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The Geotechnical Engineering and Materials Program (GEM) supports fundamental research in soil and rock mechanics and dynamics in support of physical civil infrastructure systems. Also supported is research on improvement of the engineering properties of geologic materials for infrastructure use by mechanical, biological, thermal, chemical, and electrical processes. The Program supports the traditional areas of foundation engineering, earth structures, underground construction, tunneling, geoenvironmental engineering, and site characterization, as well as the emerging area of bio-geo engineering, for civil engineering applications, with emphasis on sustainable geosystems. Research related to the geotechnical engineering aspects of geothermal energy and geothermal heat pump systems is also supported. The GEM program encourages knowledge dissemination and technology transfer activities that can lead to broader societal benefit and implementation for provision of physical civil infrastructure. The Program also encourages research that explores and builds upon advanced computing techniques and tools to enable major advances in Geotechnical Engineering.

PD 15-1637, Structural and Architectural Engineering (SAE) program replaces Hazard Mitigation and Structural Engineering (HMSE) program. The overall goal of the Structural and Architectural Engineering (SAE) program is to evolve sustainable structures, such as buildings, that can be continuously occupied and /or operational during the structure's useful life. The SAE program supports fundamental research for advancing knowledge and innovation in structural and architectural engineering that enables holistic approach to design, construction, operation, maintenance, retrofit, repair and end-of-life disposal of structures. For buildings, holistic approach incorporates the foundation-structure-envelope-nonstructural system, as well as the façade and roofing. Research topics of interest for sustainable structures include the following: strategies for structures that over their lifecycle are cost-effective, make efficient use of resources and energy, and incorporate sustainable structural and architectural materials; deterioration due to fatigue and corrosion; serviceability concerns due to large deflections and vibrations; and advances in physics-based computational modeling and simulation. Research is encouraged that integrates discoveries from other science and engineering fields, such as materials science, building science, mechanics of materials, dynamic systems and control, reliability, risk analysis, architecture, economics and human factors. The program also supports research in sustainable and holistic foundation-structure-envelope-nonstructural systems and materials as described in the following reports: * National Science and Technology Council, High Performance Buildings; Final Report: Federal R & D Agenda for Net Zero Energy, High-Performance Green Buildings. Building Technology Research and Development (BTRD) Subcommittee, OSTP, U.S. Government, September 2008. http://www.whitehouse.gov/files/documents/ostp/NSTC%20Reports/Federal%20RD%20Agenda%20for%20N

The Civil Infrastructure Systems (CIS) program supports fundamental and innovative research necessary for designing, constructing, managing, maintaining, operating and protecting efficient, resilient and sustainable civil infrastructure systems. Research that recognizes the role that these systems play in societal functioning and accounts for how human behavior and social organizations contribute to and affect the performance of these systems is encouraged. While component-level, subject-matter knowledge may be crucial in many research efforts, this program focuses on the civil infrastructure as a system in which interactions between spatially-distributed components and intersystem connections exist. Thus, intra- and inter-physical, information and behavioral dependencies of these systems are also of particular interest. Topics pertaining to transportation systems, construction engineering, infrastructure systems and infrastructure management are a focus of this program. Research that considers either or both ordinary and disrupted operating environments is relevant. Methodological contributions pertaining to systems engineering and design, network analysis and optimization, performance management, vulnerability and risk analysis, mathematical and simulation modeling, exact and approximate algorithm development, control theory, statistical forecasting, dynamic and stochastic systems approaches, multi-attribute decision theory, and incorporation of behavioral and social considerations, not excluding other methodological areas or the integration of methods, specific to this application are encouraged. Additional research of interest exploits data/information, and takes advantage of relevant technological advances, such as social media. In general, research that has the promise of long-lasting, cascading (hopefully escalating) impact on the wider research community through its theoretical, scientific, mathematical or computational contributions is valued. The program d

The overall goal of the Structural and Architectural Engineering and Materials (SAEM) program is to enable sustainable buildings and other structures that can be continuously occupied and/or operated during the structure's useful life. The SAEM program supports fundamental research for advancing knowledge and innovation in structural and architectural engineering and materials that promotes a holistic approach to analysis and design, construction, operation, maintenance, retrofit, and repair of structures. For buildings, all components including the foundation-structure-envelope (the façade, curtain-wall and roofing) and interior systems, are of interest to the program. Research in new engineering concepts and design paradigms for buildings that have significantly reduced dependence and interdependence on municipal infrastructure through, for example, self-hydrating (closed-loop water system) and self-heating-cooling-ventilating (energy usage) is encouraged. In addition, the program targets research in the building systems that are reconfigurable for rapid construction, disassembly and disposal, are reliable and resilient, and are less complex. Research topics of interest for sustainable structures include the following: strategies for structures that over their lifecycle are cost-effective, make efficient use of resources and energy, and incorporate sustainable structural and architectural materials; mitigation of deterioration due to fatigue and corrosion; serviceability related to large deflections and vibrations; and advances in physics-based computational modeling and simulation.

