Physical Sciences & Engineering

H. Rastgoftar
J. Su

UArizona may submit two nominations. The November 14, 2022, nominations are an administrative step and will be submitted by RDS. Full Application materials are due to the sponsor from the nominees by December 13, 2022. Contact RDS with questions

Required UA pre-proposal elements

Uploaded as a PDF:

1. Statement of Invention
   Two-page maximum. See the full guidelines for required information to include.
2. PI CV or BioSketch
   Two-page maximum current CV or BioSketch
3. Letter from Department Head acknowledging $50,000 direct support requirement. An email confirmation and acknowledgment of support is sufficient. (To be uploaded as a PDF)

Program Description for 2022

Full sponsor guidelines

The foundation seeks to identify outstanding inventors and innovators who harness science and technology to enhance the conduct of scientific research, strengthen environmental conservation, or improve the experience and outcomes of patient care.

The Moore Inventor Fellows program focuses on supporting scientist-inventors at a critical stage of research to capture opportunities that otherwise might be missed. We seek to provide freedom and support to promising inventors with the most compelling ideas to pursue creative work.

Gordon Moore’s contribution to the development of microelectronics helped produce the exponential growth of the digital revolution. In the spirit of Moore’s passion for science and penchant for inventing, the foundation seeks to support people who create new tools, technologies, processes, or approaches with a high potential to accelerate progress in the foundation’s three main areas of interest: scientific research, environmental conservation and patient care.

The foundation plans to allocate nearly $34 million through 2026 to support 50 Moore Inventor Fellows. In 2020, the competition will focus on early-career staff at major research universities, additional institutions from among the top 50 National Institutes of Health-funded medical schools and universities, and selected non-academic environmental research and patient care institutions. Each eligible institution may nominate two people.

Each fellow will receive funding for three years at a level of $200,000 per year from the foundation. In addition, the foundation will provide the host institution with $25,000 each year to cover costs associated with administering the grant award, resulting in a total three-year award amount of $675,000. Each host institution will be required to contribute $50,000 in annual direct support of the inventor’s work. This can be “in kind” as released time or access to special facilities for which there is normally a charge. We expect each fellow will be personally engaged in pursuing their invention and we require each fellow to devote at least 25 percent of their own time to their invention. Fellows may use the grant funds to support their own salary to create this opportunity. They may also hire undergraduates, graduate assistants or postdoctoral scholars and purchase services, equipment, or supplies.

We aim to support inventions at an early stage that could lead to proof-of-concept work on an invention or advance an existing prototype that tackles an important problem. We seek innovations with the promise of making a long-lasting impact by addressing underlying problems in their field, but a clear path toward commercialization is not a requirement. We are not interested in supporting projects that are already at a stage where significant venture capital is available. As with all our grants, we seek to measure progress toward a defined goal during the three years of support. The foundation’s policy is that intellectual property that results from a grant must be managed and disseminated in a manner that leads to the greatest impact. Each award will include IP terms to reflect the needs of that project.

We recognize that real invention can take surprising turns, so we seek creative individuals who have big ideas, deep knowledge and the courage to take smart risks. We recognize that inventors and innovators come from a diversity of backgrounds, disciplines and experiences, and seek creative individuals across a broad array of academic programs and research departments. Examples of such programs include, but are not limited to environmental science and conservation, oceanography, biology, engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, neuroscience, public health and gerontology.

Eligibility

• Candidates must be faculty, research scientists, postdocs or other full-time staff who can receive funding through their institutions.
• Candidates must be no more than 10 years past receiving the terminal advanced degree in their field (M.S., Ph.D. or M.D.).

Ticket #1: I. Djordjevic
Ticket #2: B. Bash

UArizona may submit two preliminary proposals.

The Quantum Sensing Challenges for Transformational Advances in Quantum Systems (QuSeC-TAQS) program supports interdisciplinary teams of three (3) or more investigators to explore highly innovative, original, and potentially transformative research on quantum sensing. The QuSeC-TAQS program supports coordinated efforts to develop and apply quantum sensor systems, with demonstrations resulting in proof of principle or field-testing of concepts and platforms that can benefit society. The QuSeC-TAQS program aligns with recommendations articulated in the strategy report, Bringing Quantum Sensors to Fruition, that was produced by the National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Quantum Information Science, under the auspices of the National Quantum Initiative.

4. Decarbonizing Cement and Concrete: D. Apai

UArizona may submit only one Concept Paper and one Full Application for each topic area as the lead applicant.  There are no limitations on partnerships or subrecipients on other applications.

