US Department of State announces MSU award for US–Bahrain–UK innovative energy research collaboration

Contact: news@opa.msstate.edu

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The U.S. Department of State has selected Mississippi State to lead one of three public diplomacy awards to advance innovation and energy research collaboration among the U.S., Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Kingdom.

The $90,000 award through the U.S. Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, begins this month and supports SPARK: Sustainable Power, Advanced Energy, Research and Knowledge Exchange, a trilateral initiative led by MSU to strengthen research partnerships, expand technical exchange and advance practical solutions in emerging energy technologies. ​​​​​​​

The funding is through the Department of State’s Advancing Innovation and Collaboration Through C-SIPA. The Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, or C-SIPA, is a strategic framework that strengthens cooperation among the three countries across defense and security; economic, commercial and trade priorities; and science, technology and network security.

MSU International Institute Deputy Director of Research Development Masey Smith said the award demonstrates the value of connecting research expertise with shared international priorities.

“SPARK gives Mississippi State and our partners an opportunity to build durable relationships that support innovation, strengthen people-to-people ties and create practical pathways for future collaboration among the United States, Bahrain and the United Kingdom,” Smith said.

MSU and its partners will create a structured platform for academic, industry and government collaboration focused on advanced energy systems and related technologies. The project will bring together researchers and technology professionals to examine areas such as small modular reactors, renewable energy systems, hybrid power models, grid integration, desalination, industrial process heat and AI-enabled infrastructure.

The Department of State investment reflects a broader commitment to trusted technology partnerships that reinforce national security, expand economic opportunity, and promote resilient, secure and market-driven innovation ecosystems. It also supports the larger goal of making C-SIPA countries safer, more prosperous and better positioned to address shared challenges through science, technology and innovation.

The initiative builds on the university’s expanding global engagement portfolio and follows efforts to deepen Bahraini partnerships after MSU College of Education Professor Missy Hopper served as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Bahrain in 2024-2025. Hopper’s appointment helped catalyze conversations among researchers and international partners about how MSU can contribute to sustained collaboration across the C-SIPA framework.

Led by Assistant Professor Qingqing Liu of MSU’s Michael W. Hall School of Mechanical Engineering, SPARK will pair technical analysis with exchange-based learning. Bahrain Polytechnic will serve as the in-country implementation partner, while Queen’s University Belfast will contribute expertise in power system modeling, smart energy systems and data-driven grid analytics. The partners will develop case studies, training modules, analytical tools and research outputs that can inform future collaboration, institutional agreements, joint publications and more. The collaborative work is expected to extend beyond the award period.

“What makes this initiative important is that it is designed for both immediate learning and long-term partnership,” Liu said. “By bringing together researchers, students and institutional partners, SPARK creates a foundation for shared discovery and practical innovation in advanced energy systems.”

The work will also support sector-specific case studies in areas such as refining, manufacturing, digital infrastructure and desalination, helping partners evaluate the feasibility, reliability, scalability and implementation considerations of advanced energy options.

For MSU, the award demonstrates the university’s growing role in international research development, global energy collaboration and a broader mission to connect Mississippi expertise with global challenges.

Chance Carden, project manager with MSU’s International Research Development Office, said the project reflects the power of partnership-driven research.

“SPARK will connect researchers, institutions and emerging leaders from across the globe to exchange knowledge, build lasting professional relationships and advance mutually beneficial innovation in sustainable energy development.”

For more information on Liu’s work, visit: https://www.me.msstate.edu/people/faculty/qingqing-liu/. For more information about MSU’s International Institute, visit www.international.msstate.edu.

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