The university operates 20 research centers and institutes and maintains partnerships with government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation, which in 2008 awarded $18 million in grants for an Engineering Research Center. Nine interdisciplinary research clusters enable scholars to exchange ideas and explore research areas and to work with industry, other research organizations, and the community. NC A&T research clusters include Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Biotechnology and Biosciences, Computational Science and Engineering, Energy and Environment, Information Systems and Technology, Leadership and Community Development, Logistics and Transportation Systems, Public Health, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.