UPR Bayamón receives $2.3M grant through Purdue for sustainability initiatives
The University of Puerto Rico’s Bayamón Campus has been awarded a $2.3 million grant over five years through Purdue University, as part of a $9 million project funded by the Office of Naval Research.
The funding will support academic and international mentoring programs under the Caribbean Green Engine (CGE), an initiative focused on addressing real-world challenges in energy, sustainability, applied technology and economic development from a university-based perspective.
UPR Bayamón Chancellor Miguel Vélez-Rubio, who serves as principal investigator for the grant and CGE, said the funding is part of Purdue’s Blue Integrated Partnership 2.0 (BIP 2.0), a global academic network launched to promote scientific advancement, innovation and the development of new researchers. UPR Bayamón joined the BIP 2.0 network in 2023.
The grant will allow the campus to continue and expand the Summer Institutes launched last year under the CGE framework. The first installment of $543,010 will fund this summer’s program, which will bring together students, faculty mentors and experts from Puerto Rico, the continental U.S., Mexico, Canada and other countries. The institute will also serve as a platform for developing new proposals in resilience, energy and technological innovation.
“This is a historic milestone for UPR Bayamón,” said Vélez-Rubio. “This grant not only recognizes the excellence of our faculty and students, but also revives initiatives that were previously halted due to federal budget cuts. It will also enable younger Puerto Ricans to engage in top-tier summer research opportunities, guided directly by our faculty mentors.”
Vélez-Rubio said the award is the largest Purdue has granted to a partner institution under the BIP 2.0 program, underscoring the confidence placed in UPR Bayamón’s ability to lead high-impact research from Puerto Rico.
“We’re deeply grateful for this support, which validates years of hard work and vision,” he said. “This partnership with Purdue opens doors for our students and faculty to connect with international research networks while remaining on the island.”
Since its launch, the Caribbean Green Engine has helped position UPR Bayamón as a hub for academic and scientific collaboration with global reach. The new phase of funding reinforces the campus’s commitment to public education, cross-institutional partnerships and equitable access to high-quality research opportunities.
Vélez-Rubio added that new events and partnerships tied to CGE will be announced in the coming months as part of a broader strategy to position UPR Bayamón as a leading center for sustainability and innovation in the Caribbean.
