The program -- the nation's longest-running student-teacher research grant initiative -- is designed to "advance new ideas in coal research and train a new generation of scientists and engineers in the investigation of long-term solutions for clean and efficient use of the nation's abundant coal resources," department officials said.

The selected universities are the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, the University of Texas-Dallas, the University of Tennessee, the State University of New York at Albany and the University of Cincinnati.