“The DAGSI program has been a great value to me during my time as a Ph.D. student. The opportunity to work at AFRL on a sustained basis complemented my experience at school (in classrooms and working closely with my advisor) by allowing me to observe how groups of researchers collaborate on scientific/engineering projects in a laboratory setting. The sponsor of this project, Christopher Woodward, has been an excellent mentor, and the opportunities to author papers with him and meet people in his network have been invaluable; several of the future opportunities I’ve applied to, have been through those connections. I was able to travel to and present my work at four conferences as a result of DAGSI funding, all of which were great learning experiences. Overall, I can say that my skills as a researcher have unquestionably improved since I began in the program, as a direct result of participation in it.”

“DAGSI will forever be a program that makes dreams come true. I had longed for a fellowship to pursue my research and DAGSI granted my wish. DAGSI has created a network of scientists, researchers, academics, and students that are all bonded together by this opportunity. I very much appreciate the opportunity to focus solely on my research and studies without the distraction of worrying about how I will pay my bills or student loans. DAGSI facilitated my work in a national lab with the leading experts in my field. This DAGSI experience will make my resume stand-out among my peers.”

"Being a DAGSI fellow was an opportunity for me to write a proposal that drove the beginning of my academic career. The freedom of being able to choose my research agenda accelerated my track through my graduate career and has set me up for success in academia. At the time of this writing, DAGSI has funded me through 12 publications."

“This program continues to exceed our objectives and is bringing tangible value to AFRL.”

“Funding these students has been a key factor in my recent promotion to Ohio Research Scholars Endowed Chair Professor. The projects have provided ‘seed’ funding for big ideas and projects relating to bigger money, including a $300k Army grant for 3 years, and numerous collaborations with Penn State, The Pennsylvania University, Northwestern, and other institutions, journal articles, invited talks at international conferences, and lasting connections with graduating students in diverse areas. The DAGSI program has connected with a number of lasting collaborators at AFRL as well and had enabled me and my students to access the equipment and expertise there.”

“I credit the DAGSI program by providing a bridge that has led to multiple AFOSR awards and AFRL Collaborative Centers and influx of highly talented individuals into the DOD workforce. This is achieved by fostering close collaborations with AFRL personnel that naturally lead to new, large-scale research efforts stemming from an initial DAGSI project. Here are the following grants that I can trace directly back to DAGSI projects:

2011 AFOSR Young Investigator Award - $360,000
2013 AFRL Collaborative Center in Structural Sciences - $3,500,000
2013 AFRL Collaborative Center in Aeronautical Sciences - $2,500,000
2013 DOD HPC Frontier Project w/ AFRL - $500,000
2017 AFOSR Grant - $1,214,976

This demonstrates the impact of DAGSI, where a relatively small initial effort leads to better understanding of a problem, ideas for solving it, and ultimately an influx of significant funds from outside the State of Ohio.

And the most important outcome of all of this is the training of students in relevant technical areas to the DOD, many who actively carry out research in DOD agencies upon completion of their graduate studies. Several of my former students, for example, are currently employed in the Air Force Research Laboratory, Army Research Laboratory, and the Missile Defense Agency."

“I personally believe the DAGSI program is a great benefit for students, both early and late in their tenure. I received DAGSI funding going into the last year of my Ph.D. studies. Not only did DAGSI allow myself and the Paily lab to expand and highlight a custom model we were developing, it also enabled me to make contacts with individuals at WPAFB. These relationships opened up into an employment offer upon my graduation and having such a base has resulted in a quick advancement to my current position.”