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On installation of an electric utility pole with a transformer, a grounding electrode must be installed to meet the grounding criteria for safety reasons. In low-earth-resistance ground, e.g. clay, loam or sandy soil ground, a ground electrode can be installed with a simple driving method at low cost. In high-earth-resistance ground, e.g. gravel, cobble, or rock ground, however, special boring methods are required to drill to a depth from 4 m to 120 m to secure the earth resistance criteria. These methods are large-scale and expensive.

The Engineering Design and Systems Engineering (EDSE) program supports fundamental research into the basic processes and phenomena of engineering design and systems engineering. The program seeks proposals leading to improved understanding about how processes, organizational structure, social interactions, strategic decision making, and other factors impact success in the planning and execution of engineering design and systems engineering projects. It also supports advances pertaining to engineering design and systems engineering in areas that include, but are not limited to, decision making under uncertainty, including preference and demand modeling; problem decomposition and decision delegation; applications of reverse game theory (mechanism design); computer-aided design; design representation; system performance modeling and prediction; design optimization; uncertainty quantification; domain- or concern-specific design methods; and advanced computational techniques for supporting effective human cognition, decision making, and collaboration. Competitive proposals for novel methods will include a plan to evaluate rigorously the effectiveness and performance of the proposed approach. The EDSE program encourages multidisciplinary collaborations of experts in design and systems engineering with experts in other domains. Of particular interest is research on the design of engineering material systems that leverages the unique aspects of a particular material system to realize advanced design methods that are driven by performance metrics and incorporate processing/manufacturing considerations.

There is a lack of compendial or biorelevant in vitro drug release assays for parenteral sustained release dosage forms.  These products include microspheres and biodegradable/non-biodegradable implants.  The purpose of this study is to investigate dissolution methods for a parenteral sustained release dosage form and to analyze their capability of detecting manufacturing differences, predicting in vivo performance, and evaluate method robustness.  The results from this study will help the FDA in developing recommendations to determine bioequivalence of generic parenteral sustained release drug products.  

There is a lack of compendial or biorelevant in vitro drug release assays for topically applied semisolid ocular dosage forms.  These products include ointments, gels, and gel-forming solutions.  The purpose of this study is to investigate dissolution methods for a semisolid ocular dosage form and to analyze their capability of detecting manufacturing differences, predicting in vivo performance, and evaluate method robustness.  The results from this study will help the FDA in developing recommendations to determine bioequivalence of generic ocular semisolid drug products.  

Ninesigma's client is a global supplier of high performance materials for a variety of high temperature applications. The ability to functionalise graphite flakes (plus powder and expanded graphite conformations) is important to improve the variety of product formulations currently available. The high hydrophobic nature of graphite materials causes issues in using certain green functional methods. The current methodology involves using different acids which are hazardous and only yields 7-8% of Oxygen or metals on the graphite flakes. Any proposed solutions must be able to provide variable yield functionalisation of hydroxyl and acid groups with the potential to expand to other functional groups listed. The client is open to all solutions from academia and from industry, as long as a clear understanding of the method and requirements for up-scaling are detailed.

The Formal Methods in the Field (FMitF) program aims to bring together researchers in formal methods with researchers in other areas of computer and information science and engineering to jointly develop rigorous and reproducible methodologies for designing and implementing correct-by-construction systems and applications with provable guarantees. FMitF encourages close collaboration between two groups of researchers.

The Engineering and Systems Design (ESD) program supports research leading to design theory and to tools and methods that enable implementation of the principles of design theory in the practice of design across the full spectrum of engineered products and systems. The program focus is on gaining an understanding of the basic processes and phenomena underlying a holistic, life-cycle view of design where the total system life-cycle context recognizes the need for advanced understanding of the identification and definition of preferences, analysis of alternatives, effective accommodation of uncertainty in decision-making, and the relationship between data and knowledge in a digitally-supported process and environment. The program funds advances in basic design theory, tools, and software to implement design theory and new design methods that span multiple domains, such as design for the environment, for manufacturability, and for systems. 28 28

STS considers proposals for scientific research into the interface between science (including engineering) or technology, and society. STS researchers use diverse methods including social science, historical, and philosophical methods. Successful proposals will be transferrable (i.e., generate results that provide insights for other scientific contexts that are suitably similar). They will produce outcomes that address pertinent problems and issues at the interface of science, technology and society, such as those having to do with practices and assumptions, ethics, values, governance, and policy.

