A Message from the NSF Assistant Director for Engineering

Dear Engineering Community,

The new year is around the corner, and with it the 75^th anniversary of the U.S. National Science Foundation. To commemorate this milestone, we are using the past as our portal for looking forward. What will life be like in another 75 years? One thing we know for certain, the innovations of the year 2100 are being engineered today. Here are just a few examples:

For the future of health, we have partnered with the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering on two exciting new opportunities. The first is a call for proposals to lead a new IUCRC focused on developing standardized tissue mimicking phantoms for optical medical devices. The second, which has just closed, uses a novel investment structure combining resources from NIBIB and NSF for multi-year, two-phase, two-agency research projects related to next-gen synthetic biotechnologies. Creative collaboration with other agencies is important to our work, and we are looking for more such opportunities in the years to come.

The intersection of engineering creativity with biological sciences extends beyond health, and innovations have the potential for accelerating many sectors of our economy. NSF is opening doors for researchers across the country to build the foundations of the bioeconomy today. NSF researchers now have the opportunity to work on projects with BioMADE, the Bioindustrial Manufacturing Innovation Institute.

Innovating new manufacturing methods and technologies is also critical to creating a more prosperous future. To make sure we’re capturing the best ideas and projects, we’ve extended the deadline for the Future Manufacturing solicitation to June 18, 2025.

Finally, semiconductors will continue to be a backbone technology for the innovations to come. Training the semiconductor workforce of tomorrow is a top priority, which is why we’ve partnered with the Department of Commerce to launch the National Network for Microelectronics Education and will soon be selecting an operator for the Network Coordination Hub.

These are just a few of the many incredible opportunities which NSF supports across all fields of engineering research and development.

I am confident that the marvels of the year 2100 will trace their lineage back to the work that the engineering community is doing today. The NSF Engineering Directorate is here to help you transform the world. We invite you to reach out to our program directors and see how we can build a brighter future together.

Best wishes,

Susan Margulies, Ph.D.
NSF Assistant Director for Engineering

Tips for a Strong Proposal

Most ENG awards are for unsolicited ideas that come to our core programs, rather than specific solicitations.

• Find potential programs that fit your research ideas by reading the program descriptions.
• Email program directors a brief description of your project idea to see if it fits their program.

Volunteer to review proposals to learn about what makes a strong one.

News and Events

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Bring your video game vision of life in 2100 to reality K-12 student competition helps NSF mark 75 years of supporting STEM

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Did You Know?

NSF’s is committed to broadening both demographic and geographic STEM participation. Through the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) program, NSF is investing in the research competitiveness of targeted jurisdictions which are historically underfunded in STEM.

The EPSCoR program enhances our national research capacity by investing in these jurisdictions to:

• Build research infrastructure and capacity where it is lacking
• Establish sustainable STEM education, training, and professional development
• Broaden participation in research and the STEM workforce
• Catalyze regional research, education, and economic development

Funding Opportunities

Addressing Systems Challenges through Engineering Teams (ASCENT) | NSF 25-503 

Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) | NSF 25-508

NSF Boosting Research Ideas for Transformative and Equitable Advances in Engineering (BRITE) | NSF 25-512 

See more Engineering funding opportunities

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