OARS funding Computer

Physics at the Information Frontier (PIF) includes support for data-enabled science, community research networks, and new computational infrastructure, as well as for next-generation computing. It focuses on cyber-infrastructure for the disciplines supported by the Physics Division while encouraging broader impacts on other disciplines. Disciplines within the purview of the Physics Division include: atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, particle astrophysics, gravitational and biological physics. Proposals with intellectual focus in areas supported by other NSF Divisions should be submitted to those divisions directly. Proposals that cross Divisional lines are welcome, but the Physics Division encourages PIs to request a co-review by naming other divisional programs on the cover sheet. This facilitates the co-review and participation of other programs in the review process. PIF provides support for physics proposals in three subareas: 1) computational physics, 2) data enabled physics, and 3) quantum information science and revolutionary computing. Computational physics emphasizes methods for high-performance computing that require significant code development, are led by physicists, and may include applied mathematicians and computer scientists. Priority will be given to proposals that, in addition to compelling scientific goals, have a computational advance or new enabling capability. Proposals should include either innovation in computing such as algorithm development and efficient use of novel architectures or provide significant improvement to community codes.Data enabled physics seeks proposals to develop tools and infrastructure that provide rapid, secure, and efficient access to physics data stores via heterogeneous or distributed computing resources and networks.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) solicits applications to develop highly innovative computational approaches for interpreting sequence variants in the non-protein-coding regions of the human genome. The goal is to develop methods that analyze whole-genome sequence data by integrating data sets, such as ones on genome function, phenotypes, patterns of variation, and other features, to identify or substantially narrow the set of variants that are candidates for affecting organismal function leading to disease risk or other traits. The accuracy of the computational approaches developed should be assessed using experimental data.

Cyberspace has transformed the daily lives of people for the better. The rush to adopt cyberspace, however, has exposed its fragility and vulnerabilities: corporations, agencies, national infrastructure and individuals have been victims of cyber-attacks. In December 2011, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) with the cooperation of NSF issued a broad, coordinated federal strategic plan for cybersecurity research and development to "change the game," minimize the misuses of cyber technology, bolster education and training in cybersecurity, establish a science of cybersecurity, and transition promising cybersecurity research into practice. This challenge requires a dedicated approach to research, development, and education that leverages the disciplines of mathematics and statistics, the social sciences, and engineering together with the computing, communications and information sciences.The Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program welcomes proposals that address Cybersecurity from a Trustworthy Computing Systems (TWC) perspective and/or a Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) perspective (see "Perspectives"). In addition, we welcome proposals that integrate research addressing both of these perspectives as well as proposals focusing entirely on Cybersecurity Education

CISE's Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) supports research and education projects that develop new knowledge in three core programs: The Algorithmic Foundations (AF) program; The Communications and Information Foundations (CIF) program; and The Software and Hardware Foundations (SHF) program. Proposers are invited to submit proposals in three project classes, which are defined as follows: Small Projects - up to $500,000 total budget with durations up to three years; Medium Projects - $500,001 to $1,200,000 total budget with durations up to four years; and Large Projects - $1,200,001 to $3,000,000 total budget with durations up to five years.

The goal of this activity is to foster novel, transformative, multidisciplinary approaches that address the use of large data sets to create actionable knowledge for improving STEM teaching and learning environments (formal and informal) in the medium term, and to revolutionize learning in the longer term. These approaches will involve the work of learning scientists, STEM disciplinary experts, computer scientists, statisticians, database experts and educational researchers who design and study learning environments.

The Office of Science of the Department of Energy hereby invites grant applications for support under the Early Career Research Program in the following program areas: Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR); Biological and Environmental Research (BER); Basic Energy Sciences (BES), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); High Energy Physics (HEP), and Nuclear Physics (NP). The purpose of this program is to support the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and to stimulate research careers in the areas supported by the DOE Office of Science.

The DoD strives for superiority in a complex operational environment composed of heterogeneous and ever-evolving pieces such as sensors and processing hardware, software, and wired and wireless communications infrastructure. To achieve superiority in this dynamic environment, the DoD invests in fully networked and maximally-capable sensors and platforms at the cutting edge of performance. Software has emerged as a key enabler of capability and flexibility in DoD systems. Software is essential to providing a vast range of military capabilities by playing a fundamental role [1] that deepens, broadens, links, and integrates diverse system elements. A pervasive DoD challenge is the production of software that provides the Warfighter superior and affordable military capability in an environment where hardware and sensor technology is rapidly advancing and systems' performance demands are ever-increasing. The Government Accountability Office has identified the increasing scope of software development as a contributing factor to poor acquisition program outcome [2]. OASD(R&E) has identified the need for advanced software engineering technology to enhance the producibility of software in this environment with the goal of speeding the delivery of affordable capability to the Warfighter and sustaining it.

