NSF suspends UTEP aerospace grant pending review

The National Science Foundation has suspended a grant that could have meant $160 million for El Paso’s regional economy because of some “incorrect statements” in the proposal, according to the University of Texas at El Paso.

The grant, awarded based on a proposal by Ahsan Choudhuri, associate vice president of UTEP’s Aerospace Center, is a key component in El Paso’s major economic development strategy for the coming decades – developing an aerospace manufacturing hub.

Choudhuri’s lawyer, in a statement issued Monday evening, said the grant application had “no meaningful or material incorrect statement or flaw that would warrant any freeze on the grant or suspension of the grant.”

UTEP issued a statement to El Paso Matters Monday afternoon that said the university became aware in early April of potential errors in its proposal to the NSF for the Regional Innovation Engines program. An in-house review determined that the statements in question committed resources to the NSF that the institution did not have, according to the statement.

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On April 25, the NSF directed UTEP to suspend work on its Regional Innovation Engines pending further review.

The university sent a letter to the NSF on Tuesday to address what it believes to have been the erroneous claims in its proposal.

“UTEP will work with our regional partners and the NSF to provide the NSF information needed for this important work for El Paso to resume as soon as possible,” according to the university’s statement.

El Paso’s elected leadership expressed concern about the suddenness of the announcement and the potential economic impact on the community.

Mayor Oscar Leeser, in a statement to El Paso Matters, praised Choudhuri’s contributions and expressed concern that key community partners were caught by surprise by the announcement from UTEP.

“I am surprised that a decision of this magnitude in a collaborative partnership would be taken without notification or discussion with relevant partners, and I look forward to working with UTEP to resolve any issues,” Leeser said. “This is too important for our community, and we all must work collaboratively to ensure the success of this effort – for UTEP, for our region, and for the thousands of families who will benefit from its success.”

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said Choudhuri has been a visionary leader on the aerospace project.

“Today, (UTEP President) Dr. Heather Wilson removed this beloved El Pasoan from leading this endeavor. This collaboration — as led by Dr. Ahsan Choudhuri — is far too important to our community and I know relevant stakeholders are as deeply concerned by today’s news as I am. Together, we must get to the bottom of this with a focus on transparency and what’s in the best interest of our community and this significant collaboration.”

The university’s statement didn’t mention Choudhuri, but he was the driving force behind getting multiple major grants for aerospace manufacturing development. As of now, Kenneth Meissner, dean of the College of Engineering, will serve as acting head of the UTEP Aerospace Center, UTEP said in its statement.

Choudhuri’s attorney, Bob Blumenfeld, said in a statement to El Paso Matters that UTEP had reviewed and approved the grant proposal.

He said UTEP in recent days began raising questions about the proposal, and Choudhuri “provided full and complete responses to UTEP’s requests.”

“Today, we can state with complete confidence there is nothing false or materially misleading in any submission or statement made by Dr. Choudhuri in connection with the NSF grant,” Blumenfeld said. “To the extent anyone (suggests) otherwise, they are either misinformed or incorrect.”

UTEP was one of 10 institutions to earn the NSF Regional Innovation Engines designation on Jan. 29. Each team was to receive up to $15 million over the next two years, and could earn up to $160 million during the next 10 years.

In 2022, Choudhuri’s proposal also won a $40 million grant through the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

At the time, Choudhuri said that the grant would unlock the potential of small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the region to participate in the U.S. aerospace and defense supply chain.

The UTEP team, led by the Aerospace Center and the W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation, comprising 18 partners in Texas and Southern New Mexico, made up the Paso del Norte Defense and Aerospace Innovation Engine. It was to focus on robotics and advanced manufacturing.

Choudhuri has estimated that the program could grow the necessary talent and infrastructure to increase the region’s share of advanced industry jobs from 3.2% to 25%.

State Sen. César Blanco’s office issued a statement that noted the key roles that Choudhuri and Ryan Wicker, executive director of the Keck Center, have played in the development of the Aerospace Center.

“We will continue our collaboration with UTEP and local partners to ensure the Aerospace Center continues to build economic opportunities and a brighter future for the students, workers and communities of Far West Texas,” the statement read.

Today, the Aerospace Center partners include NASA and the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy as well as numerous industry partners. It explores new technologies and solves challenges in the fields of space, defense, energy and aeronautics.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: UTEP directed to suspend aerospace project