Science & Research Grants
389 open opportunities. Open federal grants for science, technology, and research and development, each explained in plain English with eligibility, deadline, and award size.
Energy, Power, Control, and Networks
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Energy, Power, Control, andNetworks (EPCN) Program supports innovative research in modeling, optimization, learning, adaptation, and control of networked multi-agent systems, higher-level decision making, and dynamic resource allocation, as well as risk management in the presence of uncertainty, sub-system failures, and stochastic disturbances. EPCN also invests in novel machine learning algorithms and analysis, adaptive dynamic programming, brain-like networked architectures performing real-time learning, and neuromorphic engineering. EPCN’s goal is to encourage research on emerging technologies and applications including energy, transportation, robotics, and biomedical devices & systems. EPCN also emphasizes electric power systems, including generation, transmission, storage, and integration of renewable energy sources into the grid; power electronics and drives; battery management systems; hybrid and electric vehicles; and understanding of the interplay of power systems with associated regulatory & economic structures and with consumer behavior. Areas managed by Program Directors (please contact Program Directors listed in the EPCN staff directory for areas of interest): Control Systems Distributed Control and Optimization Networked Multi-Agent Systems Stochastic, Hybrid, Nonlinear Systems Dynamic Data-Enabled Learning, Decision and Control Cyber-Physical Control Systems Applications (Biomedical, Transportation, Robotics) Energy and Power Systems Solar, Wind, and Storage Devices Integration with the Grid Monitoring, Protection and Resilient Operation of Grid Power Grid Cybersecurity Market design, Consumer Behavior, Regulatory Policy Microgrids Energy Efficient Buildings and Communities Power Electronics Systems Advanced Power Electronics and Electric Machines Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles Energy Harvesting, Storage Devices and Systems Innovative Grid-tied Power Electronic Converters Learning and Adaptive Systems Neural Networks Neuromorphic Engineering Systems Data analytics and Intelligent Systems Machine Learning Algorithms, Analysis and Applications
Electrochemical Systems
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
TheElectrochemical Systemsprogram is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which also includes: 1) theCatalysisprogram; 2) theInterfacial Engineeringprogram; and 3) theProcess Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamicsprogram. The goal of theElectrochemical Systemsprogram is to support fundamental engineering science research that will enable innovative processes involving electrochemistry or photochemistry for the sustainable production of electricity, fuels, chemicals, and other specialty and commodity products. Processes utilizing electrochemistry or photochemistry for sustainable energy and chemical production must be scalable, environmentally benign, reduce greenhouse gas production, and utilize renewable resources. Research projects that stress fundamental understanding of phenomena that directly impact key barriers to improved system or component-level performance (for example, energy efficiency, product yield, process intensification) are encouraged. Processes for energy storage should address fundamental research barriers for renewable electricity storage applications, for transport propulsion, or for other applications that could have impact towards climate change mitigation. For projects concerning energy storage materials, proposals should involve testable hypotheses that involve device or component performance characteristics that are tied to fundamental understanding of transport, kinetics, or thermodynamics. Advanced chemistries beyond lithium-ion are encouraged. Proposed research on processes utilizing electrochemistry or photochemistry should be inspired by the need for economic and impactful conversion processes. All proposal project descriptions should address how the proposed work, if successful, will improve process realization and economic feasibility and compare the proposed work against current state of the art. Highly integrated multidisciplinary projects are encouraged. When appropriate, collaborations with industrial technologists are encouraged through GOALI proposals. Collaborative projects with an integrated experimental and theoretical approach are also encouraged. Topics of interest include electrochemical energy storage and electrochemical production/conversion systems. Radically new battery systems can move the U.S. more rapidly toward a more sustainable transportation future and to greater renewable electricity production penetration. High-energy density and high-power density batteries suitable for transportation and renewable energy storage applications are of primary interest. Advanced systems involving metal anodes, solid-state electrolytes, nonaqueous systemsbeyond lithium, aqueous systems beyond lithium,and multivalent chemistries are encouraged. Research activities focused on commercially available systems such as lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries or lithium-ion batteries for medical or consumer electronics applications will not be considered by this program. Novel electrochemical and photochemical systems and processes for the production of chemicals and high-value products are encouraged. Emphasis is placed on those systems that improve process intensification and process modularization with accompanying benefits in energy efficiency and environmental footprint. Additional fundamental science topics of interest to this program include the study of: advanced fuel cell systems or fuel cell components for transportation propulsion or grid energy storage applications; flow batteries for stationary energy storage applications including alternative redox chemistries (e.g., organic, inorganic, organometallic, macromolecular) and operating strategies (e.g., redox-mediation, suspensions); and photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical processes and devices for the splitting of water into hydrogen gas or for the reduction of carbon dioxide to liquid or gaseous fuels. Projects that largely focus on developing fundamental understanding of the catalytic reaction mechanisms and structure-function relationships may be more appropriate as submissions to the CBET Catalysis program (CBET 1401). Projects submitted to the Electrochemical Systems program are expected to develop fundamental, molecular-level understanding of the key chemical reaction and transport phenomena barriers to improved system-level performance. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered. However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the Principal Investigator contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. Referrals to other programs within NSF: Proposals that focus on electric-field driven separations such as dielectrophoresis should be directed to theInterfacial Engineeringprogram (CBET 1417). Proposals that focus on thermal management of energy storage devices and systems should be submitted to theThermal Transport Processesprogram (CBET 1406). Proposals that focus on improving device and system performance of primarily organic, inorganic, and hybrid photovoltaic (PV) technologies, including perovskites, may be more appropriate as submissions to the Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices program in Engineering's Division of Electrical, Communications, and Cyber Systems (ECCS 1517). PV materials proposals that focus on the material science may be considered in the Division of Materials Research of the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Proposals that focus on the generation of thermal energy by solar radiation should be directed to theThermal Transport Processesprogram (CBET 1406). INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field. Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research. The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of principal investigator time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the Program Director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the “What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)” link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years.The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the Program Director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate. Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in theProposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals. COMPLIANCE: Proposals which are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for NSWC Crane
No deadline listedNSWC CRANE - N00164 · Amount varies
