URI Economic Impact Report - Autumn 2020

URI RESEARCH IMPACTING SECURITY IN RHODE ISLAND

BOMB DETECTION

GREGORY’S RESEARCH SEEKS A WAY TO DETECT THE EXPLOSIVES’ VAPORS BEFORE THE BOMB DETONATES.

“The Digital Dog Nose” created by Otto Gregory, chemical engineering professor at URI, could be placed at subway stations, train stations, and airports to detect bombs. Gregory and his research students created a sensor to detect explosives commonly used by terrorists. One of the explosives is

ALL SOURCES OF GRANT REVENUE—STATE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1- JUNE 30 GRANT FUNDING ACTIVITY

Eager faculty, supported by innovative training and initiatives offered by the Division of Research and Economic Development and other URI offices, submitted 620 proposals with a 41 percent award rate. The University’s investment, complemented by a state appropriation of $70.1 million, paid off: Every state dollar returned $1.25 in direct revenue.

FY2012 FY2013-FY2018 (Avg.)

FY2019

triacetone triperoxide, (TATP). Terrorists use TATP because it is easy to make with chemicals that can be bought at pharmacies and hardware stores, attracting little attention from authorities. Even small amounts can cause large explosions. Gregory’s research seeks a way to detect the explosives’ vapors before the bomb detonates, launching quick evacuations and saving lives.

Funding source

Dollar amt

Dollar amt

Pct change Dollar amt

Pct change

Gregory and his team tested their prototype at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and at Rapiscan Systems, one of the top detection system manufacturers in the world. The prototype detects explosives as low as one molecule of an explosive in a billion molecules of air. “The lower we can go,” chemical engineering graduate student Andrew Rossi says, “the less likelihood terrorists are going to get by security.” The next step is to make the prototype as small as a cellphone. Gregory’s work is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “I’m very excited about the future of the product,” he said. “We’re trying to make life safer for people throughout the world.”

Res. & Econ. Dev.

$95.0 M $78.8 M

(18)

$94.2 M

20

URI Res. Foundation

$2.3 M $2.8 M

22

$3.8 M

36

URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement VP for R&ED

$0.3 M $0.4 M

33

$1.3 M

225

$0.5 M $0.7 M

40

$1.5 M

114

Faculty Dev.

$0.1 M $0.1 M

-

$0.1 M

-

Revenue

$98.2 M $82.8 M $100.3 M $79.6 M

(16)

$100.9 M

22

Grant Expenditures

(21)

$89.8 M

13

Revenue/Expense

1

1

6

1

8

Otto Gregory, URI chemical engineering professor, and engineering student Alyssa Kelly with the prototype.

State Appropriation

$58.5 M $70.1 M

20

$81.0 M

16

Revenue/State $

2

1

(30)

1

6

ECONOMIC IMPACT REPORT 2020 11

10 The University of Rhode Island