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November 17-19, 2019

Seventh Arab-American Frontiers Symposium

Cairo, Egypt

The Library of Alexandria

The Academy of Scientific Research and Technology

U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

Dr. Usha VarshneyProgram Director

Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems DivisionDirectorate for Engineering

U.S.A. National Science Foundationuvarshne@nsf.gov

Priorities, Programs, andModes of International Collaborationsat the National Science Foundation

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NSF Vision and Mission

Vision: Enabling the Nation’s future through discovery, learning, and innovation

Mission:➢ To promote the progress of science

➢ To advance the national health, prosperity and welfare

➢ To secure the national defense ……..

✓By supporting:– Basic scientific and engineering research

– Programs to strengthen research potential

– Science and engineering education at all levels

– An information base for development of national and international policies

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RESEARCH IDEASWindows on the

Universe:

The Era of Multi-

messenger

Astrophysics

The Quantum

Leap:

Leading the

Next Quantum

Revolution

Navigating

the

New Arctic

Understanding

the Rules of

Life:

Predicting

Phenotype

PROCESS IDEAS

Mid-scale

Research

Infrastructure

Growing

Convergent

Research at NSF

NSF 2026

NSF INCLUDES:

Enhancing STEM

through Diversity and

Inclusion

Harnessing

Data for 21st

Century

Science and

Engineering

The Future

of Work at

the Human-

Technology

Frontier

NSF’s 10 Big Ideas

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NSF’s 10 Big Ideas l 6 Research Ideas

Harnessing the Data RevolutionAccelerates discovery and innovation in data-intensive science and engineering research

The Future of Work at the Human-Technology FrontierAddresses the impact and implications of technological advances

Navigating the New ArcticInnovations in Arctic observational networks and convergence research that address the

intersection of natural, social, and built systems

The Quantum Leap: Leading the Next Quantum RevolutionFundamental quantum research leading to sensing, computing, communicating modeling,

and information processing breakthroughs.

Understanding the Rules of Life: Predicting PhenotypeElucidating and harnessing the sets of rules that predict an organism's observable

characteristics

Windows on the Universe: The Era of Multi-MessengerApproaches to provide unique insights into nature and behavior of matter and energy

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NSF’s 10 Big Ideas l 4 Enabling Ideas

NSF 2026: Idea MachineIdentify areas for long-term NSF investment. Research community activities to explore

winning ideas

➢ FY 2019 -- 33 videos and narratives, Blue ribbon panel

➢ FY 2020 --Winners and prizes

Mid-Scale Research InfrastructureSupport design or implementation of infrastructure projects

Growing Convergence ResearchAddress complex problems that require convergence paradigms to catalyze scientific

discovery and innovation at the nexus of traditional disciplines

NSF INCLUDES: Enhancing STEM through Diversity and

InclusionEnhance U.S. leadership in science and engineering by developing STEM talent from all

sectors of our society

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http://www.nsf.gov

Director

Directorate for

Engineering

Directorate for

Computer and

Information

Science and

Engineering

Directorate for

Geosciences

Directorate for

Education and

Human

Resources

Directorate for

Mathematical

and Physical

Sciences

Directorate for

Social,

Behavioral,

and Economic

Sciences

National Science Board Office of the

Inspector General

Deputy Director

Office of International

Science and

Engineering

Office of Equal

Opportunity Programs

Office of Integrative

Activities

Office of Budget, Finance,

and Award Management

Office of Information and

Resource Management

Office of the General

Counsel

Office of Legislative and

Public Affairs

Directorate for

Biological

Sciences

Office of Industrial

Innovation

SBIR/STTR

Organizational Structure

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Directorate for Engineering (ENG)

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Emerging Frontiers and

Multidisciplinary

Activities

(EFMA)

Dr. Sohi Rastegar

Assistant Director

Dr. Dawn Tilbury

Deputy Assistant Director

Dr. Linda Blevins

Program Director for

Evaluation and Assessment

Dr. Alexandra Medina-Borja

Chemical,

Bioengineering,

Environmental,

and Transport

Systems

(CBET)