This announcement seeks revolutionary research ideas, and technology demonstrators that offer potential for advancement and improvement of NSWC Crane’s primary mission areas. NSWC Crane is a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems Command. NSWC Crane supports a wide range of government agencies in the interest of national security. NSWC Crane may publish BAAs and other solicitations in response to specific needs. This BAA is issued to seek innovative solutions and ideas for topics not covered via other means. It is strongly encouraged that potential proposers review existing NSWC Crane solicitations to avoid duplication of effort and to contact the identified points of contact for each BAA topic to discuss specific details of the needs. The mission of NSWC Crane is to provide research, development, test and evaluation, acquisition engineering, in-service engineering and technical support in its assigned technical capabilities for the United States Navy, Department of Defense components and agencies, and other federal agencies and components engaged in national security. NSWC Crane also works to apply component and system-level product and industrial engineering to surface sensors, strategic systems, special warfare devices and electronic warfare systems, as well as to execute other responsibilities as assigned by the Commander, Naval Surface Warfare Center. The focus of NSWC Crane is “Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter.” Crane specializes in total lifecycle support in three broad focus areas: Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions, and Electronic Warfare, which support ten assigned technical capabilities (TCs) listed below. 1. Electronic Warfare (EW) 2. Infrared and Pyrotechnic Countermeasures 3. Strategic Systems Hardware 4. Expeditionary Warfare and Systems 5. Advanced Electronics 6. Sensors and Surveillance Systems 7. Hypersonic Weapon Systems 8. Power and Energy Systems 9. Electro-optic and Infrared Technologies 10.Force level EW Mission Analysis, Advanced Concepts and Technologies Within each of the TCs, there are multiple thrust areas, which present considerable opportunities for innovative research and solutions to support national security imperatives. There is intentional overlapping space within the listed TC such that a potential technology or research idea may support multiple TCs. Any proposal should list the principal TC as well as any adjunct TCs that should be considered. Proposals that support multiple TCs are strongly desired but not necessary.
Environmental Sustainability
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
TheEnvironmental Sustainability program is part of theEnvironmental Engineering and Sustainabilitycluster together with 1) theEnvironmental Engineeringprogram and 2) theNanoscale Interactionsprogram. The goal of theEnvironmental Sustainabilityprogram is to promote sustainable engineered systems that support human well-being and that are also compatible with sustaining natural (environmental) systems. These systems provide ecological services vital for human survival. Research efforts supported by the program typically consider long time horizons and may incorporate contributions from the social sciences and ethics. The program supports engineering research that seeks to balance society's need to provide ecological protection and maintain stable economic conditions. There are five principal general research areas that are supported. Circular Bioeconomy Engineering:This area includes research that enables sustainable societal use of food, energy, water, nitrogen, phosphorus, and materials, with the reduction and eventual elimination of fossil fuel combustion that lacks carbon capture. The program encourages research that helps build the raw material basis for the functioning of society principally on biomass, drawing heavily on sustainable agriculture and forestry. Additionally, material flows must reduce or preferably eliminate waste, with an emphasis on closed-loop or “circular” processing. Industrial ecology:Topics of interest include advancements in modeling such as life cycle assessment, materials flow analysis, net energy analysis, input/output economic models, and novel metrics for measuring sustainable systems. Innovations in industrial ecology are encouraged. Green engineering:Research is encouraged to advance the sustainability of manufacturing processes, green buildings, and infrastructure. Many programs in the Engineering Directorate support research in environmentally benign manufacturing or chemical processes. The Environmental Sustainability program supports research that would affect more than one chemical or manufacturing process or that takes a systems or holistic approach to green engineering for infrastructure or green buildings. Improvements in distribution and collection systems that will advance smart growth strategies and ameliorate effects of growth are research areas that are supported by Environmental Sustainability. Innovations in management of storm water, recycling and reuse of drinking water, and other green engineering techniques to support sustainability may also be fruitful areas for research. Ecological engineering:Proposals should focus on the engineering aspects of restoring ecological function to natural systems. Engineering research in the enhancement of natural capital to foster sustainable development is encouraged. Earth systems engineering:Earth systems engineering considers aspects of large-scale engineering research that involve mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation to climate change, and other global concerns. All proposed research should be driven by engineering principles, and be presented explicitly in an environmental sustainability context. Proposals should include involvement in engineering research of at least one graduate student, as well as undergraduates. Incorporation of aspects of social, behavioral, and economic sciences is welcomed. NOTE: Water treatment, air pollution (both outdoor and indoor), soil remediation, and solid waste treatment proposals are to besubmitted to theEnvironmental Engineeringprogram (CBET 1440). Innovative proposals outside the scope of the four core areas mentioned above may be considered. However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the Principal Investigator contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. For proposals that call for research to be done on regions that are outside of the United States, an explanation must be presented of the potential benefit of the research for the United States. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field. Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research. The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of PI time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the “What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)” link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years. The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the program director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate.Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals . Compliance: Proposals that are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Biophotonics
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
TheBiophotonicsprogram is part of the Engineering Biology and Health cluster, which also includes: 1) theBiosensingprogram; 2) theCellular and Biochemical Engineeringprogram; 3) theDisability and Rehabilitation Engineeringprogram; and 4) theEngineering of Biomedical Systemsprogram. The goal of theBiophotonicsprogram is to explore the research frontiers in photonics principles, engineering and technology that are relevant for critical problems in fields of medicine, biology and biotechnology. Fundamental engineering research and innovation in photonics is required to lay the foundations for new technologies beyond those that are mature and ready for application in medical diagnostics and therapies. Advances are needed in nanophotonics, optogenetics, contrast and targeting agents, ultra-thin probes, wide field imaging, and rapid biomarker screening. Low cost and minimally invasive medical diagnostics and therapies are key motivating application goals. Research topics in this program include: Imaging in the second near infrared window:Research that advances medical applications of biophotonics in the second near-infrared window (NIR-II: 1,000-1,700 nm) in which biological tissues are transparent up to several centimeters in depth, making this spectral window ideal for deep tissue imaging. Macromolecule markers: Innovative methods for labeling of macromolecules. Novel compositions of matter. Methods of fabrication of multicolor probes that could be used for marking and detection of specific pathological cells.Pushing the envelope of optical sensing to the limits of detection, resolution, and identification. Low coherence sensing at the nanoscale: Low coherence enhanced backscattering (LEBS). N-dimensional elastic light scattering.Angle-resolved low coherence interferometry for early cancer detection (dysplasia). Neurophotonics:Studies of photon activation of neurons at the interface of nanomaterials attached to cells. Development and application of biocompatible photonic tools such as parallel interfaces and interconnects for communicating and control of neural networks. Microphotonics and nanophotonics:Development and application of novel nanoparticle fluorescent quantum-dots. Sensitive, multiplexed, high-throughput characterization of macromolecular properties of cells.Nanomaterials and nanodevices for biomedicine. Optogenetics: Novel research in employing light-activated channels and enzymes for manipulation of neural activity with temporal precision. Utilizing nanophotonics, nanofibers, and genetic techniques for mapping and studying in real-time physiological processes in organs such as the brain and heart. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered. However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the Principal Investigator contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field. Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research. The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of PI time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the “What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)” link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years. The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the program director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate. Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals. Compliance: Proposals that are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Interfacial Engineering
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Interfacial Engineering program is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which also includes: 1) the Catalysis program; 2) the Electrochemical Systems program; and 3) the Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program. The goal of the Interfacial Engineering program is to support fundamental research on atomic- and molecular-scale interfacial phenomena and engineering of interfacial properties, processes, and materials. Fundamental understanding of the thermodynamic, kinetic, and transport properties of interfacial systems underpins improvements in chemical process efficiency and resource utilization. As such, proposed research should have a clear vision for how the results will translate to practice in or otherwise advance industrial chemical or biochemical processes. The program encourages proposals that present new approaches to long-standing challenges or address emerging research areas and technologies. Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are also encouraged, particularly those that involve a combination of experiment with theory or modeling. Major research areas of interest in the program include: Chemical separations: Design of scalable mass separating agents (for example, sorbents and membranes); field-induced separation processes that target a significant reduction in energy and/or materials requirements Biological separations: Downstream processing of biologically-derived chemicals, therapeutic proteins, and biologics for increased throughput and purity; engineering interfaces for molecular recognition Interfacial phenomena at engineered interfaces and surfaces: Kinetics and thermodynamics of adsorption/desorption and complex interactions of molecules and ions at engineered interfaces and surfaces within chemical process systems Nanoconfinement and engineered surfaces: Theory, modeling, and/or approaches for examining transport and thermodynamic properties of fluids within nanopores, under nanoconfinement, or at highly engineered surfaces within chemical process systems NOTE: Studies that examine chemical reaction and transport phenomena related to electrochemical system performance, including batteries, fuel cells, flow batteries, electrochemical conversions, and related components, should be directed to the Electrochemical Systems program (CBET 7644). Studies that focus on interactions of nanomaterials and nanosystems, particularly as relevant to environmental or biological applications, may be more appropriate for the Nanoscale Interactions program (CBET 1179). Studies of how interfacial dynamics affect transport or bulk properties of multiphase systems may be more appropriate for the Particulate and Multiphase Processes program (CBET 1415). Please consult with program directors prior to submission if you have questions about programmatic fit. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered. The Principal Investigator is encouraged contact the Program Director prior to submission to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field.Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research.The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of principal investigator time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the Program Director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the “What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)” link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years.The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the Program Director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate.Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in theProposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E. COMPLIANCE: Proposals which are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review
Particulate and Multiphase Processes
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
TheParticulate and Multiphase Processesprogram is part of the Transport Phenomena cluster, which also includes 1) theCombustion and Fire Systemsprogram; 2) theFluid Dynamicsprogram; and 3) theThermal Transport Processesprogram. Thegoal of theParticulate and Multiphase Processesprogram is to support fundamental research on physico-chemical phenomena that govern particulate and multiphase systems, including flow of suspensions, drops and bubbles, granular and granular-fluid flows, behavior of micro- and nanostructured fluids, unique characteristics of active fluids, and self assembly/directed-assembly processes that involve particulates.The program encourages transformative research to improve our basic understanding of particulate and multiphase processes with emphasis on research that demonstrates how particle-scale phenomena affect the behavior and dynamics of larger-scale systems.Although proposed research should focus on fundamentals, a clear vision is required that anticipates how results could benefit important applications in advanced manufacturing, energy harvesting, transport in biological systems, biotechnology, or environmental sustainability.Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged, especially those that involve a combination of experiment with theory and/or modeling. Major research areas of interest in the program include: Multiphase flow phenomena:Dynamics ofparticle/bubble/droplet systems,behavior of structured fluids (colloids/ferro-fluids), granular flows, rheology of multiphase systems, unique characteristics of active fluids in novel applications, and newl approaches that relate micro- and nanoscale phenomena to macroscale properties and process-levelvariables. Particlescience and technology:Aerosols, production of particles andpolymer-particle complexes with engineered properties, self-assembly,directed assembly, and template-directed assembly of particles into functional materials and devices. Multiphase transport in biological systems:Analysis of physiological processes, applications of functionalized nanostructures in clinical diagnostics andtherapeutics. Interfacial transport:Dynamics of particles and macromolecules at interfaces, kinetics of adsorption and desorption of nanoparticles and surfactants and their spatial distributions at interfaces, complex molecular interactions at interfaces, formation of interfacial complexes that affect the dynamics of particles. NOTE: Proposals that explore fluid-structure interactions involving electrodes in engineering applications such as energy storage should be directed to ENG/CBETElectrochemical Systemsprogram.Proposals that involve drops or bubbles bouncing off solid surfaces should be directed toward ENG/CBETFluid Dynamicsprogram. Proposals that deal with engineered surfaces forcarrying out chemical or biochemical reactions or separations should be directed to ENG/CBETInterfacial Engineeringprogram.Proposals dealing mainly with particle synthesis may be more suitable forthe ENG/CMMIAdvanced Manufacturingprogram or the Division of Materials Research (DMR) in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorate. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered; however, prior to submission, it is recommended that the PI contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field.Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research.The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of PI time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the "What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)" link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged.Award duration is five years.The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the program director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate.Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals. Compliance: Proposalsthat are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Thermal Transport Processes