Northrop Grumman is interested in collaborating with academics that have innovative generic agent-based symbiotic simulation systems that support coupling between the simulation system and physical system. Any submission must clearly answer the following questions: What new data should be absorbed, when and how? When should attention be focused on a particular data source for absorption into the simulation? When should newly observed values (that are outside of the normal range) replace predicted ones in the same context and when should there be some revision of the model on which the simulation is based? Affordable systems are highly desirable.In either case, smaller less expensive systems are highly desirable.

Scientific advances such as genomics, quantitative structural biology, imaging techniques, and modeling of complex systems have created opportunities for exciting research careers at the interface between the physical/computational sciences and the biological sciences. Tackling key problems in biology will require scientists trained in areas such as chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, computer science, and engineering. Recognizing the vital role such cross-trained scientists will play in furthering biomedical science, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund has developed the Career Awards at the Scientific Interface. These grants are intended to foster the early career development of researchers who have transitioned or are transitioning from undergraduate and/or graduate work in the physical/mathematical/computational sciences or engineering into postdoctoral work in the biological sciences, and who are dedicated to pursuing a career in academic research. Candidates are expected to draw from their training in a scientific field other than biology to propose innovative approaches to answer important questions in the biological sciences.

The CISE Research Infrastructure (CRI) program drives discovery and learning in the core CISE disciplines of the three participating CISE divisions by supporting the creation and enhancement of world-class computing research infrastructure. This infrastructure will enable CISE researchers to advance the frontiers of CISE research. Further, through the CRI program CISE seeks to ensure that individuals from a diverse range of academic institutions, including minority-serving and predominantly undergraduate institutions, have access to such infrastructure. The CRI program supports two classes of awards: Institutional Infrastructure (II) awards support the creation of new (II-New) CISE research infrastructure or the enhancement (II-EN) of existing CISE research infrastructure to enable world-class CISE research opportunities at the awardee and collaborating institutions. Community Infrastructure (CI) awards support the planning (CI-P) for new CISE community research infrastructure, the creation of new (CI-New) CISE research infrastructure or the enhancement (CI-EN) of existing CISE infrastructure to enable world-class CISE research opportunities for broad-based communities of CISE researchers that extend well beyond the awardee institutions. Each CI award may support the operation of such infrastructure, ensuring that the awardee institution(s) is (are) well-positioned to provide a high quality of service to CISE community researchers expected to use the infrastructure to realize their research goals.

Accurate and accessible records are needed to maintain accurate health histories for children, identify those who need to be immunized, and those who have missed immunizations or are off schedule. When the record is unclear, inaccessible or unused, it's harder to reach children with life-saving vaccines. The foundation will recognize the top entries - selected by a panel including Melinda Gates (co-chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), Robert Fabricant (Vice President, Frog Design), Dr. Margaret Chan (Director General, World Health Organization), Tony Lake (Executive Director, UNICEF), and Dr. Walt Orenstein (Professor of Medicine, Emory University) - with awards of up to $50,000.  Top designs may be piloted in as many as ten countries by 2018. We are looking for innovative ideas that will: improve the child health record; strengthen information systems; and empower health workers and families to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases and ultimately save lives.

This Dear Colleague Letter is to alert all basic science and engineering communities, including education researchers, to the Foundation's interest in receiving proposals that, while investigating fundamental questions, seek to pose and test hypotheses that could inform research in forensic sciences. The interest spans both disciplinary and interdisciplinary research. Additionally, the wide public interest in forensics can provide an effective vehicle for basic research in science education. International partnerships, where appropriate, are encouraged, as are synergistic interactions with forensics and/or law enforcement agencies and organizations. Proposals for workshops to explore fundamental science drivers and their relevance to forensics are also welcome. 

Advanced computational infrastructure and the ability to perform large-scale simulations and accumulate massive amounts of data have revolutionized scientific and engineering disciplines.  The goal of the CDS&E program is to identify and capitalize on opportunities for major scientific and engineering breakthroughs through new computational and data analysis approaches.  The intellectual drivers may be in an individual discipline or they may cut across more than one discipline in various Directorates.  The key identifying factor is that the outcome relies on the development, adaptation, and utilization of one or more of the capabilities offered by advancement of both research and infrastructure in computation and data, either through cross-cutting or disciplinary programs. 

The Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS) supports research and education activities that invent new computing and networking technologies and that explore new ways to make use of existing technologies. The Division seeks to develop a better understanding of the fundamental properties of computer and network systems and to create better abstractions and tools for designing, building, analyzing, and measuring future systems. The Networking Technology and Systems (NeTS) program supports transformative research on fundamental scientific and technological advances leading to the development of future-generation, high-performance networks and future Internet architectures.

