The challenge to the teams competing in Solar Decathlon 2015 is to safely and effectively design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive in less than 24 months. The Department of Energy Solar Decathlon is an educational workforce development program designed to educate university-level students. The Solar Decathlon is also a public outreach demonstration designed to foster greater adoption of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency. 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program stimulates technological innovation in the private sector by strengthening the role of small business concerns in meeting Federal research and development needs, increasing the commercial application of federally supported research results, and fostering and encouraging participation by socially and economically disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses. The topics, listed below, are detailed on the SBIR/STTR topics homepage: Educational Technologies and Applications (EA) Information and Communication Technologies (IC) Semiconductors (S) and Photonic (PH) Devices and Materials Electronic Hardware, Robotics and Wireless Technologies (EW) Advanced Manufacturing and Nanotechnology (MN) Advanced Materials and Instrumentation (MI) Chemical and Environmental Technologies (CT) Biological Technologies (BT) Smart Health (SH) and Biomedical (BM) Technologies

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Type 1 proposals are solicited that provide for full implementation efforts at academic institutions. Type 2 proposals are solicited that support educational research projects on associate or baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM.

The Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems (CCSS) program is intended to spur visionary systems-oriented activities in collaborative, multidisciplinary, and integrative research. CCSS supports systems research in hardware, signal processing techniques, and architectures to enable the next generation of cyber-physical systems (CPS) that leverage computation, communication, and algorithms integrated with physical domains. CCSS offers new challenges at all levels of systems integration to address future societal needs. CCSS supports innovative research and integrated educational activities in micro- and nano-systems, communications systems, and cyber-physical systems. The goal is to design, develop, and implement new complex and hybrid systems at all scales, including nano, micro, and macro, that lead to innovative engineering principles and solutions for a variety of application domains including, but not limited to, healthcare, medicine, environmental monitoring, communications, disaster mitigation, homeland security, transportation, manufacturing, energy, and smart buildings. CCSS also supports integration technologies at both intra-and inter-chip levels, new and advanced radio frequency (RF), millimeter wave and optical wireless and hybrid communications systems architectures, and sensing and imaging at terahertz (THz) frequencies.

The Biomaterials program supports fundamental materials research related to (1) biological materials, (2) biomimetic, bioinspired, and bioenabled materials, (3) synthetic materials intended for applications in contact with biological systems, and (4) the processes through which nature produces biological materials.  Projects are typically interdisciplinary and may encompass scales from the nanoscopic to the bulk.  They may involve characterization, design, preparation, and modification; studies of structure-property relationships and interfacial behavior; and combinations of experiment, theory, and/or simulation.  The emphasis is on novel materials design and development and discovery of new phenomena.

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.

The Information Directorate, Activity Based Analysis Branch of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Rome Research Site, is soliciting white papers through this Multi-INT Enhanced Exploitation and Analysis Tools (E2AT) announcement. E2AT is focused on the improvement of operator-exploited sensor analytical performance for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems like the Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) that operate within a Multiple-Intelligence (Multi-INT) environment. The advances made under E2AT will assist in operating under Anti-Access / Area Denial (A2/AD) conditions where limitations can degrade C4ISR capabilities. Multi-INT solutions are to be accomplished through the development of innovative technologies that will assist warfighting teams in target tracking and identification, dynamic information annotation, and achieving a high-level information fusion all-source situation awareness. E2AT development is comprised of two complimentary technical areas (TAs): (TA1) Full-Motion Video Exploitation (FMVE) which is an exploitation enhancement that has a focus on video and text source integration and (TA2) Multi-INT Data Association (MIDA) that has its emphasis on overcoming anticipated Anti-Access / Area Denial (A2/AD) conditions.

