Led by University of Missouri-Kansas City, this regional consortium includes all four institutions of the UM System — the University of Missouri, Missouri University of Science and Technology, the University of Missouri-St. Louis and UMKC. This partnership will build an ecosystem to ensure national security and energy independence as well as economic development.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) selected the University of Missouri System Critical Materials Crossroads as an awardee of the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program, which comes with up to $160 million in funding.
This monumental achievement marks potentially the largest award in Missouri higher education history and one of the nation’s most significant investments in rebuilding America’s domestic critical materials ecosystem.
“NSF Engines investments in critical technologies and future industries will transform America’s innovation infrastructure for decades to come," said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “This NSF Critical Materials Crossroads Engine will be a substantial resource in the Midwest to onshore and sustain production capacity for critical minerals used across the transportation, energy, communication and national security sectors.”
Initiated by the UM System in 2022, the NSF Critical Materials Crossroads Engine (Critical Materials Crossroads) is driven by a coalition of more than 260 partners spanning higher education, industry, entrepreneurship, government and community and workforce development organizations in Missouri and Kansas.
“This initiative demonstrates what can happen when higher education, industry and government unite behind a shared purpose,” said Todd Graves, chair of the UM Board of Curators. “This significant investment positions Missouri to lead in an area that is vital to our nation's future while creating lasting opportunities for our universities, citizens and economy.”
“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,” said University of Missouri President Mun Choi. “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.”
“Critical Materials Crossroads represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen America's economic and national security while positioning the Kansas City region as a global leader in critical materials research and innovation,” Agrawal said. “This initiative reflects what is possible when a region unites around a bold vision with national impact.”
The UM System's leadership in critical materials extends beyond the UMKC-led Critical Materials Crossroads Engine. The University of Missouri is the nation’s most important producer of radioisotopes for theranostics and medical imaging calibration using the largest university research reactor in the nation. Missouri University of Science and Technology is internationally recognized for its mining and geological research and is also a recipient of a U.S. Department of Commerce Tech Hub award. University of Missouri-St. Louis leads innovative manufacturing efforts of active pharmaceutical ingredients in partnership with industry and government partners.
Caruso, UMKC vice chancellor for strategic initiatives and founder of Critical Materials Crossroads, is the principal investigator leading the initiative in partnership with fellow Carnegie R1 research institutions including the University of Missouri, Missouri S&T, University of Kansas and Kansas State University.
“For decades, the United States has steadily lost much of the workforce, infrastructure and manufacturing capacity required for critical materials production,” Caruso said. “This investment allows us to rebuild that capability here in America — creating jobs, strengthening our national resilience and ensuring the technologies that power our future can be produced domestically.”
The Critical Materials Crossroads has garnered bi-state and bipartisan support from top federal and state leaders because of what it means for the United States. Currently, the nation imports most of the critical materials essential to modern life, with China dominating large portions of the global supply chain. Congressional leaders supporting the initiative warned that America’s dependence on foreign adversaries for these materials represent “an active and growing vulnerability to U.S. national security and economic independence.”
Critical Materials Crossroads is expected to create approximately 10,000 jobs by 2036 across manufacturing, research and development, logistics, engineering, construction and workforce training that will generate real economic growth for Missouri and the broader region.
The Critical Materials Crossroads is one of 12 U.S. teams across 20 states to be selected for NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) awards. Awardees will build and scale new innovation clusters in different sectors that aim to accelerate the development of critical technologies, grow regional economies and secure America’s position of at the forefront of science and technology. Building upon decades of NSF-supported foundational research, NSF Engines partner with the private sector to advance technology deployment with greater speed and focus.
Read what federal and state leaders say about the NSF’s selection of the Critical Materials Crossroads Engine:
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe: “The State of Missouri is proud to welcome this incredible opportunity to further position the region as a leader in strengthening America’s national security and strategic supply chains, while also generating thousands of jobs and billions in economic growth. Developing a critical materials ecosystem in Missouri will leverage many historic strengths of our state, including as a longtime leader in the mining and production industries, a strong U.S. transportation and logistics hub, and a robust manufacturing workforce.”
