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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 SBIR program solicits proposals from the small business sector consistent with NSF's mission. The program is governed by Public Law 112-81 (SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011). A main purpose of the legislation is to stimulate technological innovation and increase private sector commercialization. The NSF SBIR program is therefore in a unique position to meet both the goals of NSF and the purpose of the SBIR legislation by transforming scientific discovery into both social and economic benefit, and by emphasizing private sector commercialization. Accordingly, NSF has formulated broad solicitation topics for SBIR that conform to the high-technology investment sector's interests. The topics are: Biological and Chemical Technologies (BC) Education Applications (EA) Electronics, Information and Communication Technologies (EI) Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials, and Manufacturing (NM)

The Fluid Dynamics program supports fundamental research and education on mechanisms and phenomena governing fluid flow. Proposed research should contribute to basic understanding; thus enabling the better design; predictability; efficiency; and control of systems that involve fluids. Encouraged are proposals that address innovative uses of fluids in materials development; manufacturing; biotechnology; nanotechnology; clinical diagnostics and drug delivery; sensor development and integration; energy and the environment. While the research should focus on fundamentals, a clear connection to potential application should be outlined.

To continue to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, NSF is revising NSF 12-511 to promote two choices under the Partnerships for Innovation (PFI): Accelerating Innovation Research (AIR) subprogram.  The first choice, Technology Translation, encourages the translation of technologically-promising research discoveries made by prior and/or current NSF-funded investigators toward a path of commercialization; while the second choice, Research Alliance, promotes synergistic collaborations between an existing NSF-funded research alliance (including consortia such as Engineering Research Centers, Industry University Cooperative Research Centers, Science and Technology Centers, Nanoscale Science and Engineering Centers, Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers, Centers for Chemical Innovation, and Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation grantees) and other public and private entities to motivate the translation and transfer of research discoveries into innovative technologies and commercial reality.  Both of these choices are designed to accelerate innovation that results in the creation of new wealth and the building of strong local, regional, and national economies.

The Fluid Dynamics program supports fundamental research and education on mechanisms and phenomena governing fluid flow.  Proposed research should contribute to basic understanding; thus enabling the better design; predictability; efficiency; and control of systems that involve fluids.  Encouraged are proposals that address innovative uses of fluids in materials development; manufacturing; biotechnology; nanotechnology; clinical diagnostics and drug delivery; sensor development and integration; energy and the environment. While the research should focus on fundamentals, a clear connection to potential application should be outlined.

National Spherical Torus Experiment - Upgrade: Collaborative Research on Configuration Optimization The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) Program of the Office of Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), hereby announces its interest in receiving grant applications for collaborative research on the National Spherical Torus Experiment Upgrade (NSTX-U) at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The NSTX-U program contributes to two goals of the FES program: 1) understanding the dynamics of magnetically confined plasmas and developing techniques for controlling them and 2) developing the scientific understanding required to design and deploy materials that withstand the extreme conditions of fusion power plants.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals in the area of processes and technology for assembly of systems, components, and materials at millimeter scale or larger from nanometer scale constituents. Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, or systems. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

NineSigma, representing a Global Manufacturer, invites proposals for materials, coatings, chemicals or additives that will clearly identify where a surface has been in contact with or otherwise disrupted by external sources.

The Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) on behalf of the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Vehicle Technologies (VT) Program, is seeking applications that will lead to computational modeling advances and development of lightweight alloys for lightweighting and propulsion applications. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) includes three (3) Areas of Interest; Area of Interest 3 includes two (2) subtopics. Areas of Interest are indentified below:   Area of Interest 1:  Predictive Engineering Tools for Injection Molded Long Carbon Fiber Thermoplastic Composites Area of Interest 2:  Integrated Computation Materials Engineering (ICME) Development of Advanced Steel for Lightweight Vehicles Area of Interest 3:  Advanced Alloy Development for Automotive and Heavy-Duty Engines 3a) Lightweight Cast Alloy Development for Light Duty Automotive Engine Applications 3b) High Strength Cast Alloy Development for Heavy-Duty On-Road Engine Applications

NineSigma, representing a multibillion-dollar food manufacturer, seeks biodegradable material technologies which can be applied to food packaging. The client widely anticipates proposals not only with commercialized technology, but also with research-level technology if biodegradable conditions and biodegradability have already been confirmed.

