This Week with NSF Director Panchanathan
January 13, 2025
This week, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan announced several new initiatives and updates on ongoing programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF).
New Initiatives
- NSF Convergence Accelerator: A new program to support interdisciplinary research that addresses complex societal challenges. The program will provide funding for teams of researchers from different fields to collaborate on projects that have the potential to make a transformative impact.
- NSF AI Institute for Advanced Manufacturing: A new institute to develop and deploy artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the manufacturing sector. The institute will bring together researchers, industry partners, and policymakers to accelerate the adoption of AI in manufacturing and drive economic competitiveness.
- NSF Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology: A new center to advance research and education in quantum information science and technology. The center will support fundamental research, train the next generation of quantum scientists and engineers, and foster collaboration with industry partners.
Updates on Ongoing Programs
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP): Director Panchanathan announced an increase in funding for the GRFP, which supports outstanding graduate students in STEM fields. The program will provide $50,000 per year for three years to each fellow.
- NSF CAREER Award: Director Panchanathan also announced an increase in funding for the CAREER Award, which supports early-career faculty members who are integrating research and education. The award will provide $500,000 over five years to each awardee.
- NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program: The MRI program provides funding for universities and research institutions to purchase state-of-the-art research equipment. Director Panchanathan announced an increase in funding for the MRI program, which will allow more researchers to access the latest technologies.
Other Announcements
- Director Panchanathan also announced the appointment of Dr. Maria Zuber as the new Assistant Director for Geosciences. Dr. Zuber is a leading planetary scientist who has served as the principal investigator for several NASA missions.
- NSF is partnering with the Department of Energy (DOE) to launch a new joint initiative on energy storage. The initiative will support research on new energy storage technologies that can help to decarbonize the economy.
Conclusion
This week’s announcements from NSF Director Panchanathan demonstrate the agency’s commitment to supporting cutting-edge research and education in STEM fields. These new initiatives and updates on ongoing programs will help to ensure that NSF continues to play a vital role in driving scientific discovery and innovation in the years to come.
This week with NSF Director Panchanathan
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