University Industry Demonstration Partnership Inc

THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH VISIONING ALLIANCE (ERVA)

THE UIDP INDUSTRY-INTEGRATED PHD SCHOLARS PROGRAM -OUR NATION?S R&D ENTERPRISE DEPENDS ON A WELL-PREPARED AND ADAPTABLE WORKFORCE. DOCTORAL STUDENTS ARE KEY TO LONG-TERM ECONOMIC RESILIENCE AND INNOVATION BECAUSE THEY POSSESS THE SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATION TO CONDUCT CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH, CREATE NEW METHODS AND TECHNOLOGIES, AND DRIVE INTERDISCIPLINARY DISCOVERY. CREATING A STRONG DOMESTIC PIPELINE OF PHD RESEARCHERS TRAINED IN DISCOVERY, INNOVATION AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH, AND WHO ARE WELL-VERSED IN INDUSTRY CONTEXTS AND INTERDISCIPLINARY PROBLEM SOLVING WILL SECURE AMERICA?S LONG-TERM COMPETITIVENESS AND NATIONAL SECURITY. IN TODAY?S RAPIDLY EVOLVING EMERGING TECHNOLOGY LANDSCAPE, THERE IS A NEED FOR FORWARD-THINKING APPROACHES TO CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR, AND SUPPORTING, THIS DYNAMIC NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS. THE INDUSTRY-INTEGRATED PHD (I-PHD) SCHOLARS PROGRAM, DEVELOPED OVER SEVERAL YEARS AND LED BY UIDP, WILL PILOT AND SCALE A NEW MODEL, ONE THAT INTEGRATES ACADEMIC RESEARCH WITH INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT, BRINGING TOGETHER UNIVERSITIES, INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, PHILANTHROPIC, AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS TO MODERNIZE DOCTORAL EDUCATION AND STRENGTHEN THE U.S. RESEARCH WORKFORCE. IT INTEGRATES RIGOROUS, DISSERTATION-BASED RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN AN INDUSTRY SETTING INTO DOCTORAL TRAINING. STUDENTS REMAIN ENROLLED AT THEIR HOME UNIVERSITIES, RECEIVE JOINT MENTORSHIP FROM ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRY RESEARCHERS, AND PRODUCE PUBLISHABLE RESEARCH THAT CONTRIBUTES TO FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE, WHILE ALSO BENEFITING FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTISE, FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT OFTEN LEADING TO IMPACT BEYOND PAPERS AND CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS. THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH AND EVALUATE A FOUR-YEAR DOCTORAL EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAM THROUGH COORDINATED CO-INVESTMENT BY NSF WITH COMPANIES AND UNIVERSITIES. PARTICIPATING STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE JOINT MENTORSHIP FROM ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRY RESEARCHERS AND SPEND AT LEAST ONE YEAR (IN AGGREGATE) CONDUCTING DISSERTATION-INTEGRATED RESEARCH AT AN INDUSTRY SITE. THEY WILL ALSO COMPLETE A MICRO-CREDENTIAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BUILD COMPETENCIES FOR WORKING IN INDUSTRY AND CROSS-SECTOR RESEARCH ENVIRONMENTS. THE PROJECT WILL INCLUDE COHORT-BASED ACTIVITIES, ANNUAL CONVENINGS, AND PARTNER AGREEMENTS GOVERNING RESEARCH SCOPE AND EXPECTATIONS. INDEPENDENT EVALUATION WILL ASSESS PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, STUDENT OUTCOMES, PARTNERSHIP QUALITY, SCALABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY, INCLUDING MEASURES SUCH AS DISSERTATION PROGRESS, TIME-TO-DEGREE, RESEARCH OUTPUTS, SKILL DEVELOPMENT, AND INITIAL CAREER PLACEMENT. THE PILOT WILL GENERATE EVIDENCE ON HOW EXTENDED, DISSERTATION-INTEGRATED INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT AFFECTS STUDENT OUTCOMES, INCLUDING DISSERTATION COMPLETION, TIME-TO-DEGREE, AND INITIAL CAREER PLACEMENT AS WELL AS STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF RESEARCH ENVIRONMENTS AND CAREER PATHWAYS. IT WILL ALSO HELP ENHANCE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE JOINT PARTNERSHIP CONDITIONS ENABLE OR CONSTRAIN IMPLEMENTATION. THE RESULTS COULD INFORM OTHER NSF MODELS OF GRADUATE EDUCATION SUPPORT SUCH AS THE NSF GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (GRFP) AND NON-ACADEMIC RESEARCH INTERNSHIPS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS (INTERN) PROGRAM. