Bilateral Academic Research Initiative (BARI) Program - Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE)

The Department of Defense (DoD), in collaboration with South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), is seeking bilateral academic research proposals for the Bilateral Academic Research Initiative (BARI) Pilot Program. The program targets high-risk basic research focused on foundational approaches to embodied intelligence for future generations of robotics, with an emphasis on cross-disciplinary research integrating mathematics, material science, mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, and biology. Eligible applicants must include at least one US institution of higher education and one Korean research institution, demonstrating strong collaborative interaction between research teams. Proposals will be evaluated based on scientific merit, technical innovation, potential relationship to future DoD missions, qualifications of principal investigators, and the level of cross-national research interaction. The grant opportunity follows a two-stage application process, with white papers due by May 30, 2025, and full proposals due by August 29, 2025.

The total funding pool is $6 million from the US DoD and W8 billion from MOTIE, supporting 3-5 funded faculty researchers. The anticipated performance period is four years, with estimated award dates of November 1, 2025, for both US and Korean research teams. The program aims to produce significant scientific breakthroughs in communication and information technology, with a strong emphasis on student education and training, including doctorate degree opportunities. Research should explore innovative approaches to embodied intelligence, distributed neural processing, and interchangeable robotic components with advanced learning capabilities. The research will primarily be conducted at the participating US and Korean research institutions.