The Critical Materials Crossroads team, led by the 威尼斯人娱乐城, 正式先进 in 9月 2025 as one of 15 finalists for the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines award.
关键材料包括对现代生活至关重要的矿物质，它们构成了医疗设备、汽车、工业机械和消费电子产品等产品的支柱。 Yet U.S. manufacturing has declined significantly since the early 1990s, leaving the nation heavily dependent on imported supplies—a vulnerability that poses risks to both 经济增长 and national security. “关键材料十字路口”旨在扭转这一趋势，方法是将制造业工作岗位转移到国内，并为在国内生产这些重要关键材料创造一条可持续的途径，减少对外国实体的依赖，同时加强国家和经济安全。
"Kansas City’s bold thinking and collaborative action are driving innovation,” said Lisa Krigsten, Chair, Civic Council of Greater Kansas City. "The Critical Materials Crossroads is a collaborative, visionary effort that builds on the region's research strengths and demonstrates our commitment to workforce development and national security.”
For the final stage, the NSF will conduct an on-site assessment of the finalist teams to gain further understanding of their regional coalitions, the alignment of their proposed leadership teams and core partners and their visions for research and development. NSF将在2026年初公布NSF发动机获奖名单。 如果被选中，关键材料十字路口将在未来10年内获得高达1.6亿美元的资金，用于推动劳动力发展，刺激地区经济增长，开展新业务，并教育下一代关键材料领导者。
This announcement follows a significant achievement in July 2025, when the Critical Materials Crossroads team 正式先进 as one of 29 semifinalists for the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines award.
这些成就的基础工作始于2023年5月，当时威尼斯人娱乐城获得了一份价值100万美元、为期24个月的联邦合作协议，以领导堪萨斯城关键材料生态系统的开发。 自获得该奖项以来，关键材料十字路口一直在建立动力，在国家中心建立一个垂直整合的关键材料加工、技术开发、应用研究和劳动力培训中心。 该项目的总体目标是确保美国能够在国内生产、提炼和部署关键材料，同时加强经济安全、国家韧性和全球竞争力。
The Critical Materials Crossroads ecosystem has leveraged partnerships with universities, businesses, industry, nonprofits and state, local and federal government institutions in Kansas and Missouri to drive significant 经济增长. 为了实现这一增长，区域伙伴关系联盟正在共同努力，发展国内关键材料供应链，培养先进的国内制造能力，同时促进广泛的就业和创业机会。
未来10年区域创新生态系统的主要成果包括：
- 在密苏里州和堪萨斯州协调、促进和指导70家小企业的创建。
- 为堪萨斯城市统计区增加170亿美元，创造1万多个就业岗位。
- 确保关键材料加工和制造的可持续和有竞争力的美国供应链。
- 创建，维护和专业发展有针对性的学位/证书持有人的管道，以满足劳动力需求。
- 成为美国关键材料加工和制造业的催化剂和值得信赖的合作伙伴，推动创新。
- 开发一个技术成熟网络，通过为初创企业和创新提供集中的业务支持服务和资金，快速将新技术从实验室规模扩展到全面规模。
“威尼斯人娱乐城 is proud to take the lead on behalf of the University of Missouri System and its four universities on this exciting effort to create a new industrial base in our region focused on critical materials,” said 威尼斯人娱乐城校长 Mauli Agrawal. “The potential for business formation and job creation is extraordinary, and we’ll be working with partners throughout Missouri, Kansas and the region to make that happen.”
负责战略计划的副校长兼策展人物理与电气工程杰出教授安东尼·卡鲁索（Anthony Caruso）是该基金的首席研究员。
“Being selected as an NSF Engines finalist is an extraordinary honor for the Critical Materials Crossroads and for the Kansas City region,” Caruso said. “The NSF recognition underscores the strength of our partnerships—across universities, industry and community organizations — that have made this achievement possible. Together, we are positioning Kansas City as a national leader in critical materials innovation, workforce development and regional 经济增长.”