innovate arkansas

Nanotechnology researchers at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville will receive a $4 million grant from the state's General Improvement Fund, Gov. Mike Beebe announced Tuesday.

The money will benefit research and facilities in the College of Engineering and the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

"This is cutting-edge research with strong potential for short-term and long-term dividends in economic development," Beebe said in a news release. "The world is watching these Arkansas scientists, and this research can lead to high-quality, knowledge-based jobs for Arkansans."

During its most recent legislative session, the General Assembly appropriated $20 million for higher education projects. The University of Arkansas grant for nanotechnology research is part of that appropriation, the governor's office said.

Over the past decade, UA researchers have received more than $23 million from sponsors such as the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to pursue nanoscience and nanotechnology projects.