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH VISIONING ALLIANCE (ERVA) - II -THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH VISIONING ALLIANCE (ERVA) IS WHOLLY SUPPORTED THROUGH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATION PARTNERSHIP. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2021, THE GOAL OF THE ERVA ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP BOLD AND SOCIETALLY IMPACTFUL NEW ENGINEERING RESEARCH DIRECTIONS AND THEREBY CATALYZE THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH COMMUNITY?S PURSUIT OF INNOVATIVE, HIGH-IMPACT RESEARCH. ERVA SEEKS, OBTAINS AND INTEGRATES INPUT FROM A RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS WITH INTEREST IN ENGINEERING RESEARCH, INCLUDING ACADEMIA, INDUSTRY, PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES, AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ROBUST, MULTI-MODAL COMMUNICATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO FUEL CONSISTENT, EFFECTIVE, BIDIRECTIONAL FLOW OF INFORMATION ACROSS THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY TO ENSURE BROAD INPUT AND IMPACT. THROUGH ITS ACTIVITIES, ERVA AIMS TO STRENGTHEN CONNECTIVITY ACROSS THE FULL RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS AND INCREASE COORDINATION AMONG ENGINEERING DISCIPLINARY COMMUNITIES. THE ERVA IDEATION AND VISIONING ENGINE IS DESIGNED TO DRIVE NEW INITIATIVES THAT ADVANCE THE FRONTIERS OF ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE TO MAXIMIZE POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, NATIONAL SECURITY AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT AND STRENGTHEN U.S. LEADERSHIP IN THE TECHNOLOGY-BASED GLOBAL ECONOMY. ERVA PROVIDES A UNIQUE CAPACITY FOR THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH COMMUNITY TO DRIVE ELUCIDATION OF ENGINEERING RESEARCH DIRECTIONS THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORT U.S. NATIONAL PRIORITIES. ERVA VISIONING ACTIVITIES ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO ILLUMINATE ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS IN SERVICE TO THESE NATIONAL PRIORITIES. ERVA IS A PARTNERSHIP OF THE BIG TEN ACADEMIC ALLIANCE (BTAA), THE ESTABLISHED PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH (EPSCOR)/INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD (IDEA) FOUNDATION (EIF), AND THE UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATION PARTNERSHIP (UIDP). ERVA ENGAGEMENT IS BROADENED THROUGH LEVERAGING A WIDE NETWORK OF AFFILIATE PARTNERS, INCLUDING THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION (ASEE). IN THIS PROJECT, ERVA WILL LEVERAGE THEIR SUBSTANTIVE CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIP NETWORK TO: (1) ENGAGE THE ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY COMMUNITIES TO IDENTIFY KEY ENGINEERING-LED RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY SPACES; (2) STRATEGICALLY DESIGN AND CONVENE VISIONING EVENTS THAT COMBINE THE KNOWLEDGE AND FORESIGHT OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY STAKEHOLDERS LEVERAGING A CONVERGENCE PARADIGM; (3) DISSEMINATE KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACTS FROM THESE VISIONING ACTIVITIES THROUGH MULTICHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS; AND (4) ANTICIPATE EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES TO DRIVE CONVERSATIONS WITHIN THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ECOSYSTEM TO RAPIDLY ADDRESS ISSUES OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE. THROUGH ITS VISIONING EVENTS, REPORTS, AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, ERVA SEEKS TO DELIVER IMPACTFUL INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ENABLE THE ENGINEERING RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM TO ADDRESS CRITICAL NATIONAL PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CONFERENCE: CREATING A YEAR-ROUND PEER-LEARNING MODEL FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE PROGRAMS -THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION?S EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR EMERGING AND NOVEL TECHNOLOGIES (EXLENT) PROGRAM SUPPORTS HANDS-ON