Physical Sciences & Engineering

In Review // Limit: 3  // Tickets Available: 0

R. Schomer (School of Plant Science)

B. Tanriover (Medicine)

S. Dickinson (Pharmacology)
 

Program updates: 

After evaluating some of our processes with the Mathers Board, we are making two key changes to our Grants Program that will be implemented in the 2024 Fall Cycle.

First, we are decreasing the number of nominees institutions can submit for each grant cycle from four (4) to three (3). Our Grants Program has evolved into a national limited competition over the last several years. We have since received 300+ LOI applications per cycle, and the numbers grow annually. Reducing the amount of LOI applications we accept will allow us to continue to select, in a timely manner, the most appropriate projects for a Formal Proposal.  

Second, we are reducing the total project budget range from $600,000-$750,000 to $600,000-$700,000.  This revised budget range for our three-year grant awards is closely aligned with other funding organizations, including many NIH research awards. 

All other LOI Application Instructions will remain the same.

The mission of The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation is to advance knowledge in the life sciences by sponsoring scientific research that will benefit mankind. The foundation’s grants program seeks to support basic science, ideally with potential translational applications. Immunology, microbiome, genomics, structural biology, cellular physiology, neuroscience, etc., are some noteworthy examples of current research support. 

For many years the Foundation has enjoyed special recognition in the research community for supporting “basic” scientific research, realizing that true transformative breakthroughs usually occur after a thorough understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying natural phenomena. More recently, and with the advent of newer investigative methodologies, technology, and tools, the Foundation now embraces innovative translational research proposals.

The grant duration must be three years. The budget should be reasonable based on the aims of the project. Indirect costs may not exceed 10%. Preliminary Budgets are required during the LOI phase. A detailed budget justification is not required until the proposal phase.  The Foundation’s grant award is not intended to be utilized for purchasing capital equipment (“bricks-and-mortar”) for the lab and is intended only to support the actual investigation. The Foundation assumes and expects that capital equipment must be provided by the research institution or university.
 

Application Guidance:

• Grant budgets cannot exceed $600,000-$700,000.
• The Foundation primarily supports basic science, ideally with potential translational applications.
• Immunology, microbiome, genomics, structural biology, cellular physiology, neuroscience, etc., are some noteworthy examples of current research support.
• Covid-19-related research projects (aims or sub-aims) will not be considered for support.
• Medical imaging technology-related projects and/or electrical engineering technology development projects will not be considered for support.
• Plant Biology Research, Oceanography, Space Exploration. and Global warming-related research will not be considered for support.
• As technology continues to advance, it is apparent that investigations in the area of basic science and translational research may become more and more reliant on collaborative, interdisciplinary projects. It is important to note that any interdisciplinary project proposals may require additional information regarding the collaborator(s)’ achievements and relevant expertise.
• Feedback for declined LOI Requests will not be provided; LOIs or Formal Proposals that have been declined should not be resubmitted at a later date for consideration.
• Renewal applications for the same or related research will not be accorded priority consideration. It is strongly advised that any re-application for grant renewal consider a new direction based on prior research or emphasize some new potential translational aspects and not merely an extension of previously funded research.
• Requests for funding previously federally supported research and/or applications pending federal approval will not be accorded priority consideration.
• Requests for support of clinical trials or drug discovery will not be approved. The Foundation will not support projects which we consider pre-clinical drug development.

Fall 2024

Portal Registration due date: September 20, 2024 (Friday)
Late registrations for our Portal will not be approved for the Fall 2024 review cycle. 

LOI due date: October 4, 2024 (Friday)
Applicants notified of proposal invitation or LOI rejection within a month of the due date.

Due date for invited proposals: December 6, 2024 (Friday)
Applicants are notified of proposal approval or rejection within 75 days of the due date.

No Applicants // Limit: 3 // Tickets Available: 3 

**Please note, 1907 Foundation would like all applicants to additionally apply in Atala with the same five-part application (regardless of if they are selected in this internal competition) so they can share their ideas with other funding organizations who use Atala. Register in the Atala system and submit your application prior to April 15, 2024.

The 1907 Trailblazer Award was established to encourage high-impact, step-change approaches to research in the brain and mind sciences for psychiatric health. In addition to supporting a specific research project, the Award intends to increase the size of the talent pool of early career investigators researching causes & cures for psychiatric illness. The 1907 Foundation promotes these aims by providing a $100,000 research grant on an unrestricted basis, a $20,000 prize to enhance the economic security of the scientist, and travel & expense coverage for attendance to in-person annual meetings. Each winner will be invited to present interim findings (year 1) and final findings (year 2), where they can form scientific relationships with other Fellows, the Science Innovation Committee and the Science Selection Committee. The Foundation aims to build community and provide value to the scientist in excess of the monetary element.

