The Ames Lab soon will become a central player in the creation of sustainable energy and the research of crime investigation methods thanks to $5 million in federal grants.

Ames Lab’s Biorenewable Resources Consortium will receive $2 million from the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The lab also will host the new Midwest Forensics Resource Center, to be created with $3 million in federal funds.

The Biorenewable Resources Consortium may help in the development of a national energy policy and in the reduction of dependence on foreign oil, said Rep. Tom Latham, R-Iowa, who was on hand at the Ames Lab Friday for the formal announcement.

“A lot will come out of this,” he said. “I’m extremely confident.”

George Kraus, professor of chemistry, thanked Latham for his work with the consortium.

“Rep. Latham realized its potential for Iowa,” Kraus said. “In life and in chemistry, sometimes you need a catalyst to get something going. Thank you for being that catalyst.”

Catherine Woteki, the new agriculture dean, said the initiatives allow scientists to take their ideas to the next step.

“The public is now aware of the need for this type of research,” she said.

“It’s the right thing to do because of the shared vision of building a sustainable society. It’s about partnership.”

In his address, Latham said the public will benefit from the projects.

“The public doesn’t mind spending money if it knows it is being spent in the proper way,” he said.

Latham also announced that the Ames Lab has been chosen to host the Midwest Forensics Resource Center, which serves Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. The center, which will work with Iowa State to develop better methods of analyzing crime-scene evidence, will be created with $3 million from the National Institute of Justice Office of Science and Technology.

David Baldwin, program director for the Environmental and Protection Sciences Program at the Ames Lab, said the Midwest Forensics Resource Center is an idea three years in the making. Regional partners were gathered two years ago, he said, and now work is being done on the local level as well.

“We are excited to start this new program and have to move forward with strong federal support,” Baldwin said.

Story County Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald said the forensics research will especially benefit rural law enforcement, which often struggles with minimal resources.

Jerry Brown, administrator in the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, praised Latham for “recognizing the vital importance of the research and that Ames Lab and Iowa State University are uniquely qualified for these projects.”

Tom Barton, director of the Ames Laboratory, said Iowa State and the Ames Lab have a unique ability to address the timely issues involved.

The research to be conducted at the center can make it possible for forensics practitioners to stay abreast of technology, despite their enormous caseloads, he said.

“We are bringing the two worlds together,” Barton said.

Forensic research is especially important in the midst of national security issues, Latham said.

“We are sure to continue emphasis on national security, and this is a part of that,” he said. “We’re on the cutting edge here. Ames is very important.”

Latham also recognized the impact these initiatives will have on Iowa and Iowa State.

“These new initiatives will create new opportunities,” he said. “This will enhance the university as a whole. Iowa State will be known nationally as the place to go, which adds prominence to the institution.”