LEARNING AND SKILL-BUILDING EXPERIENCES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH INDUSTRY. THE PROGRAM PROJECTS HELP PREPARE PEOPLE FOR CAREERS IN FIELDS CENTRAL TO NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS, INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, BIOTECHNOLOGY, SEMICONDUCTORS, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, CLEAN ENERGY, QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES, AND RELATED AREAS. AWARDEES OPERATE ACROSS VARIED REGIONS, LEARNER PATHWAYS, INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS, AND PARTNER ENVIRONMENTS. AS A RESULT, THEY FACE COMMON IMPLEMENTATION QUESTIONS BUT OFTEN HAVE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN FROM ONE ANOTHER. THIS PROJECT WILL CREATE A SUSTAINED NATIONAL PRACTICE NETWORK FOR PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS AND PROJECT TEAMS SO THEY CAN EXCHANGE PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE, SHARE EFFECTIVE APPROACHES, SURFACE BARRIERS, AND ADAPT PROMISING PRACTICES TO THEIR OWN LOCAL CONTEXTS. THE PROJECT WILL ADVANCE THE NATIONAL INTEREST BY STRENGTHENING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AREAS, IMPROVING THE RETURN ON FEDERAL INVESTMENTS, AND GENERATING LESSONS THAT MAY INFORM FUTURE NSF WORKFORCE INITIATIVES. THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE A THREE-YEAR LEARNING AND EVALUATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE NSF EXLENT PORTFOLIO. CORE ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE ANNUAL PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOPS, MONTHLY CALLS FOR PROGRAM AWARDEES, QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS, A MODERATED, INVITATION-ONLY ONLINE FORUM, A MECHANISM FOR NSF PROGRAM OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO AWARDEES' QUESTIONS, CASE EXAMPLE DEVELOPMENT, ANNUAL ACTIVITY SUMMARIES, AND A FINAL SYNTHESIS. AN EXTERNAL EVALUATOR WILL CONDUCT A PRACTICAL MIXED-METHOD EVALUATION USING BASELINE AND ANNUAL SURVEYS, WORKSHOP SURVEYS, SELECTED INTERVIEWS OR FOCUS GROUPS, ATTENDANCE RECORDS, FORUM AND NEWSLETTER ANALYTICS, CALL DIGESTS, AND CASE EXAMPLES. THE EVALUATION WILL EXAMINE WHICH ENGAGEMENT MECHANISMS ARE MOST USEFUL, HOW PEER LEARNING SUPPORTS IMPLEMENTATION, WHAT RECURRING CHALLENGES APPEAR ACROSS THE PORTFOLIO, HOW PRACTICES VARY ACROSS PROGRAM TRACKS AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXTS, AND WHICH ELEMENTS OF THE MODEL ARE SUSTAINABLE OR TRANSFERABLE. FINDINGS WILL BE USED FORMATIVELY TO REFINE WORKSHOP DESIGN, CALL TOPICS, FORUM PROMPTS, NEWSLETTER CONTENT, AND CASE EXAMPLE DEVELOPMENT. EXPECTED PRODUCTS WILL INCLUDE ANNUAL WORKSHOP REPORTS, EVALUATION MEMOS, A CASE EXAMPLE LIBRARY, ANNUAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITY SUMMARIES, A FINAL EVALUATION REPORT, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SUSTAINING OR ADAPTING THE MODEL FOR THIS AND OTHER WORKFORCE-DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIOS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

INNOVATION IN THE BIOECONOMY: WORKSHOPS TO CATALYZE TRANSLATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

CONFERENCE: A WORKSHOP TO IDENTIFY TRANSLATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES IN AI EFFICIENCY AND SCALING -LEADING ?FRONTIER MODELS? IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND MACHINE LEARNING (AI/ML) HAVE PROGRESSED PRIMARILY BY EXPONENTIALLY SCALING COSTLY, ENERGY-INTENSIVE DATACENTER INFRASTRUCTURE. MOST RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, IN PARTICULAR UNIVERSITIES, DO NOT HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ENGAGE EFFECTIVELY IN FRONTIER MODEL RESEARCH BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THOSE MODELS. MEANWHILE, THE MOST ADVANCED MODELS TEND TO BE PROPRIETARY RATHER THAN OPEN SOURCED, FURTHER HOBBLING THE ABILITY OF MOST RESEARCHERS TO INFLUENCE AND IMPROVE THE MOST EXPENSIVE MODELS. AS CONTINUED SCALING BECOMES PROHIBITIVELY COSTLY, AND BECAUSE ENERGY IS SOON EXPECTED TO BECOME A LIMITER OF PROGRESS, U.S. TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP MAY