The University of Kansas has received a $17 million federal grant to fund an engineering center for research on chemical reactions.

University officials say additional funding and donated facilities will bring the total financial package to $30 million.

The five-year grant from the National Science Foundation is the largest single federal research award ever received by the university.

The University of Iowa and Washington University in St. Louis
will serve as core partners in the new center.

The National Science Foundation has funded 20 similar engineering centers in the United States.

The center's research will focus on catalysts, which speed chemical reactions that help make products such as gasoline and medicine.