The goal of the Ohio Third Frontier Technology Validation and Start-up Fund (TVSF) is to create greater economic growth in Ohio based on start-up companies that commercialize technologies developed by Ohio institutions of higher education and other Ohio not-for-profit research institutions. The Technology Validation and Start-Up Fund has been designed to: 1. Support protected technologies developed at Ohio research institutions that need known validation/proof that will directly impact and enhance both their commercial viability and ability to support a start-up company, and 2. Support Ohio start-up and Ohio young companies that license these validated/proven technologies from these Ohio research institutions.

The goal of this program is to advance the field of electronics and photonics through basic, potentially transformative materials science research. The scope of the program encompasses the discovery and understanding of materials and material combinations with potential for major technological advantages. Program focus is on identification and understanding of fundamental atomic and molecular level mechanisms and phenomena associated with synthesis and processing of electronic and photonic materials. High risk, high payoff research is encouraged. For example, novel materials are sought that may offer new paradigms in critical computing and communications components, or enable low cost, highly efficient, and stable photovoltaics, solid state lighting, and displays. Research topics include, but are not limited to, nucleation and growth of thin films and nanostructures; self-assembly; nanostructure definition and etching processes; interface bonding and structure; crystal and interface defects; doping; bulk crystal growth; and interrelationships between synthesis/processing, structure, and properties.

NSF and selected foreign counterpart science and technology agencies sponsor international research institutes for U.S. graduate students in seven East Asia and Pacific locations at times set by the counterpart agencies between June and August each year. The Summer Institutes (EAPSI) operate similarly and the research visits to a particular location take place at the same time. Although applicants apply individually to participate in a Summer Institute, awardees become part of the cohort for each location. Applicants must propose a location, host scientist, and research project that is appropriate for the host site and duration of the international visit. An EAPSI award provides U.S. graduate students in science, engineering, and education: 1) first-hand research experiences in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) an orientation to the society, culture, and language. It is expected that EAPSI awards will help students initiate professional relationships to enable future collaboration with foreign counterparts. The NSF award includes participation in the Pre-Departure Orientation, summer stipend of $5,000, and roundtrip airplane ticket to the host location. EAPSI partner agencies pay in-country living expenses during the Summer Institutes.

The Directorates for Engineering (Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental & Transport Systems), Geosciences (Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences) and Mathematical and Physical Sciences (Divisions of Astronomical Sciences and Physics) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office of Science/Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (SC/FES) of the Department of Energy (DOE) are continuing in FY2014 the joint Partnership in Basic Plasma Science and Engineering begun in FY1997 and continued in FY2000, FY2003, FY2006 and FY2009. As stated in the original solicitations (NSF 97-39, NSF 99-159, NSF 02-84, NSF 05-619, NSF 09-596), which are superseded by the present solicitation, the goal of the initiative is to enhance plasma research and education in this broad, multidisciplinary field by coordinating efforts and combining resources of the two agencies. The current solicitation also encourages submission of proposals to perform basic plasma experiments on the Large Aperture Plasma Device (LAPD) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a unique user facility designed to serve the needs of the broader plasma community.

U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy Announcement of Teaming Partner List for Upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement: Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS) The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS) to solicit applications for financial assistance to fund new intermediate temperature fuel cell (ITFC) technologies that efficiently generate stationary power from fossil fuels in the near-term, while simultaneously building a bridge to a zero carbon future. Currently, ARPA-E anticipates that there will be three specific areas of interest indentified in the REBELS FOA as follows: (1) low-cost, efficient, reliable ITFCs for small distributed generation applications, (2) ITFCs that are capable of in-situ charge storage in an electrode to enable battery-like response to transients, and (3) electrochemical devices that produce liquid fuels from methane using excess renewable resources. Fuel cell systems based on existing Department of Energy R&D programs, such as low temperature polymer exchange membrane (LT-PEM) and high temperature solid oxide fuel cells (HT-SOFCs), will not be areas of interest for the anticipated REBELS FOA. 

This Notice is to inform the community that NIH has revised its approach to resuming operations after the government shutdown.

