Understanding the dynamic activity of neural circuits is central to the NIH BRAIN Initiative. This FOA seeks applications for proof-of-concept testing and development of new technologies and novel approaches for largescale recording and manipulation of neural activity to enable transformative understanding of dynamic signaling in the nervous system. In particular, we seek exceptionally creative approaches to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity, at or near cellular resolution, at multiple spatial and/or temporal scales, in any region and throughout the entire depth of the brain. It is expected that the proposed research may be high-risk, but if successful could profoundly change the course of neuroscience research. Proposed technologies should be compatible with experiments in behaving animals, and should include advancements that enable or reduce major barriers to hypothesis-driven experiments. Technologies may engage diverse types of signaling beyond neuronal electrical activity for large-scale analysis, and may utilize any modality such as optical, electrical, magnetic, acoustic or genetic recording/manipulation. Applications that seek to integrate multiple approaches are encouraged. Where appropriate, applications are expected to integrate appropriate domains of expertise, including biological, chemical and physical sciences, engineering, computational modeling and statistical analysis.
The Air Force and the Department of Defense have need for deployable, reconfigurable, multifunctional antennas. They must be versatile, mechanically sound, and have predictable and reproducible properties. Physical reconfigurability is an especially effective means to enable such antennas. A goal is for these antennas to achieve in each configuration properties and performance over time equivalent to those of static, single-function antennas.
Current approaches and capabilities do not allow for multiple-conformation, physically reconfigurable antennas to be realized fully. This research topic seeks novel approaches for physically reconfigurable hardware to complement software approaches to manipulating and adapting on-the-fly Radio Frequency (RF) properties through means of folding, deforming, and electromagnetic tuning. The end products of this approach are to be antennas and possibly other front-end RF components that provide significantly enhanced and adaptable electromagnetic capabilities compared to current devices. Mechanisms of physical reconfigurability can include, but are not limited to, approaches utilizing origami and kirigami designs.
U.S.-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership (USASCP) Water-Smart Exchanges (WiSE) program will pair cities in the ASEAN Smart Cities Network (ASCN), water districts, and utilities with counterparts in the United States to expand the adoption of new technologies and innovative approaches to modernize and improve the management of water resources in order to improve water quality and to strengthen water security, sustainability and resiliency.
Humanity depends upon the Earth's physical resources and natural systems for food, energy, and water (FEW). However, both the physical resources and the FEW systems are under increasing stress. It is becoming imperative that we determine how society can best integrate social, ecological, physical and built environments to provide for growing demand for food, energy and water in the short term while also maintaining appropriate ecosystem services for the future. Known stressors in FEW systems include governance challenges, population growth and migration, land use change, climate variability, and uneven resource distribution.The interconnections and interdependencies associated with the FEW Nexus pose research grand challenges. To meet these grand challenges, there is a critical need for research that enables new means of adapting societal use of FEW systems. The INFEWS program seeks to support research that conceptualizes FEW systems broadly and inclusively, incorporating social and behavioral processes (such as decision making and governance), physical processes (such as built infrastructure and new technologies for more efficient resource utilization), natural processes (such as biogeochemical and hydrologic cycles), biological processes (such as agroecosystem structure and productivity), and cyber-components (such as sensing, networking, computation and visualization for decision-making and assessment).
