FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville State University has secured a five-year, $10 million federal defense award to expand applied artificial-intelligence research, hire faculty and train student researchers.
The award is the largest single research award in the university’s history, according to CityView and ABC11.
FSU’s Sept. 16 announcement says the award will provide about $2 million annually through a federal fiscal 2026 research-capacity program for historically Black colleges and universities and minority-serving institutions. FSU was one of five institutions selected nationwide.
The university plans an interdisciplinary research program focused on applied AI for defense systems, including contested logistics technologies and biomanufacturing. Ganesh C. Bora, FSU’s associate vice chancellor for research and innovation, will serve as principal investigator. Computer science professor Sambit Bhattacharya and business professor Burcu Adivar will serve as co-principal investigators.
CityView reported that the project is expected to hire two research faculty members and support at least five graduate students and five undergraduate students each year. The award also would help FSU develop a proposed doctoral program in applied AI for defense systems.
The research project has not started. Work is expected to begin after FSU finalizes its contract with the federal government. The doctoral program has a draft curriculum but still would need departmental, university, UNC System and accreditation approvals.
FSU said it plans to work with Fort Bragg as the initiative develops. The university and local leaders have described the award as part of a broader effort to connect higher education, the military and Fayetteville’s defense-technology economy.
Featured image: Fayetteville State professor and project co-principal investigator Sambit Bhattacharya discusses AI research beside a data visualization. Credit: Fayetteville State University.