The following programs have due dates that fall between October 1 - 25, 2013, and these dates are being revised due to the Federal  government shutdown. These revised dates apply whether the proposal is being submitted via the NSF FastLane System or  Grants.gov. Due to compressed proposal deadlines resulting from the shutdown, proposers are advised that they may experience a  delay when contacting IT Help Central with technical support questions. Frequently asked questions regarding these date changes  are available on the Resumption of Operations page on the NSF website at: http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/postshutdown.jsp. 

The goal of the National Robotics Initiative is to accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside, or cooperatively with, people. Innovative robotics research and applications emphasizing the realization of such co-robots acting in direct support of and in a symbiotic relationship with human partners is supported by multiple agencies of the federal government including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The purpose of this program is the development of this next generation of robotics, to advance the capability and usability of such systems and artifacts, and to encourage existing and new communities to focus on innovative application areas. It will address the entire life cycle from fundamental research and development to manufacturing and deployment. Methods for the establishment and infusion of robotics in educational curricula and research to gain a better understanding of the long term social, behavioral and economic implications of co-robots across all areas of human activity are important parts of this initiative. Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit and other organizations is strongly encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and technology development, deployment and use.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages applications for developing and testing innovative theories and computational, mathematical, or engineering approaches to deepen our understanding of complex social behavior. This research will examine phenomena at multiple scales to address the emergence of collective behaviors that arise from individual elements or parts of a system working together. Emergence can also describe the functioning of a system within the context of its environment. Often properties we associate with a system itself are in actuality properties of the relationships and interactions between a system and its environment. This FOA will support research that explores the often complex and dynamic relationships among the parts of a system and between the system and its environment in order to understand the system as a whole.

The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience supports innovative research designed to bring science closer to the day when diseases of the brain can be accurately diagnosed, prevented, and treated. To this end, the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience invites letters of intent for the 2014 McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Awards.

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 Biotechnology, Biochemical, and Biomass Engineering (BBBE) program supports fundamental engineering research that advances the understanding of cellular and biomolecular processes (in vivo, in vitro, and/or ex vivo) and eventually leads to the development of enabling technology and/or applications in support of the biopharmaceutical, biotechnology, and bioenergy industries, or with applications in health or the environment.  Quantitative assessments of bioprocesses are considered vital to successful research projects in the BBBE program.  Fundamental to many research projects in this area is the understanding of how biomolecules and cells interact in their environment, and how those molecular level interactions lead to changes in structure, function, phenotype, and/or behavior.  The program encourages proposals that address emerging research areas and technologies that effectively integrate knowledge and practices from different disciplines, and effectively incorporate ongoing research into educational activities. Research projects of particular interest in BBBE include, but are not limited to: Metabolic engineering and synthetic biology Quantitative systems biotechnology Tissue engineering and stem cell culture technologies Protein engineering/protein design Development of novel "omics" tools for biotechnology applications

The mission of the Biomedical Engineering (BME) program is to provide opportunities to develop novel ideas into discovery-level and transformative projects that integrate engineering and life science principles in solving biomedical problems that serve humanity in the long-term.  The Biomedical Engineering (BME) program supports fundamental research in the following BME themes: Neural engineering (brain science, computational neuroscience, brain-computer interface, neurotech, cognitive engineering) Cellular biomechanics (motion, deformation, and forces in biological systems; how mechanical forces alter cell growth, differentiation, movement, signal transduction, transport, cell adhesion, cell cytoskeleton dynamics, cell-cell and cell-ECM interactions; genetically engineered stem cell differentiation with long-term impact in tissue repair and regenerative medicine) The BME projects must be at the interface of engineering and life sciences, and advance both engineering and life sciences.  The projects should focus on high impact transforming methods and technologies. The project should include methods, models and tools of understanding and controlling of living systems; fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; new approaches to the design of structures and materials for eventual medical use in the long-term; and new novel methods of reducing health care costs through new technologies.