NSF Announces Center-scale Program in Pandemic Prevention
07/24/2023
NSF Announces PIPP Phase II Centers Program View as a webpage
New NSF Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention (PIPP) Phase II Centers Program Launched
Will Support Fundamental R&D That Transforms Ability to Forecast Pandemic-scale Events, Detect Outbreaks Early, and Respond Efficiently
Despite decades of research, scientists do not fully understand the dynamic nature of pathogen and disease emergence. Effective responses to emerging pathogens will require sustained, global-scale efforts of researchers and organizations.
NSF's Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention (PIPP) initiative focuses on fundamental research and development activities needed to tackle grand challenges in infectious disease pandemics through prediction and prevention. The PIPP Phase II Centers Program expands upon the Phase I Development Grant Program and is the NSF’s flagship program to establish a network of centers or large-scale awards/investments that will support interdisciplinary team-based approaches to accelerate research and development activities in emerging infectious diseases and pandemics.
The program invites proposals for Centers that have a principal focus in one of the following multidisciplinary themes: Pre-emergence – Predicting and detecting rare events in complex, dynamical systems
Data, AI/ML and Design - Computing, manufacturing and technology innovation for pandemics
The Host as the Universe - Identifying host-pathogen tipping points that dictate control or spread of an infection
Human Systems – The role of human behavior, activities and environments in disease emergence, transmission, and response or mitigation
NSF plans to make approximately 4-7 Center awards for between $15 million and $18 million for seven years across the themes, depending on strength of submissions.
Letters of intent are due August 25, 2023. Full proposals are due December 8, 2023.
Learn More About PIPP Phase II Program
What Goes Into a PIPP Center?
Each PIPP Phase II Center is envisioned as a catalytic force that:Builds a deeper understanding of critical foundational research issues that are critical in predictive intelligence for pandemic prevention.
Innovates in a multitude of science and engineering fields within each theme, including, but not limited to: environmental, biological, social, behavioral, economic, mathematical, computer and information science and engineering science.
Provides use-inspired insights to critical problems relating to predictive intelligence for pandemic prevention that accelerate translation of research results to practice with societal impact.
Motivating Research Questions
Successful Centers are motivated by clear and compelling foundational and interdisciplinary research questions and pursue activities that are focused in one of themes above. While each theme has a clear focus in some disciplines, research and development activities must draw together data, theory, tools, infrastructure and ideas that cross all relevant disciplinary boundaries (e.g., environmental, biological, chemical, physical, materials, social, behavioral, economic, mathematical, computer and information science and/or engineering science) and reflect this in balanced expertise on the team of collaborators and participants.
Broader Impacts
Each successful Center will have interacting initial components that reach beyond the foundational research questions. Chiefly, Centers should accelerate the transition of innovations into relevant economic and/or policy sectors, and nurture and grow the next generation of talent necessary to respond to future pandemic challenges. Hence, center activities must include workforce development at all participant levels, a culture of diversity and inclusion where all participants gain mutual benefit.
Contact the PIPP Program Team
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NSF, EDA Announce Official Coordination on Regional Innovation Programs
07/26/2023
NSF, EDA announce official coordination on regional innovation programs
NSF Engines and EDA Tech Hubs speed and scale research and development outputs and enable economic opportunities nationwide
The U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) signed a memorandum of understanding to officially enable cross-agency coordination on regional innovation programs.
NSF and EDA share a mutual commitment to regional innovation and economic development in communities across the nation. The "CHIPS and Science Act" authorizes both agencies to implement programs to enable regional technology development and economic and job growth through the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) and the EDA Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hubs) programs. Collectively, these programs — along with many of the agencies' other investments, like EDA's Build Back Better Regional Challenge awards — will accelerate technology advancement and commercialization, innovation and entrepreneurship, job creation and workforce training and more. Ultimately, these programs will contribute to regional economic growth and U.S. competitiveness in key technology areas. View a map of various NSF and EDA initiatives.
Use this map to find U.S. government resources for innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs, and to see the reach of U.S. investment in science and technology support. Click on the icons to learn more about various initiatives across the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce. This map will be updated periodically to include more information about flagship investments in each key technology area as outlined in the "CHIPS and Science Act of 2022."
The NSF-EDA memorandum allows for the coordination of specific projects, programs and facilities. The coordination may include research and education activities, facilities, centers, data infrastructure and outreach. Ongoing areas of cooperation as well as future areas of potential cooperation could include:Implementing pathways for sustained growth of regional innovation ecosystems.
Training and educating diverse technicians, researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs based on regional workforce needs.
Forming trusted partnership networks across industry, academia, government, nonprofits, civil society and communities of practice to foster scientific innovation and the exchange of proposals or personnel.
"Given the complementary nature of both programs, this partnership allows for synergistic and collaborative activities to create opportunities everywhere and drive innovation anywhere," said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. "By working closely with EDA, the research and development outputs from NSF Engines could scale at a pace that will keep the U.S. competitive in key technology areas and more quickly address critical national, societal and geostrategic challenges."
The NSF Engines program uniquely harnesses the nation's science and technology research and development (R&D) enterprise and regional-level resources. NSF Engines aspire to catalyze robust partnerships to positively impact the economy within a geographic region, address societal challenges, advance national competitiveness and create local, high-wage jobs. NSF Engines R&D activities across distinct geographic regions will result in innovations that can in turn fuel economic growth and the production and delivery of new technologies in regional ecosystems strengthened by EDA's Tech Hubs investments. View a list of 44 NSF Engines Development Awards or a list of NSF Engines semifinalists on the NSF Engines webpage.
