Google may have started out as a search engine it its early days, but today the company is much more than a search engine alone. Google has programs that reach far beyond the realm of search alone and it funds research into various areas including green power.

Google has for a long time funded research at universities and research organizations that dovetail with the goals of the company. Today the search giant announced its first-ever round of Google Focused Research Awards. The awards are being handed out to researchers working in key areas that relate to Google's business operations.

The awards total $5.7 million and are being granted for research in four key areas including machine learning; the use of mobile phones as data collection devices for public health and environment monitoring; energy efficiency in computing; and privacy. It's easy enough to see how these areas of research would be beneficial to Google.

A post on the official Google Blog reads, "These [areas of research] are all areas in which Google is already deeply invested, and yet there is a long way to go. We're excited to see what these projects contribute to the body of research in these important areas."

The grants are unrestricted and are for two or three years with the recipients of the grants also getting access to Google tools, tech, and expertise. Twelve projects were funded with the grant money that are led by 31 professors at ten different universities. Universities receiving grant money from Google include Rutgers, Princeton, Stanford, Cambridge, and several others.

Recently, Google has been fighting with the Chinese government over attacks on its network and has gone so far to threaten to leave the Chinese market. Despite the feud going on in China, Google has continued to operate and conduct business as usual.