DEPEND ON THE DEGREE TO WHICH RESEARCHERS CAN EFFECTIVELY EXPERIMENT AND INCORPORATE NEW TECHNIQUES INTO PROPRIETARY FRONTIER MODELS. TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN RESEARCHERS WITH IDEAS AND ENTERPRISES THAT ARE BUILDING LARGE-SCALE PROPRIETARY MODELS, THIS FACILITATED WORKSHOP WILL BRING TOGETHER AI/ML RESEARCHERS AND MODEL BUILDERS TO IDENTIFY COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES AND TO IDEATE CONCRETE COLLABORATIVE PROJECT CONCEPTS FOR INCORPORATING RESEARCH AND RESEARCH RESULTS INTO PRACTICE (?RESEARCH TRANSLATION?). IF THESE PROJECTS ARE ADOPTED AND EXECUTED BY THE MODEL BUILDER PARTICIPANT ORGANIZATIONS, THE IMPACT WILL ARGUABLY BE MORE RAPID AI/ML PROGRESS, MORE EFFECTIVE AI/ML, AND MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT MODELS, EXTENDING PROGRESS TO BENEFIT ECONOMIC VITALITY AND U.S. NATIONAL DEFENSE. THE GOALS OF THIS FACILITATED WORKSHOP ACTIVITY ARE TO GENERATE AT LEAST FIVE COLLABORATIVE PROJECT FORMULATIONS FOR ACHIEVING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN AI/ML PERFORMANCE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY. THESE PROJECT FORMULATIONS WILL BE DEVELOPED BY TEAMS COMPRISING REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH AI/ML MODEL PRODUCERS AND LEADING AI/ML RESEARCHERS. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RESEARCHERS IS TO COME ARMED WITH PROMISING RESEARCH IDEAS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IMPROVING ENERGY-EFFICIENT SCALING, WHILE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MODEL PRODUCERS IS TO HELP ALIGN THOSE IDEAS WITH THEIR ORGANIZATIONS? NEEDS. FACILITATORS WILL HELP GUIDE IDEATION, COLLABORATION AND PROJECT FORMULATION. A PROGRAM COMMITTEE WILL HELP RECRUIT THE WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS (APPROXIMATELY 35-40) SUCH THAT THERE IS A BALANCED REPRESENTATION OF MODEL-BUILDING COMPANIES, RESEARCHERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THE PROGRAM COMMITTEE WILL ALSO PROVIDE IMPARTIAL ADVICE TO PROJECT TEAMS IN SUPPORT OF THE WORKSHOP FACILITATORS. THROUGH TEAM FORMATION, MODEL BUILDERS WILL GAIN A GREATER APPRECIATION OF RELEVANT RESEARCH RESULTS AND OPPORTUNITIES. RESEARCHERS WILL CORRESPONDINGLY GAIN A GREATER APPRECIATION OF DEPLOYMENT CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES. IDEALLY, THE RESULTS WILL BE COMPELLING TO THE MODEL-BUILDING ORGANIZATIONS AND WILL LEAD TO IMPLEMENTATION. OVERALL, NEW COLLABORATIONS RESULTING FROM THE WORKSHOP ARE EXPECTED TO ACCELERATE IMPACTFUL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRANSLATION THAT IS NOT FEASIBLE IN TODAY?S COSTLY, PROPRIETARY AI/ML DEPLOYMENTS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

STRENGTHEN AND MODERNIZE PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS NATIONAL PRIORITIES -THE UNITED STATES FACES UNPRECEDENTED CHALLENGES IN MAINTAINING ITS GLOBAL LEADERSHIP IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION, AS HIGHLIGHTED BY RECENT CALLS FROM NATIONAL LEADERS INCLUDING THE PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION'S DIRECTIVE TO BLAZE A NEW TRAIL IN RESEARCH ENTERPRISE PARADIGMS AND THE NEED FOR MODERNIZING UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS. THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES CRITICAL NATIONAL NEEDS BY STRENGTHENING CROSS-SECTOR RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND SOCIETAL BENEFIT. THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF WORKSHOPS AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, THIS INITIATIVE WILL IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO OVERCOME BARRIERS THAT CURRENTLY LIMIT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN ACADEMIA, INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND NONPROFIT SECTORS. THE PROJECT SERVES THE NATIONAL INTEREST BY ENHANCING AMERICA'S CAPACITY TO TRANSLATE FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH INTO BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGIES, DEVELOPING A WORKFORCE PREPARED FOR EMERGING INDUSTRIES, AND CREATING MORE EFFICIENT PATHWAYS FOR INNOVATION THAT WILL