NSF’s Convergence Accelerator Releases Upcoming Topics for the Program’s 2023 Solicitation
NSF published Dear Colleague Letter NSF-23-066 to make the research and innovation community aware of convergent research topics for the program’s upcoming 2023 solicitation.
NSF’s Convergence Accelerator has published a Dear Colleague Letter, DCL (NSF 23-066) to make the research and innovation community aware of the convergent research topics selected for the program’s upcoming 2023 solicitation. The program, within the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships or TIP, supports use-inspired solutions toward societal impact.
The 2023 solicitation is expected to be published in the coming months.
The purpose of the DCL is to provide additional time prior to the funding opportunity for researchers, innovators, practitioners, educators and others to form teams and proposal submission ideas aligned to the track topics.
The convergent research track topics were selected from the program's ideation process. Eleven ideas were funded by NSF into community workshops to further develop and frame ideas to incorporate convergence research and encourage collaboration among a wide range of disciplines and expertise. The workshop findings assisted NSF in developing the final track topics outlined below.
Track K: Equitable Water Solutions
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The objective of the NSF’s Convergence Accelerator Track K: Equitable Water Solutions is to build upon foundational knowledge and advancements in environmental sciences, geosciences, engineering, computing, social and behavioral sciences, as well as others to develop viable solutions for water quality and quantity and equity issues. The track will serve as a platform for convergent teams to develop real-world solutions to address sustainable water supply systems and watersheds, as well as environmental justice challenges with water distribution, safety of the water supply, and inequalities in allocation of resources. |
Track L: Real-World Chemical Sensing Applications
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The overarching goal of NSF’s Convergence Accelerator Track L: Real-World Chemical Sensing Applications is to develop novel energy-efficient and miniaturized or portable biological and chemical sensors for tangible applications. The track builds on a wide range of foundational knowledge and advances in olfaction, biosensing, and chemical sensing to undertake the challenging steps of transforming these scientific discoveries into practice. It serves as a platform for convergent teams to develop tools, technologies, and applications to address challenges aligned to chemical sensing. |
Track M: Bio-Inspired Design Innovations
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Globally, societies face complex challenges, including climate change, environmental degradation, lack of sustainability, and threats to health and safety in natural and built environments, that require creative solutions beyond current capabilities. The overarching goal of NSF’s Convergence Accelerator Track M: Bio-Inspired Design Innovations is to bring together scientists and practitioners to develop concepts, approaches and technologies that build and control in the same way nature does – capitalizing on millions of years of evolution to find novel solutions to major societal challenges. |
To receive up-to-date information on NSF’s Convergence Accelerator program, including the 2023 solicitation, signup for the program’s email list or visit the program’s website.
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