OARS funding Physics

Research!America is requesting proposals from graduate student and postdoc-led science policy groups to participate in the third year of our civic engagement initiative begun in 2018. This year, Research!America provides funding to student groups for virtual activities that focus on civic engagement and sparking dialogue with public officials, local community leaders, and the public around science and health research.

NOTE: This is a limited submission opportunity. Please contact Research & Sponsored Programs for details about Miami's internal competition process. OARS@MiamiOH.edu or 9-3600. The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation's institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition or development of a multi-user research instrument that is, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs. MRI provides support to acquire critical research instrumentation without which advances in fundamental science and engineering research may not otherwise occur. MRI also provides support to develop next-generation research instruments that open new opportunities to advance the frontiers in science and engineering research. Additionally, an MRI award is expected to enhance research training of students who will become the next generation of instrument users, designers and builders. An MRI proposal may request up to $4 million for either acquisition or development of a research instrument. Beginning with the FY 2018 competition, each performing organization may submit in revised "Tracks" as defined below, with no more than two submissions in Track 1 and no more than one submission in Track 2. Track 1: Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,0001 and less than $1,000,000. Track 2: Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,000,000 up to and including $4,000,000.

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 one of the following two research areas: Distributed Chemical Manufacturing (DCheM) Engineering the Elimination of End-of-Life Plastics (E3P) This solicitation will be coordinated with the Directorate for Biological Sciences, the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences. EFRI seeks proposals with potentially transformative ideas that represent an opportunity for a significant shift in fundamental engineering knowledge with a strong potential for long term impact on national needs or a grand challenge. The proposals must also meet the detailed requirements delineated in this solicitation.

NSF-supported science and engineering research increasingly relies on cutting-edge infrastructure. With its Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program and Major Multi-user Facilities (Major Facilities) projects, NSF supports infrastructure projects at the lower and higher ends of infrastructure scales across science and engineering research disciplines. The Mid-scale Research Infrastructure Big Idea is intended to provide NSF with an agile, Foundation-wide process to fund experimental research capabilities in the mid-scale range between the MRI and Major Facilities thresholds. NSF defines Research Infrastructure (RI) as any combination of facilities, equipment, instrumentation, or computational hardware or software, and the necessary human capital in support of the same. Major facilities and mid-scale projects are subsets of research infrastructure. The NSF Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 Program (Mid-scale RI-1) supports the design or implementation of unique and compelling RI projects. Mid-scale RI-1 implementation projects may include any combination of equipment, instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, broadly used large-scale datasets, and the commissioning and/or personnel needed to successfully complete the project, or the design efforts intended to lead to eventual implementation of a mid-scale class project. Mid-scale RI-1 design projects will include the design efforts intended to lead to eventual implementation of a mid-scale class RI project. Mid-scale RI-1 projects should fill a research community-defined scientific need or enable a national research priority to be met. Mid-scale RI-projects should also enable US researchers to remain competitive in a global research environment and involve the training of a diverse workforce engaged in the design and implementation of STEM infrastructure.

A. Noam Chomsky Global Connections Awards celebrate the power of human connections. The awards recognize distinguished service to the global mission of the STAR Scholars Network. Several individuals with a deep impact on advancing global, social mobility are recognized every year. We live in a time when innovation and creativity in support of humanity are of great importance. The Star Scholars Network recognizes the commitment of concerned people able and willing to make a difference in the lives of others. Nominations for this award are solicited from around the world. The nominee can be from any field. Beginning in 2020, the Star Scholars Network is committed to promoting transnational research, or collaborative research between scholars of two or more countries (e.g., joint publications, research partnerships, etc.). The Global Connections Awards recognize STAR Scholars for their achievements and distinctive contributions to translational research that demonstrates the very best of scholarly collaboration among scholars around the world. In December 2020, the Star Scholars Network will provide awards in three categories: North Star Medal of Lifetime Achievement, Shining Star Achievement in Research Award, Rising Star Emerging Scholar Certificate

