Research and Training

Limit: 2 // Tickets Available: 1 // PI: B. Ellerman (FORGE)

The purpose of this program is to support research, education/teaching, and extension projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM. NIFA intends this program to address educational needs within broadly defined areas of food and agricultural sciences. Applications recommended for funding must highlight and emphasize the development of a competent and qualified workforce in the food and agricultural sciences. WAMS-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of rural communities by developing research and extension initiatives that focus on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupations. Projects that contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are also encouraged.

For the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) program, NIFA will support projects with a target audience of K-14 students (kindergarten through twelfth grade plus two years of post-secondary schooling (e.g., vocational-technical institutions or community or junior colleges)). 

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Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1 per lead institution.

The National Science Foundation's vision of “a Nation that leads the world in science and engineering research and innovation, to the benefit of all, without barriers to participation” encompasses core values of research excellence, inclusion, and collaboration, as described in NSF's Strategic Plan. The NSF Division of Materials Research (DMR) supports a broad interdisciplinary research community, which encompasses materials science, physics, chemistry, mathematical sciences, and engineering disciplines, providing a unique opportunity to broadly promote the NSF vision and core values, especially inclusion and collaboration.

The DMR Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials Research (PREM) program aims to enable, build, and grow formal partnerships between minority-serving institutions and DMR-supported centers and/or facilities through materializing the PREM pathway. The PREM pathway aims at broadening participation through enhanced recruitment, retention, and degree attainment by members of those groups most historically underrepresented in materials research. As an essential ingredient for its success, PREM supports excellent research and education endeavors that nurture and strengthen such partnerships and advance the materials research field.

Information about current PREMs and a description of the PREM framework can be found at https://prem-dmr.org/.

The PREM program activity is expected to enhance both the quantity and quality of materials research and education opportunities for students and faculty members at minority-serving institutions, and to demonstrably lead to broadened participation in materials research. These opportunities result from long-term, multi-investigator, collaborative research and education partnerships that define a framework wherein a supportive and stable PREM pathway for promoting inclusiveness in STEM is designed and built. In this context, the framework includes the partnership, the pathway (i.e., the recruitment/retention/degree attainment paradigm), as well as essential research and education elements that collectively propel the participants’ progression along the pathway. Additionally, the PREM activity may also contribute to and strengthen broadening participation efforts at partnering institutions (i.e., the DMR-supported centers and facilities).

A PREM typically encompasses research thrust(s) that involve several faculty members addressing materials research topic(s). Sustained support is developed through a collaborative effort by the participants from both partnering institutions that is based on common intellectual interests (either pre-existing or newly identified) and complementary backgrounds, skills, and knowledge. Ideally, a PREM proposal defines a vision for the partnership that simultaneously promotes inclusiveness and research excellence; the proposed research should be aligned with research supported by DMR. The role of each institutional partner should be explicit, and project goals to achieve the vision should be clearly defined and addressed. Importantly, anticipated challenges and expected outcomes towards increasing participation of groups underrepresented in STEM and research output must be identified and addressed. Plans for student/faculty reciprocal exchange between partnering institutions are required. Project assessment and evaluation plans are required and are designed to emphasize an increase in the quality and quantity of research, education, and broadening participation endeavors measured relative to the beginning of the award. Successful PREMs can be developed regardless of the starting research and capacity levels at the lead institution.

Efforts for broadening participation in materials research rely on creating research and education partnerships that promote inclusive institutional cultures. An effective partnership defines a framework that contains the PREM pathway towards broadening participation, as well as research and education resources. Through effective utilization of research and education resources and depending on the level of support that the lead institution can provide to enable research efforts, a variety of strategies may be developed towards a progressive materialization of the recruitment/retention/degree attainment components of the PREM pathway. Examples include but are not limited to workshops, technical meetings, technical courses, curricular development, summer schools, outreach towards improving recruitment, student mentoring activities, and overall opportunities in science learning and training.

