Funding Resources

The EDSE (Engineering Design and Systems Engineering) program supports fundamental research in design science and systems science. It focuses on advancing knowledge about the design of engineered artifacts, such as devices, products, processes, and systems. The program encourages interdisciplinary collaborations and emphasizes rigorous scientific inquiry into the interactions among designers, artifacts, methods, and the environment. Proposals should be grounded in theory, demonstrate potential for improving design, and include robust methods for assessment. Research areas include design representation, optimization, validation, robotics, materials systems, design cognition, collaboration, data science, and design in various contexts. Prospective investigators are encouraged to consult with the Program Director before proposal submission.

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.

The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Core Programs Track supports research to understand why organisms are structured the way they are and function as they do. Proposals are welcomed in all of the core scientific program areas supported by the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS). Areas of inquiry include, but are not limited to, developmental biology and the evolution of developmental processes, development, structure, modification, function, and evolution of the nervous system, biomechanics and functional morphology, physiological processes, symbioses and microbial interactions, interactions of organisms with biotic and abiotic environments, plant and animal genomics, and animal behavior. Proposals should focus on organisms as a fundamental unit of biological organization. Principal Investigators are encouraged to apply systems approaches that will lead to conceptual and theoretical insights and predictions about emergent organismal properties.

The IntBIO Track invites submission of collaborative proposals to tackle bold questions in biology that require an integrated approach to make substantive progress. Integrative biological research spans sub-disciplines and incorporates cutting-edge methods, tools, and concepts from each to produce groundbreaking biological discovery that is synergistic, such that the sum is greater than the parts. The research should produce a novel, holistic understanding of how biological systems function and interact across different scales of organization, e.g., from molecules to cells, tissues to organisms, species to ecosystems and the entire Earth. Where appropriate, projects should apply experimental strategies, modeling, integrative analysis, advanced computation, or other research approaches to stimulate new discovery and general theory in biology.

The ECI (Engineering for Civil Infrastructure) program supports fundamental research in geotechnical, structural, materials, architectural, and coastal engineering. It focuses on shaping the future of civil infrastructure, including climate change adaptation, hazards resilience, and sustainability. The program considers various types of civil infrastructure, such as buildings, water systems, energy infrastructure, and transportation systems. Disciplinary and convergent research addressing resilience and sustainability over the service lifetime of infrastructure is of particular interest. The program supports research on infrastructure behavior under environmental conditions, extreme hazard events, and the behavior of geomaterials and infrastructure materials. Leveraging NSF’s investments in the NHERI infrastructure is encouraged. The program does not fund research on natural resource exploration, blasts/explosions, sensor technologies, or hazard characterization. Proposers are encouraged to consult with Program Officers and submit a one-page project summary for guidance on topic suitability and interdisciplinary proposals.

President Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 into law to strengthen and revitalize the United States’ position in semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing. With $50 billion allocated to the Department of Commerce, the CHIPS for America initiative aims to address the country’s lag in semiconductor manufacturing and enhance its economic and national security.

The CHIPS Program Office, part of the Department of Commerce, is responsible for implementing the law. They have launched their first funding opportunity to support the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the fabrication of cutting-edge semiconductors. The program will soon accept applications for projects focused on semiconductor materials and manufacturing equipment facilities with capital investments exceeding $300 million.

Later in 2023, the CHIPS Program Office plans to release additional funding opportunities for semiconductor materials and manufacturing equipment facilities with investments below $300 million, as well as for research and development facilities. These investments are crucial for restoring U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, creating high-paying jobs, and bolstering economic and national security.

The goals of the Program are to: (i) advance knowledge about the processes that force and regulate the atmosphere’s synoptic and planetary circulation, weather and climate, and (ii) sustain the pool of human resources required for excellence in synoptic and global atmospheric dynamics and climate research.

Research topics include theoretical, observational and modeling studies of the general circulation of the stratosphere and troposphere; synoptic scale weather phenomena; processes that govern climate; the causes of climate variability and change; methods to predict climate variations; extended weather and climate predictability; development and testing of parameterization of physical processes; numerical methods for use in large-scale weather and climate models; the assembly and analysis of instrumental and/or modeled weather and climate data; data assimilation studies; development and use of climate models to diagnose and simulate climate and its variations and change.

Some Climate and Large Scale Dynamics (CLD) proposals address multidisciplinary problems and are often co-reviewed with other NSF programs, some of which, unlike CLD, use panels in addition to mail reviewers, and thus have target dates or deadlines. Proposed research that spans in substantive ways topics appropriate to programs in other divisions at NSF, e.g., ocean sciences, ecological sciences, hydrological sciences, geography and regional sciences, applied math and statistics, etc., must be submitted at times consistent with target dates or deadlines established by those programs. If it’s not clear whether your proposed research is appropriate for co-review, please contact CLD staff.

The MOMS (Mechanics of Materials and Structures) program supports fundamental research in mechanics related to deformable materials and structures. It seeks transformative advances in experimental, theoretical, and computational methods. Proposals should contribute to the field of mechanics and can focus on material response, structural response, or the intersection of materials and structures. Advanced computing techniques, data analytics, and new experimental methods are of particular interest. Proposers are encouraged to contact the program before submission to ensure their research aligns with MOMS.

The Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which also includes: 1) the Catalysis program; 2) the Electrochemical Systems program; and 3) the Interfacial Engineering program.

The goal of the Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program is to advance fundamental engineering research on the rates and mechanisms of chemical reactions, systems engineering, and molecular thermodynamics as they relate to the design and optimization of chemical reactors and the production of specialized materials that have important impacts on society.

The program supports the development of advanced optimization and control algorithms for chemical processes, molecular and multi-scale modeling of complex chemical systems, fundamental studies on molecular thermodynamics, and the integration of these methods and concepts into the design of novel chemical products and manufacturing processes. This program supports sustainable chemical manufacturing research on the development of energy-efficient chemical processes and environmentally-friendly chemical products through concurrent chemical product/process design methods. Sustainability is also enhanced by research that promotes the electrification of the chemical process industries over current thermally-activated processes.

The Paleoclimate program aims to understand past climate variability and its drivers, providing insights into present climate and future trends. It supports research on observational and modeling studies, as well as the development of new paleoclimate records. The program collaborates with other divisions in the Geoscience Directorate for the annual P4CLIMATE competition, offering additional funding opportunities. Researchers are advised to consult with program directors to determine the suitability of their proposals for either program.

Graduate and undergraduate students have the opportunity to participate in the laboratory’s research and development programs, initiate new areas of research, and establish a base for ongoing collaborations through NREL’s Research Participant Program (RPP).