The LEAP HI program challenges the engineering research community to take a leadership role in addressing demanding, urgent, and consequential challenges for advancing America’s prosperity, health and infrastructure. LEAP HI proposals confront engineering problems that are too complex to yield to the efforts of a single investigator --- problems that require sustained and coordinated effort from interdisciplinary research teams, with goals that are not achievable through a series of smaller, short-term projects. LEAP HI projects perform fundamental research that may lead to disruptive technologies and methods, lay the foundation for new and strengthened industries, enable notable improvements in quality of life, or reimagine and revitalize the built environment. LEAP HI supports fundamental research projects involving collaborating investigators, of duration up to five years, with total budget between $1 million and $2 million. LEAP HI proposals must articulate a fundamental research problem with compelling intellectual challenge and significant societal impact, particularly on economic competitiveness, quality of life, public health, or essential infrastructure. One or more CMMI core topics must lie at the heart of the proposal, and integration of disciplinary expertise not typically engaged in CMMI-funded projects is encouraged. LEAP HI proposals must highlight engineering research in a leadership role. LEAP HI proposals must demonstrate the need for a sustained research effort by an integrated, interdisciplinary team, and should include aresearch integrationplan and timeline for research activities, with convincing mechanisms for frequent and effective communication.

The overall goal of the Structural and Architectural Engineering and Materials (SAEM) program is to enable sustainable buildings and other structures that can be continuously occupied and/or operated during the structure's useful life. The SAEM program supports fundamental research for advancing knowledge and innovation in structural and architectural engineering and materials that promotes a holistic approach to analysis and design, construction, operation, maintenance, retrofit, and repair of structures. For buildings, all components including the foundation-structure-envelope (the façade, curtain-wall, windows, and roofing) and interior systems (flooring, ceilings, partitions walls), are of interest to the program. The SAEM program encourages the integration of research with knowledge dissemination and activities that can lead to broader societal benefit for provision of sustainable structures.

The Engineering for Civil Infrastructure (ECI) program supports fundamental research that will shape the future of our nation's constructed civil infrastructure, subjected to and interacting with the natural environment, to meet the needs of humans. In this context, research driven by radical rethinking of traditional civil infrastructure in response to emerging technological innovations, changing population demographics, and evolving societal needs is encouraged. The ECI program focuses on the physical infrastructure, such as the soil-foundation-structure-envelope-nonstructural building system; geostructures; and underground facilities. It seeks proposals that advance knowledge and methodologies within geotechnical, structural, architectural, materials, coastal, and construction engineering, especially that include collaboration with researchers from other fields, including, for example, biomimetics, bioinspired design, advanced computation, data science, materials science, additive manufacturing, robotics, and control theory. Research may explore holistic building systems that view construction, geotechnical, structural, and architectural design as an integrated system; adaptive building envelope systems; nonconventional building materials; breakthroughs in remediated geological materials; and transformational construction processes. Principal investigators are encouraged to consider civil infrastructure subjected to and interacting with the natural environment under “normal” operating conditions; intermediate stress conditions (such as deterioration, and severe locational and climate conditions); and extreme single or multi natural hazard events (including earthquakes, windstorms, tsunamis, storm surges, sinkholes, subsidence, and landslides).

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) are engineered systems that are built from, and depend upon, the seamless integration of computation and physical components. Advances in CPS will enable capability, adaptability, scalability, resiliency, safety, security, and usability that will expand the horizons of these critical systems. CPS technologies are transforming the way people interact with engineered systems, just as the Internet has transformed the way people interact with information. New, smart CPS drive innovation and competition in a range of application domains including agriculture, aeronautics, building design, civil infrastructure, energy, environmental quality, healthcare and personalized medicine, manufacturing, and transportation. Moreover, the integration of artificial intelligence with CPS creates new research opportunities with major societal implications.

The Campus Cyberinfrastructure (CC*) program invests in coordinated campus-level networking improvements, innovation, integration, and engineering for science applications and distributed research projects. Learning and workforce development (LWD) in cyberinfrastructure is explicitly addressed in the program. Science-driven requirements are the primary motivation for any proposed activity. CC* awards will be supported in four program areas: 1. Data Driven Networking Infrastructure for the Campus and Researcher awards will be supported at up to $500,000 total for up to 2 years; 2. Network Design and Implementation for Small Institutions awards will be supported at up to $750,000 total for up to 2 years; 3. Network Integration and Applied Innovation awards will be supported at up to $1,000,000 total for up to 2 years; and 4. Network Performance Engineering and Outreach awards will be supported at up to $3,500,000 total for up to 4 years.

The Defense Sciences Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals in the area of optical systems capable of extreme performance and/or capabilities, which utilize Engineered optical Materials (EnMats). Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, and/or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

The Defense Sciences Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals in the area of optical systems capable of extreme performance and/or capabilities, which utilize Engineered optical Materials (EnMats). Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, and/or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

The purpose of the NOAA Research to Operations (R2O) Initiative is to expand and accelerate critical weather forecasting research to operations to address growing service demands and increase the accuracy of weather forecasts. This will be achieved through: (1) accelerated development and implementation of improved global weather prediction models, and inclusion of the coupling of atmosphere, ocean, wave, land surface and ice system components; (2) improved data assimilation techniques; (3) nested regional prediction capabilities; (4) improved hurricane and tropical cyclone modeling techniques; (5) improved ensemble techniques; (6) post-processing forecast tools and techniques; and (7) improved software architecture and system engineering.

