SBE January 2026 Newsletter

National Science Foundation sent this bulletin at 01/06/2026 10:52 AM EST

Dear colleagues,

The U.S. National Science Foundation serves the American public as an engine of the nation's research enterprise. NSF's mission is the same today as it was at its founding in 1950: to advance the progress of science, promote the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.

NSF will continue to invest in bold research and innovation in the service of the American people. This includes transformational investments in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and biotechnology.

To help keep America at the forefront of science, engineering, and technology, NSF is making changes designed to increase the agency's efficiency and effectiveness.

First, NSF has launched streamlined merit review processes as part of a comprehensive approach to making work more efficient and reducing administrative burden while maintaining the rigor of the merit review process. The goal is to reduce the workload of program staff and reduce demands on the research community.

Second, NSF is changing how the agency is structured to increase our efficiency and responsiveness. This restructuring was announced on December 15. As a result, the SBE Directorate reorganized from three divisions and the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) to five sections and NCSES. We will continue to support the SBE sciences on human systems with a focus on advancing NSF priorities.

In the coming months, we plan to post broad funding opportunities for SBE sciences that will accept proposals at any time. The new opportunities will provide flexibility for innovative ideas and encourage novel and interdisciplinary proposals.

America's science, technology, and innovation ecosystem is built on a remarkably successful partnership among government, academic, industry, and nonprofit sectors. SBE researchers provide unique and important contributions both as lead investigators on SBE Directorate awards and as contributors to other awards across the Foundation. Together, we will continue to foster discoveries, support the next generation of researchers, and deliver innovations that benefit all Americans.

No matter your professional sector or career background, we thank you for your interest in the SBE Directorate. We wish you a new year filled with scientific discovery and wonder.

Kaye Husbands Fealing, Ph.D.
NSF Assistant Director
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

Christina Freyman, Ph.D.
NSF Directorate Head
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

Opinions, findings or recommendations of NSF awardees or their institutions do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.

SBE-Funded Researchers Win Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics

The three economic sciences laureates: Philippe Aghion, Joel Mokyr and Peter Howitt at the Nobel Prize Museum, 6 December 2025.

Credit: © Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Clément Morin

The 2025 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel was awarded to SBE awardees Joel Mokyr and Peter Howitt alongside Philippe Aghion for their work on the importance of innovation for economic growth. Mokyr has received several NSF awards. His winning research was funded through his SBE award “Global Dimensions of Technological Change.” The award focused on understanding interactions between science and technology. Howitt has also received several awards from SBE that have implications for monetary policy.

This honor is another example of how NSF funding contributes to the careers of Nobel laureates. Every Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics since 1997 has recognized NSF-funded research, and 73 of the 99 laureates have received NSF funding.

New Solicitation: NSF and Partners Invest $9M in AI-focused Math Education Program

Elementary school student solving math equations at a chalkboard.

Credit: InfiniteFlow/Adobe Stock

The SBE Directorate has launched the Collaboratory to Advance Mathematics Education and Learning (CAMEL), a new $9 million investment aimed at transforming K–12 mathematics learning and education. Supported through an agreement with philanthropic partners, CAMEL advances interdisciplinary collaboration that brings together artificial intelligence, the science of learning, education practice, and data science.

CAMEL uses a two-phase approach to achieve innovation and long-term impacts. Phase I supports the creation of new interdisciplinary research networks that generate or enhance high-value AI-ready datasets. Phase II will establish a national collaboratory platform.

The deadline for required letters of intent for CAMEL’s Phase I, January 9, 2026, is approaching quickly. To learn more about CAMEL, please see the solicitation page for requirements and deadlines.

There is an upcoming webinar TODAY, Tuesday, January 6, at 4 p.m. ET. If interested, please register in advance for the webinar.

SBE Research Contributes to Automation, Increased Efficiency, and Retention in U.S. Army

Illustration depicting normal brain waves and brain waves in digital network form

Credit: Alice Kitterman/U.S. National Science Foundation

SBE Directorate-funded researchers at the University of Oregon, University of Chicago, and West Point worked with the U.S. Army to develop a deferred acceptance algorithm to automate the process of matching Army officers to new assignments. The research team used a randomized controlled trial to measure whether this automated process is better than the previous methods. The results show that the deferred acceptance method results in reductions in the personnel needed to make new assignments and has also resulted in better officer retention. As a result of this study, the Army has adopted the algorithm as a standard practice.

The award details can be found here.

News from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

New data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) show that in FY 2024, $49.1 billion of research and experimental development (R&D) was performed within federally owned and operated facilities. The data come from the second cycle of the Federal Facilities Research and Development Survey. The survey tracks annual expenditures for R&D performed within federal facilities, which includes work performed by federal employees, military personnel, and onsite contractors.

NCSES also released data showing an 11% increase in state government agencies’ R&D expenditures between FY 2023 and FY 2024. The data come from the annual Survey of State Government Research and Development.

Last, NCSES has newly issued data on research and development expenditures at higher education institutions across all academic disciplines through academic FY 2024. The Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) data tables can be viewed by clicking here; analysis of the HERD survey is forthcoming.

Find the complete list of NCSES data and publications by clicking here.

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