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
TheThermal Transport Processesprogram is part of the Transport Phenomena cluster, which alsoincludes1) theCombustion and Fire Systemsprogram; 2) theFluid Dynamicsprogram; and 3) theParticulate and Multiphase Processesprogram. TheThermal Transport Processesprogram supports engineering research projects that lay the foundation for newadvances in thermal transport phenomena. These projects should either develop new fundamental knowledge or combine existing knowledge in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat and mass transfer to probe new areas of innovation in thermal transport processes. The program seeks transformative projects with the potential for improvingbasic understanding, predictability and application of thermal transport processes. Projects should articulate the contribution(s) to the fundamental knowledge supporting thermal transport processes and state clearly the potential application(s) impact when appropriate.Projects that combine analytical, experimental and numerical efforts, geared toward understanding, modeling and predicting thermal phenomena, are of great interest.Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals for which the main contribution is in thermal transport fundamentals are also encouraged. Emphasis is placed on research that demonstrates how thermal transport phenomena affect the existence, behavior and dynamics of components and systems.Priority is given to insightful investigations of fundamental problems with clearly defined economic, environmental and societal impacts. Some specific areas of interest include: Convection/diffusion/radiation: Heat and mass transport incomplex structures and surfaces;thermal-related turbulence; development of form-functionrelationships in thermal processes; thermal design methodology; phonon transport and interactions between energy carriers; radiationamplification, controlling, and extinction; interfacial gas-solid andliquid-solid thermal and species-driven phenomena. Thermodynamics: Thermal-electric energy conversion; battery-related thermal issues; power generation and propulsion; phase-change and supercritical energy cycles;non-equilibriumthermal processes. Biologicalheatand mass transport: Biomimicry;intra- andextra-cellular heat and mass transport; freeze resistancemechanisms;thermotherapy and thermoregulation; organ conservation(freezing and thawing); mass transport in biomedical and health systems. Nanothermics,microthermics,and mesothermics: Scaling upnanoscale heat transport processes or coupledheat-mass transport processes; utilization ofnew multi-functional, meta- and graded-materials in thermal transport;nano-texturingand phase-change; multi-scale thermal transport in aprocess. Thermal solutions to climate change: Decarbonizing industrial processes; novel heating and cooling technologies with minimal greenhouse gas emissions; thermal-driven clean energy concepts; thermal and thermochemical energy storage; waste heat recovery and transmission; thermal science and technology to enable electrification of energy services. Thermal science and quantum technology interface: Quantum sensors for thermal measurements;quantum computing for thermal sciences;thermodynamics and novel cryogenic cooling concepts for quantum devices;thermal transport in quantum materials and quantum phenomena; thermal solutions for next-generation qubits, qubit coupling, and quantum information storage. New metrology and artificial intelligence (AI)/machinelearning methodologies in thermal sciences: Advanced thermal imagingand measurement techniques for high-resolutionin situthermal imaging and non-invasive temperature measurement; novel AI/machine learning methodologies and other data-intensive approaches that can be coupled with physics-based models and/or experiments to enable new understanding and discoveries in thermal transport processes. NOTE: Proposalsincluding chemical kinetics should be submitted to the ENG/CBETCombustion and FireSystemsprogram. Proposals dealing mainly with materials synthesis, processing and characterization should be directed to the ENG/CMMIAdvanced Manufacturingprogram or the Division of Materials Research (DMR) in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS). Proposals at the interface of computational/mathematical sciences and thermal transport are encouraged but should be submitted to theComputational and Data-Enabled Science & Engineering(CDS&E) program. Proposals seeking the utilization of the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory should follow the instructions in the NSF/CASIS solicitations (e.g., NSF 22-539). Proposals related to the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) general area of thermal transport properties of novel materials and heterostructures should be submitted as regular proposals to theThermal Transport Processesprogram. Those proposals may be jointly reviewed by NSF and AFOSR using the NSF merit review process. Actual funding format and agency split for an award (depending on availability of funds) will be determined after the proposal selection process. Proposals related to the Department of Energy (DOE) general area of thermal and thermochemical energy storage materials and processes should be submitted as regular proposals to theThermal Transport Processesprogram. In these cases, the PI should contact the program director to confirm suitability of the topic prior to submitting the proposal. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered.However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the PI contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered.However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the Principal Investigator contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field.Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research.The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of PI time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the "What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)" link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged.Award duration is five years.The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the program director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate.Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals. Compliance: Proposals that are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Education Programs in Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
AGSEducation supports efforts to integrateatmospheric and geospaceresearch and education via two main program areas, which are: 1) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site Program . This program provides funding to Universities andResearch Laboratories that allows them to offer summer internships to undergraduate students who would like to participate inatmospheric and/or geospaceresearch efforts. Proposals may be submitted annually (August deadline). 2) AGS Postdoctoral Fellowships :AGS awards 2-year Postdoctoral Fellowships to highly qualified investigators within 3 years of obtaining their PhD to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. While the postdoc program is funded by core programs, the AGS Education program supports the cost of professional development for the fellows. Additionally, this program will support efforts related to education and professional development for undergraduate and graduate students and postdocs within the NSF Atmospheric and Geospace communities.Proposals to the AGS Education program are acceptedby invitation only. Please contact theeducation program director if you intend to submit a proposal to this program.
High-Risk Research in Biological Anthropology and Archaeology
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Up to $35K
Anthropological research may be conducted under unusual circumstances, often in distant locations. As a result the ability to conduct potentially important research may hinge on factors that are impossible to assess from a distance and some projects with potentially great payoffs may face difficulties in securing funding. This program gives small awards that provide investigators with the opportunity to assess the feasibility of an anthropological research project. It is required that the proposed activity be clearly high risk in nature. The information gathered may then be used as the basis for preparing a more fully developed research program. Investigators must contact the cognizant NSF Program Director before submitting an HRRBAA proposal. This will facilitate determining whether the proposed work is appropriate for HRRBAA support.
