Brittain said the U. is also looking to start research programs in seven other areas including fossil fuels, neuroscience and medical devices.

USU has also hired three professors and is looking to close deals with two others. David York and Krishna Shenai joined the school earlier this year in the fields of nutrition and low-energy computer chips. The newest hire, Sridhar Viamajala, will be conducting research on the breakdown of raw materials to produce energy.

Much of the USTAR initiative money will be going to bio-fuel research with a focus on finding alternate energy sources. Pond scum and animal waste are possible avenues for research, said Ned Weinshenker, vice president for strategic ventures and economic development at USU.

"We've looked through the university to see where we already have teams or groups of people where we can bring them together and see what the gaps are to create a program that would be of high value to the state," he said.

Ideally, Weinshenker said, the research teams at both schools will eventually become self-funded through federal research grants and patents.

"The ultimate end product is good research that leads to new companies and new jobs," he said.

Both schools are also trying to nail down plans for USTAR buildings, which make up the biggest chunk of the USTAR package at about $111 million. The U. has not yet picked a site, while USU officials have decided on a site on the Innovation Campus in Logan.

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E-mail: estewart@desnews.com