OpportunityTitle: Strengthening Teamwork for Robust Operations in Novel Groups (STRONG)
CategoryExplanation: The future vision for the U.S. Army includes teams of humans and intelligent agents working together to accomplish missions.  The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) has established this new collaborative program, Strengthening Teamwork for Robust Operations in Novel Groups (STRONG), with the goal of developing the foundation for enhanced teamwork within heterogeneous human-intelligent agent teams.  This collaborative venture will bring together diverse, multidisciplinary expertise to support scientific breakthroughs relevant to specific and critical scientific questions that must be addressed to enable this future vision.
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: Eligible applicants under this FOA include institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations (i.e., large and small businesses) for scientific research in the knowledge domains outlined throughout this Funding Opportunity.  Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) may propose as well, with effort as allowed by their sponsoring agency and in accordance with their sponsoring agency policy.  Proposals will be evaluated only if they are for fundamental scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing the scientific state of the art or increasing basic knowledge and understanding.
Description: The recent acceleration in the emergence and widespread application of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) is leading to a fundamental revolution in the way that society functions on all levels across the globe. Whether in wrist-worn sleep and activity monitors, online shopping carts, &#8220;smart&#8221; mobile devices, or even in our vehicles, AI/ML-enabled intelligent agents are quickly becoming ubiquitous and, as such, fundamental to life experience in the developed world. With ever-more intelligent technological capabilities and particularly the increasing availability, modes, and transmissibility of information that can reshape our understanding of the global context and human action within it, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory has established a new collaborative, basic research program (STRONG) with the intent of providing a foundation for enhanced teamwork within heterogeneous human-intelligent agent teams. This new collaborative venture will bring together diverse, multidisciplinary expertise to support scientific breakthroughs within specific, critical scientific questions that must be addressed to enable this future vision.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: ARL Strengthening Teamwork for Robust Operations in Novel Groups (STRONG)
GrantorContactText: Joshua Wells &lt;br/&gt;Grants Officer &lt;br/&gt;Phone 919-541-0817
CloseDateExplanation: STRONG addresses a critical objective within a broader Army goal to enable effective integration of Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI/ML) in the battlefield.  This program has been developed in coordination with other related ARL-funded collaborative efforts (see descriptions of ARL collaborative alliances at https://www.arl.army.mil/www/default.cfm?page=93) and shares a common vision of highly collaborative academia-industry-government partnerships; however, it will be executed with a program model different than previous ARL Collaborative Research/Technology Alliances.  Specific components of the program are highlighted below: &#8226; STRONG will be executed through a series of eight annual program cycles (i.e., Cycles 1-8).  The FOA will be amended annually to identify a specific problem statement, or topic, for that specific Cycle.  The topic for each Cycle will be chosen to systematically converge on the specific long-term program goal.o Eight new topics (Cycles 1-8) are expected from FY19-FY26, with each topic focused on addressing a different scientific area within the scope of the broad research aims of STRONG.  These topics will be carefully chosen based on both program achievements from the previous year and on scientific and technological advancements by the broader research community. o For each topic, funding will be provided to those Recipients selected for 1 year under a cooperative agreement (CA) described as the &#8220;seedling&#8221; project. o The Recipients of a &#8220;seedling&#8221; CA are then eligible to receive funding for a single optional extension of up to 3 years at the conclusion of the &#8220;seedling&#8221; project.  The period of the performance of the option will be based on the research and available funding.  It is envisioned that &#8220;seedling&#8221; Recipients will work with government researchers and/or other &#8220;seedling&#8221; Recipients to collaboratively develop a proposal for an optional extension to the initial seedling CAs.  Opportunities for planning and enabling these collaborations in support of an option will be provided at the annual Summer Innovation Summits (see below), as well as via regular communication between &#8220;seedling&#8221; Recipients and government researchers.&#8226; Recipient participation in a yearly Summer Innovation Summit at one of the Center for Agent Soldier Teaming (CAST) Innovation Hubs will be REQUIRED. &#8226; Proposals from junior investigators (e.g., students, research fellows, and early-career researchers with less than 5 years past reception of their PhD or less than 5 years&#8217; experience within the primary field of their organization) are appropriate under this opportunity.