The purpose of this FOA is to seek, identify and support bold and innovative approaches to broaden graduate and postdoctoral training, such that training programs reflect the range of career options that trainees (regardless of funding source) ultimately may pursue and that are required for a robust biomedical, behavioral, social and clinical research enterprise. Collaborations with non-academic partners are encouraged to ensure that experts from a broad spectrum of research and research-related careers contribute to coursework, rotations, internships or other forms of exposure. This program will establish a new paradigm for graduate and postdoctoral training; awardee institutions will work together to define needs and share best practices.

f you are a researcher or research administrator new to working with the NIH application and award process and want to learn more, or just want to get up-to-date on the latest NIH policy updates and grants process information, this seminar, which will be held June 26-28 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, is for you. More than 30 NIH and HHS experts will gather to present on program funding at this event. The seminar offers unique and valuable opportunities for anyone interested in the latest information about the application process, navigating the peer review process, and managing an award. Meet one-on-one with NIH grants, program, and review officials, as well as NIH and HHS policy officers…and network with hundreds of attendees from around the world.

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. (2) REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects.

As an initiative of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Aspiring Physicians & Research Scientists Conference is a two-and-a-half day enhancement program that focuses on science innovation and world-class care. Cleveland Clinic physician and research scientist-led presentations and mentoring/coaching sessions provide students a unique opportunity to interface with our world renowned staff. An abstract poster competition provides students the opportunity to showcase their research. Our target audience includes underrepresented minority science, math and pre-med college students. It is designed to increase representation of American Indian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander physicians, research scientists, physician investigators and physician leaders. Applicants, who must be at least 18 years of age and currently enrolled in college majoring in math, science, or pre-med will be notified of acceptance via email by April 19, 2013. Research students interested in participating in the poster research scholarship competition must submit an abstract of their work by April 12, 2013. Applicants accepted to present their posters will be notified by email by April 19, 2013.

The large energy consumption associated with space heating and cooling is primarily driven by the need to provide a comfortable range of temperatures to the building?s occupants. In practice the ?dead-band? is usually between 71 and 75oF , the temperature range between set points where no action is taken by the building?s heating and cooling systems. This practice is tighter than the ANSI/ASHRAE standards with acceptable target temperatures within appropriate humidity levels of 68?F during the heating season and 76?F during the cooling season, which is de emed satisfactory for 80% of the occupants. Due to the potential for large energy savings, there is ongoing research to improve building heating and cooling efficiency; expanding the dead-band can significantly reduce energy use. In order to enable this strategy of expanding the dead-band, local, in particular, personal environmental control is necessary to ensure an occupant?s thermal comfort. In the context of building energy consumption, the occupants have largely been treated as static thermal objects. However, work has been undertaken for advancing personal comfort systems. Personal garments are part of the thermal comfort system for an individual. Little effort has been devoted to developing adaptive clothing solutions to improve the thermal comfort of building occupants that would enable an expansion of the dead-band and reduction in building energy consumption. ARPA-E is thus seeking input from the broad research and development community with regard to developing personal comfort systems, in particular, advanced clothing and textiles, to enable a wider temperature set point range for buildings while maintaining or improving personal thermal comfort.

Within the framework of the For Women in Science partnership between the L'Oréal Foundation and UNESCO, we are launching the 2014 call for nominations for outstanding women scientist form all over the world. Five 100.000$ prizes will be awarded in march 2014 in Paris to five women scientists, one per region, for the contributions of their research, the strength of their commitments and their impact on society. An international Jury of eminent scientists presided in 2013 by the Nobel Prize winner, Ahmed Zewali, makes the final selection.

The New Scholars Program supports projects to help early- to mid-career women scientists balance family responsibilities with demanding academic careers. New Scholars seeks to actively address the attrition rate of talented women scientists caused by work-life balance issues.

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. (2) REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation makes grants on six broad subject matters, known within the Foundation as major program areas.  Basic Research STEM Higher Education Public Understanding of Science Economic Performance and the Quality of Life Select National Issues Civic Initiatives

The INSPIRE awards program was established to address some of the most complicated and pressing scientific problems that lie at the intersection of traditional disciplines.  It is intended to encourage investigators to submit bold, exceptional proposals that some may consider to be at a disadvantage in a standard NSF review process; it is not intended for proposals that are more appropriate for existing award mechanisms.