Nanoscale Interactions
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Nanoscale Interactions program is part of theEnvironmental Engineering and Sustainabilitycluster, which also includes: 1) the Environmental Engineering program; and 2) the Environmental Sustainability program. The goal of theNanoscale Interactionsprogram is to support research toadvance fundamental and quantitative understanding of the interactions of nanomaterials and nanosystems with biological andenvironmental media. Materials of interest include one- to three-dimensional nanostructures, heterogeneous nano-bio hybrid assemblies, dendritic and micelle structures, quantum dots, and other nanoparticles.Such nanomaterials and systems frequently exhibit novel physical, chemical, photonic, electronic, and biological behavior as compared to the bulk scale. Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged. Research areas supported by the program include: Characterizationof interactions at the interfacesof nanomaterials and nanosystems,including both simple nanoparticles andcomplex and/or heterogeneouscomposites and nanosystems, with surrounding biological and environmental media; Developmentof predictive toolsbased on the fundamental behavior ofnanostructures to advancecost-effective and environmentally benignprocessing and engineeringsolutions over full-life material cycles; Examinationof the transport, interaction, and impact of nanostructured materials andnanosystems on biological systems and the environment; Simulationsof nanoparticle behavior at interfaces, in conjunction with experimentalcomparisons, and new theories and simulation approaches for determiningthe transport and transformation of nanoparticles in various media; and Investigations of quantum vibronic and spin phenomena with correlations to nano phenomena. The Nanoscale Interactions program will support exploratory research projects on nanoscale interactions of quantum effects which explain macroscopic changes and physiological and metabolic processes; investigate quantum vibration and electron spin to elucidate nano phenomena and produce quantitative data and evidence of quantum effects. Research in these areas will enable the design of nanostructured materials and heterogeneous nanosystems with desired chemical, electronic, photonic, biological, and mechanical properties for optimal and sustainable handling, manufacture, and utilization. NOTE : Studies that focus on fundamental research concerning atomic- and molecular-scale interfacial phenomena and engineering of interfacial properties, processes, and materials, particularly as relevant towards advancing industrial chemical or biochemical processes, may be more appropriate for theInterfacial Engineeringprogram (CBET 1417). Please consult with program directors prior to submission if you have questions about programmatic fit. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered. However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the Principal Investigator contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field. Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research. The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of PI time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the “What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)” link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER) program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years. The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements : PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the program director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID) and EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER) are also considered when appropriate.Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals . Compliance : Proposals that are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS)
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS) program expands our understanding of biological and physiological systems, and it helps improve human health. For U.S. leadership in biotechnology, the engineering of biology is required at every scale. Engineering is needed for sensing biomarkers to making proteins to restoring functions of the body. In EBBS, fundamental mechanistic insights are combined with experimental and computational techniques. This approach helps develop platforms, devices, organisms, tissues, and processes that bring new understanding and control of biological functions. EBBS supports studies of mechanisms that drive the behavior of microbial populations and cells, and of therapeutic cells and tissues. This includes discovering the underlying engineering principles that are needed to capture the responses of biological systems and bioreactors. It also includes the creation of novel biosensing platforms and new optical imaging and modulation strategies. Research that enables the design of biological systems to sense and respond to novel stimuli is welcome. Similarly, projects leading to insight into tissue changes or injury, and to systems that imitate or restore the functions of tissues or organs are encouraged. Projects that advance rehabilitation engineering through new theories and approaches are supported by the EBBS program. Fundamental engineering research driven by the needs of persons with disabilities is encouraged. The EBBS program expands what is possible in biomanufacturing; research may advance biotechnology and/or health. EBBS research must enable improved biological processes, create novel biomedical technologies, or achieve new understanding of physiological or pathological processes. EBBS does not support proposals with a main goal of drug design, drug delivery, or the development of animal models of disease. Using existing models for experimental testing and validation is acceptable. Projects that focus on testing and validating therapies are not supported. Clinical trials are not supported. Limited studies involving human volunteers may be supported if appropriate to the project objectives. Projects focused on commercialization are more appropriate for the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP). Partnerships: To speed discovery and innovation, NSF partners with federal agencies, industry, international groups, and others. Current opportunities are at NSF ENG Partnerships.
Catalysis
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Catalysis program is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which also includes: 1) the Electrochemical Systems program; 2) the Interfacial Engineering program; and 3) the Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program. The goals of the Catalysis program are to increase fundamental understanding in catalytic engineering science and to advance the development of catalysts and catalytic reactions that are beneficial to society. Research should focus on critical challenges and opportunities in both new and proven catalysis technologies. Areas of emphasis may include novel catalyst compositions, structures, operating environment, data science tools, theory, and modeling – preferably in various combinations as dictated by the specific reaction and related knowledge and technology gaps. Target applications include fuels, specialty and bulk chemicals, environmental catalysis, biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals, greenhouse gas mitigation, recycling of waste materials, generation of solar hydrogen, as well as efficient routes to energy utilization. Heterogeneous catalysis represents the main thrust of the program. Proposals related to both gas-solid and liquid-solid heterogeneous catalysis are welcome, as are proposals that incorporate concepts from homogeneous catalysis. Recent research trends have highlighted the need for evaluation of catalyst performance and properties under working conditions, especially as supported by advanced in situ and in operando characterization methods. Catalyst synthesizability and stability present additional research opportunities given the harsh operating environments of many catalytic processes. Topic areas of particular interest include: Energy-related catalysis, utilizing renewable or sustainable energy in lieu of thermal, fossil fuel-based technologies, especially applications in electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and catalytic conversion of biomass-derived chemicals, and also including fuel cell catalysis. Catalysis aimed at closing the carbon cycle (especially conversion of carbon dioxide, methane, and natural gas to fuels and chemical intermediates). Heterogeneous catalytic alternatives to traditionally non-catalytic