Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Michigan received a $550,000 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Engineering (CFDA 47.041), effective September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2031. This project grant supports fundamental research aimed at improving air traffic disruption management through proactive training and practical decision support systems. The research delivers two integrated research thrusts: first, statistically rigorous methods to generate realistic disruption scenarios—including rare and extreme events—using advanced extreme event modeling and multivariate distribution techniques that capture nonlinear dependencies among concurrent disruption types such as severe weather and equipment failures; and second, advanced decision-making methodologies to identify effective response strategies under uncertainty.

The project produces theoretical and algorithmic foundations that strengthen the resilience and reliability of the National Airspace System by reducing economic losses from disruptions and improving infrastructure performance. Integrated educational and outreach activities engage students at multiple levels to develop a future workforce in aviation and aerospace engineering. By addressing limitations in training and management approaches that have remained largely unchanged for decades, this research serves the national interest through enhanced system reliability and continued global competitiveness of U.S. air transportation infrastructure.