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The goal of the National Robotics Initiative (NRI) is to support fundamental research that will accelerate the development and use of robots in the United States that work beside or cooperatively with people. The original NRI program focused on innovative robotics research that emphasized the realization of collaborative robots (co-robots) working in symbiotic relationships with human partners. The NRI-2.0 program significantly extends this theme to focus on issues of scalability: how teams of multiple robots and multiple humans can interact and collaborate effectively; how robots can be designed to facilitate achievement of a variety of tasks in a variety of environments, with minimal modification to the hardware and software; how robots can learn to perform more effectively and efficiently, using large pools of information from the cloud, other robots, and other people; and how the design of the robots' hardware and software can facilitate large-scale, reliable operation. In addition, the program supports innovative approaches to establish and infuse robotics into educational curricula, advance the robotics workforce through education pathways, and explore the social, behavioral, and economic implications of our future with ubiquitous collaborative robots. Collaboration between academic, industry, non-profit, and other organizations is encouraged to establish better linkages between fundamental science and engineering and technology development, deployment and use. Well-justified international collaborations that add significant value to the proposed research and education activities will also be considered.

Join us for a groundbreaking multi-day event including a series of technical talks, interactive sessions, and site visits that highlight new approaches to developing enabling technologies for aerospace applications. Speakers will include experts, innovators, and disruptive thinkers from academia, industry and government.

The Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program seeks to improve the fundamental understanding of devices and components based on the principles of micro- and nano-electronics, optics and photonics, optoelectronics, magnetics, electromechanics, electromagnetics, and related physical phenomena. The Electronics & Magnetic Devices component of EPMD enables discovery and innovation advancing the frontiers of nanoelectronics, spin electronics, molecular and organic electronics, bioelectronics, biomagnetics, non-silicon electronics, and flexible electronics. It also addresses advances in energy-efficient electronics, sensors, low-noise, power electronics, and mixed signal devices. The Optic & Photonic Devices component of EPMD supports research and engineering efforts leading to significant advances in novel optical sources and photodetectors, optical communication devices, photonic integrated circuits, single-photon quantum devices, and nanophotonics. It also addresses novel optical imaging and sensing applications and solar cell photovoltaics.

The Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program seeks to improve the fundamental understanding of devices and components based on the principles of micro- and nano-electronics, optics and photonics, optoelectronics, magnetics, electromechanics, electromagnetics, and related physical phenomena. The Electronics & Magnetic Devices component of EPMD enables discovery and innovation advancing the frontiers of nanoelectronics, spin electronics, molecular and organic electronics, bioelectronics, biomagnetics, non-silicon electronics, and flexible electronics. It also addresses advances in energy-efficient electronics, sensors, low-noise, power electronics, and mixed signal devices. The Optic & Photonic Devices component of EPMD supports research and engineering efforts leading to significant advances in novel optical sources and photodetectors, optical communication devices, photonic integrated circuits, single-photon quantum devices, and nanophotonics. It also addresses novel optical imaging and sensing applications and solar cell photovoltaics.

I-Corps@Ohio is a statewide program to assist faculty and graduate students from Ohio universities and colleges to validate the market potential of their technologies and validate and launch startup companies. I-Corps@Ohio is modeled after the National Science Foundation's (NSF) successful I-Corps program, which is proven to increase innovation, entrepreneurship, and industry collaboration. The I-Corps@Ohio program is an initiative of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

The High Priority (HP) Grant Program is a discretionary (i.e., competitive) program which provides financial assistance to: 1)advance the technological capability and promote HP Innovative Technology Deployment (HP-ITD) to include the deployment of intelligent transportation system (i.e., formerly CVISN) applications for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operations, including CMVs, commercial drivers, and carrier-specific information systems/networks; to support/maintain CMV information systems/networks; to link Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) information systems with State CMV information systems; to improve the safety and productivity of CMVs and commercial drivers; to reduce costs associated with CMV operations and Federal and State CMV regulatory requirements; and/or 2)carry out HP-CMV Safety activities and projects that augment motor carrier safety activities and projects planned in accordance with the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) including projects related to Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) and Safety Data Quality (SaDIP).

The Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) program of the NSF Directorate for Engineering (ENG) serves a critical role in helping ENG focus on important emerging areas in a timely manner. This solicitation is a funding opportunity for interdisciplinary teams of researchers to embark on rapidly advancing frontiers of fundamental engineering research. For this solicitation, we will consider proposals that aim to investigate emerging frontiers in the following two research areas: -Advancing Communication Quantum Information Research in Engineering (ACQUIRE) -New Light, EM (Electronic) and Acoustic Wave Propagation: Breaking Reciprocity and Time-Reversal Symmetry (NewLAW)

The goal of this collaborative effort between the Department of Defense and the industrial participants is to substantially increase the performance, efficiency, and capabilities of broad classes of electronics systems for both commercial and military applications. These research and development efforts should benefit both the military and industrial sectors by providing the Department of Defense with an unmatched technological edge in advanced radar, communications, and weapons systems, and provide the U.S. economy with unique information technology and processing capabilities critical to commercial competitiveness and future economic growth.

The SD2 program aims to develop data-driven methods to accelerate scientific discovery and robust design in domains that lack complete models. Engineers regularly use high-fidelity simulations to create robust designs in complex domains such as aeronautics, automobiles, and integrated circuits. In contrast, robust design remains elusive in domains such as synthetic biology, neuro-computation, cyber, and polymer chemistry due to the lack of high-fidelity models. SD2 will develop tools to enable robust design despite the lack of complete scientific models.

The purpose of NIDILRR's DRRPs, which are funded through the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act by developing methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies that advance a wide range of independent living, employment, and health outcomes for individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most significant disabilities.

Air Force Research Laboratory, Aerospace Systems Directorate, AFRL/RQ, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, is soliciting technical and cost proposals for research in the areas of next generation aircraft thermal, power, and controls (NGT-PAC). NGT-PAC will conduct applied research to increase knowledge and understanding of future thermal, power and controls requirements while advancing technology development in an effort to prove technological feasibility and assess operability and producibility of thermal, power, and controls components and architectures through proof of principal demonstrations. Affordability will be enhanced through use of existing airframe and engine designs as testbeds. Research will be organized in two primary focus areas: 1) Engine 2) Airframe. Offerors shall propose to one of the Basic Contract SOOs (either engine or airframe) and the associated (engine or airframe) Task Order 0001 SOO. The offeror must specify in their proposal which Basic Contract SOO their Statement of Work (SOW) is based upon (engine or airframe). Offerors proposing to both the engine and airframe SOOs shall prepare a separate SOW and proposal for the engine SOO and the airframe SOO.

The Mind, Machine and Motor Nexus (M3X) program supports fundamental research at the intersection of mind, machine and motor. A distinguishing characteristic of the program is an integrated treatment of human intent, perception, and behavior in interaction with embodied and intelligent engineered systems and as mediated by motor manipulation. M3X projects should advance the holistic analysis of cognition and of embodiment as present in both human and machine elements. This work will encompass not only how mind interacts with motor function in the manipulation of machines, but also how, in turn, machine response and function may shape and influence both mind and motor function.

The goal of the Particulate and Multiphase Processes (PMP) program is to support fundamental research on physico-chemical phenomena that govern particulate and multiphase systems, including flow of suspensions, drops and bubbles, granular and granular-fluid flows, behavior of micro- and nanostructured fluids, and self-assembly/directed-assembly processes that involve particulates. The program encourages transformative research to improve our basic understanding of particulate and multiphase processes with emphasis on research that demonstrates how particle-scale phenomena affect the behavior and dynamics of larger-scale systems. Although proposed research should focus on fundamentals, a clear vision is required that anticipates how results could benefit important applications in advanced manufacturing, energy harvesting, transport in biological systems, biotechnology, or environmental sustainability. Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals are encouraged, especially those that involve a combination of experiment with theory or modeling.

The Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) program supports engineering research projects that lay the foundation for new discoveries in thermal transport phenomena. These projects should either develop new fundamental knowledge or combine existing knowledge in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat and mass transfer to probe new areas of innovation. The program seeks transformative projects with the potential for improving our basic understanding, predictability and application of thermal transport processes. Projects should articulate the contribution(s) to the fundamental knowledge supporting thermal transport processes and state clearly the potential application(s) impact when appropriate. Projects that combine analytical, experimental and numerical efforts, geared toward understanding, modeling and predicting thermal phenomena, are of great interest. Collaborative and interdisciplinary proposals for which the main contribution is in thermal transport processes fundamentals are also encouraged.

In 2013, a new NSF-funded petascale computing system, Blue Waters, was deployed at the University of Illinois.  The goal of this project and system is to open up new possibilities in science and engineering by providing computational capability that makes it possible for investigators to tackle much larger and more complex research challenges across a wide spectrum of domains.  The purpose of this solicitation is to invite research groups to submit requests for allocations of resources on the Blue Waters system. Proposers must show a compelling science or engineering challenge that will require petascale computing resources. Proposers must also be prepared to demonstrate that they have a science or engineering research problem that requires and can effectively exploit the petascale computing  capabilities offered by Blue Waters.  Proposals from or including junior researchers are encouraged, as one of the goals of this solicitation is to build a community capable of using petascale computing.

The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, established in 2010, recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in their contribution to public engagement with science activities. A monetary prize of $5,000, a commemorative plaque, complimentary registration to the AAAS Annual Meeting, and reimbursement for reasonable hotel and travel expenses to attend the AAAS Annual Meeting to receive the prize are given to the recipient.

The Naval Research Laboratory is interested in receiving innovative proposals that offer potential for advancement and improvement in the technical topic areas listed. 

The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, established in 2010, recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in their contribution to public engagement with science activities. A monetary prize of $5,000, a commemorative plaque, complimentary registration to the AAAS Annual Meeting, and reimbursement for reasonable hotel and travel expenses to attend the AAAS Annual Meeting to receive the prize are given to the recipient. Nominee must be an early-career scientist or engineer in academia, government or industry actively conducting research in any scientific discipline (including social sciences and medicine).  "Early career" is defined as an individual who has been in his/her current field for less than seven years and pre-tenure or job equivalent. Post-doctoral students are eligible for this award. Nominee will have demonstrated excellence in his/her contribution to public engagement with science activities, with a focus on interactive dialogue between the individual and a non-scientific, public audience(s). Types of public engagement activities might include: informal science education, public outreach, public policy, and/or science communication activities, such as mass media, public dialogue, radio, TV and film, science café, science exhibit, science fair, and social and online media.

The MURI program supports basic research in science and engineering at U.S. institutions of higher education that is of potential interest to DoD. The program is focused on multidisciplinary research efforts where more than one traditional discipline interacts to provide rapid advances in scientific areas of interest to the DoD. As defined by the DoD, "basic research is systematic study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the fundamental aspects of phenomena and of observable facts without specific applications towards processes or products in mind. It includes all scientific study and experimentation directed toward increasing fundamental knowledge and understanding in those fields of the physical, engineering, environmental, and life sciences related to long-term national security needs. It is farsighted high payoff research that provides the basis for technological progress." (DoD 7000.14.R, vol. 2B, chap.5). DoD's basic research program invests broadly in many specific fields to ensure that it has early cognizance of new scientific knowledge. 

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. 

Recognizing disciplinary differences and priorities, NSF's investment in research and development in undergraduate STEM education encompasses a range of approaches. These approaches include: experiential learning, assessment/metrics of learning and practice, scholarships, foundational education research, professional development/institutional change, formal and informal learning environments, and undergraduate disciplinary research. Both individually and integrated in a range of combinations, these approaches can lead to outcomes including: developing the STEM and STEM-related workforce, advancing science, broadening participation in STEM, educating a STEM-literate populace, improving K-12 STEM education, encouraging life-long learning, and building capacity in higher education.