NASA announced Sept. 16 that it has selected six universities that serve large numbers of minority and underrepresented students to receive research grants totaling nearly $30 million, including Delaware State University in Dover.

Each university will receive up to $1 million per year for up to five years based on performance and availability of funds.

NASA's Office of Education funded the awards and the six institutions were selected from among 35 that submitted proposals. Selections were based on proposal reviews by scientists and educators from the academic community, private industry and NASA.

The funding will help the universities establish significant, multi-disciplinary scientific, engineering and commercial research centers that contribute substantially to NASA programs.

The six universities selected are:

- Delaware State University in Dover for the establishment of a NASA Optical Sciences Center for Applied Research,

- California State University in Long Beach for the Center for Human Factors in Advanced Aeronautics Technologies,

- North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro for the Center for Aviation Safety,

- North Carolina Central University in Durham for the NASA Center for Aerospace Device Research and Education,

- University of Texas in Brownsville for the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy,

- University of Texas in El Paso for the Center for Space Exploration Technology Research,

These awards provide funding that continues NASA's commitment to achieving a broad based, competitive aerospace research and technology development capability among the nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority schools.

Through the NASA Group 5 University Research Center awards program, NASA seeks to foster new aerospace science and technology concepts and expand the nation's base for aerospace research and development.

The program also aims to develop mechanisms for increased participation in NASA's research by faculty and students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority universities.

The goal is to increase the number of underrepresented minorities who obtain advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.