Dr. Richard

Dickinson (DD)

Civil,

Mechanical, and

Manufacturing

Innovation

(CMMI)

Dr. Robert Stone

(DD)

Electrical,

Communications,

and Cyber

Systems

(ECCS)

Dr. Filbert Bartoli

(DD)

Engineering

Education and

Centers

(EEC)

Dr. Kon-Well Wang

(DD)

Industrial

Innovation and

Partnerships

(IIP)

Dr. Andrea Betz

(DD)

Senior Advisor for Science

and Engineering

Dr. Mihail Roco

Operations Officer

Ms. Judy Haden

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ECCS Mission

Address fundamental research issues at the nano, micro,

and macro scales underlying device and component

technologies, energy and power, controls, networks,

communications, computation, sensing and cyber systems

Support research on advanced engineering systems and

networks for variety of application domains

Ensure education of a diverse workforce in electrical and

computer engineering to meet the technological challenges

of a 21st century global economy

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ECCS Programs

Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetics Devices (EPMD):

➢ Nanoelectronic, Novel Semiconductor, and µWave-THz Devices

➢ Nanophotonic, Optical Imaging, and Quantum Devices

➢ Nanomagnetic, Biomagnetic, and Spin Electronic Devices

➢ Bioelectronics, Electromagnetics, and Sensor Technologies

Communications, Circuits and Sensing Systems (CCSS):

➢ RF Circuits and Antennas

➢ Communication Systems and Signal Processing

➢ Dynamic and Reconfigurable Bio-Sensing Systems

➢ Wearable and Implantable Systems

Energy, Power, and Controls Networks (EPCN):

➢ Control Systems

➢ Energy and Power Systems

➢ Power Electronics Systems

➢ Learning and Adaptive Systems

➢ Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

No Deadlines

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Other ENG Division Programs

CBET

Chemical Process Systems

Engineering Biology and Health

➢ Biosensing

Environmental Engineering and Sustainability

➢ Water Management

➢ Environmental Sustainability

➢ Nexus of Food, Energy and Water

Transport Phenomenon

CMMI

Advanced Manufacturing

Dynamics, Controls, & Cognition

Mechanics and Engineering Materials

Operations and Design

Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructures

No Deadlines

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NSF Funding Modes

Core Program➢ Unsolicited Proposals

➢ Early Faculty Career Development Grants /Presidential Early Career Awards (CAREER/PECASE)

➢ Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)

Initiatives➢ Addressing Systems Challenges through Engineering Teams (ASCENT), NSF 20-511

LOI: Jan. 7, 2020

Small Business Programs➢ Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

➢ Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

Centers➢ Science and Technology Centers (STC)

➢ Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC)

➢ Engineering Research Centers (ERC)

➢ Industry University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC)

Cross-cutting Programs➢ Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites

➢ Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Sites

➢ Undergraduate & Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Fellows and K-12 Educators

➢ Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) NSF 18-513, Jan. 1-19, 2020

Shared Facilities ➢ Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN)

➢ National Nanotechnology Coordinated Network (NNCI)

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NSF Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE)

Leverage NSF and World Resources through International

Collaborations to advance the Frontiers of Science

Promote the development of Globally Competent U.S. S&E Workforce

Facilitate and support International Partnerships and Networks

Provide opportunities for U.S. leadership to shape Global Science and

Engineering Agenda

Criteria:

➢ Well-defined Intellectual Collaboration with Foreign Research Partner

➢ New International Collaborations as opposed to well-established ones

➢ Benefit to both U.S. and Foreign Science and Engineering Community from

Expertise, Facilities, or Resources of the Collaborator

➢ Active Engagement of U.S. Students and Junior Researchers at the Foreign

Site

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Who receives NSF Funding for International Collaboration?

