Physical Sciences & Engineering

K. Sierra-Cajas (Undergraduate Research and Inquiry)

The new Beginning for Tribal Students program (NBTS) makes competitive grants to Land-grant Colleges and Universities to provide identifiable support specifically targeted for tribal students. A Land-grant College or University that receives this grant shall use funds for, but not limited to, recruiting; tuition and related fees; experiential learning; student services, including tutoring; counseling; academic advising; and other student services that would increase the retention and graduation rate of tribal students enrolled at the land-grant college or university. The maximum one state can receive is $500,000 per year. 

Limit: 1 //  S. Song (Biomedical Engineering)

The funds are designed to provide to tenure track faculty members in their first to fourth year, at American Institutions, who hold M.D. and/or Ph.D. degrees, start-up support to move the project forward to the point where R01 or other independent funding can be obtained.  Applicants with current R01 funding should not apply.

Beginning in 2023, the grant provides $75,000 annually for a period of up to three years.  Grants are not renewable.  Institutions may submit one proposal per session.  Interested candidates should work through their sponsored projects office.

Proposals must contain an adequately detailed description of the project to be clearly understandable by the scientific members of the Trustees.  They need not be in the detail requested by the NIH for R01 grants and should not exceed five pages in length.  Additional material can be submitted, but the five-page application should contain the essential information.  References should also be included to support the proposal.  Note that the five page limit is only for the project description.  

A one-two page lay summary must be provided as part of the proposal. Applicants should bear in mind that our Board includes non-scientist members, making this summary of particular importance.  The summary should include the project’s title, and the investigator's contact information.

In addition to the institution providing recognition of an internal selection process resulting in no more than one candidate, (this requires just a sentence that may be included in the letters), the proposal must be accompanied by letters of approval by the Dean of the medical school and/or another senior faculty member or members who can represent the support of the institution and who are acquainted with the qualifications of the applicant and the potential impact of his/her work.

S. Mathena (Pediatrics)
One slot is still available.

UArizona may submit two proposals.

The NIH Director's Early Independence Award supports rigorous and promising junior investigators who wish to pursue independent research soon after completion of their terminal doctoral degree or post-graduate clinical training, thereby forgoing the traditional post-doctoral training period and accelerating their entry into an independent research career. For the program to support the best possible researchers and research, applications are sought which reflect the full diversity of the research workforce. Individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from underrepresented groups and from the full spectrum of eligible institutions in all geographic locations, are strongly encouraged to apply to this Funding Opportunity Announcement. In addition, applications in all topics relevant to the broad mission of NIH are welcome, including, but not limited to, topics in the behavioral, social, biomedical, applied, and formal sciences and topics that may involve basic, translational, or clinical research. The NIH Director's Early Independence Award is a component of the High-Risk, High-Reward Research program of the NIH Common Fund.

Eligibility Requirements

Applications with multiple PDs/PIs will not be accepted. Only single PD/PI applications are allowed. Only the PD/PI may be listed as a Senior/Key Person and provide a Biographical Sketch.

U.S. citizenship is not required for PDs/PIs. For applications submitted on behalf of non-U.S. citizens with temporary U.S. visas, visa status must allow the PD/PI to conduct the proposed research at the applicant institution for the entire project period. The applicant institution is responsible for determining if and documenting that the PD's/PI's visa will allow the PD/PI to remain in the U.S. for the duration of the award.

Time window for eligibility: Given the focus on early research independence, the receipt date of the terminal doctoral degree or end of post-graduate clinical training of the PD/PI must be between June 1, 2022, and September 30, 2024. The degree receipt date is that which appears on the official transcript for the degree. The end of post-graduate clinical training includes residency and fellowship periods. The PD/PI must not have served as a post-doctoral fellow for more than 12 months following a previous, non-terminal doctoral degree (i.e., a post-doctoral fellowship served before June 1, 2022).

At the time of award, either 1) the Early Independence investigator must have received a PhD, MD, DO, DC, DDS, DVM, OD, DPM, ScD, EngD, DrPH, DNSc, ND (Doctor of Naturopathy), PharmD, DSW, PsyD, or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited domestic or foreign institution (it is the responsibility of the sponsoring institution to determine if a foreign doctoral degree is equivalent), or 2) an authorized official of the degree-granting or training institution must certify that all degree requirements have been met and that the receipt date of the degree (as will appear on the transcript) will be before September 30, 2024.  An authorized official of the host institution must certify that the PD/PI will be able to conduct independent research at the institution at the time of the project start date.

