Purdue, Notre Dame get $38.5M

West Lafayette, Ind. (AP) - Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame are getting $38.5 million in federal stimulus funds to study and develop new energy technologies.

Purdue will get $20 million to design improved ways of converting biomass to energy, fuels or chemicals. Notre Dame will get $18.5 million to create advanced nuclear energy systems.

The five-year funding comes through the U.S. Department of Energy and is aimed at boosting scientific breakthroughs needed to create a new energy economy for the nation.

Both schools will use the money to create Energy Frontier Research Centers.

The funding is part of a $377 million in federal stimulus funding at 46 universities, national laboratories, private firms and other groups.