MAINTAIN U.S. TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP IN GLOBAL COMPETITION. THIS AWARD INCLUDES LISTENING SESSIONS WITH DIVERSE STAKEHOLDERS, VIDEO-RECORDED INTERVIEWS WITH THOUGHT LEADERS, AND COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH ACTIVITIES, AND WILL CULMINATE IN A LEADERSHIP CONVENING IN WASHINGTON, DC (FALL 2025) TO PLAN FOR A SERIES OF PILOT PROGRAMS THAT WILL TEST INNOVATIVE APPROACHES ACROSS SIX KEY IMPERATIVES: ALIGNING THE S&T ENTERPRISE WITH SOCIETAL NEEDS, REIMAGINING IP MANAGEMENT, CATALYZING TRANSFORMATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, GROWING A FUTURE-READY WORKFORCE, OPTIMIZING RESEARCH ASSETS, AND SHAPING NEW FUNDING MODELS. THESE PILOT PROGRAMS WILL BE EXECUTED AT A FUTURE DATE AND ARE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THIS AWARD. THE PROJECT WILL DEVELOP DETAILED FRAMEWORKS AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR THESE PILOTS, PROVIDING THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY WITH EVIDENCE-BASED METHODOLOGIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRANSFORMING HOW CROSS-SECTOR PARTNERSHIPS OPERATE AND DELIVER VALUE. FUTURE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE PILOT PROGRAMS WILL ENABLE TESTING AND EVALUATION OF THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN IMPROVING COLLABORATION SPEED, RESEARCH IMPACT, AND INNOVATION OUTCOMES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

USING PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPAND HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES RESEARCH AND PROGRAM CAPABILITIES: A UIDP WORKSHOP -- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CONFERENCE: EXLENT PROGRAM PI ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP -THE EXLENT PROGRAM PI ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP IS DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE NATIONWIDE COHORT OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS (PIS) AWARDED UNDER THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION?S (NSF) EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR EMERGING AND NOVEL TECHNOLOGIES (EXLENT) PROGRAM. EXLENT, A JOINT EFFORT BY NSF?S STEM EDUCATION (EDU) AND TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION AND PARTNERSHIPS (TIP) DIRECTORATES, EXPANDS ACCESS TO HANDS-ON LEARNING AND CAREER PATHWAYS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FIELDS (E.G., AI, BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND SEMICONDUCTORS) FOR LEARNERS AT DIFFERENT CAREER STAGES AND WITH NONTRADITIONAL BACKGROUNDS. UIDP PROPOSES TO HOST A ONE-AND-A-HALF-DAY WORKSHOP IN ALEXANDRIA, VA IN NOVEMBER 2025. THE EVENT WILL GATHER APPROXIMATELY 100 PIS TO EXCHANGE BEST PRACTICES, LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM'S EVOLVING GOALS, ADDRESS SHARED CHALLENGES, AND BUILD RELATIONAL BONDS FOR ONGOING PEER SUPPORT AND RESOURCE SHARING. THE WORKSHOP WILL ENHANCE PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS AND AMPLIFY ITS IMPACT BY FOSTERING A STRUCTURED FEEDBACK LOOP BETWEEN PIS AND SURFACING SCALABLE STRATEGIES FOR LEARNER ENGAGEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION. THESE EFFORTS ARE VITAL TO ADVANCING U.S. COMPETITIVENESS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH AND TO ADDRESSING THE GROWING NATIONAL NEED FOR A TECHNOLOGICALLY FLUENT, FUTURE-READY WORKFORCE. THE INITIATIVE ALIGNS WITH NSF?S MISSION TO PROMOTE THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE; TO ADVANCE THE NATIONAL HEALTH, PROSPERITY, AND WELFARE; AND TO SECURE THE NATIONAL DEFENSE BY CULTIVATING A WORKFORCE SKILLED IN CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES. THE WORKSHOP IS STRUCTURED TO FACILITATE HIGH-VALUE, PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING AND COLLABORATION AMONG EXLENT PIS WHO REPRESENT THREE DIFFERENT PROGRAM LEARNER TRACKS (PIVOTS, BEGINNINGS, AND EXPLORATIONS), VARYING ORGANIZATION TYPES (ACADEMIC, NONPROFIT, AND FOR-PROFIT), AND A RANGE OF TECHNOLOGY FOCUS AREAS. UIDP WILL EMPLOY A HIGHLY INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP DESIGN, INCLUDING