Level of effort: In the first and second years of the project period, awardees must commit at least 9.6 person-months of effort to the Early Independence Award project each year (which is 80% effort per year). In years 3-5 of the project period, awardees may reduce their effort on the Early Independence Award project, but they must still conduct at least 9.6 person-months of general independent research each year (which is 80% effort per year). General independent research includes the effort spent on the Early Independence Award project and any other independent research projects the awardee is working on.

Research independence at time of application: Individuals are eligible only if they, at the time of application submission, do not have research independence. Lack of research independence is defined functionally rather than by position title. Eligible individuals must have all the following characteristics:

• The PD/PI's current research agenda is set through concurrence with mentors.
• The PD/PI's research is funded primarily through support to other investigators (mentored fellowships such as NIH F31 or F32 Fellowships or NSF Graduate Research Fellowships do not preclude eligibility).
• The PD/PI does not have any space assigned directly by the institution for the conduct of their research.
• The PD/PI, according to institutional policy, cannot apply for an NIH R01 grant without a special waiver or exemption from the institution.

Though PDs/PIs must not be functionally independent at the time of application submission, they may become functionally independent prior to time of award and still retain eligibility for the award.

Prospective PDs/PIs should contact appropriate institutional leaders to seek an appointment to an independent research position. Alternatively, institutions may actively recruit eligible junior scientists to apply for support through this program. In either case, the institution is expected to provide substantial support for the junior scientist, as detailed below. To foster independence, PDs/PIs may benefit from being hosted by an institution at which they have not previously studied or trained.

PDs/PIs may apply for a research career development (K) award and DP5 at the same time, but NIH policy prohibits scientific and commitment overlap. A PD/PI may not hold a DP5 and career development (K) award concurrently. If the PD/PI receives a career development (K) award, the career development (K) award must be relinquished to receive the DP5.

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

TERA will recognize and promote excellence in teaching in the food and agricultural sciences within colleges and universities; teaching is defined to include all aspects of developing human capital in order to help meet current and future national food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH) workplace needs. Examples of relevant activities under this project type include (but are not limited to) the following: formal classroom instruction; laboratory instruction; and practicum experience such as faculty development, student recruitment and services, curriculum development, and innovative teaching methodologies. It also includes activities that directly or indirectly contribute to student learning such as research, extension/outreach, and organizational arrangements needed for the proper functioning of the educational institution.

This program addresses the national priority of developing competent human capital for employment in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences.  NIFA, subject to the availability of funds, will administer this TERA project. This cooperative agreement program also addresses the national priority of developing competent human capital for employment in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences. USDA is designated as the lead federal agency that supports higher education in the FANH sciences. In this context, NIFA has a specific responsibility to initiate and support projects that strengthen higher education teaching programs in these areas.

Program Goals include:

• Annually recognize and honor a select group of college and university teachers who excel at teaching, research and extension.

• Help disseminate best practices in teaching through workshops, conferences, blogs, social media and other appropriate activities; and

• Increase the number and diversity of academic programs participating in TERA.

H-J. Kim (Civil and Architectural Engineering and Mechanics) - Topic 7: Decarbonizing Cement and Concrete.
 

UArizona may submit one proposal to this funding program.

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announced a $156 million funding opportunity that will advance high impact applied research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the U.S. industrial sector. The FOA, led by EERE’s Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO), will drive innovation to develop the next-generation technologies required to decarbonize industry, revitalize American manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, and improve community health.

Decarbonizing the industrial sector is critical to achieving the nation’s climate goals, as it is currently responsible for approximately one third of domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. DOE is building an innovation pipeline to accelerate the development and adoption of industrial decarbonization technologies with investments spanning foundational science; research, development, deployment, and demonstrations (RDD&D); and technical assistance and workforce development. 

IEDO’s efforts in this area are part of DOE’s new Technologies for Industrial Emissions Reduction Development (TIEReD) Program which leverages resources across different technology offices to invest in fundamental science, research, development, and initial pilot-scale demonstrations projects. 