or homogeneous reaction processes, as well as new catalyst designs for established catalytic processes. Environmental catalysis focused on mitigating both air and water pollutants, and supporting energy-efficient upcycling of waste materials to higher-value products. Catalytic remediation of feedstocks, process streams, products, or effluents. Commercially scalable methods of catalyst synthesis, including durable, poison-resistant, and easily regenerable catalyst formulations and designs. New catalytic materials and architectures (especially those substituting earth-abundant materials for precious and noble metal catalysts). Basic understanding of catalytic materials, reaction pathways, kinetics, and surface reaction mechanisms. Advanced tools for catalyst characterization and theoretical/computational catalysis. Proposals that deal with new catalytic materials, especially when viewed in light of the inherent complexity of heterogeneous catalytic reactions, will be enhanced by including plans to assess: 1) reproducibility and repeatability of data, 2) stability under realistic operating conditions including start-up and shut-down cycles, 3) performance relative to standard or well-known reference materials, and 4) quantitative, well-accepted measures of catalyst activity, selectivity, and catalytic efficiency, such as turnover frequencies, quantum and/or photon yields of photocatalysts, Faradaic efficiency of electrocatalytic reactions, and detailed product analyses and mass balances for the targeted application. NOTE: Proposals that focus on 1) molecular or homogeneous catalysis, 2) the surface science of catalysis, 3) photo redox catalysis, 4) catalytic organic synthesis reactions, and/or 5) fine chemical synthesis and pharmaceutical applications of catalysis may be more appropriately submitted to the Chemical Catalysis program.(CHE 6884) in the Division of Chemistry in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. Proposals focused on biocatalytic processes, including proposals focusing on enzyme engineering, cellular and biomolecular processes, should be submitted to the Cellular and Biochemical Engineering program (CBET 1491). If the proposal focuses on reaction engineering aspects of catalytic processes, submit to the Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program (CBET 1403). Projects that are interdisciplinary in nature may be jointly funded with other CBET and NSF programs. Program directors will review the submissions and may transfer your proposal to give it the best review situation. Innovative proposals outside of these specific interest areas may be considered. However, prior to submission, it is recommended that the Principal Investigator contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field.Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact on society and/or industry of success in the research.The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of principal investigator time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the ?What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)? link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years.The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the rogram director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate. Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in theProposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals. COMPLIANCE: Proposals which are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research (XC) coordinates and supports crosscutting activities within the Division of Materials Research (DMR) and more broadly across NSF. The emphasis within XC is diversity and inclusion, international cooperation, and education (including experiential learning at REU/RET Sites). Additionally, activities that broadly engage the community, such as summer schools, institutes, workshops, and conferences that do not fit within just one or two programs in the Division of Materials Research, may be supported by XC.If preparing a workshop proposal, follow the Special Guidelines for Conference Proposals outlined in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Occasionally projects crossing several programs in DMR are shifted to XC or co-funded by XC. The goal is to bring greater visibility to these projects through DMR’s XC website. Proposals are welcome that do not fit elsewhere at NSF that are also highly relevant for the materials research and education community. Some XC activities are co-funded with other NSF units. XC does not handle traditional research proposals suitable for submission to topical or other programs in DMR. For this reason, the XC Team welcomes inquiries that include a draft of one-page NSF summary, or a shorter write-up. It is highly recommended that you contact one of the Program Directors for XC prior to submission of a full proposal exceeding $50,000. Crosscutting Activities in Materials Research (XC) replaced the Office of Special Programs in Materials Research (OSP) in 2016. Diversity: Activitiesthat focus on broadening participation of underrepresented groups and/or diversity and inclusion are supported. Supplements(e.g., CLB, AGEP-GRS, MPS-GRSV and ROAs) are handled by the cognizantProgram Director of the original award. See the Related Publications section below for more information. XC supports Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (see Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide, Chapter II.E.6 for details) https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg18_1/pappg_2.jsp#IIE6 International: In2016 a Dear Colleague Letter outlining collaborative projectswith Israel (BSF) was issued; it remains active until archived. Submissionof full proposals with an international component may be made to thedisciplinary programs (but not to XC directly). Supplementsare handled by the cognizant Program Director of the original award. Discontinuedin 2014: The previous International Materials Institutes (IMI)and Materials World Network (MWN) programs are no longer supported . Education: Innovativeand creative ideas in education (e.g., materials science and/or engineering, solid state and materials chemistry, condensed matterphysics, integrated computational materials science/engineering, ormaterials data science/analytics) that do not have a forum elsewhere at NSFare of interest. XC encourages outreach and/or materials education proposals targeting underserved populations such as K-12students in rural communities and those designed to increase public scientific literacy. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)/ Research Experiences for Teachers (RET): reu.dmr@nsf.gov XCcoordinates the REU and RET Sites activities within DMR. See the REU Site Solicitation for deadlines and additional program information. REU/RET supplements to research proposals are handled by the cognizant ProgramDirector of the original award.
Marine Geology and Geophysics
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Marine Geology and Geophysics Core Program supports research on all aspects of the geology and geophysics of the present ocean basins and margins, as well as those of the Great Lakes. The Program supports science that includes: Structure, composition, tectonics, and evolution of the oceanic lithosphere Paleoceanography, paleoclimate, and sea level change Submarine volcanology, petrology and geochemistry of the oceanic crust and upper mantle lithosphere Marine hydrogeology, water-rock interaction, seeps and gas hydrates Hydrothermal venting and in situ fluid processes, and associated geochemistry Geochemical indicators of life operating below the seafloor Marine sedimentology, stratigraphy, sediment transport, and diagenesis Mid-ocean ridge spreading, back-arc rifting, transform processes, and ocean island/seamount formation and evolution Submarine components of subduction zone systems and passive margins Marine geohazards (e.g., earthquakes, faulting, mass wasting, geological aspects of tsunamis) Coastal processes (e.g., geological aspects of hurricanes, sea-level change, erosion, offshore deposition) The Marine Geology and Geophysics Program supports acquisition of new field data and the leveraging of and/or synthesis of existing data. The program supports analytical and laboratory experimental projects, methods development, and modeling. All activities should have relevance to and advance the understanding of marine geoscience processes. The Program interfaces with NSF programs across the Geosciences and across the Agency. For proposals that cross between Programs, proposers should contact the relevant Programs to seek guidance on submission.