This FOA will fund high-impact, applied research and development and prototype or pilot-scale technology validation and demonstration projects in order to expedite the adoption of transformational industrial technology necessary to increase energy efficiency across industry and in high GHG-emitting industrial subsectors, reducing both energy usage and GHG emissions. This includes cross-sector industrial decarbonization approaches via opportunities in energy efficiency; industrial electrification; low carbon fuels, feedstocks and energy sources; and industrial carbon capture and utilization. This FOA and its associated projects are separate from any forthcoming efforts to be funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, including activities related to Industrial Emissions Demonstration Projects.

1. Decarbonizing Chemicals
2. Decarbonizing Iron and Steel
3. Decarbonizing Food and Beverage Products
4. Decarbonizing Cement and Concrete
5. Decarbonizing Paper and Forest Products
6. Cross-sector Decarbonization Technologies

UArizona is invited to submit up to three nominations, one for each of the three disciplinary categories: Life Sciences; Physical Sciences & Engineering; and Chemistry.

The Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists recognize the United States' most promising faculty-rank researchers in Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, and Chemistry. One Blavatnik National Awards Laureate in each disciplinary category will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds, and additional nominees will be recognized as Finalists.

This is an Institutionally Coordinated nomination. Interested applicants or nominators should contact Marie Teemant, Associate, Research Development Services.

Ticket #1, Track 1: Confidential
Ticket #2, Track 1: Confidential
Ticket #3, Track 2: Confidential
Ticket #4, Track 3: Confidential (Contact RDS for more information. PI names will be posted after the sponsor's deadline.)

NEW to NSF 23-519:
Track 3: Track 3 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,0001 and less than or equal to $4,000,000 that include the purchase, installation, operation, and maintenance of equipment and instrumentation to conserve or reduce the consumption of helium. Institutions may submit no more than one Track 3 proposal. Submission of a Track 3 proposal does not impact limits that apply for Track 1 and Track 2 proposals.

October 6, 2022 UPDATE: The deadline for TRACK 1 pre-proposals has been extended until 11:59p on Sunday, October 16. No additional Track 2 pre-proposals will be accepted under this extension. Contact RDS with questions

NOTE: RDS is holding the 2022-23 internal competition for the MRI program based on the existing solicitation and announced deadlines. Should NSF issue a new solicitation or make other program changes, our internal program and timeline will be adjusted and the new internal requirements will be announced on the Limited Submissions Table and in the Limited Submissions Newsletter.

UArizona may submit three total proposals, with no more than two submissions in Track 1 and no more than one submission in Track 2.

Contact RDS for more information

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.

Institutionally Coordinated confidential nomination process. Please contact Marie Teemant, Associate, Research Development Services for more information.

University of Arizona is invited to submit nominations for the Simons Investigators program in the following theoretical categories: Mathematics, Physics, Astrophysics and Computer Science. Within the Physics program, the foundation also invites nominations for Theoretical Physics in Life Sciences Investigators. The foundation strongly encourages the nomination of scientists from underrepresented groups.

The aim of the Simons Investigators program is to identify and support the most active and creative theoretical researchers during the years when they are developing into and serving as the intellectual leaders of the field and to provide them with resources to undertake new and creative investigations. The nominees are judged on their potential for innovative contributions to science over the coming years.

Nominations must be treated confidentially — the nominees should not know they are being nominated if possible.

For information on the typical profile of successful nominations, please visit the Simons Foundation website, where a list of current awardees may be found:
https://www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons-investigators/?tab=awardees. 

J. Roveda
M. Bhattacharya

8/25/2022 UPDATE - Concept papers in Medical Sciences WILL BE accepted in fall 2022.

UA may submit four concept papers in Physical Sciences and Engineering and four concept papers in Medical Sciences in this cycle.

The W.M. Keck Foundation Research Program uses a three-step process for this opportunity. The first step is a Concept paper. The Undergraduate Education program is currently not accepting concept papers. The next steps are by the foundation’s invitation. UArizona review criteria reflect previous interactions with the W.M. Keck Foundation. Proposals should focus on basic, fundamental science with broad applications.

The proposed work should show a significant leap forward rather than an extension of existing work. 

To be considered by Keck, applicants must have a statement from a federal program officer expressing that the project is not a good fit due to risk (rather than technical or theoretical fit) or a decline from a federal program where the summary statement or individual reviews highlight the incredible novelty, but the high-risk nature that makes it difficult to fund at the federal level.

Contact RDS for more information on nomination

UArizona may nominate three candidates.