FACILITATED BREAKOUT SESSIONS BY TRACK, OFFICE HOURS WITH PROGRAM OFFICERS, TOPIC-SPECIFIC LUNCH DISCUSSIONS, STRUCTURED FEEDBACK MECHANISMS AND A GLOBAL CAF? SESSION THAT ENABLES COLLECTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING. ACTIVITIES WILL BE SUPPORTED BY PRE-EVENT DATA COLLECTION INCLUDING A SURVEY. OUTPUTS WILL INCLUDE A WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT CAPTURING BEST PRACTICES, CHALLENGES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS, AND A POST-EVENT DISSEMINATION WEBINAR. THIS EFFORT CONTRIBUTES TO NSF?S MISSION BY ENABLING CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF A NATIONAL-SCALE INITIATIVE AIMED AT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY SECTORS. THE WORKSHOP?S INTENTIONAL STRUCTURE WILL HELP DISTILL LESSONS FROM DISPARATE EXLENT-FUNDED PROGRAMS AND DISSEMINATE FINDINGS ACROSS THE NETWORK, SUPPORTING NATIONAL OBJECTIVES FOR ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS, TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. ADDITIONALLY, THE EVENT REPORT WILL CONTAIN KEY LEARNINGS FROM DIFFERENT PROJECTS THAT CAN INFORM FUTURE PROGRAM DIRECTION AND BE APPLIED TO INCREASE THE SCALABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE PROGRAMS. PARTICIPANTS ARE EMPOWERED WITH PEER STRATEGIES, ACCESS TO OTHER PIS TO EXPAND THEIR NETWORKS, AND ACTIONABLE PRACTICES THAT CAN DRIVE MEANINGFUL, LONG-TERM IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FIELD OF STEM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

INCREASING CHEMICAL COMPANY ENGAGEMENT IN FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES -WITH SUPPORT FROM THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY (CHE), DR. ANTHONY BOCCANFUSO OF UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATION PARTNERSHIP IS ORGANIZING A WORKSHOP TO CONVENE A STRATEGIC SET OF ACADEMIC, CORPORATE, GOVERNMENT, AND NON-PROFIT REPRESENTATIVES TO EXPLORE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENTS IN FEDERALLY FUNDED, USE-INSPIRED RESEARCH IN THE CHEMICAL SCIENCES. THIS WORKSHOP WILL BRING TOGETHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM THESE COMPANIES AND A MOSAIC OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING LEADING R1 INSTITUTIONS, HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS), AND HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS (HSIS) TO IDENTIFY ACTIONABLE WAYS FOR COMPANIES TO ENGAGE IN THE NSF SOLICITATION DEVELOPMENT PROCESS EARLIER, LARGE CROSS-SECTOR RESEARCH NEEDS (GRAND CHALLENGES), AND THE POTENTIAL TO FORM MULTISECTOR CONSORTIA TO CATALYZE CHEMISTRY RESEARCH IN AREAS OF SOCIETAL-LEVEL NEED. THE WORKSHOP IS SLATED TO TAKE PLACE IN FALL 2022 IN THE WASHINGTON, DC REGION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

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CONFERENCE: TRANSLATING MOLECULAR SCIENCE INNOVATIONS INTO BIOTECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS -IN FY2021, THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY AT NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) LAUNCHED A NEW HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE PROGRAM (THE MOLECULAR FOUNDATIONS FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY - MFB), WHICH SUPPORTS FUNDAMENTALLY NEW APPROACHES IN MOLECULAR SCIENCES TO DRIVE NEW DIRECTIONS IN MOLECULAR BIOTECHNOLOGY, A CRITICAL AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGY OF THE 21ST CENTURY. THE PROGRAM HAS GROWN INTO A DIRECT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH?S NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE (NHGRI) AND SIX DIVISIONS ACROSS FOUR NSF DIRECTORATES. ELEVEN AWARDS WERE MADE IN THE FIRST TWO FUNDING CYCLES, AND A THIRD FUNDING ROUND IS IN PROGRESS. WITH SUPPORT FROM THE DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY (CHE) AND THE DIRECTORATE FOR TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION, AND PARTNERSHIPS AT NSF, DR. ANTHONY BOCCANFUSO OF UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATION PARTNERSHIP IS ORGANIZING A WORKSHOP FOR AWARDEES IN THE FIRST TWO FUNDING CYCLES, OTHER ACADEMIC