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites applications that seek to apply one or more innovative methodologies in communication research across the cancer control continuum, from prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, to end of life. Applications to this FOA should utilize one or more of the following analytic approaches, methods, and data sources, including but not limited to social media data mining, Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, online social network analysis, crowdsourcing research tools (e.g., mTurk), online search data, Ecological Momentary Assessment, neuroscience and biobehavioral approaches to communication, and geographic information systems. Studies should assess outcomes related to cancer prevention and control (e.g., knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, perceived risk, decision making in screening and treatment, information inequalities, social support, shared decision making, persuasion, caregiving, behavioral intentions, preventive behaviors, and policy support, among others). Also listed under R21
The major investments made to upgrade the MAST-U and NSTX-U facilities were strongly motivated by an important observation identified in both machines, which showed that energy confinement in spherical tokamaks may scale more favorable than for conventional aspect ratio tokamaks as collisionality is reduced. If the present empirical scalings hold, then STs may provide a much more compact design path to future fusion reactors than conventional tokamaks. At present, the interplay between collisionality, turbulent transport, wall conditioning (e.g., lithium coatings, boronization) and/or density control at low aspect ratio represents the forefront of ST research. The complementary capabilities of the MAST-U and LTX-β facilities allow for this interplay to be explored. Late in the three year period of these proposals FY 2018 - FY2020 the MAST-U facility is slated to utilize strong cryopumping capabilities in its world class advanced divertor to control plasma density and hence collisionality. Alternatively, the neutral beam heated and fueled LTX-β will control density using lithium wall coatings, which dramatically reduces the flux of cold neutral atoms that are recycled back into the plasma after their initial expulsion. In addition to plasma performance, the compact geometry of MAST-U and its future enhanced auxiliary heating power will result in exhaust power reaching plasma facing components that is in excess of that expected in ITER. This coupled with MAST-U's unprecedentedly flexible divertor geometry, makes it a world leading facility for the study of power exhaust and plasma material interactions.
The major investments made to upgrade the MAST-U and NSTX-U facilities were strongly motivated by an important observation identified in both machines, which showed that energy confinement in spherical tokamaks may scale more favorable than for conventional aspect ratio tokamaks as collisionality is reduced. If the present empirical scalings hold, then STs may provide a much more compact design path to future fusion reactors than conventional tokamaks. At present, the interplay between collisionality, turbulent transport, wall conditioning (e.g., lithium coatings, boronization) and/or density control at low aspect ratio represents the forefront of ST research. The complementary capabilities of the MAST-U and LTX-β facilities allow for this interplay to be explored. Late in the three year period of these proposals FY 2018 - FY2020 the MAST-U facility is slated to utilize strong cryopumping capabilities in its world class advanced divertor to control plasma density and hence collisionality. Alternatively, the neutral beam heated and fueled LTX-β will control density using lithium wall coatings, which dramatically reduces the flux of cold neutral atoms that are recycled back into the plasma after their initial expulsion. In addition to plasma performance, the compact geometry of MAST-U and its future enhanced auxiliary heating power will result in exhaust power reaching plasma facing components that is in excess of that expected in ITER. This coupled with MAST-U's unprecedentedly flexible divertor geometry, makes it a world leading facility for the study of power exhaust and plasma material interactions.
The Division of Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental Transport (CBET) in the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) is partnering with The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to solicit research projects in the general field of tissue engineering that can utilize the International Space Station (ISS) National Lab to conduct research that will benefit life on Earth. U.S. entities including academic institutions, non-profit independent research labs and academic-commercial teams are eligible to submit proposals.
This R18 Request for Application (RFA) calls for the creation and utilization of Patient Safety Learning Laboratories. These learning laboratories are places and networks where transdisciplinary teams identify closely related threats to diagnostic or treatment efforts associated with a high burden of harm and cost. Following a systems engineering methodology, the learning laboratories stretch professional boundaries, envision innovative designs, and take advantage of brainstorming and rapid prototyping techniques that other leading industries employ. Promising prototypes undergo further develop-test-revise iterations, and subsequent integration as a working system. After further improvements are made to the integrated working system, its efficacy is evaluated in a realistic simulated or clinical setting. While applicants will select the area of diagnostic or treatment focus they consider of high significance, a flexible methodology -- problem analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation -- is required that parallels a systems engineering process to give an underlying structure to the work undertaken.
The Division of Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental Transport (CBET) in the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) is partnering with The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to solicit research projects in the general field of fluid dynamics and particulate and multiphase processes that can utilize the International Space Station (ISS) National Lab to conduct research that will benefit life on Earth. U.S. entities including academic investigators, non-profit independent research labs and academic-commercial teams are eligible to apply.