The Chemical Theory, Models and Computational Methods program supports the discovery and development of theoretical and computational methods or models to address a range of chemical challenges, with emphasis on emerging areas of chemical research.  Proposals that focus on established theoretical or computational approaches should involve innovative additions or modifications that substantially broaden their applicability.  Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, electronic structure, quantum reaction dynamics, statistical mechanics, molecular dynamics, and simulation and modeling techniques for molecular systems and systems in condensed phases.  Areas of application span the full range of chemical systems from small molecules to mesoscopic aggregates, including single molecules, biological systems and materials in condensed phases.   Despite the diverse application areas, the goal of the program is to support the development of new theoretical and computational methodologies that have the potential of being broadly applicable to a range of challenging chemical problems. We are particularly interested in fundamental areas of chemical research that are difficult or impossible to address using current synthetic, experimental, and/or computational methodologies.  We encourage the integration of innovative software development with methodological and algorithmic development, especially computational approaches that allow efficient utilization of the high end computers of the future.

Research efforts under this program are expected to result in functional capabilities, concepts, theory, and applications addressing cyber operations problems. Projects specializing in highly novel and interesting applicable concepts will also be considered, if deemed to be of "breakthrough" quality and importance. The effectiveness of the developed technologies for potential operational use will be assessed through testing and evaluation activities. Technologies that can be transitioned for operational use are of high interest. Offerors are encouraged to describe the pre-conditions that are necessary for the proposed techniques to work effectively.

The Directorate for Engineering (ENG) and the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE),  Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering and Computer Science program supports the active involvement of K-12 science, technology, engineering, computer and information science, and mathematics (STEM) teachers and community college faculty in engineering and computer science research in order to bring knowledge of engineering, computer science, and technological innovation into their classrooms. The goal is to help build long-term collaborative partnerships between K-12 STEM teachers, community college faculty, and the NSF university research community by involving the teachers and community college faculty in engineering and computer science research and helping them translate their research experiences and new knowledge into classroom activities.  Partnerships with inner city schools or other high needs schools are especially encouraged, as is participation by underrepresented minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. This announcement features two mechanisms for support of in-service and pre-service K-12 STEM teachers and community college faculty: RET supplements to ongoing ENG or CISE awards and new RET Site awards. RET supplements may be included in proposals for new or renewed NSF Directorate for Engineering (ENG) or CISE grants or as supplements to ongoing NSF ENG or CISE funded projects. RET in Engineering and Computer Science Sites are based on independent proposals from engineering or computer and information science departments, schools or colleges to initiate and conduct research participation projects for a number of K-12 STEM teachers and/or community college faculty.

CISE's Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS) supports research and education projects that develop new knowledge in three core programs: The Cyber-Human Systems (CHS) program; The Information Integration and Informatics (III) program; and The Robust Intelligence (RI) program. IIS is also responsible for managing the review process for proposals in Computer Graphics and Visualization; these proposals may be submitted to any of the three core programs described above. Proposers are invited to submit proposals in three project classes, which are defined as follows: Small Projects - up to $500,000 total budget with durations up to three years; Medium Projects - $500,001 to $1,200,000 total budget with durations up to four years; and Large Projects - $1,200,001 to $3,000,000 total budget with durations up to five years.

The overarching goals of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and the companion announcement (RFA-RM-13-011) are to foster the development of technologies and information management to facilitate the unveiling of the functions of the poorly characterized and/or un-annotated members in four protein classes of the Druggable Genome. This FOA calls for adaptation of an ensemble of scalable technology platforms to characterize functions of proteins as a large group at molecular and cellular levels in medium- to high-throughput fashion, rather than repeating the one at a time approach that might otherwise be undertaken. The objective is to establish transformative scalable technology platforms and streamlined experimental workflows incorporated with multiple robust assay and physiological perturbation protocols for large-scale functional studies of poorly characterized and/or un-annotated proteins encoded by the Druggable Genome.

Some of science's most powerful statements are not made in words. From DaVinci's Vitruvian Man to Rosalind Franklin's X-rays, science visualization has a long and literally illustrious history. To illustrate is to enlighten! Illustrations provide the most immediate and influential connection between scientists and other citizens, and the best hope for nurturing popular interest. They are a necessity for public understanding of research developments. The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the journal Science created the International Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge to celebrate the grand tradition of science visualization and to encourage its continued growth. The spirit of the competition is to communicate science, engineering and technology for education and journalistic purposes. Judges appointed by NSF and Science will select winners in five categories: Photography, Illustration, Posters & Graphics, Games & Apps, and Video. The winning entries will appear in a special section of Science (with one entry chosen for the front cover) and be hosted at ScienceMag.org and NSF.gov. In addition, each winner will receive a one-year online subscription to Science and a certificate of appreciation.