INVESTIGATORS, AND A STRATEGIC SET OF PRIVATE SECTOR REPRESENTATIVES TO CONSIDER THE PROGRESS OF THE MFB PROGRAM (DAY 1), FOLLOWED BY A DAY DEDICATED TO EXPLORING CURRENT FEDERAL AGENCY APPROACHES TO TRANSLATING RESEARCH AND THE COMMERCIAL AND TRANSLATION POTENTIAL OF THE RESEARCH THRUSTS (DAY 2). THE ULTIMATE GOALS OF THIS WORKSHOP ARE TO ASSESS THE TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THE MFB PROGRAM, BRING IN POSSIBLE INVESTMENT FROM THE BUSINESS SECTOR, AND IDENTIFY OTHER TECHNICAL AREAS NEEDING ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS. THE WORKSHOP IS SLATED TO TAKE PLACE IN SPRING 2024 IN THE WASHINGTON, DC REGION. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CONFERENCE: UIDP JOINT FUNDED PHD PROGRAM WORKSHOP -THIS AWARD TO THE UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM (UIDP) IS SUPPORTED BY THE DIRECTORATE OF STEM EDUCATION (EDU) AND THE DIRECTORATE FOR TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS (TIP) OF THE U.S. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. THROUGH THIS PROJECT, UIDP WILL CONVENE A SERIES OF EVENTS TO EVALUATE THE MERITS AND FEATURES OF A PILOT PROGRAM TO ESTABLISH JOINTLY-FUNDED PH.D. FELLOWSHIPS. BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) WORKFORCE IS ONE OF THE NATION?S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES. ACCORDING TO THE 2023 NSF SURVEY OF EARNED DOCTORATES, ONLY 34% OF RECENT DOCTORAL GRADUATES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FIELDS ARE EMPLOYED IN ACADEMIA, DOWN FROM 54% IN 2003. IN CONTRAST, THE PROPORTION OF DOCTORATE RECIPIENTS WITH JOB COMMITMENTS IN INDUSTRY OR BUSINESS IN THE UNITED STATES HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED SINCE 2003, AND NOW COMPRISES NEARLY HALF OF ALL EMPLOYMENT COMMITMENTS FOR DOCTORATE RECIPIENTS IN 2023. WHILE JOINTLY-FUNDED PROGRAMS EXIST ABROAD, THERE IS NO LONG-TERM U.S.-BASED PROGRAM, AND FEW U.S. INSTITUTIONS OFFER PH.D. STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE A CAREER IN INDUSTRY THROUGH SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING IN A COMPANY SETTING. A SERIES OF ONE-DAY LISTENING SESSIONS FOLLOWED BY A TWO-DAY WORKSHOP WILL ENGAGE ACADEMIC, CORPORATE, GOVERNMENT, AND NONPROFIT STAKEHOLDERS TO ANALYZE GAPS AND BARRIERS TO PARTNERSHIP, IDENTIFY NONTRADITIONAL, HIGH-IMPACT PARTNERSHIP APPROACHES, AND CONSIDER THE CREATION OF A U.S.-BASED PILOT DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM WHERE STUDENTS ARE FUNDED JOINTLY BY THE FEDERAL (OR STATE) GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY. A RANGE OF TOPICS WILL BE ADDRESSED INCLUDING: STUDENT SELECTION, PROGRAM LIFE CYCLE, MATCHMAKING, FUNDING, AND COMPLIANCE. MEETINGS WILL FOCUS ON VARIOUS TOPICAL AREAS INCLUDING: MATERIALS, NANOSCIENCE AND NANOENGINEERING, BIOMEDICAL, LIFE SCIENCES, AGRICULTURAL, ENGINEERING, AND DATA SCIENCE. THE GOAL IS TO DEVELOP THE FRAMEWORK FOR A NATIONWIDE PROGRAM AND GAIN STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WILL ENHANCE U.S. CAPACITY AND COMPETITIVENESS IN STEM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MODEL FORMS OF UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY-GOVERNMENT COLLABORATION. THIS AWARD IS COFUNDED BY THE NSF RESEARCH TRAINEESHIP PROGRAM AND NSF'S DIRECTORATE FOR TECHNOLOGY, PARTNERSHIPS AND INNOVATION. THIS PROJECT ALIGNS WITH THE NSF TIP DIRECTORATE AS IT SEEKS TO SUPPORT ALL INDIVIDUALS AND INCREASE THEIR INTEREST IN, AND THEIR ACCESS TO, CAREER PATHWAYS IN EMERGING TECHNOLOGY FIELDS. THE NSF RESEARCH TRAINEESHIP (NRT) PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF BOLD, NEW, POTENTIALLY TRANSFORMATIVE MODELS FOR STEM GRADUATE EDUCATION TRAINING. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

NSF CONVERGENCE ACCELERATOR: INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS AND THE FUTURE OF WORK