The purpose of this Request for Information is to seek information from power generation equipment manufacturers, utilities, power plant architect-engineers, and other stakeholders that can be used as input to a Department of Energy Fossil Energy Research and Development program that will culminate in the design, construction, and operation of a coal-based pilot-scale power plant by 2025. The coal-based pilot plant will be used as the basis for scaling up to a commercial offering that is highly efficient (40 percent or greater higher heating value), modular (unit sizes of approximately 50 to 350 MW), and economical for both international and domestic power generation. The pilot plant and commercial offering does not have to capture and store carbon dioxide, but must be carbon capture ready. This is solely a request for information and is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement. U.S. Department of Energy is not accepting applications to this Request for Information.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) announces a notice of availability of funds for financial assistance to address gaps in current research and development (R&D) which hinder better utilizing waste streams (e.g. lignin, CO2, and biosolids), improving organic and inorganic catalysts to increase conversion efficiency and decrease costs, and creating high-value performance-advantaged bioproducts to allow for more profitable biorefineries.
For this opportunity, the objective of O2R is broadly defined as the joint pursuit of improvements of operational capabilities and advancements in related fundamental research.
NASA's role is to implement and support a national research program to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the Solar System to advance space weather modeling and prediction capabilities applicable to space weather forecasting; develop and operate space-weather-related research missions, instrument capabilities, and models; and support the transition of space weather models and technology from research to operations and from operations to research. Proposers interested in this program element are encouraged to see the overview of the Heliophysics Research Program in B.1 of this ROSES NRA.
NOAA's role is to provide timely and accurate operational space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, alerts, and real-time space weather monitoring for the government, civilian, and commercial sectors, exclusive of the responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense; and to ensure the continuous improvement of operational space weather services, utilizing partnerships, as appropriate, with the research community, including academia and the private sector, and relevant agencies to develop, validate, test, and transition space weather observation platforms and models from research to operations and from operations to research.
For this opportunity, NASA and NOAA have identified the following focus area for research and development to advance specification and/or forecast models of energetic particles and plasma in Earth's magnetosphere:
he Electrochemical Systems program is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which includes also 1) Catalysis; 2) Molecular Separations; and 3) Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics. The goal of the Electrochemical Systems program is to support fundamental engineering research that will enable innovative processes involving electro- or photochemistry for the sustainable production of electricity, fuels, and chemicals. Processes for sustainable energy and chemical production must be scalable, environmentally benign, reduce greenhouse gas production, and utilize renewable resources. Research projects that stress fundamental understanding of phenomena that directly impact key barriers to improved system or component-level performance (e.g., energy efficiency, product yield, process intensification) are encouraged. Processes for energy storage should address fundamental research barriers for the applications of renewable electricity storage or for transport propulsion
The Division of Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental Transport (CBET) in the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) is partnering with The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to solicit research projects in the general field of fluid dynamics, particulate and multiphase processes, combustion and fire systems,thermal transport processes, and nanoscale interactionsthat can utilize the International Space Station (ISS) National Lab to conduct research that will benefit life on Earth. Only U.S. entities including academic investigators, non-profit independent research laboratories and academic-commercial teams are eligible to apply.
The Divisions of Chemical, Bioengineering and Environmental Transport (CBET) and Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Infrastructure (CMMI) in the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation (NSF) are partnering with The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) to solicit research projects in the general fields of tissue engineering and mechanobiology that can utilize the International Space Station (ISS) National Lab to conduct research that will benefit life on Earth. Only U.S. entities including academic investigators, non-profit independent research laboratories and academic-commercial teams are eligible to apply.