Starting research and capacity levels will position the PREM partnership at a specific location within the PREM pathway, which can range from pre-recruitment to pre-degree attainment stages. It is expected that eventually, and as a result of the developed strategies and proposed research and education elements, the partnership on the PREM pathway will evolve and mature, leading to an increased enrollment of underrepresented students in graduate school, and eventually, to a diverse materials research workforce at all levels (i.e., student, postdoctoral, faculty, STEM career). As examples, to date, successful PREMs have devised innovative strategies around recruitment, retention, and degree attainment that have successfully promoted enrollment of minority students in STEM Ph.D. programs in both minority- and non-minority-serving institutions throughout the U.S. Other successful PREMs have prepared undergraduates at the lead institution for recruitment by the partner institution, which provides another example of a fully materialized PREM pathway that benefits both institutions by simultaneously broadening participation in STEM areas as well as increasing research output.

It should be emphasized that the partnership is expected to develop capacity in at least one segment of the PREM pathway within the duration of the award, commensurate with the partnership’s starting research and capacity levels. The vision for the partnership, however, must include a deliberate effort that aims at the full completion of the pathway, possibly in subsequent awards.

Successful PREMs are expected to:

• Engage in compelling scientific materials research: research thrust(s) must have a well-integrated research program with compelling intellectual merit and broader impacts. Each thrust must demonstrate clear benefits from a collaborative approach, which in turn defines the research and education partnership.
• Promote inclusion of participants from underrepresented groups in the PREM pathway covering all or a segment of the recruitment/retention/degree-attaining sequence through opportunities in science learning and training. These opportunities are the result of applying the elements from the PREM framework in the PREM pathway. Challenges and progress throughout the stages of recruitment, retention, and degree attainment are addressed, as appropriate.
• Propose either existing or newly designed elements in the framework that will successfully promote broadening participation efforts and research output in materials research at the partnering institutions. The proposed elements must clearly define purpose, challenges, and expected outcomes towards broadening participation and increasing research output.
• Provide metrics: PREM partners propose specific metrics with which the partnership will be evaluated. The metrics will emphasize increase in both quality and quantity of research and broadening participation measured relative to the beginning of the award in each partnership. Successful PREMs can be developed regardless of differences in starting research and capacity levels at the lead institution.
• Specify gains: Each partner must specify anticipated gains both in terms of broadening participation and research output. Using the metrics identified in the proposal, gains will be evaluated and assessed within the context of the segment in the PREM pathway that a specific partnership is targeting.
• Establish reciprocity: Reciprocal faculty and student exchanges are a core component of the partnership. Scientific and educational collaboration among all partners with measurable benefits to all are key attributes of a successful PREM. 

A PREM may address any area of research supported by the NSF Division of Materials Research which includes 8 programs, known as Topical Materials Research Programs (TMRP): Biomaterials (BMAT), Ceramics (CER), Condensed Matter Physics (CMP), Condensed Matter and Materials Theory (CMMT), Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM), Metals and Metallic Nanostructures (MMN), Polymers (POL), and Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC). For a detailed description of the research supported by the 8 core programs visit: https://www.nsf.gov/materials.

Furthermore, in alignment with NSF’s interest in strengthening Emerging Industries, proposals addressing fundamental materials research in the following areas are of interest to DMR:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI): Research in this area could include the utilization of machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, and other emerging data-centric approaches to address complex problems within the realm of materials science. Of particular interest are applications of AI to traditional materials science issues, such as those found in ceramics, metals, metallic alloys, and other materials categories. The use of AI and machine learning to enable advanced manufacturing, and using predictive design to program the composition, structure, and/or function of materials are also of interest.
• Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology: Research endeavors in this area could address materials-related obstacles hindering the integration of synthetic biology techniques into the development of next-generation materials and living or active materials relevant to biotechnology. Fundamental materials research at the intersection of synthetic biology and abiotic materials and technologies, as well as the crossroads of engineering biology and materials science is of particular interest. This may encompass the development of materials, living materials, active materials, and material systems with the potential to revolutionize food production and agriculture, human well-being and biomedical applications, environment, energy, information storage, and processing, as well as the creation of pluripotent and autonomous materials capable of sensing and adapting to their environment. The focus on new approaches to manufacture at scale novel materials that are safer and more sustainable is encouraged (see https://roadmap.ebrc.org/2021-roadmap-materials/ for more information.)
• Advanced Manufacturing: Research in this area could explore novel strategies for creating composite materials that span different materials classes, including the fusion of digital- and self-assembly techniques. Advancements in modeling and monitoring processing with a focus on in situ characterization are of interest. Additionally, developing ability to print functionality, such as spatially resolved mechanical and chemical properties alongside structures are also of interest. Furthermore, hierarchical materials, achieved through a combination of self-assembly and top-down additive manufacturing, as well as the integration of manufacturing approaches for heterogeneous materials (soft and hard), and precision synthesis and characterization of macromolecular and bespoke polymer materials are also areas of interest.

