Opportunity Information: Apply for 21 521
The Addressing Systems Challenges through Engineering Teams (ASCENT) opportunity is a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program run through the Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) Division. It is designed to fund ambitious, high-impact engineering research that tackles major real-world systems problems by bringing together teams that normally operate in separate subfields. The core idea is to move beyond single-discipline work and instead create tightly integrated collaborations that connect advances in devices and hardware all the way up through circuits, algorithms, and large-scale networked systems, with the goal of producing results that are transformative rather than incremental.
ECCS, the sponsoring division, supports fundamental research across a broad range of technologies that underpin modern engineered systems. This includes areas like electronic, photonic, and magnetic devices; communications technologies; integrated circuits; antennas and sensors; and the software and theory layers that make systems intelligent and reliable, such as machine learning, control, and networking. Because these building blocks feed directly into critical applications, ECCS-funded research is commonly tied to high societal impact domains such as communications infrastructure, energy and power systems, healthcare technologies, environmental monitoring, transportation systems, and advanced manufacturing.
ASCENT specifically emphasizes new modes of collaboration across these ECCS areas, encouraging proposals that intentionally bridge the traditional gaps between communities. Competitive projects are expected to be bold and ground-breaking, meaning they should not simply combine parts from different fields in a loose way, but should truly integrate perspectives and methods to address a systems-level challenge. The program is looking for work that could realistically lead to disruptive technologies or even spark entirely new research directions, driven by pressing societal needs faced globally.
The opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant within the NSF research and development portfolio (CFDA 47.041). The funding opportunity number is 21-521. Individual awards can be as large as $1,500,000, with an expected total of about six awards. The solicitation was created on October 27, 2020, and the original closing date listed is May 3, 2021. Eligibility is noted as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," indicating that applicants should consult the full solicitation for the specific eligible organization types and any restrictions.
A notable emphasis in the program description is the expectation that education and workforce development be integrated with the research. ECCS places strong value on incorporating educational components that help prepare a diverse, professionally skilled workforce. In practice, that often means plans for training students and early-career researchers in cross-disciplinary methods, building team science skills, and creating pathways that broaden participation. ECCS also highlights the value of external linkages, including connections to other engineering and science areas, as well as partnerships or collaborations with industry, government, and international counterparts, when they strengthen the research vision and the ability to deliver systems-level impact.Apply for 21 521
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Addressing Systems Challenges through Engineering Teams" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041.
- This funding opportunity was created on Oct 27, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 03, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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| An Evaluation of Fish Movement in the Big Sandy Lake Watershed and Escapement of Fish through Big Sandy Lake Dam, Minnesota Apply for W81EWF 21 SOI 0003 Funding Number: W81EWF 21 SOI 0003 Agency: Department of Defense, Engineer Research and Development Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR): Data Science Corps Apply for 21 523 Funding Number: 21 523 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Nitrate Reduction Potential via Reservoir Water Level Management in Central Iowa Apply for W81EWF 21 SOI 0001 Funding Number: W81EWF 21 SOI 0001 Agency: Department of Defense, Engineer Research and Development Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Rivers CESU Apply for G21AS00010 Funding Number: G21AS00010 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $48,800 |
| Environmental Convergence Opportunities in Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems Apply for 21 527 Funding Number: 21 527 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,700,000 |
| Bioimaging Research to Develop Imaging Instrumentation and Approaches Apply for DE FOA 0002392 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002392 Agency: Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,250,000 |
| FY2021 Research Opportunities in High Energy Physics Apply for DE FOA 0002424 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002424 Agency: Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
| Campus Cyberinfrastructure Apply for 21 528 Funding Number: 21 528 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Collaborative Research in Magnetic Fusion Energy Science on Long-Pulse International Stellarator Facilities Apply for DE FOA 0002429 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002429 Agency: Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Computer and Information Science and Engineering Minority-Serving Institutions Research Expansion Program Apply for 21 533 Funding Number: 21 533 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Smart Health and Biomedical Research in the Era of Artificial Intelligence and Advanced Data Science Apply for 21 530 Funding Number: 21 530 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Reproducible Cells and Organoids via Directed- Differentiation Encoding Apply for 21 532 Funding Number: 21 532 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Designing Synthetic Cells Beyond the Bounds of Evolution Apply for 21 531 Funding Number: 21 531 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Interactions and Mechanisms Apply for 21 534 Funding Number: 21 534 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Department of Army Ultra-wide Bandgap RF Electronics Center Fiscal Year 2022 Apply for W911NF 21 S 0003 Funding Number: W911NF 21 S 0003 Agency: Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $4,500,000 |
| Combat Capabilities Develoment Command (CCDC) Data and Analysis Center (DAC) Apply for W911NF 17 S 0003 SPECIAL NOTICE CCDC DAC Funding Number: W911NF 17 S 0003 SPECIAL NOTICE CCDC DAC Agency: Department of Defense, Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Smart and Connected Communities Apply for 21 535 Funding Number: 21 535 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) Program Apply for 21 536 Funding Number: 21 536 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
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