies. These technologies include high energy lasers (HEL), high power microwave (HPM) systems and technologies, ultra-short pulse lasers (USPL) and counter DE weapon (CDEW) technologies. DEPS fosters research and development of DE technology for national defense and civil applications through professional communication and education. The traditional academic disciplines involved in DE research include, but are not limited to, physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials sciences, optical sciences, optical engineering, and aerospace engineering.

This program offered partial awards up to $10,000 for the 2023-2024 school year. The number and amount of 2024-2025 research grants will depend on available funding, which is provided by grants from the Joint Directed Energy Transition Office and the Office of Naval Research, and by DEPS.

Requirements for application

DEPS is seeking qualified research grant candidates for the 2024-2025 school year. Students must be full-time graduate students at a U.S. school for the term of the research grant award, and expected graduation for initial applicants must be no earlier than the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

Candidates are expected to be interested in pursuing or currently studying the DE technology areas of HEL, HPM, USPL or CDEW. The technical scope of acceptable research is the same as that of the Journal of Directed Energy and of DEPS meetings. Research grant awardees have published in the Journal and made presentations at these technical meetings.

Students applying for this award must be U.S. citizens. 

The term of the award is one year. Current Scholars may apply for support in the next year, but they have no advantage over other applicants. The requirement that a student have a year or more remaining before award of the degree is waived for current Scholars who are reapplying. An award made to a current Scholar graduating before May 2025 will be proportionately reduced.

Application Process

To apply for this research grant, please send the following individual items to Cristina Crowson via direct email at Cristina@deps.org.

Should you choose to mail your application, please send the below to the DEPS Research Grant Program, Directed Energy Professional Society, 7770 Jefferson Street NE, Suite 440, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.

1. This DEPS graduate research grant application
2. Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work, sent directly from the school to DEPS (see note below)
3. Letter of interest that includes your current status in university as well as your interest in a specific DE technology (typically 1-2 pages)
4. A statement of proposed research that discusses your current research focus as well as its projected outcomes (min. 1 page, maximum 10 pages. The more details the better!)
5. A letter of reference from a potential or current graduate research advisor including an assessment of the student's potential and description of facilities to be employed for the research. (This should be a signed letter, on University/company letterhead and may be submitted digitally if sent directly from the reference.)

Note: Previous applicants who are applying again this year need only submit transcripts that have changed since the last application. For example, a second-year graduate student who applied last year need not resubmit transcripts from undergraduate school.

The deadline for applications is 30 April 2024. Applications will be reviewed by the DEPS Board of Scientific and Engineering Advisors (BSEA) for potential award. The awards will be announced during the summer after applications are due. Typically end of August, first week of September.

If you have any questions, please contact Cristina Crowson, Communications & Education Director at cristina@deps.org or Harry Sinsheimer, DEPS Executive Director, at harry@deps.org.