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Only one application per institution (normally identified by having a unique NIH Institutional Profile Number, IPF) is allowed.

The goal of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is to develop a diverse pool of highly trained clinician-scientist leaders available to meet the Nation’s biomedical research needs. Specifically, this fundingopportunity announcement (FOA) provides support to eligible domestic institutions to develop and implement effective, evidence-informed approaches to integrated dual-degree training leading to the award of both clinical degrees, e.g., M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S., Pharm.D., and research doctorate degrees (Ph.D.). With the dual qualification of rigorous scientific research and clinical practice, graduates will be equipped with the skills to develop research programs that accelerate the translation of research advances to the understanding, detection, treatment and prevention of human disease, and to lead the advancement of biomedical research. Areas of particular importance to NIGMS are the iterative optimization of MSTP training efficacy and efficiency, fostering the persistence of MSTP alumni in research careers, and enhancing the diversity of the clinician-scientist workforce. NIGMS expects that the proposed research training programs will incorporate didactic, research, mentoring and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the Nation.
 

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No pre-proposals were received in the internal competition.

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH. The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, to pursue further studies or careers in research. 

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support educational activities with a primary focus on: 

• Courses for Skills Development

• Research Experiences

• Mentoring Activities

UPDATED from NSF 21-536 to NSF 24-597 to reflect the updated solicitation posted August 16, 2024

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Track 1 ONLY

H. Kim (Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics)

Proposals may be submitted under two tracks (i.e., Track 1 and Track 2). All projects should include a focus on STEM graduate students in research-based PhD and/or master's degree programs. Track 1 proposals may request a total budget up to $3 million for projects up to five years in duration; Track 2 proposals may request a total budget up to $2 million for projects up to five years in duration; NSF requires that Track 2 proposals focus on programs from institutions not classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity (R1). U of A is not eligible for Track 2.

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master's and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas, through a comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.

The NRT Program accepts proposals in any interdisciplinary or convergent research theme of national importance and encourages specific priority research areas that change periodically. All interdisciplinary or convergent research themes should align with NSF or other national STEM research priority areas and have high potential to develop novel, innovative practices in graduate education. Proposers should describe the importance of the NRT project's thematic focus to the Nation and the particular need to train students for a variety of careers in that thematic area.

Submit ticket request  // Limit:2* // Tickets Available: 1

C. Algie (Architecture)

*If more than two submissions are received from a competitor, the two most recently submitted submissions will be considered. Only one submission per competitor can advance to Phase 2: Prepare!.

The Re-X Before Recycling Prize will award up to $5.6 million in federal funding and technical assistance from U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratories. The prize is designed to stimulate innovation and private investment in circular economy approaches that can transform waste streams into diverse, integrated circular supply networks and contribute to a robust, environmentally sustainable economy.

The prize is seeking innovations to unlock new or expanded supply chains that can reintegrate end-of-use products into the economy via re-use, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and/or repurposing (“Re-X”) before recycling.

The Re-X Before Recycling Prize invites competitors to work on one of two categories: established or emerging waste streams.