: The overall objective of PERFORM is to develop innovative technologies and approaches to quantify and manage risk for electric power systems. Risk management includes: (i) asset-level assessment to reflect an asset's ability to deliver on its energy and ancillary services obligations and (ii) system-level risk-driven operations and planning to optimally manage the cost and the risk of serving electricity demand given a portfolio of grid assets. ARPA-E envisions the design of a risk score or measure that clearly communicates the physical delivery risk of an asset's offer, similar to the role a credit score plays in determining the creditworthiness of an individual. At the system level, ARPA-E envisions the design of grid management systems that endogenously capture uncertainty and evaluate and hedge the system risk position to meet or exceed a baseline system risk index. The anticipated outcome of PERFORM is a transformative and disruptive risk-driven grid management paradigm that optimally utilizes all assets (including emerging technologies) to reduce costs and improve reliability
The Electrochemical Systems program is part of the Chemical Process Systems cluster, which also includes: 1) the Catalysis program; 2) the Interfacial Engineering program; and 3) the Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program. The goal of the Electrochemical Systems program is to support fundamental engineering research that will enable innovative processes involving electro- or photochemistry for the sustainable production of electricity, fuels, and chemicals. Processes for sustainable energy and chemical production must be scalable, environmentally benign, reduce greenhouse gas production, and utilize renewable resources. Research projects that stress fundamental understanding of phenomena that directly impact key barriers to improved system or component-level performance (for example, energy efficiency, product yield, process intensification) are encouraged. Processes for energy storage should address fundamental research barriers for the applications of renewable electricity storage or for transport propulsion. For projects concerning energy storage materials, proposals should involve hypotheses that involve device or component performance characteristics that are tied to fundamental understanding of transport, kinetics, or thermodynamics. Advanced chemistries are encouraged. Proposed research should be inspired by the need for economic and impactful conversion processes. All proposal project descriptions should address how the proposed work, if successful, will improve process realization and economic feasibility and compare the proposed work against current state of the art. Highly integrated multidisciplinary projects are encouraged.
OBJECTIVE: This is an AF Special Topic partnership, please see the above AF Special Topic instructions for further details. A Phase I award will be completed over 3 months with a maximum award of $25K and a Phase II may be awarded for a maximum period of 12 months
DESCRIPTION: Academia is producing disruptive science and technology innovations at an increasingly rapid pace. Hence, rather than utilizing a pre-defined requirements approach, this topic is intended to be an open call for ideas and technologies that may not be currently listed (i.e. the unknown-unknown) under STTR topics, but nonetheless still fit within broad interest areas of the Air Force basic research level. These broad areas (Engineering and Complex Systems, Information and Networks, Physical Sciences, and Chemistry/Biological Sciences) are covered in greater detail at wpafb.af.mil/Welcome/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/842026.
To be eligible, offeror(s) must be teams that have formed companies and partnered with a university (e.g. university entrepreneurship centers, university technology transfer offices).
The offeror should demonstrate their technical capability by demonstrating a credible and high-potential minimum viable product (MVP) along with a credible plan for developing the prototype to a commercially available solution. This topic is not looking for fully formed products, and it is acceptable if the solutions are earlier stage.
This FOA will support high-impact R&D for plastics by developing new plastics that are capable of efficient recyclability and improving recycling strategies that can break existing plastics into chemical building blocks that can be used to make higher-value products.
DOE's Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) develops technologies that convert domestic biomass and waste resources into fuels, products, and power to enable affordable energy, economic growth, and innovation in renewable energy and chemicals production. DOE's Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) develops technologies that drive energy productivity improvements in the U.S. manufacturing sector, efficiently utilize abundant and available domestic energy resources, and support the manufacture of clean energy products with benefits extending across the economy. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will support high-impact technology research and development (R&D) to enable the development of technologies that overcome the challenges associated with plastic waste.
Topic Areas include:
1) Highly Recyclable or Biodegradable Plastics: develop new plastics that have improved performance attributes over a comparable existing plastic that can be cost-effectively recycled or biodegrade completely in the environment or in compost facilities.
2) Novel Methods for Deconstructing and Upcycling Existing Plastics: generate energy efficient recycling technologies (mechanical, chemical, or biological) that are capable of breaking plastic streams into intermediates which can be upgraded into higher value products.
3) BOTTLE Consortium Collaborations to Tackle Challenges in Plastic Waste: create collaborations with the Bio-Optimized Technologies to Keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment (BOTTLE) Laboratory Consortium to further the long-term goals of the Consortium and the Plastics Innovation Challenge.
