Tag Archives: Materials Sciences

Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs

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The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is soliciting applications for financial assistance for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20) within the Office of the Associate Director for Innovation and Industry Services (ADIIS).

Program Description: The ADIIS Grant Program supports activities that develop, expand, strengthen, or sustain NIST partnership programs within the ADIIS Directorate through measurements, standards, data, industry and technology studies, and technology research and development (R&D). Specifically, the ADIIS Grant Program seeks to support technology innovation and service to American industry in the following fields: bioscience, chemistry, dimensional metrology, electronics, engineering, infrastructure, information technology, manufacturing, manufacturing metrology, materials science and engineering, nanotechnology, neutron research, optics, and physics.

The ADIIS Directorate’s current partnership programs include the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program, the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), programs within the NIST Office of Advanced Manufacturing, and programs within the NIST Technology Partnerships Office. Financial assistance may be provided to bolster measurements, standards, data and technology R&D within these partnership programs, or through new partnerships, to:

  • Advance early-stage research and development for industry
  • Enhance opportunities in manufacturing through innovation
  • Strengthen supplier programs for small and medium manufacturers
  • Encourage the transfer and commercialization of research and technology from institutions of higher education, federal laboratories, other federally funded research programs, and nonprofit research institutes
  • Create jobs or promote workforce development
  • Realize or sustain metrology needs in American industry, including through technical metrology training programs for manufacturers

Eligibility for all programs listed in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) includes all non-Federal entities, including institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, for-profit organizations, state and local governments, Indian tribes, hospitals, foreign public entities, and foreign governments. Please note that individuals and unincorporated sole proprietors are not considered “non-Federal entities” and are not eligible to apply under this NOFO. The NOFO’s full text can be found here and downloaded as a PDF or a zip file.

NSF Critical Aspects of Sustainability (CAS)

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Economic development and human progress have led to a proliferation of manufactured chemicals and materials made from limited resources found in nature (i.e., minerals and metals, petroleum-based products and natural gas). Long-term sustainability requires consideration of the availability of specific natural resources, energy, and water usage. NSF continues to support efforts that seek to improve the efficiency with which natural resources are used to meet human needs for products and services. Sustainability research encompasses the design, manufacture and use of efficient, effective, safe and more environmentally-benign products and processes; stimulates innovation across all sectors to design and discover new chemicals and materials, production processes, and product stewardship practices; and, increases performance and value while meeting the goals of protecting and enhancing human health and the environment.

This program seeks to support basic research through core disciplinary programs aimed at improving the sustainability of resources for future generations while maintaining or improving current products in order to offer technologically-advanced, economically competitive, environmentally-benign and useful materials to a global society. In order to address these challenges, the program aims to identify opportunities for innovation in a wide range of contributing disciplines as well as integrative activities. This program encourages the development of new experimental and theoretical/modeling approaches that will aid in both reductionist and whole-systems approaches.

This program welcomes proposals in any area of research supported through the participating divisions that address the topics outlined below. The selected topics are of particular interest to core disciplinary programs in the participating divisions and do not include all funding opportunities and priorities in the area or sustainability at NSF. Proposals are submitted to the relevant core Programs indicated below in the participating Divisions, and all questions regarding proposals should be addressed by the cognizant Program Officers to which submission is contemplated. Proposals should be submitted with the “CAS:” prefix in the title.

The Division of Chemistry (CHE/MPS) welcomes proposals to its Disciplinary Research Programs, including Chemical Catalysis (CAT), Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI), Chemical Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms-A (CSDM-A), Chemical Structure Dynamics and Mechanisms-B (CSDM-B), Chemical Synthesis (SYN), Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods (CTMC), Chemistry of Life Processes (CLP), Environmental Chemical Sciences (ECS), and Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN). All proposals must be on chemical aspects of sustainability.

The Division of Materials Research (DMR/MPS) welcomes proposals to its Topical Materials Research Programs, including Biomaterials (BMAT), Ceramics (CER), Condensed Matter and Materials Theory (CMMT), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL), and Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC). All proposals must be on materials aspects of sustainability and focused on fundamental materials-research approaches.

The Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems Division (CBET/ENG) has several core programs that review proposals on research topics related to sustainability, including Molecular Separations (MolS), Biosensing, Environmental Sustainability (EnvS), Biological and Environmental Interactions of Nanoscale Materials (BioNano), Combustion and Fire Systems (CFS), and Particulate and Multiphase Processes (PMP).

For the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI/ENG), proposals addressing sustainable materials processing are welcome. Of interest are manufacturing processes with reduced use of toxic components, such as solvents, carbon emissions, and pollutants; processes under ambient conditions, as opposed to extreme temperatures, pressures or other harsh conditions; and increased conservation of natural resources, such as water, raw material, and energy. Proposals to CMMI must be submitted to the Advanced Manufacturing (AM) Program and align with the scope of the program.

The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR/GEO) welcomes fundamental and transformational geosciences projects addressing the distribution of Critical Minerals and Materials in the Earth. The following programs in the division support research on this topic: Petrology and Geochemistry (CH), Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry (GG), and Frontier Research in Earth Sciences (FRES).

For additional information, including due dates for specific NSF Divisions, please visit the CAS program page.

Limited Submission Opportunity – Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers

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NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers: Limited Submission Opportunity

 

Internal Limited Submission Deadline to the Office of Research Administration: Friday, April 19, 2019

NSF Preliminary Proposal Due Date (required): June 24, 2019

Funding Opportunity Description

The nature of materials research demands mechanisms to support interdisciplinary collaboration for the conception and execution of ideas, and for developing the capabilities to sustain our nation’s competitiveness in the production of new technology and products based on advances in materials research. Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) are expected to contribute to the development of a diverse and globally competitive scientific workforce for increased economic competitiveness of the United States.

MRSECs support multidisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality while addressing fundamental problems in materials science of a scope and complexity requiring the scale and synergy provided by a campus-based research center. MRSECs require outstanding research quality, intellectual breadth, multidisciplinarity, flexibility in responding to new research opportunities, support for research infrastructure, and foster the integration of research and education in the materials field. They are expected to have strong links to industry and other sectors, as appropriate, and to contribute to the development of a national network of university-based centers in materials research.

The NSF’s mission is to promote and facilitate the progress of science, engineering, and related education in the United States. Its role in supporting research and education is particularly important in creating physical and human resources infrastructure in both traditional and emerging areas. NSF also promotes partnerships, including collaboration with other US IHEs, agencies, industry, national and government laboratories, for projects of mutual interest. International collaborations are also strongly encouraged.

The MRSEC program reinforces NSF’s commitment to excellence in research and education; it is national in scope and significance, requiring coordination of the overall effort among Centers. The MRSEC program complements, but does not substitute for, NSF support for individual investigators, small groups, national user facilities, and instrumentation in materials research.

 

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

Only one MRSEC preliminary proposal may be submitted by any one organization as the lead institution in this competition.

 

For full program details visit NSF’s webpage or the solicitation NSF-19-517.

 

For details regarding The University of Akron’s limited submission process, visit the ORA Limited Submission webpage.