The Re-X Before Recycling Prize has three phases that will run from 2023 to 2025. During Phase 1, also called Identify!, competitors will identify new or expanded circular supply chain opportunities and the innovations needed to realize them and deliver community benefits. During Phase 2, called Prepare!, competitors will prepare to develop their innovation. During the final Phase 3, Develop!, competitors will continue to advance their idea toward implementation.

Areas of interest: 

Established Waste Streams: This topic area includes innovations focusing on how to utilize products that are currently available in U.S. waste streams. This topic area would include currently discarded products such as electrical devices, furnishings, consumer goods, and building materials.

Emerging Waste Streams: This topic area includes innovations focusing on how to utilize products that will be available in the future in waste streams. For example, clean energy technologies such as wind, solar, and batteries must expand dramatically to reach our decarbonization goals resulting in waste at the end of their product lifespans. These products may not be available in current waste streams in large volumes but will be in the future.

UArizona is ineligible to propose as a lead institution * // Limit: 1 

*Eligibility note: Universities awarded as part of MIRO Group 6, Group 6R, and Group 7 are ineligible to propose as a lead institution to this funding opportunity. 
UArizona was awarded a  MUREP APPENDIX G MUREP Institutional Research Opportunity – MIRO Group 7 in 2018, which makes the institution ineligible to lead a proposal to this funding program.

The NASA OSTEM MUREP Program solicits proposals from four-year colleges/universities designated by the U.S. Department of Education as MSIs for the MUREP Institutional Research Opportunity (MIRO) awards. MIRO develops significant scientific, engineering, and/or technology research centers. The purpose of MIRO is to strengthen and develop the research capacity and infrastructure of MSIs in areas of strategic importance and value to NASA’s mission and priorities. MIRO awards promote STEM literacy and enhance and sustain the capability of institutions to perform NASA-related research and education. Additionally, MIRO strengthens student participation in research at MSIs in order to develop and diversify the next generation of the STEM workforce. MIRO awards directly support research pertinent to NASA’s five Mission Directorates (MDs) – Aeronautics Research, Exploration Systems Development, Space Operations, Science, and Space Technology. 

MIRO cooperative agreements are competitively awarded to MSIs to promote research capacity, expand aerospace research, increase workforce diversity, and strengthen students’ STEM skills.  The MIRO awards goals and objectives are to: 

1) Expand the nation's base for aerospace research and development by fostering new aerospace research and technology development concepts aligned with NASA research priorities as defined by NASA’s MDs. 

Objective 1.1: Develop significant scientific, engineering, and/or technology research centers at the MSI that align and engage one or more programs of the NASA Mission Directorates.

Objective 1.2: Increase the lead institution’s capacity to contribute to the priorities of NASA’s Mission Directorates (Aeronautics Research, Exploration Systems Development, Science, Space Operations and Space Technology) and NASA’s Centers and facilities.

2) Promote institutional advancement and enhanced research capacity through partnerships among MSIs, other academic institutions, NASA, and industry.

Objective 2.1: Increase the lead institution’s ability to sustain research efforts through development of strategic partnerships. .  

 Objective 2.2: Increase the lead institution’s pursuit of additional funding opportunities offered by NASA, industry, and other agencies.

 Objective 2.3: Increase the ability of research leadership at the lead institution to leverage resources to enhance its research capacity at the project, program, department, college, and/or university levels.

3) Strengthen participation of faculty, researchers, and students at MSIs in the research programs of NASA’s MDs.

Objective 3.1: Increase faculty and researcher knowledge and skills in NASA-related research through professional development and NASA research opportunities.

Objective 3.2: Increase capacity to develop student knowledge and skills in NASA-related research through curriculum enhancement, redesign, and development at the course, degree, and/or department levels.

Objective 3.3: Increase capacity to develop student knowledge and skills in NASA-related research through NASA internships and opportunities.

4) Facilitate mechanisms to ensure degrees awarded to students from MSIs in NASA-related fields reflect the diversity of our nation and contribute to the diversity of the NASA workforce.