Joint Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials Research
No deadline listedFAA-COE-JAMS · $0–$20M
The Joint Center of Excellence (COE) for Advanced Materials (JAMS) was established in January 2004 to assist in ensuring the safe and reliable application of composites and advanced materials to commercial aircraft. The Center is a joint effort of the Center of Excellence for Composite and Advanced Materials (CECAM) led by Wichita State University and the Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials in Transport Aircraft Structures (AMTAS) led by the University of Washington. The COE is a leader in international coordination of research, development, and standardization for structures constructed from these new materials. The goal of this joint center is to create a cost-sharing academic, industrial, and governmental partnership. The members are forging a union between the public sector, the private sector and academic institutions to create a world-class capability to identify solutions for existing and potential advanced materials and structures issues. The focus of this partnership is the research, engineering and development of information used to assure safety and standardize certification of existing and emerging structural applications of composites and advanced materials. Specifically, projects include the evaluation of past applications, performance of applied research and the development of standard engineering practices. This Joint Center of Excellence, working with industry and government, also plays an important role in technology transfer, training, and continuing education for the aircraft industry and regulators. Research Areas: Damage Tolerance of Advanced Composite Structures Durability of Adhesively Bonded Joints (Composite and Hybrid) Metal & Non-Metal Based Additive Manufacturing Technologies Crashworthiness of Composite Airframes and Seating Systems Environmental and Aging Effects on In- Service Composite Structures Lightning Strikes on Composite Airframes New material systems and innovative production technologies Maintenance and Inspection of Composite Structures
Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
CMMT supports theoretical and computational materials research in the topical areas represented in DMR's other Topical Materials Research Programs (these are also variously known as Individual Investigator Award (IIA) Programs, or Core Programs, or Disciplinary Programs), which are: Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Biomaterials (BMAT), Ceramics (CER), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL), and Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC). The CMMT program supports fundamental research that advances conceptual understanding of hard and soft materials, and materials-related phenomena; the development of associated analytical, computational, and data-centric techniques; and predictive materials-specific theory, simulation, and modeling for materials research. First-principles electronic structure, quantum many-body and field theories, statistical mechanics, classical and quantum Monte Carlo, and molecular dynamics, are among the methods used in the broad spectrum of research supported in CMMT. Research may encompass the advance of new paradigms in materials research, including emerging data-centric approaches utilizing data-analytics or machine learning. Computational efforts span from the level of workstations to advanced and high-performance scientific computing. Emphasis is on approaches that begin at the smallest appropriate length scale, such as electronic, atomic, molecular, nano-, micro-, and mesoscale, required to yield fundamental insight into material properties, processes, and behavior, to predict new materials and states of matter, and to reveal new materials phenomena. Approaches that span multiple scales of length and time may be required to advance fundamental understanding of materials properties and phenomena, particularly for polymeric materials and soft matter. Areas of recent interest include, but are not limited to: strongly correlated electron systems; topological phases; low-dimensional materials and systems; quantum and classical nonequilibrium phenomena, the latter including pattern formation, materials growth, microstructure evolution, fracture, and the jamming transition; gels; glasses; disordered materials, hard and soft; defects; high-temperature superconductivity; creation and manipulation of coherent quantum states; nanostructured materials and mesoscale phenomena; sustainable materials; polymeric materials and soft condensed matter; active matter and related collective behavior; biologically inspired materials, and research at the interfaces of materials with biological systems. CMMT encourages potentially transformative submissions at the frontiers of theoretical, computational, and data-intensive materials research, which includes but is not limited to: i) advancing the understanding of emergent properties and phenomena of materials and condensed matter systems, ii) developing materials-specific prediction and advancing understanding of properties, phenomena, and emergent states of matter associated with either hard or soft materials, iii) developing and exploring new paradigms including computational and data-enabled approaches to advance fundamental understanding of materials and materials related phenomena, iv) fostering research at interfaces among subdisciplines represented in the Division of Materials Research, v) harnessing machine learning or developing explainable machine learning to advance understanding of materials and materials-related phenomena, or vi) developing new theoretical frameworks in areas of materials research, such as active matter, nonequilibrium materials or matter, the synthesis of solid-state materials, or reformulating quantum many-body theory for conceptual insight or greater tractability. Research involving significant materials research cyberinfrastructure development, for example, software development with an aim to share software with the broader materials community, should be submitted to CMMT through Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E) in accordance with its submission instructions for DMR. Additional Information Eligibility rules apply for submissions; please see Section II. Program Description, Section IV. Eligibility Information, and Section V.A Proposal Preparation Instructions.
Engineering of Biomedical Systems
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
TheEngineering of Biomedical Systemsprogram is part of the Engineering Biology and Health cluster, which also includes: 1) theBiophotonicsprogram; 2) theBiosensingprogram; 3) theCellular and Biochemical Engineeringprogram; and 4) theDisability and Rehabilitation Engineeringprogram. The goal of theEngineering of Biomedical Systems(EBMS) program is to provide opportunities for fundamental and transformative research projects that integrate engineering and life sciences to solve biomedical problems and serve humanity in the long term. Projects are expected to use an engineering framework (for example, design or modeling) that supports increased understanding of physiological or pathophysiological processes. Projects must include objectives that advance both engineering and biomedical sciences. Projects may include: methods, models, and enabling tools applied to understand or control living systems; fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; or new approaches to the design of systems that include both living and non-living components for eventual medical use in the long term. TheEBMS programsupports fundamental and transformative research in the following areas of biomedical engineering: Developmentof validated models (living or computational) of healthy and pathological tissues and organ systems that can support improved fundamental understanding of these systems or that could be applied in the future for development and testing of medical interventions; Designand validation of systems that integrate living and non-living componentsfor improved understanding of physiology that could be applied in the future for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment ofdisease or injury; Design and subsequent application of technologies andtools toinvestigate fundamental physiological and pathophysiological processes; Advancedbiomanufacturing of three-dimensional tissues and organs; and Application of engineering tools and principles, including mathematical modeling, to quantitatively study the immune system in health and disease and to develop techniques for controlling and modulating a host’s immune response to challenges such as infectious diseases, cancer, implants, autoimmune disorders, wounds, etc. The long-term impact of the projects can be related to effective disease diagnosis and/or treatment, or improved health care delivery. However, immediate goals should focus on improved fundamental understanding of cell and tissue function in normal or pathological conditions and advancing biomedical engineering. Innovative proposals outside of these specific areas of biomedical engineering may be considered.However, prior to submission, it is strongly recommended that the PIs contact the program director to avoid the possibility of the proposal