University_of_Utah DARPA launch SMART testbed

The University of Utah and the United States — DARPA>>> (DARPA) have partnered to launch the Strategic Materials Accelerator & Research Testbed (SMART). This initiative aims to accelerate the United States>>>' capabilities in critical minerals and rare earth elements, which are vital for advanced technologies like electric vehicles, cellphones, renewable energy systems, and national defense. SMART will serve as a national hub for biotechnology research, providing tools to develop, test, and scale breakthrough technologies. The effort builds on the University of Utah's Institute for Critical and Strategic Minerals and is supported by Utah entities including 47G>>>, the Ontario Mining Association>>>, and the World Trade Center>>>. The first phase supports DARPA's Environmental Microbes as a BioEngineering Resource (EMBER) program, focusing on bioengineering methods to unlock rare earth elements from domestic sources. Key figures like Jakob Jensen>>>, Taylor Randall>>>, Sha-Chelle Manning>>>, and Aaron Starks>>> have highlighted the importance of SMART in addressing supply chain vulnerabilities and fostering innovation.