CONFERENCE: NSF INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT: A WORKSHOP PROPOSAL -THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT, SIGNED INTO LAW ON AUGUST 9, 2022, ENVISIONS NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN ACCELERATING PROGRESS IN KEY TECHNOLOGY AREAS, TRANSLATING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INTO SOLUTIONS TO SOCIETY?S MAJOR CHALLENGES, AND FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO ENABLE THIS PROGRESS. THIS VISION FOR THE FUTURE ENCOURAGES FEDERAL AGENCIES SUCH AS NSF TO TAKE BOLD STEPS AND EXPERIMENT WITH NEW APPROACHES FOR CREATING AN ECOSYSTEM OF PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS FOR USE-INSPIRED AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH. THIS WORKSHOP WILL CONVENE A STRATEGIC SET OF CORPORATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERS, AS WELL AS NSF LEADERSHIP REPRESENTATIVES, TO IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES AS WELL AS NONTRADITIONAL APPROACHES TO ENHANCE THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODELS. THROUGH CO-INVESTING IN RESEARCH, COMPANIES AND FEDERAL AGENCIES SUCH AS NSF CAN COMPLEMENT TRADITIONAL R&D INVESTMENTS, LEVERAGE AND EXPAND AVAILABLE FUNDING TO ACHIEVE RESEARCH GOALS, BROADEN ENGAGEMENT WITH NEW RESEARCH PARTNERS, AND FILL THE WORKFORCE PIPELINE. THE WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE IN SPRING 2023 IN THE WASHINGTON, DC, REGION AND WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A VIRTUAL EVENT IN JUNE 2023 TO BROADLY DISSEMINATE FINDINGS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

CONFERENCE: USING PARTNERSHIPS TO EXPAND HBCU RESEARCH CAPABILITIES -THIS AWARD ENABLES SUPPORT FOR THIRTY ATTENDEES FROM HBCU?S REPRESENTING BROAD FUNCTIONS AT VARIOUS LEVELS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE PARTNERSHIPS MODEL IN HBCU PRACTICE TO HELP BUILD CRITICAL MASS IN RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN OUR NATION?S HBCUS. HBCU ENGAGE 2023 IS A 2-DAY EVENT THAT WILL BE HELD IN NASHVILLE, TN AND WILL INCLUDE EIGHT FOUR-HOUR WORKSHOPS. FUNDS ARE REQUESTED FOR TRAVEL COSTS FOR THE EVENT. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

DEVELOPING AN INDUSTRY-INSPIRED ACADEMIC RESEARCH CENTER TO ADDRESS THE OPPORTUNITIES CREATED BY THE QUANTUM LEAP BIG CHALLENGE

CONFERENCE: UCI/CSTI-UIDP WORKSHOP: THE FUTURE OF CHALLENGE-DRIVEN PARTNERSHIPS -THIS AWARD FUNDS U.S. PARTICIPATION IN A WORKSHOP ON THE FUTURE OF CHALLENGE-DRIVEN PARTNERSHIPS, CO-ORGANIZED BY THE UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY DEMONSTRATION PARTNERSHIP (UIDP) AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE CENTER ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION POLICY (CSTI). THE WORKSHOP, SCHEDULED FOR SUMMER 2024, WILL BRING TOGETHER STAKEHOLDERS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, ACADEMIC, NON-PROFIT AND INDUSTRY SECTORS IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE TO SHARE INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCES IN ADVANCING COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS TO ADDRESS COMPLEX CHALLENGES. CHALLENGES SUCH AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC OR CLIMATE CHANGE AND RESILIENCE REQUIRE MULTI-SECTOR, MULTI-NATIONAL, MULTI-DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT APPROACHED. THE WORKSHOP WILL FOCUS ON HOW TO ACCELERATE AND STRENGTHEN MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS TO DEVELOP BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATIONS THAT TACKLE URGENT AND COMPLEX CHALLENGES. THE WORKSHOP PROGRAM WILL GATHER CURRENT TRENDS, EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES, AND BEST PRACTICES TO ADVANCE AND ACCELERATE THE PROGRESS OF GRAND CHALLENGE-DRIVEN INNOVATION PRIORITIES, PROGRAMS, AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS. AMONG THE TOPICS TO BE TAKEN UP ARE CONTRACTING, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, RESEARCH SECURITY, INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION, MEASURING SUCCESS, PARTNERSHIP MODELS, INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT, AND TALENT DEVELOPMENT. THE COLLECTIVE INSIGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ASSEMBLED RESEARCH THOUGHT LEADERS WILL BE SHARED IN A REPORT TO BE ISSUED AFTER THE MEETING. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.