Achieving tenure should be a moment when professors feel a new sense of freedom that allows them to innovate and attempt new research paths as the head of their own teams. Unfortunately, this time is often coupled with a lack of resources and a pressure to continue producing results within their established research portfolio. The key goal of the Schmidt Science Polymath program (“the program”) is to encourage the best “polymath” scientists to expand their research portfolio by exploring new lines of research that are substantively different from their ongoing and proven research activities. The program will offer long-term research support to recently-tenured professors (within the past 3 years) with remarkable track records and highly promising futures. Awards will consist of USD $500K per year for up to 5 years to support part of a research group. These grants are intended for the exploration of new ideas across disciplines that use new technologies and insights that are generally too new or risky to garner regular support. They are not intended to relieve the researcher of pursuing other grants to continue their mainstream work, nor be large enough to fully support a modern lab. The program will identify and support innovative scientific researchers at this pivotal moment (and potentially the most productive time of their careers) by providing the resources that allow them to substantively explore new lines of research. Instead of focusing on specific research ideas, the goal for the program is to bet on people, their special talents, and their teams - aligning with Schmidt Futures’ overall people-focused approach.

In its 2nd year, the Polymaths program has expanded from a cohort of 2 to 10 awardees. Together, current Polymaths represent 14 institutions across 5 nations, and work in the Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Computational Sciences, Materials Science, & Engineering. Learn more about our current Schmidt Science Polymaths and their work.

Schmidt Futures is seeking the highest quality candidates from a specific and pivotal period in their career. In order to be eligible for nomination to the Schmidt Science Polymaths application process, candidates must meet the following qualifications:

• Have achieved tenure (or equivalent status) within the past 3 years (2019 or after),
• Have a remarkable record of accomplishment in area(s) of science and engineering,
• Have a demonstrated history of pursuing and publishing results in more than one field,
• Demonstrate a need for additional funding to enable new experiments, explorations, or shifts in research directions.

Please note, the application and selection process, as well as all correspondence and documentation associated with the program, will be in English.

Type 2: M. Van Dyke

While NSF allowed more than one concept outline to be submitted by an institution, UArizona may ultimately only submit one full proposal. Therefore, due to the complexity and scope of this program, RII is Institutionally Coordinating the submission of Concept Outlines to NSF, as well as the invited full proposal.

Full sponsor guidelines

The NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program is a bold new initiative, committed to creating regional-scale, technology-driven innovation ecosystems throughout every region of the United States, accelerating emerging technologies, driving economic growth, addressing key societal challenges, and maintaining national competitiveness.

The NSF Engines program aims to fund regional coalitions of partnering organizations to establish NSF Engines that will catalyze technology and science-based regional innovation ecosystems. Each Engine must focus on addressing specific aspects of a major societal and/or economic challenge that are of significant interest in the Engine’s defined “region of service,” where such a region could range from a metropolitan area (including its adjacent rural regions) to an area spanning parts of several states. The mission of an Engine must be clearly rooted in regional interests and the development of regional talent. The emphasis on “regions” expresses NSF’s aim to stimulate innovation-driven economic growth within a particular region of service. The NSF Engines program is particularly interested in creating new business and economic growth in those regions of America that have not fully participated in the technology boom of the past several decades.

NSF will fund Engines to carry out an integrated and comprehensive set of activities spanning use-inspired research, translation-to-practice, entrepreneurship, and workforce development to nurture and accelerate regional industries. Engines must also work to bring together an inclusive and diverse network of partners and stakeholders who will participate in the regional innovation ecosystem. With the goal of advancing emerging industries and creating societal and economic value, NSF Engines will emphasize research that meaningfully engages the consumers of research outcomes in motivating that research as well as in the subsequent prototyping and piloting of research-based solutions (i.e., co-design and co-creation), the translation of research results to practice, entrepreneurship, and direct economic growth.

Funding for this program will prioritize regions across the Nation without well-established innovation ecosystems. Engines in regions of the country where prospective ecosystem members exist, but where innovation activities are only loosely connected, are of particular interest.

UArizona is not eligible // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

PAR-22-190 Eligibility: In accordance with the regulatory requirements provided at 45 CFR 75.113 and 2 CFR Part 200.113 and Appendix XII to 45 CFR Part 75 and 2 CFR Part 200, recipients that have currently active Federal grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies with a cumulative total value greater than $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of a Federal award, must report and maintain the currency of information reported in the System for Award Management (SAM) about civil, criminal, and administrative proceedings in connection with the award or performance of a Federal award that reached final disposition within the most recent five-year period. 

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) invites qualified academic or research institutions to apply for funding support to purchase advanced equipment that will enhance and modernize research-supporting operations of biomedical research facilities. Targeted are laboratory research core facilities, animal research facilities, and other similar shared-use research spaces. The goal of this FOA is to strengthen research-auxiliary activities of biomedical research facilities and to enhance the efficiency of their operations.

This FOA does not support the purchase of scientific research instruments or their components, nor components of building-level infrastructure equipment that indirectly support research activities.