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly: “The Critical Materials Crossroads initiative represents a bold, high-impact opportunity to advance scientific leadership while strengthening supply chains, enhancing global competitiveness and delivering durable economic growth in the heart of the United States.”
U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt: “Missouri is doing its part to secure American dominance on the world stage. Kansas City’s NSF Engine will be an important driver in enhancing U.S. competitiveness and strengthening the domestic critical mineral supply chain. I am proud to support a transformational NSF investment that accelerates innovation, creates high-paying jobs and establishes the Kansas City region as a national hub for critical materials and advanced manufacturing."
U.S Sen. Jerry Moran: “The National Science Foundation’s selection of UMKC for this award is an important investment in the Greater Kansas City region. This investment will strengthen our local economy, support job growth and position the region to continue leading in research, innovation and advanced manufacturing while creating new opportunities for the next generation. As chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NSF, I have long made it a priority to support efforts like these to strengthen our domestic supply chains and support U.S. economic and national security.”
U.S. Rep. Mark Alford: “This is a big win for Missouri’s New Fourth District and for America’s future. I was proud to support this effort because rebuilding our domestic supply chains for critical materials is essential to our national security, our energy independence and our economic strength. This investment will create good-paying jobs, strengthen our manufacturing base and ensure the Heartland continues to lead the way in innovation."
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver: “Today’s announcement proves that the future of American innovation is being built right here in Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District. UMKC’s designation as an NSF Regional Innovation Engine reflects the extraordinary talent and collaboration that define our community. This investment will strengthen our economy, create good-paying jobs, and ensure our region continues to lead in developing the critical technologies of tomorrow. I congratulate Chancellor Agrawal, UMKC and all of the partners who helped make this achievement possible. Today, we are reminded that our greatest successes come when there’s collaboration towards a shared vision. That’s the Kansas City way, and today the nation is taking notice.”
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids: “I’ve been proud to support this effort since day one because Kansas City has the talent, the partnerships and the know-how to help solve our nation’s biggest challenges. This investment shows what’s possible when we work across state lines and across sectors to build the future right here in the heartland. By strengthening our critical materials supply chains, we’re not only protecting our national security — we’re creating good-paying jobs and new opportunities for the next generation of Kansas City innovators.”
U.S. Rep. Sam Graves: "The Critical Materials Crossroads is a huge deal for the Kansas City region and the State of Missouri. The future of our country is dependent on having the ability to produce our own critical materials. Missouri is well-positioned to develop the resources, technology and talent to make that happen here at home and I can think of no one better than the University of Missouri System to lead this effort."
U.S. Rep. Bob Onder: “This historic investment for UMKC is a major win not only for Missourians, but for our entire country as we work to rebuild American manufacturing. Our state is now well-positioned to help lead the next generation of innovation, and this investment will ensure that our researchers, manufacturers and workforce are driving the advancements needed to strengthen our economic and national security. Funding merit-based, evidence-driven research is exactly what the NSF should be supporting to help grow advanced manufacturing, secure our domestic supply chains and keep America competitive on the global stage.”
U.S. Rep. Jason Smith: “For too long, the United States has watched critical minerals supply chains shift overseas, leaving our energy security dependent on foreign adversaries like China. This grant is a serious step toward reversing that, building a real domestic supply chain for the materials that power everything from batteries to jet engines, right here in Missouri. I was proud to join my colleagues in a letter of support for the University of Missouri System’s effort to secure this award, and I’m glad to see that work pay off for our great state. Missouri has the mineral supply, the research talent and the manufacturing base to lead the effort in rebuilding our domestic critical minerals supply chain, and this grant gives us the resources to do so.”
U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner: “This is a tremendous win for Missouri and for America's future, and I am proud to have helped lead congressional efforts supporting this proposal. Developing secure domestic sources of critical materials is essential to protecting our economic competitiveness and national security. Missouri has long been a leader in innovation, manufacturing and research, and this award further showcases our state's central role in strengthening America's industrial base. Congratulations to the University of Missouri System and the partners who came together to make this monumental investment a reality.”