being returned without review. Related programs also fund biomedical engineering research, and PIs are encouraged to examine these to find the appropriate program for submission. The EBMS program does not support proposals having as their central theme drug design and delivery, the development of biomedical devices that do not include a living biological component, or thedevelopment of animal models of disease.For consideration by the EBMS program, proposals that advance the design of tools or technologies should also apply those technologies to advance knowledge in biomedical science. NSF does not support clinical trials; however, feasibility studies involving human volunteers may be supported if appropriate to the project objectives. Projects with a central focus on design or optimization of a device, material, algorithm, or process alone without exploring new fundamental biomedical science are not appropriate for the EBMS program. Furthermore, although research on biomaterials, cellular biomechanics, manufacturing systems, or algorithm/device design may constitute a part of the proposed studies, such research can be more appropriately targeted to other NSF programs: Projects that aim to improve protein engineering or cellular biomanufacturing - either manufacturing cells or cell-derived products - should consider the Cellular and Biochemical Engineering (CBE) program. Projects that focus on the development and application of microphysiological systems that model functional recovery related to a specific human disability or injury mechanism should consider the Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering (DARE) program. Biomaterials-focused projects should consider the Biomaterials (BMAT) program in the Division of Materials Research (DMR). Cellular and tissue biomechanics projects should consider the Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB) program in the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI). Manufacturing systems proposals should consider the Advanced Manufacturing(AM) program in the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI). Innovative research on signal processing techniques or dynamic biosensing systems should consider the Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems (CCSS) program in the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS). Innovative research on novel devices based on the principles of electronics, optics and photonics, optoelectronics, magnetics, opto- and electromechanics, electromagnetics, and related physical phenomena, also including material-device interaction, should consider the Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program in the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS). INFORMATION COMMON TO MOST CBET PROGRAMS Proposals should address the novelty and/or potentially transformative nature of the proposed work compared to previous work in the field. Also, it is important to address why the proposed work is important in terms of engineering science, as well as to also project the potential impact of success in the research on society and/or industry. The novelty or potentially transformative nature of the research should be included, as a minimum, in the Project Summary of each proposal. The duration of unsolicited proposal awards in CBET is generally up to three years. Single-investigator award budgets typically include support for one graduate student (or equivalent) and up to one month of PI time per year(awards for multiple investigator projects are typically larger). Proposal budgets that are much larger than typical should be discussed with the program director prior to submission. Proposers can view budget amounts and other information from recent awards made by this program via the “What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)” link towards the bottom of this page. Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER)program proposals are strongly encouraged. Award duration is five years. The submission deadline for Engineering CAREER proposals is in July every year. Learn more in the CAREER program description . Proposals for Conferences, Workshops, and Supplements: PIs are strongly encouraged to discuss their requests with the program director before submission of the proposal. Grants forRapid Response Research(RAPID)andEArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research(EAGER)are also considered when appropriate. Please note that proposals of these types must be discussed with the program director before submission.Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)proposals that integrate fundamental research with translational results and are consistent with the application areas of interest to each program are also encouraged. Please note that RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI proposals can be submitted anytime during the year. Details about RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI are available in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide(PAPPG), Part 1, Chapter II, Section E: Types of Proposals. Compliance: Proposals that are not compliant with the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) will be returned without review.
Manufacturing Systems Integration
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
The Manufacturing Systems Integration (MSI) Program supports fundamental research addressing the opportunities and challenges that digital technologies present for the next industrial revolution, with particular emphasis on the digital integration of design and manufacturing within the larger life cycle ecosystem. Manufacturing Systems Integration proposals should address underlying principles and advances that are generalizable for globally competitive and world leading industries. Connectivity, automation, and secure collaboration are examples of areas that are integral to digital environments capable of supporting the innovation, realization and sustainment of manufactured products and systems in the value creation process. Fundamental generalizable research for manufacturing systems integration might include, for example: Digital representation, protocols, and/or processes for integration and collaboration in manufacturing systems (machines and/or humans) Intelligent self-organizing production systems Ease of use, interoperability and seamless integration of technologies, machines, and humans Service-oriented architectures and systems Data sets that are compatible and usable across platforms Reliable and secure communications within and across the manufacturing value chain Integration of distributed manufacturing systems across time and space, including incorporating both legacy and leading-edge equipment and technologies Methods for assessing the impact and value of externalities throughout the life cycle within the digital environment Interdisciplinary, convergent proposals that bring diverse perspectives, populations, disciplines, and capabilities together are welcome. It is strongly encouraged and expected that investigators discuss their ideas with a MSI program director well in advance of proposal submission.
Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education
No deadline listedU.S. National Science Foundation · Amount varies
To facilitate fundamental research in the atmospheric sciences, the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) supports state-of-the-art instruments and facilities through the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program. The FARE Program includes the Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF). Lower Atmospheric Observing Facilities The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS)Lower Atmospheric Observing Facilities (LAOF) Program oversees a portfolio of multi-user national facilities that are sponsored by NSF for use by the geosciences research community. Program management resides within AGS in the NCAR and Facilities Section (NFS) which provides a single point for coordination of planning and resources. The LAOF program enables geoscience research through the provision of specialized facilities, instrumentation, and field support services necessary to carry out the scientific field work associated with investigations of a wide range of geophysical phenomena. The program is actively involved in oversight of LAOF facilities and decisions about the acquisition, operation, maintenance, upgrading and replacement of these facilities based on input from the scientific community. LAOF funding supports both the planning for scientific field programs (e.g., experimental design, operational plans, logistical support) and the deployment of NSF-sponsored facilities. Proposals to the LAOF program are acceptedby invitation only. Please contact the FARE program director if you intend to submit a proposal to this program. Community Instrumentation and Facilities (CIF) The CIF program provides the NSF-sponsored atmospheric sciences research community with access to specialized instrumentation for field and laboratory-based studies.The program requests proposals from instrument and facility providers who will make their equipment available for community use through an NSF-defined request process.Support will be provided for limited technician time, minor upgrades, and travel for outreach.