U.S. Participants

➢Faculty

➢Post-doctoral Researchers

➢Graduate and Undergraduate Students

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Support for International Collaborations

Integral component of proposals submitted to NSF’s

Disciplinary Programs

Supplements to existing NSF Awards

Proposals to OISE Programs

➢ International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)

➢ Accelerating Research through International Networks

(AccelNet)

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International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)

Supports research and research-related activities for U.S. Graduate

or Undergraduate Students for Professional Development in

International Research Environment at the forefront of Science and

Engineering

Track I- IRES Sites: High-quality collaborative research at an International Site with

mentorship from researchers at a Host Lab

➢ $300,000/award, min 4 students, 6-10 Wks per year for 3 Yrs, Sept. 8, 2020

Annually Thereafter (AT)

Track II- Advanced Studies Institutes: Intensive short courses that engages

advanced Graduate Students in active Learning and Research at the Frontiers of

Knowledge

➢ $150,000/award, 2-3 Yrs, 1-3 Wks per event outside U.S., Sept. 15, 2020 (AT)

Track III- New Concepts in International Graduates Experience: Individual PI, Team of PIs or Organizations in the U.S. for innovative large-scale programs

for Professional Development experiences for U.S. Graduate Students as Groups

➢ Up to $1,000,000 per award, 3 Yrs, Sept. 22, 2020, (AT)

NSF 19-585

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Accelerating Research Through International Network-to-Network Collaborations (AccelNet)

Supports strategic linkages among U.S. Research Networks and

Complementary Networks Abroad that will leverage Research and

Educational Resources to tackle Grand Scientific Challenges that

require significant coordinated International Efforts

Research themes must align either with one of the NSF 10 Big Ideas or a

Community-identified Scientific Challenge with International Dimensions

Engage in innovative Collaborative Activities that promote Synergy across the

Networks and provide Professional Development for Students, Postdoctoral

Scholars, and Early-Career Researchers

✓ Catalytic Awards: May either be nascent in nature or be more established but

have a limited-term goal (up to $750,000, up to 3 Yrs)

✓ Full Scale implementation Awards: Envisioned as core of networks in the U.S.

and Abroad that are operational, have established an understanding of the status of

the research and researchers across their fields, and are well-positioned to engage

each other to advance research (up to $2M, up to 5 Yrs)

NSF 19-501

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National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes

Multi-year, multi-agency national initiative: NSF, USDA, NIFA, VA,

DOT, FHWA, DHS

Significantly advance research in AI to accelerate the development of

Transformational and AI-powered Innovations

Grow a workforce of future AI Researchers and Practitioners

Create national nexus points for Universities, Federal Agencies, Industries

and Nonprofits

Planning Track: Any areas of foundational and use-inspired research

$500K, 2 Yrs, Jan. 30, 2020

Institutes Track: Six High-Priority Areas

➢ Trustworthy AI

➢ Foundations of Machine Learning

➢ AI-Driven Innovation in Agriculture and the Food System

➢ AI-Augmented Learning

➢ AI for Accelerating Molecular Synthesis and Manufacturing

➢ AI for Discovery in Physics

Up to six Research Institutes, $16-20M, 4-5 Yrs, Jan. 28, 2020

NSF 20-503

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Foundation-Wide Solicitations and Initiatives

Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (EEID)

(NSF 19-592) NSF, NIH, USDA (Int. Partners)

Full Proposals Nov. 20, 2019, Annually Thereafter

Smart and Connected Health (SCH): Connecting Data, People

and Systems (NSF 18-541) NSF, NIH

Full Proposals: Dec. 11, 2019, Annually Thereafter

Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes FY 21 (QLCI) (NSF 19-559)

Letter of Intent : Aug. 3, 2020

Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive

Systems (NCS), (NSF 18-533)

Foundations: Letter of Intent Jan. 8, 2020

Semiconductor Synthetic Biology for Information Storage and

Retrieval (SemiSynBio-II) (NSF 20-518) ENG, CISE, BIO, MPS

Full Proposals: Feb 14 - Mar. 16, 2020

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NSF Web Sites

National Science Foundation (NSF)

➢ http://www.nsf.gov

Directorate for Engineering (ENG)

➢ http://www.nsf.gov/eng

Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE)

➢ http://www.nsf.gov/od/oise/about.jsp

Contact Person: Dr. Paul Filmer, Program Manager

(pfilmer@nsf.gov)

Funding: Recent Opportunities

➢ https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_list.jsp

Thank you