Tech Hubs program investments leverage existing R&D and technology deployment capacities but do not directly fund R&D. The program is intended to advance the capacities of places to manufacture, commercialize and deploy these technologies. Tech Hubs will operate across the country by bringing together industry, academia, state, local and tribal governments, economic development organizations and labor and workforce partners to supercharge ecosystems of innovation for technologies that are essential to U.S. economic and national security.
"Innovation and collaboration go hand in hand, so it's fitting that EDA and NSF continue to lead by example as we forge new opportunities to share resources and foster a new age of technological advancement," said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. "Programs such as EDA's 'Tech Hubs' and NSF's 'Engines' will make focused investments in innovation and technology that leverage assets in regions throughout the United States to make our nation safer, stronger and more competitive on the global stage. Together we will ensure that the innovations, industries and jobs of tomorrow start, grow and remain in the United States."
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. Read more about Tech Hubs and the first funding opportunity at EDA.gov.
About the U.S. National Science Foundation's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships
The NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships harnesses the nation's vast and diverse talent pool to advance critical and emerging technologies, address pressing societal and economic challenges, and accelerate the translation of research results from lab to market and society. TIP comprises three primary focus areas — fostering innovation and technology ecosystems, establishing translation pathways and partnering across sectors to engage the nation's diverse talent to improve U.S. competitiveness, grow the U.S. economy and train a diverse workforce for future, high-wage jobs. For more information about TIP, visit the TIP webpage.
ABOUT THE NSF ENGINES PROGRAM
Launched by the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP), the NSF Engines program envisions fostering multiple flourishing regional innovation ecosystems across the country, providing a unique opportunity to spur economic growth in regions that have not participated in the technology boom of the past few decades. For more information about the program, visit the NSF Engines website or email us your questions.
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Call for Nominations Webinar ~ August 10, 2023
The Alan T. Waterman Award recognizes an outstanding early career researcher in any field of science or engineering supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation. The annual award is the nation's highest honor for early-career scientists and engineers. In addition to a medal, the awardee receives a grant of $1,000,000 over a five-year period for scientific research or advanced study in the science and engineering disciplines supported by the National Science Foundation at the institution of their choice. Congress established the award in August 1975 to mark NSF's 25th anniversary and to honor the agency's first director.
NSF is seeking nominations for exceptional candidates that represent the diversity of the U.S. Nominations for the Alan T Waterman Award will be accepted from July 17 - September 15, 2023.
Webinar details
We will be holding an informational webinar so you can learn how to nominate someone for this prestigious award.
When: August 10, 2023 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please register in advance for this webinar:
https://nsf.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN__--AVXadTMqLNdhUqMRKlQ
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
For more information
Please visit www.nsf.gov/Waterman for nominations requirements and to access the nomination portal.
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NSF announces 54 teams picked for the VITAL Prize Challenge Semi-Final Round
07/14/2023
NSF announces 54 teams picked for the VITAL Prize Challenge Semi-Final Round
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced that 54 teams have been selected to advance to the Semi-Final Round of the Visionary Interdisciplinary Teams Advancing Learning (VITAL) Prize Challenge. The $6 million, multiphase challenge supports teams developing novel learning technologies with entrepreneurial training, customer discovery support, seed funding and mentorship to build K-12 learning innovations for adoption nationwide. The VITAL Prize Challenge is made possible through a partnership between NSF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Schmidt Futures and the Walton Family Foundation and administered by the global education nonprofit Digital Promise.
The 54 teams moving on from the Discovery Round to the Semi-Final Round will receive an additional $20,000 in research and development funding to support the costs associated with early solution development. The teams chosen for the Semi-Final Round span the challenge's three technology tracks, including 17 teams developing learning technology concepts to advance mathematical literacy to promote a future STEM workforce; 15 teams advancing measures and tools that can dramatically increase the speed and utility of student learning information for educators, students and families; and 22 teams advancing other innovations to support diverse communities of K-12 student learners and teachers.
"NSF is thrilled to support these technologies and innovations that will impact diverse learners," said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. "The grassroots, multidisciplinary projects advancing to the Semi-Final Round today show great promise for transforming education through new ideas, tools, technologies and systems."
During the Semi-Final Round, teams and their educator partners will have approximately three months to make significant progress toward the design and feasibility of an early working prototype. A judging panel of field leading experts across educational research, practice and technology will review and select a subset of the teams to participate in the Final Round. These teams will further develop, validate and refine their prototypes for impact across the education marketplace. The top three leading concepts from each technology track will then participate in a live Pitch Session to a panel of committee members, NSF staff, sponsoring partner representatives and private sector investors in learning technologies. Ultimately, teams will earn first, second and third place in each technology track.
The VITAL Prize Challenge received over 300 submissions across the three K-12 technology translation tracks: Rapid and Continuous Learning Assessment; Mathematical Literacy to Promote a Future STEM Workforce; and Other Innovations in Translational Learning Technologies. A judging panel of over 50 leading experts across the domains of educational research, practice and technology as well as technology translation assisted in reviewing and ranking the submissions. In April, 100 multidisciplinary teams were chosen for the Discovery Round, during which they received entrepreneurial education and mentoring.
To learn more about the VITAL Prize Challenge, visit new.nsf.gov/tip/vital-prize-challenge.
ABOUT THE TIP DIRECTORATE
The NSF's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, TIP, harnesses the nation's vast and diverse talent pool to accelerate critical and emerging technologies and address pressing societal and economic challenges. TIP comprises three primary focus areas – fostering innovation and technology ecosystems, establishing translation pathways, and partnering across sectors to improve U.S. competitiveness, grow the U.S. economy and engage and train a diverse workforce for future, high-wage jobs.
For more information about TIP, visit new.nsf.gov/tip/latest.
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