New Connections: Increasing Diversity of RWJF Programming is celebrating its 10th year of supporting research grants and career development opportunities for a network of more than 830 researchers from diverse, underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. The program aims to expand the diversity of perspectives that inform RWJF programming and introduce new researchers to the Foundation to help address research and evaluation needs. New Connections is a career development program for early career researchers. Through grantmaking, mentorship, career development and networking, New Connections enhances the research capacity of its grantees and network members. The researchers in this program transcend disciplines (health; health care; social sciences; business; urban planning; architecture and engineering); work to build the case for a Culture of Health with strong qualitative and quantitative research skills; and produce and translate timely research results.

All applicants must currently be pursuing a Bachelor's (or Baccalaureate) Degree related to a profession that is dedicated to improving the beautification of US communities, such as  Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Civil Engineering, Horticulture, and Environmental and Marine Sciences. Applicants must be currently accepted into a program and must currently hold or anticipate holding a high school diploma or GED within the 2015-2016 school year.  Applicants must be currently involved or recently involved (within one year of date of application) in their community, either through school programs or voluntary programs.

EPA's Office of Transportation and Air Quality (OTAQ) is soliciting proposals nationwide for projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions in terms of tons of pollution produced by diesel engines and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets located in areas designated as having poor air quality. Further, priority for funding may be given to projects which result in outcomes that benefit affected communities, those that engage affected communities with respect to the design and performance of the project, and those which can demonstrate the ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to seek information from developers and manufacturers of gasifier equipment, power generation equipment manufacturers, utilities, power plant architects and engineers, and other stakeholders that can be used as input to a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) research and development (R&D) program for versatile gasification technology for modular or small-scale conversion/consumption of a wide range of feedstocks, including coal, biomass, municipal solid waste (MSW), energetic materials and munitions, and other opportunity feedstocks. Modular implementations of gasification imply unit sizes of approximately 1 to 5 MWe equivalent, while applications for the syngas produced could range from power generation to fuels synthesis and beyond. Modular gasification implementations or systems are expected to find a place in the market through high efficiency, thoughtful integration of system components, and reduction of costs. For example, combined heat and power (CHP) applications of modular gasification technology would enable higher overall efficiencies and diversity of product value.

The Energy, Power, Control, and Networks (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.

The Carter Manny Award supports dissertation research and writing by promising scholars whose projects have architecture as their primary concern and focus and have the potential to shape contemporary discourse about architecture and impact the field. Projects may be drawn from the various fields of inquiry supported by the Graham Foundation: architectural history, theory, and criticism; design; engineering; landscape architecture; urban planning; urban studies; the visual arts; and other related fields.

The American Academy in Rome invites applications for the Rome Prize competition. One of leading overseas centers for independent study and advanced research in the arts and the humanities. The Academy offers up to thirty fellowships for periods ranging from six months to two years. Rome Prize winners reside at the academy's eleven-acre center in Rome and receive room and board, a private study or studio, and a stipend. Fellowships are awarded in the following fields: -Architecture -Design (including graphic, fashion, interior, lighting, and set design, engineering, urban planning, and other related design fields) -Historic Preservation and Conservation (including architectural design, public policy, and the conservation of works of art) -Landscape Architecture -Literature (** by nomination only) -Musical composition -Visual Arts -Ancient Studies -Medieval Studies -Renaissance and Early Modern Studies -Modern Italian Studies For further information, or to apply, visit the Academy's website at www.aarome.org. The online application will be posted in early September 2013. Please state specific field of interest when requesting information. The Rome Prize is underwritten in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Founded in 1956, the Chicago-based Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts provides project-based grants to individuals and organizations and produces public programs to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society. Projects may be drawn from the various fields of inquiry supported by the foundation, including architectural history, theory, and criticism; design; engineering; landscape architecture; urban planning; urban studies; the visual arts; and other related fields. The foundation offers Carter Manny awards in two categories, including a research award for a student at the research stage of the doctoral dissertation and a writing award for a student at the writing stage of the doctoral dissertation. The research award is acknowledged with up to $15,000 and the writing award is acknowledged with up to $20,000. Ph.D. students who are presently candidates for a doctoral degree are eligible to apply. Students must be nominated by their department to apply for the Carter Manny Award. The award is open to students officially enrolled in schools in the U.S. and Canada, regardless of citizenship. The foundation will begin accepting applications on September 15, 2017. Applications must be received no later than November 15, 2017.

The English Speaking Union of the United States each year sponsors a travel grant for study or research providing a stipend of up to $2,000. This competition is open to qualified under-graduate and post-graduate students, faculty, and others involved in academic pursuits that are in accord with the goal of the English Speaking Union of promoting education and understanding among the English speaking peoples of the world. The grant is designed to assist worthy individuals who are active in the fields of Business, the Humanities, Science and Engineering, Liberal, Fine or Applied Arts and who wish to study or conduct research either in the United States or in one of the countries of the British Commonwealth.