The University of Missouri-Kansas City-led NSF Critical Materials Crossroads Engine has been selected by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to receive up to $160 million (£118 million) in funding, in what could become the largest award in Missouri higher education history.
The investment is set to establish the Greater Kansas City region and the wider Missouri-Kansas corridor as a national centre for critical materials innovation, commercialisation and workforce development. According to Missouri Extension, the initiative is expected to create around 10,000 jobs by 2036 across manufacturing, research and development, logistics, engineering, construction and workforce training.
Over the next decade, the project could also generate up to $40 billion in economic output while increasing the combined Missouri-Kansas GDP by $17 billion.
The NSF Critical Materials Crossroads Engine was launched by the University of Missouri System in 2022 and brings together more than 260 partners from higher education, industry, entrepreneurship, government, community organisations and workforce development across Missouri and Kansas.
Its aim is to strengthen the United States’ economic and national security by reducing reliance on foreign-controlled supply chains for critical materials. The project will support increased production of the metals and advanced materials used in batteries, aircraft engine components, semiconductors, medical devices and other technologies. Production will use concentrated ore alongside spent materials recovered from domestic and international sources.
University of Missouri President Mun Choi said: “This consortium exemplifies the power of the University of Missouri System’s four research universities working together to address one of our nation’s most pressing strategic challenges. Thanks to the leadership of UMKC Chancellor Mauli Agrawal and Dr. Anthony Caruso and their strong partnerships across industry and government, we are creating a collaborative enterprise that makes a transformative impact for our state and country.”
The initiative has received bipartisan backing from federal and state leaders. Supporters argue that the United States currently imports most of the critical materials needed for modern industries, with China dominating much of the global supply chain. Congressional leaders have described the country’s dependence on foreign adversaries for these resources as “an active and growing vulnerability to U.S. national security and economic independence.”