1. F. Duka ( Gastrointestinal Microbiology)
2. One slot is still available.

The Equipment Grants Program (EGP) serves to increase access to shared-use special purpose equipment/instruments for fundamental and applied research for use in the food and agricultural sciences programs at institutions of higher education, including State Cooperative Extension Systems. The program seeks to strengthen the quality and expand the scope of fundamental and applied research at eligible institutions, by providing them with opportunities to acquire one shared-use piece of equipment/instrument that supports their research, research training, and extension goals and may be too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NIFA grant programs. EGP grants are not intended to replace requests for equipment in individual project applications. The program emphasizes shared-use instrumentation that will enhance the capabilities of researchers, educators, and extension specialists both within and outside the proposing organization.

Proposals to the EGP must involve acquisition of a single, well-integrated piece of equipment/instrument. Well-integrated means that the ensemble of equipment that defines the instrument enables specific fundamental or applied research experiments in the food and agricultural sciences, including data science and data systems; separating or removing an element or component of such an integrated instrument would preclude that research from occurring or succeeding. An instrument acquired with support from EGP is expected to be fully operational by the conclusion of the first year of the project. 

• C. Roman Palacios  (School of Information)
• R. Schomer (Plant Sciences)
• S. Sullivan (Chemical & Environmental Engineering)
• J.Green (Environmental Science)
• A. Mallik (Geosciences)
• M. Taylor (Chemistry & Biochemistry)

UA may submit up to three candidates per eligible department. Please note the Department of Astronomy will hold its internal competition. Please contact the department head for more information.

The Sloan Research Fellowships seek to stimulate fundamental research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise. These $75,000, two-year fellowships are awarded to researchers in recognition of distinguished performance and a unique potential to make substantial contributions to their field. Successful candidates for a Fellowship generally have a strong record of significant independent research accomplishments that demonstrate creativity and the potential to become future leaders in the scientific community.

Eligibility:

• Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, or a related field.
• Candidates must be tenure-track, though untenured, as of September 15, 2023.
• Candidate’s faculty position must carry a regular teaching obligation.

In keeping with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation's longstanding support of underrepresented minorities in the sciences, the Foundation strongly encourages the nomination of qualified women and minority candidates.

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

UArizona may submit one proposal as the lead organization of a collaborative project on only one submission per cycle, regardless of track, but may serve as the non-lead organization of a collaborative project more than once per cycle.

The Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) supports the Pathways into the Geosciences - Earth, Ocean, Polar and Atmospheric Sciences (GEOPAths) funding opportunity. GEOPAths invites proposals that specifically address the current needs and opportunities related to education, learning, training and professional development within the geosciences community through the formation of STEM Learning Ecosystems that engage students in the study of the Earth, its oceans, polar regions and atmosphere. The primary goal of the GEOPAths funding opportunity is to increase the number of students pursuing undergraduate and/or postgraduate degrees through the design and testing of novel approaches that engage students in authentic, career-relevant experiences in geoscience. In order to broaden participation in the geosciences, engaging students from historically excluded groups or from non-geoscience degree programs is a priority. This solicitation features three funding tracks that focus on Geoscience Learning Ecosystems (GLEs):

1. GEOPAths: Informal Networks (IN). Collaborative projects in this track will support geoscience learning and experiences in informal settings for teachers, pre-college (e.g., upper level high school) students, and early undergraduates in the geosciences.
2. GEOPAths: Undergraduate Preparation (UP). Projects in this track will engage pre-college and undergraduate students in extra-curricular experiences and training in the geosciences with a focus on service learning and workplace skill building.
3. GEOPAths: Graduate Opportunities (GO). Projects in this track will improve research and career-related pathways into the geosciences for undergraduate and graduate students through institutional collaborations with a focus on service learning and workplace skill building.

1. H.J. Kim (Civil Engineering-Engineering Mechanics)
2. M. Tfail (Environmental Science) 
3. M. Chertkov (Applied Mathematics)

UA may submit three pre-proposals to this funding program.
 

