Materials Research Centers and Teams

Center preliminary proposal date is September 1, 2010 and Team preliminary proposal is September 3, 2010.Center full proposal deadline is January 11, 2011 and Team full proposal deadline is January 13, 2011.

Centers of Excellence for Materials Research and Innovation are supported by the National Science Foundation to undertake materials research of a scope and complexity that would not be feasible under traditional funding of individual research projects. The CEMRI program demonstrates NSF's commitment to excellence in interdisciplinary research and education; it is national in scope, encouraging coordination of the overall effort among centers; and it complements, but does not substitute for, NSF support for individual investigators, small groups, national user facilities, and instrumentation in materials research. A CEMRI may encompass two to five interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). Each IRG involves several faculty members and associated researchers, addressing a major topic or area, in which sustained support for interactive effort by several participants with complementary backgrounds, skills, and knowledge is critical to progress. The IRGs in a center may be topically related, or they may address different topical aspects of materials research. The center as a whole is expected to be more than the sum of its IRGs; the synergy arises from its common infrastructure, shared facilities, education and outreach activities, etc. Materials Interdisciplinary Research Teams (MIRTs) are supported by the National Science Foundation to undertake materials research and education that requires collaborative efforts of an interdisciplinary team of researchers. They are encouraged to pursue emerging areas of interdisciplinary science that are designed to advance frontiers of materials research. Experimental and computational instrumentation needed for the proposed research activities, including cyber infrastructure, are also supported through MIRT funding so that there is a close coupling between research and instrumentation support.

History of Funds:

None is available.

Average Award:

Varies

Name: Thomas P. Rieker

Department: Program Director

Email: trieker@nsf.gov