1907 Foundation fosters a culture of innovation, encourages risk-taking and assesses applications based on the merit of the novel idea, not the identity of the applicant. It seeks to attract scientists who can think creatively across disciplines and who are motivated to swim against the tides of consensus. 1907 Foundation wants to see your outside-the-box ideas and methods, and encourages applicants who have never received a major grant to apply.

Projects must be grounded in the study of biological mechanisms underlying brain function, cognitive processes, and/or consciousness. Supported projects are for basic science in addition to near-term applications (e.g. disruptive technologies and potential clinical interventions).

• UArizona may nominate three individuals.
• 1907 Foundation strongly encourages faculty with specialization outside of psychiatry to apply as well (e.g. endocrinology, genetics, radiology, etc.) and outside of medicine (e.g. psychology, neuroscience, engineering, informatics, physics, maths, etc.) to apply.
• Eligibility:
  • Applicants must be within ten years of the date when PhD/MD degree was awarded (whichever came later and with exceptions for maternity leave, paternity leave and other excused absences).For clinical scientists, the 10-year clock starts upon completion of all residency and fellowships.
    • Please use February 23, 2024, as the end date for calculation of the 10-year period.
• Funding:
  • Awards of $100,000 will be made to successful applicants, via their institutions, for research costs. Funding is to be spent over a two-year duration and can support (examples):
  • Stipends for research staff within the Award recipient’s lab
  • Equipment, supplies, laboratory costs and/or technician
  • Imaging costs
  • Publication fees
  • Patient participant expenses
  • Travel
  • In addition to the $100,000, US$20,000 will be awarded as a cash prize payable directly to the recipient (50% after year 1, 50% after year 2). Lastly, 1907 Foundation will cover travel and expenses for in-person annual meetings.
  • As a charitable organization, 1907 Foundation prefers that institutions do not apply indirect costs or overheads to these awards. They ask that applicants gain the agreement of their department head that the Award can be used by the Awardee. If some contribution to indirect costs is needed, the letter of support should state how much of the $100,000 (up to a maximum $10,000) will be used in this way and explain why. Administrative overhead will not count against an Applicant so long as it falls within $10,000.

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

This three-phase competition will award up to $4 million to competitors to substantially increase the production and use of critical materials recovered from electronic scrap—or e-scrap. This prize encourages innovations that enhance the recovery of critical materials along the recycling value chain from end-of-life products to reintroduction. This internal competition is to determine two UT Austin candidates for Phase 1: Incubate Contest.

Phase 1 – Incubate:

Competitors will propose solutions that substantially increase the amount of recovered critical materials from e-scrap used in U.S. manufacturing. Up to 10 winners will receive $50,000 in cash and $30,000 in national laboratory analysis support.

Limit: 5 // Tickets Available: 4

F. Baker ( Nutritional Sciences and Wellness)

 A maximum of 5 applications will be accepted from 1 institution in any 1 grant cycle.

The INSPIRE Research Challenge will prioritise innovative, bold and creative proposals with the potential to catalyse rapid and impactful advances in cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship.

This is a new grant call aimed at early career investigators. It will run in parallel with our existing grant programmes and is open to investigators worldwide.

The programme is open to early career individuals – defined as not less than 2 years, but not more than 6 years post-doctoral degree (PhD or MD research).

Applicants must be employed on a research contract within a department at a research institution affiliated with a university or medical school.

Proposed projects must have direct relevance to cancer prevention, treatment or survivorship and may address any or all stages of the cancer journey.

Proposals should address modifiable factors including both lifestyle – such as diet, nutrition, physical activity – and environmental factors – such as pollution/contaminants and pathogens.

Particular priority will be given to novel exposures including stress, sleep and host factors such as immune function.

In Review // Limit: 4 * // Tickets Available: 3

Track 1: P. Haenecour ; T. Bheemasetti

Track 2: J. Schaibley

Track 3: M. Ibañez-Mejia 

Internal deadline has been extended to June 26, 2024.

*Number of proposals allowed per organization: Four.

• No more than two submissions in Track 1 (Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000 and less than $1,400,000).
• No more than one submission in Track 2 (Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000). 
• 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.