Applications must focus on addressing basic research challenges motivated by the Energy Earthshots listed above. The scope of the Energy Earthshots are described below. This FOA is a collaborative effort across three SC research programs: Advanced Scientific Computing Research, Basic Energy Sciences, and Biological and Environmental Research. Program descriptions follow below. Multi-disciplinary applications are encouraged, addressing more than one SC research program. Additionally, the following common considerations apply to all Energy Earthshots:

Applicants should consider how innovative high-performance and scientific-computing techniques can contribute to advancing the goals of the proposed research. Applicants should also leverage the applications and software technologies developed by DOE’s Exascale Computing Project (ECP)10 to make use of computing at all scales. Applicants should also consider how to leverage data, software, models, and other information from recent and concurrent activities, including those funded by SC, other DOE departmental elements, and other agencies. SC resources include, but are not limited to, those with the Public Reusable Research (PuRe) Data designation11. Applicants are encouraged to consult the references posted on each Energy Earthshot’s webpage for information on other potentially-leverageable resources. 

R. Hossein ( Aerospace-Mechanical Engineering)

NIOSH organizes its research program under the framework of the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA). NORA is a partnership program to stimulate innovative research and improved workplace practices. Unveiled in 1996, NORA entered its third decade (2016-2026) with an enhanced structure. It now consists of ten industry sectors based on major areas of the U.S. economy, and seven health and safety cross-sectors organized according to the major health and safety issues affecting the U.S. working population. The national agenda is developed and implemented through the NORA Sector and Cross-Sector Councils. Each council develops and maintains an Agenda for its sector or cross-sector. The collection of agendascomprises the agenda for the nation for improvements in occupational safety and health. The agenda also provides a vehicle for stakeholders to describe the most relevant safety and health issues, research gaps, and needs.

Protecting the health and safety of mine workers by preventing diseases, injuries, and fatalities is a NIOSH priority, along with making certain that workers are qualified, trained, and properly equipped. The NORA Mining Agenda was developed and implemented through NORA Sector Councils and is guidance for the nation as a whole, while the 2019-2023  Mining Program Strategic Plan is specific to NIOSH and its capabilities and resources. 
 

The NIOSH Mining Program has established three overarching strategic goals for this plan:

Strategic Goal 1: Reduce mine workers’ risk of occupational illness

Strategic Goal 2: Reduce mine workers’ risk of traumatic injuries and fatalities

Strategic Goal 3: Reduce the risk of mine disasters and improve post-disaster survivability of mine workers.

This is a collaborative grant and applicants should outline their expected interactions with NIOSH researchers and subject matter experts.

Objectives

The objective of this cooperative agreement is to address research initiatives in automation, robotics, and intelligent mining systems to improve workplace safety and health in U.S. mining operations. 

The impact of research conducted by recipients should focus on advances in assured autonomy, i.e., assuring autonomous mining equipment and robotics achieve improved workplace safety and health for mine workers while meeting efficiency and productivity goals.

Interactions with mining stakeholders have shown that the U.S. industry is lagging behind other parts of the world in the implementation of automation technologies due to a lack of guidance in implementing new technology, questions about technology readiness, a lack of guidance and tools for effectively dealing with the migration from human-operated equipment to autonomous equipment, and concerns about the potential unsafe interactions between autonomous equipment and workers. Impacts could include but are not limited to:

Applicants are encouraged to consider those aspects of their graduate degree program in mining and explosives engineering, including unique facilities, that could best support their proposed research related to automation, robotics, and intelligent mining systems.

Clearly state your proposed goals and objectives, and directly link these to the occupational health and safety burdens you are addressing.

Provide data to support your selection of the proposed work, such as morbidity or mortality rates and indicators of the size of the population at risk (including estimates of the target population’s potential risk of exposure to the hazard, frequency of exposure, or sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, and race/ethnicity). Similarly, provide qualitative data that describe exposures, the magnitude of the problem, and potential benefits and impacts of addressing the issue. Qualitative data may be necessary when the nature of the exposure or population at risk makes it difficult to collect large-scale, representative quantitative data.

1. • Advances in and implementation of human-centered design principles for automated equipment and the systems used to monitor or interact with them.
   • New methods, guidance, and best practices in change management, training/retraining workers, technology integration, and safety evaluation.
   • New methods and evaluation techniques for safe design that consider the entire mining operation as a system.
   • Advances and availability of enabling technologies for assured autonomy including sensors, data fusion and processing, artificial intelligence, and systems for improved machine and operator situational awareness.
   • Availability of new miner rescue and post-disaster surveillance technologies.