The Hertz Fellowship provides financial and lifelong professional support for the nation's most promising graduate students in science and technology. The fellowship includes up to five years of funding, valued at up to $250,000, and the freedom to pursue innovative projects wherever they may lead. In addition, fellows take part in ongoing mentoring, symposia, and workshops with our vibrant community of more than 1200 fellows, a set of peers who span disciplines, generations, and geography.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award (YFA) program aims to identify and engage rising stars in junior faculty positions in academia and equivalent positions at non-profit research institutions and expose them to Department of Defense (DoD) and National Security challenges and needs. In particular, YFA will provide high-impact funding to elite researchers early in their careers to develop innovative new research directions in the context of enabling transformative DoD capabilities. The long-term goal of the program is to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers in the research community who will focus a significant portion of their future careers on DoD and National Security issues. DARPA is particularly interested in identifying outstanding researchers who have previously not been performers on DARPA programs, but the program is open to all qualified applicants with innovative research ideas.

The Blavatnik National Awards honor America's most innovative young faculty-rank scientists and engineers. These awards celebrate the past accomplishments and future potential of young faculty members working in the three disciplinary categories of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry. Every year, one Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in each disciplinary category will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds, and additional nominees will be recognized as Finalists. Nominations are accepted from an invited group of research universities, independent research institutions, academic medical centers, and government laboratories from around the United States, as well as from the Awards' own Scientific Advisory Council, composed of renowned science and technology leaders. Miami University is an invited institution. If you are interested in being nominated, please contact Heather Johnston (johnsthb@MiamiOH.edu) in the Office of Research & Innovation.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) will make strategic investments to support expanded opportunities for students in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical (STEMM) fields. The investments will directly impact the ability of the state of Ohio to educate and train students to meet Ohio's career and job opportunities today and tomorrow. Choose Ohio First provides scholarships to students in innovative academic programs developed by Ohio's two-year and four-year, public and private colleges and universities, along with their business partners. The scholarships connect students to work-based learning experiences and careers in STEMM fields in order to recruit and retain these students in Ohio. Choose Ohio First is part of a strategic effort to deepen Ohio's economic strength by increasing the talent pipeline for STEMM-related industries, including computer science, through degree and certificate completion.

Pre-release of the latest topics in the Air Force's SBIR and STTR Commercial Solutions Opening program, which include COVID-19 pandemic materials and manufacturing advances, human performance and medical response advances/solutions and information sciences' advances/solutions

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Defense Sciences Office (DSO) is sponsoring a Proposers Day webcast to provide information to potential proposers on the objectives of an anticipated Research Announcement (RA) for the Young Faculty Award Program 2021 (YFA 2021) program. The Proposers Day will be held via prerecorded webcast on September 25, 2020 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Advance registration is required for viewing the webcast.

The Defense Sciences Office (DSO) at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is soliciting innovative research proposals that significantly advance the performance of atomic vapors for electric field sensing and imaging, magnetic field sensing, and quantum information science (QIS). Proposed research should investigate innovative approaches that enable revolutionary advances in science, devices, systems, or novel applications of atomic vapors. Specifically excluded is research that primarily results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

The Simons Foundation's Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division invites applications for the Simons Fellows in Theoretical Physics program, to make sabbatical research leaves more productive by extending them from a single term to a full academic year.

The objectives of the DoD STTR Program include stimulating technological innovation, strengthening the role of small business in meeting DoD research and development needs, fostering and encouraging participation by minority and disadvantaged persons in technological innovation, and increasing the commercial application of DoD-supported research or research and development results. Focus areas: - 5G - AI and ML - Autonomy - Biotechnology - Cybersecurity - Direct Energy - Hypersonics - Microelectronics - Networked Command, Control & Communications - Nuclear - Quantum Science - Space - General Warfighting Requirements

For the purpose of driverless operation, it is crucial to avoid any risk of harm to any external object or entity. In the domain of automated driving systems, conforming to the SAE levels (SAE J3016) perception of the environment is critical for achieving safety requirements. BMW is seeking for improved / alternative sensor or detection solutions that can scan 360 degrees around the vehicle before it starts moving either forward or rearward. The solution should be able to detect any relevant object surrounding the vehicle and prevent the vehicle from starting to drive, if an obstacle is detected.  