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program (MRI Program Website) 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 of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions. MRI instruments are, 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 obtain next-generation research instruments by developing instruments with new capabilities 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 from NSF up to $4 million for either acquisition or development of a research instrument. Each performing organization may submit in revised "Tracks" as defined below, with no more than two (2) submissions in Track 1 and no more than one (1) submission in Track 2. For the newly defined Track 3, no more than one (1) submission per competition is permitted.  As a result, it is now possible for an institution to submit up to four MRI proposals within the Track limits as described above.

• Track 1: Track 1 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than $100,000[1] and less than $1,400,000.
• Track 2: Track 2 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $1,400,000 up to and including $4,000,000.
• Track 3: Track 3 MRI proposals are those that request funds from NSF greater than or equal to $100,000[1] 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. Track 3 is an institutionally coordinated submission and won't be part of the internal competition.

  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.

Cost sharing requirements for new awards in the MRI Program are waived for a period of 5 years beginning with the FY 2023 MRI competition. Institutional submission limits for Track 1, Track 2 and Track 3 proposals remain.

The MRI Program especially seeks broad representation of groups, institutions, and geographic regions that are underrepresented in STEM disciplines. Proposals from women, underrepresented minorities, persons with disabilities and early-career PIs are encouraged, as are proposals that benefit early-career researchers and proposals with PIs from geographically underserved regions, including EPSCoR jurisdictions. Additionally, proposals are encouraged from under-resourced institutions, including from emerging research institutions, where MRI can significantly build capacity for research

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

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: 1

The purpose of this solicitation is to broaden participation in innovation ecosystems that advance key technologies (e.g., advanced manufacturing, advanced wireless, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum information science, semiconductors, novel materials, and microelectronics) by supporting capacity-building efforts at institutions of higher education (IHEs) interested in growing external partnerships. Creation of this program is motivated by the commitment of the National Science Foundation (NSF), including the newly established NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), to accelerate scientific and technological innovation nationwide and empower all Americans to participate in the U.S. research and innovation enterprise. Establishing more inclusive innovation ecosystems will require broad networks of partners working together in support of use-inspired research; the translation of such research to practice or commercial application; and the development of a skilled workforce. The NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) program, housed within the TIP Directorate, seeks to grow inclusive innovation ecosystems around the country. Growing such ecosystems will only be successful if all interested IHEs within a region are able to participate and contribute their unique set of skills and expertise. However, NSF appreciates many Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs), and two-year institutions lack the infrastructure and resources needed to grow external partnerships and effectively contribute to innovation ecosystems, and thus are currently unable to effectively engage with the NSF Engines program.

This solicitation aims to provide MSIs, PUIs, and two-year institutions with limited or no research capacity (see Section IV for details) with the support necessary to become equitable partners with teams competing under the current and subsequent NSF Engines program funding opportunities. Importantly, participation in this solicitation is not predicated on an existing partnership with organizations submitting an NSF Engines proposal. Rather, it is expected that the capacity-building efforts funded under this solicitation will provide significant innovation partnership opportunities irrespective of future participation in an NSF Engine.

No Applicants  // Limit: 5 // Tickets Available: 5 

Applicant institutions are limited to both: 

• No more than a total of five pre-applications or applications as the lead institution in a single- or multi-institutional team.
• No more than one pre-application or application for each PI at the applicant institution.

Extreme-scale science recognizes that disruptive technology changes are occurring across science applications, algorithms, computer architectures and ecosystems. Recent reports point to emerging trends and advances in high-end computing, massive datasets, visualization, and artificial intelligence on increasingly heterogeneous architectures. Significant innovation will be required in the development of effective paradigms and approaches for realizing the full potential of scientific computing from emerging technologies. Proposed research should not focus on a specific science use case, but rather on creating the body of knowledge and understanding that will inform future advances in extreme-scale science. Consequently, the funding from this FOA is not intended to incrementally extend current research in the area of the proposed project. It is expected that the proposed projects will significantly benefit from the exploration of innovative ideas or from the development of unconventional approaches.

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

SIA provides funding for innovative science in both basic and clinical neuroscience. The objective of the SIA is to support projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a high likelihood of producing important findings.

Funding Preferences:

• Funding is to be directed at projects that may be too innovative and speculative for traditional funding sources but still have a high likelihood of producing important findings. This should be a unique project for senior investigators who are encouraged to stretch their imagination into areas that can substantially change an area of research.
• Funding of research projects that will likely lead to successful grant applications with NIH and other public and private funding entities.

*This internal competition is run on an anticipated deadline. New guidelines will posted in early April, applicants will be informed of any relevant updates. 

Submit ticket request   // Limit: One nomination per College

Major divisions (e.g., College of Arts and Sciences, Medical School) of an institution may nominate only one applicant each year.