The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) DEBUT Challenge is open to teams of undergraduate students working on projects that develop innovative solutions to unmet health and clinical problems. Entries are solicited in one of the following categories: *   Diagnostic Devices/Methods *   Therapeutic Devices/Methods *   Technology to Aid Underserved Populations and Individuals with Disabilities NIBIB's mission is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies.  The goals of the challenge are 1) to provide undergraduate students valuable experiences such as working in teams, identifying unmet clinical needs, and designing, building and debugging solutions for such open-ended problems; 2) to generate novel, innovative tools to improve healthcare, consistent with NIBIB's purpose to support research, training, the dissemination of health information, and other programs with respect to biomedical imaging and engineering and associated technologies and modalities with biomedical applications; and 3) to highlight and acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments of undergraduate students.

This Biological and Environmental Research/Advanced Scientific Computing Research (BERASCR) Scientific Discovery Thru Advanced Computing (SciDAC) Partnership FOA will enable scientists to conduct complex scientific and engineering computations at a level of fidelity needed to simulate real-world climate conditions, by supporting deep, necessary, and productive collaborations between climate scientists on the one hand and applied mathematicians and computer scientists on the other, that overcome the barriers between these disciplines and consequently fully exploit the capabilities of Department of Energy (DOE) High Performance Computing (HPC) systems in order to accelerate advances in climate science. This SciDAC opportunity targets three particular topics of high-priority for DOE climate research that are expected to be transformed by effective climate-computational partnerships: the development of new and innovative methods to predict sea-level change; the development of a theoretical statistical-numerical framework to improve climate prediction; and the development of improved methods for model component coupling. The next-generation climate model capabilities will contribute to the newly launched Accelerated Climate Model for Energy (ACME) and further its progress toward design of climate codes for leadership class computers and in support of energy science and mission requirements.

The Centers of Excellence in Genomic Science (CEGS) program establishes academic Centers for advanced genome research.  Each CEGS grant supports a multi-investigator, interdisciplinary team to develop innovative genomic approaches to address a particular biomedical problem.  A CEGS project will address a critical issue in genomic science or genomic medicine, proposing a solution that would be a very substantial advance.  Thus, the research conducted at these Centers will entail substantial risk, balanced by outstanding scientific and management plans and very high potential payoff.  A CEGS will focus on the development of novel technological or computational methods for the production or analysis of comprehensive data sets, or on a particular genome-scale biomedical problem, or on other ways to develop and use genomic approaches for understanding biological systems and/or significantly furthering the application of genomic knowledge, data and methods towards clinical applications.  Exploiting its outstanding scientific plan and team, each CEGS will nurture genomic science at its institution by facilitating the interaction of investigators from different disciplines, and by providing training to new and experienced investigators, it will expand the pool of highly-qualified professional genomics scientists and engineers.

The Nano-Biosensing program is part of the Engineering Biology and Health cluster, which includes also 1) Cellular and Biochemical Engineering; 2) Engineering of Biomedical Systems; 3) Biophotonics; and 4) Disability and Rehabilitation Engineering. The Nano-Biosensing program supports fundamental engineering research on devices and methods for measurement and quantification of biological analytes. Proposals that incorporate emerging nanotechnology methods are especially encouraged. Areas of interest include: -Multi-purpose sensor platforms that exceed the performance of current state-of-the-art devices. -Novel transduction principles, mechanisms and sensor designs suitable for measurement in practical matrix and sample-preparation-free approaches. These include error-free detection of pathogens and toxins in food matrices, waterborne pathogens, parasites, toxins, biomarkers in body fluids, and others that improve human condition. -Nano-biosensors that enable measurement of biomolecular interactions in their native states, transmembrane transport, intracellular transport and reactions, and other biological phenomena. -Studies that examine intracellular measurements must include discussion on the significance of the measurement. 

Biophotonics applies photonics technology to the fields of medicine, biology and biotechnology.  Basic research and innovation in photonics that is very fundamental in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation 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 goals. Examples of topics are: Macromolecule Markers - Innovative methods for labeling of macromolecules, new compositions of matter/methods of fabrication of multi-color probes such as might be used for marking and detection of specific pathological cells and push 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, and 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 Micro- and Nano-photonic - Development and application of nanoparticle fluorescent quantum-dots; sensitive, multiplexed, high-throughput characterization of macromolecular properties of cells; nanomaterials and nanodevices for biomedicine Optogenetics - Employing light-activated channels and enzymes for manipulation of neural activity with temporal precision. 

The purpose of this FOA is to competitively solicit and award R&D projects that will meet the following Objectives: (1) advancing Intelligent Monitoring Systems (IMS) for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing CO2 injection operations. The implementation of a CCS-specific IMS should result in more efficient use of pore space, but also reduce the potential risk and provide mitigation options in real-time for Carbon Storage. And (2) advance diagnostic tools and methods capable of characterizing borehole leakage pathways or fluid flow in existing wells, and advance next-generation materials and methods for mitigating wellbore leakage.

The Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) supports quantitative, predictive, and theory-driven fundamental research and related activities designed to promote understanding of complex living systems at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular levels. MCB is soliciting proposals for hypothesis-driven and discovery research and related activities in four core clusters: Molecular Biophysics Cellular Dynamics and Function Genetic Mechanisms Systems and Synthetic Biology MCB gives high priority to research projects that use theory, methods, and technologies from physical sciences, mathematics, computational sciences, and engineering to address major biological questions.  Research supported by MCB uses a range of experimental approaches--including in vivo, in vitro and in silico strategies--and a broad spectrum of model and non-model organisms, especially microbes and plants. Typical research supported by MCB integrates theory and experimentation.  Projects that address the emerging areas of multi-scale integration, molecular and cellular evolution, quantitative prediction of phenome from genomic information, and development of methods and resources are particularly welcome.

Biophotonics applies photonics technology to the fields of medicine, biology and biotechnology.  Basic research and innovation in photonics that is very fundamental in science and engineering is needed to lay the foundation 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 goals. Examples of topics are: Macromolecule Markers - Innovative methods for labeling of macromolecules, new compositions of matter/methods of fabrication of multi-color probes such as might be used for marking and detection of specific pathological cells and push 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, and 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 Micro- and Nano-photonic - Development and application of nanoparticle fluorescent quantum-dots; sensitive, multiplexed, high-throughput characterization of macromolecular properties of cells; nanomaterials and nanodevices for biomedicine Optogenetics - Employing light-activated channels and enzymes for manipulation of neural activity with temporal precision. 

The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: Research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, and other methods to improve crop characteristics; Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators; Efforts to improve production efficiency, handling and processing, productivity, and profitability over the long term (including specialty crop policy and marketing); new innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening; and methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production efficiency, handling and processing of specialty crops.

The GO Competition is a series of prize challenges to accelerate the development and comprehensive evaluation of grid software solutions. The first GO Competition, Challenge 1, is an algorithm competition focused on the security-constrained optimal power flow (SCOPF) problem for the electric power sector. Awardees under this FOA will be required to participate in Challenge 1. As described in detail in Appendix A1 to this FOA and on the GO Competition website (https://gocompetition.energy.gov/), Challenge 1 is anticipated to launch in the Fall of 2018. Participation in the GO Competition Challenge 1 will be open to anyone that satisfies the applicable requirements in Rules Document specified on the GO Competition website (https://gocompetition.energy.gov/competition-rules), not just those awarded under ARPA-E DE-FOA-0001952. The purpose of this FOA is to provide grants: (i) to further incentivize and identify innovative research for solution methods applicable to Challenge 1, and (ii) to enable broader diversity in team domain expertise, i.e., to encourage teams to participate that do not traditionally focus on the particular problems that are targeted but otherwise have innovative approaches for this class of mathematical programs. While Challenge 1 focuses on a power systems problem, the Challenge and this FOA target a much broader audience (e.g., those specialized in operations research, applied mathematics, optimization methods and algorithms, controls etc.). Existing grid software was designed for a power grid centered on conventional generation and transmission technologies.

This program seeks to prepare, nurture, and grow the national scientific research workforce for creating, utilizing, and supporting advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI) to enable and potentially transform fundamental science and engineering research and contribute to the Nation's overall economic competitiveness and security. The goals of this solicitation are to (i) ensure broad adoption of CI tools, methods, and resources by the research community in order to catalyze major research advances and to enhance researchers' abilities to lead the development of new CI; and (ii) integrate core literacy and discipline-appropriate advanced skills in advanced CI as well as computational and data-driven science and engineering into the Nation's educational curriculum/instructional material fabric spanning undergraduate and graduate courses for advancing fundamental research. Pilot and Implementation projects may target one or both of the solicitation goals, while Large-scale Project Conceptualization projects must address both goals. For the purpose of this solicitation, advanced CI is broadly defined as the set of resources, tools, methods, and services for advanced computation, large-scale data handling and analytics, and networking and security for large-scale systems that collectively enable potentially transformative fundamental research.

NineSigma, representing a major building materials manufacturer, invites proposals for methods, materials, or novel approaches to re-inventing weather protection for residential buildings. The weather barrier may be directly exposed or behind a decorative façade, and should be able to withstand thermal, moisture, and UV environments for at least 10 years. Solutions that do not need a decorative façade, that provide lower installed/labor cost versus current solutions, or are cradle-to-cradle approaches are strongly preferred. Solutions that impact vapor barrier, roofing, or sheathing applications are also strongly preferred. The partner is open to a wide range of potential solutions (e.g., replacement with alternative substances, new material architectures, novel processing methods) that can achieve this objective.