Plasma Physics is a study of matter and physical systems whose intrinsic properties are governed by collective interactions of large ensembles of free charged particles. 99.9% of the visible Universe is thought to consist of plasmas. The underlying physics of the collective behavior in plasmas has applications to space physics and astrophysics, materials science, applied mathematics, fusion science, accelerator science, and many branches of engineering. The Plasma Physics program supports research that can be categorized by several broad, sometimes overlapping, sub-areas of the discipline, including: magnetized plasmas in the laboratory, space, and astrophysical environments; high energy density plasmas; low temperature plasmas; dusty, ultra-cold, and otherwise strongly coupled plasmas; non-neutral plasmas; and intense field-matter interaction in plasmas.  The focus of the Plasma Physics program is to generate an understanding of the fundamental principles governing the physical behavior of a plasma via collective interactions of large ensembles of free charged particles, as well as to improve the basic understanding of the plasma state as needed for other areas of science and engineering. Principal Investigators (PIs) are encouraged to consider including specific efforts to increase diversity of the plasma physics community and broaden participation of under-represented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) as Broader Impacts of proposed work.  Development of new undergraduate and graduate plasma physics curricula, or curricula enhancement to include plasma physics topics in other courses, at institutions lacking such coursework is similarly encouraged.

Solid research is the underlying driving force to crystallize fearless creativity and innovation. While we are committed to run in-house research and engineering, we are also excited to collaborate with academic partners to facilitate exploration of new and promising research. The Sony Focused Research Award provides an opportunity for university faculty and Sony to conduct this type of collaborative, focused research. The award provides up to $150K USD* in funds, and may be renewed for subsequent year(s). A list of candidate research topics appears below: - Manipulation Secure Image Sensing - Self-Supervised Learning for Spiking Neural Networks with Event-Based Vision Sensor - Deep Learning & Deep Fusion Towards Automotive Scene Perception - Designing and Implementing Camera ISP Algorithms Using Deep Learning and Computer Vision - Robust Mesh Tracking for Volumetric Capture - Advanced Image Processing Enabled by AI - Novel Actuator - Machine Learning/AI for Wireless Communications - Reconfigurable Reflector Type Materials - Individual Treatment Effect Estimation - Acoustic Metamaterials - Novel Technologies for GaN-based VSCELs - Intelligent Sensing of Patient-Reported Outcomes

Funding is awarded to universities and institutions nationwide for projects in research that: - Focus on important and emerging areas of research - Have the potential to develop breakthrough technologies, instrumentation or methodologies - Are innovative, distinctive and interdisciplinary - Demonstrate a high level of risk due to unconventional approaches, or by challenging the prevailing paradigm - Have the potential for transformative impact, such as the founding of a new field of research, the enabling of observations not previously possible, or the altered perception of a previously intractable problem - Does not focus on clinical or translational research, treatment trials or research for the sole purpose of drug development - Fall outside the mission of public funding agencies - Demonstrate that private philanthropy generally, and the W. M. Keck Foundation in particular, is essential to the project's success

CMMT supports theoretical and computational materials research in the topical areas represented in DMR's Topical Materials Research Programs (these are also variously known as Individual Investigator Award (IIA) Programs, or Core Programs, or Disciplinary Programs), which include: Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Biomaterials (BMAT), Ceramics (CER), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL), and Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC). The CMMT program supports fundamental research that advances conceptual understanding of hard and soft materials, and materials-related phenomena; the development of associated analytical, computational, and data-centric techniques; and predictive materials-specific theory, simulation, and modeling for materials research. First-principles electronic structure, quantum many-body and field theories, statistical mechanics, classical and quantum Monte Carlo, and molecular dynamics, are among the methods used in the broad spectrum of research supported in CMMT. Research may encompass the advance of new paradigms in materials research, including emerging data-centric approaches utilizing data-analytics or machine learning.

The Cottrell Scholar Award (CSA) is available to early career faculty at US and Canadian research universities and primarily undergraduate institutions. Eligible applicants are tenure-track faculty who hold primary or courtesy appointments in chemistry, physics, or astronomy departments that offer bachelor's and/or graduate degrees in the applicant's discipline, For the 2020 proposal cycle, eligibility is limited to faculty members who started their first tenure-track appointment anytime in calendar year 2017. Accommodations are made for faculty who have taken maternity or paternity leave, or who have experienced medical conditions that prompted a tenure clock extension.