Objective 4.1: Increase the number of undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded to students from MSIs in NASA-related fields.     

No applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Postdoctoral Institutional Research Training Grants for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (T32) to eligible institutions to enhance postdoctoral research training of individuals with doctoral degrees (these include, but are not limited to, the following: D.M.D., DC, DO, DVM., OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, DPT, PharmD, ND [Doctor of Naturopathy], DSW, PsyD, as well as a doctoral degree in nursing research) and help ensure a heterogenous pool of clinical and translational scientists trainees are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications that improve health.

NCATS will not accept applications proposing combined predoctoral and postdoctoral training under this FOA. Applications proposing predoctoral research training should apply to the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Predoctoral Institutional Research Training Grant for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (PAR-21-337).

The proposed institutional research training program may complement other ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution, but must be clearly distinct from related programs currently receiving Federal support.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) does not allow appointed Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial on which the PI is a mentor or co-mentor.

NCATS solicits the submission of one set of companion applications. With this solicitation for the T32 application, a separate, companion FOA solicits applications for a required UM1 (PAR-21-293: Clinical and Translational Science Award). The UM1 and initial T32 applications must be submitted concurrently; a T32 application without the required companion UM1 application will not be reviewed. The T32 application will only be awarded if the UM1 application is awarded. Resubmission of a T32 without the required UM1 will be allowed only if the UM1 application is awarded.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program.

No applicants  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) will award Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) Predoctoral Institutional Research Training Grants for the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) Program (T32) to eligible institutions to enhance predoctoral research training of individuals seeking a PhD or an equivalent research health professional degree and help ensure a heterogenous pool of clinical and translational scientist trainees who are equipped with the knowledge, skills and abilities to advance diagnostics, therapeutics, clinical interventions, and behavioral modifications aimed at improving health.

Applicants interested in providing short-term research experiences to health professional participants must apply to the companion NCATS Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program Research Education Grants Programs (R25) (PAR-21-339). A short-term research experience is one where the participant is full-time (40 hours per week) for a period of 10 to 15 weeks, or as specified by the sponsoring institution in accordance with its own policies.

The proposed institutional research training program may complement other ongoing research training and career development programs at the applicant institution, but must be clearly distinct from related programs currently receiving Federal support.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) does not allow appointed Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial on which the PI is a a mentor or co-mentor. NIH strongly supports training towards a career in clinically relevant research and so gaining experience in clinical trials under the guidance of a mentor or co-mentor is encouraged.

NCATS solicits the submission of one set of companion applications. With this solicitation for the T32 application, a separate, companion FOA solicits applications for a required UM1 (PAR-21-293: Clinical and Translational Science Award). The UM1 and initial T32 applications must be submitted concurrently; a T32 application without the required companion UM1 application will not be reviewed. The T32 application will only be awarded if the UM1 application is awarded. Resubmission of a T32 without the required UM1 will be allowed only if the UM1 application is awarded.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program includes the provision of adequate staff, facilities, and educational resources that can contribute to the planned program.

No applicants  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The NIH Research Education Program (R25) supports research education activities in the mission areas of the NIH.  The overarching goal of this R25 program is to support educational activities that complement and/or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research needs.

To accomplish the stated over-arching goal, this NOFO will support educational activities with a primary focus on:

• Courses for Skills Development

This R25 program will support the development and implementation of short courses to prepare nurse scientists, and scientists in aligned fields, to conduct firearm injury prevention research in support of the NINR Strategic Plan (https://www.ninr.nih.gov/aboutninr/ninr-mission-and-strategic-plan). Applications for courses that build on the existing knowledge, approaches, methods, and techniques related to injury prevention to advance research specifically in the area of firearm injury are encouraged. Proposed courses should include content related to inequities in firearm injuries (e.g., race, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, gender, geography, and their intersections) and research at the individual, community, institutional, and structural levels.

This NOFO requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation. Applications that fail to include a PEDP will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO instructions carefully and view the available PEDP guidance material.