The William T. Grant Scholars Program supports career development for promising early-career researchers. The program funds five-year research and mentoring plans that significantly expand researchers’ expertise in new disciplines, methods, and content areas.

The William T. Grant Foundation’s mission is to support research to improve the lives of young people ages 5-25 in the United States. They pursue this mission by supporting research within two focus areas. Researchers interested in applying for a William T. Grant Scholars Award must select one focus area: Reducing Inequality or Improving the Use of Research Evidence

Applicants should have a track record of conducting high-quality research and an interest in pursuing a significant shift in their trajectories as researchers. Recognizing that early-career researchers are rarely given incentives or support to take measured risks in their work, this award includes a mentoring component, as well as a supportive academic community.

Awards are based on applicants’ potential to become influential researchers, as well as their plans to expand their expertise in new and significant ways. The application should make a cohesive argument for how the applicant will expand his or her expertise. The research plan should evolve in conjunction with the development of new expertise, and the mentoring plan should describe how the proposed mentors will support applicants in acquiring that expertise. Proposed research plans must address questions that are relevant to policy and practice in the Foundation’s focus areas. Award recipients are designated as William T. Grant Scholars. Each year, four to six Scholars are selected and each receives up to $350,000, distributed over five years.

Areas of Interest

The Foundation supports research in two distinct focus areas: 1) Reducing inequality in youth outcomes, and 2) Improving the use of research evidence in decisions that affect young people.  Proposed research must address questions that align with one of these areas.

Focus Area: Reducing Inequality

In this focus area, we support studies that aim to build, test, or increase understanding of programs, policies, or practices to reduce inequality in the academic, social, behavioral, or economic outcomes of young people, especially on the basis of race, ethnicity, economic standing, language minority status, or immigrant origins.

Focus Area: Improving the Use of Research Evidence

While an extensive body of knowledge provides a rich understanding of specific conditions that foster the use of research evidence, we lack robust, validated strategies for cultivating them. What is required to create structural and social conditions that support research use? What infrastructure is needed, and what will it look like? What supports and incentives  foster research use? And, ultimately, how do youth outcomes fare when research evidence is used? This is where new research can make a difference. 

Eligibility

Applicants must have received their terminal degree within seven years of submitting their application. We calculate this by adding seven years to the date the doctoral degree was conferred. In medicine, the seven-year maximum is dated from the completion of the first residency.

Applicants must be employed in career-ladder positions. For many applicants, this means holding a tenure-track position in a university. Applicants in other types of organizations should be in positions in which there is a pathway to advancement in a research career at the organization and the organization is fiscally responsible for the applicant’s position. The award may not be used as a post-doctoral fellowship.

Institutionally Coordinated // Limit: 1 // L. Folks (Semiconductor Strategy)

Please contact the Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing (CSM)  for more information. 

Eligible applicants can only submit one concept plan paper under this NOFO.

Program Priorities

“Advanced packaging” refers to many chips with diverse functions assembled tightly together on a substrate in two or three dimensions at extremely fine dimensions. This method achieves function, performance, and power savings far greater than can be achieved with conventionally packaged chips on a printed circuit board. Recent advances in artificial intelligence, for example, would not be possible without advanced packaging.

Advanced packaging can be a transformative capability that helps U.S. manufacturers compete globally, but there are many technological challenges to solve. The CHIPS Research and Development Office has established the CHIPS National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program to address these challenges, including:

• How do we design and assemble chips so tightly that they behave like a single traditional large chip, but with the production efficiency and cost savings of advanced packaging?

• How do we supply power to and dissipate heat from such tightly coupled assemblies?

• How do we test and repair such complex assemblies?

• How do we ensure their reliability since traditional methods of visual inspection cannot be performed on such small, tightly packaged dimensions?

The CHIPS NAPMP will enable the development of a robust domestic advanced packaging ecosystem by:

• Establishing an advanced packaging piloting facility (or facilities) that accelerates the transfer of innovations in packaging, equipment, and process development into manufacturing;

• Driving the development of digital tools to reduce the time and cost of advanced packaging engineering; and,

• Establishing and supporting partnerships among industry, academia and training entities, and government to contribute to an advanced packaging workforce.

The six priority research investment areas of the CHIPS NAPMP are:

• Materials and substrates

• Equipment, tools, and processes

• Power delivery and thermal management for advanced packaging assemblies

• Photonics and connectors that communicate with the outside world

• A chiplet ecosystem

• Co-design of multi-chiplet systems with automated tools