Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 530
Apply for 12 530
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Chemistry and Materials Research in Cultural Heritage Science" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 19, 2012 and posted on Jan 19, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 17, 2012 Full Proposal Deadline(s) April 17, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $4,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $600,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Non profit, non academic organizations Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. Universities and Colleges Universities and two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions. PI Limit Since the solicitation calls for collaborative projects between cultural heritage scientists mainly located in US museumsand chemistry and materials scientists in academic institutions, a principal investigator (PI) must demonstrate expertise in at least one of these areas and be a member of a multi disciplinary collaborative team to be eligible to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation. Whenever possible, in addition to the PI, the co PI or co PIs should be listed on the cover sheet.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity "Chemistry and Materials Research in Cultural Heritage Science" (Funding Opportunity Number 12-530) is designed to push forward the scientific study of cultural heritage objects by bringing together expertise that is often split between institutions. The central idea is to build strong, genuinely collaborative research teams that pair conservation scientists (often based in U.S. museums and similar organizations that care for collections) with chemists and materials scientists (often based in universities and colleges). NSF framed this program around conclusions from a 2009 workshop co-sponsored with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which argued that the field would advance faster if museum-based conservation science and academic chemistry/materials research worked in closer partnership on shared, high-impact problems.
The solicitation focuses specifically on chemistry and materials research that can address major challenges in understanding, analyzing, and preserving cultural heritage materials. NSF is looking for projects that are highly innovative and non-incremental, meaning the proposed work should break new ground rather than simply extend what a lab is already doing. Proposals must be collaborative in a meaningful way, showing real synergy between the partners rather than parallel workstreams. NSF also emphasizes that new partnerships are strongly encouraged; if the investigators have worked together before, they must clearly show that the proposed project represents a new research direction for the team.
Research topics are organized around four main aims. First, NSF wants development of new or improved analytical techniques and instruments that offer high sensitivity and high spatial resolution, ranging from very small to large scales, and that work for restricted sample volumes or even standoff detection. A key priority here is suitability for non-destructive analysis, reflecting the reality that cultural heritage objects are often unique and cannot be sampled aggressively. Second, the program supports studies of dynamic changes that lead to degradation, meaning work that investigates how materials actually change over time under real or simulated conditions. Third, NSF seeks the design of new multifunctional treatment materials for cultural heritage objects, which can include advanced consolidants, coatings, inhibitors, or other materials engineered to interact with heritage substrates in useful ways while avoiding harmful side effects. Fourth, NSF encourages new theoretical models that can predict degradation-related dynamic processes by linking molecular and materials properties with surface and bulk interactions and environmental parameters, aiming for predictive understanding rather than purely descriptive studies.
Several program rules shape what is and is not eligible. NSF will not accept proposals for projects already funded elsewhere, projects that substantially overlap with existing funded research, or projects that are closely related to ongoing work to the point that they look like incremental extensions. The program also includes a strong workforce development and broadening participation expectation: projects are required to meaningfully involve undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, including participants from underrepresented groups. In addition, NSF encourages teams to use cyberinfrastructure to strengthen collaboration, which can include shared data environments, computational tools, remote access to instruments, or other digital frameworks that increase coordination and joint productivity.
In terms of funding and logistics, this is a discretionary grant program within NSF's Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, listed under CFDA 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences). NSF anticipated making about 10 awards, with an estimated total program budget of $4,000,000. Individual awards were expected to range from $300,000 to $600,000, and there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. The solicitation was posted on January 19, 2012, with a full proposal deadline of April 17, 2012, and an archive date of May 17, 2012 (indicating this particular call is historical, even though it describes the structure and priorities of the program at that time).
Eligibility includes two main organization types: (1) non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies, and similar U.S.-based organizations connected to educational or research activities, and (2) accredited U.S. universities and colleges, including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges, applying on behalf of their faculty. The principal investigator must demonstrate expertise in at least one of the key areas (cultural heritage/conservation science and/or chemistry/materials science) and must be part of a multidisciplinary collaborative team. NSF also notes that co-PIs should be listed when possible to reflect the collaborative nature of the effort.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as NSF attempting to catalyze a cross-sector research community around cultural heritage science, using chemistry and materials research to create better tools for non-destructive analysis, deeper mechanistic understanding of degradation, smarter conservation treatments, and predictive models that connect materials behavior with real-world environments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the NSF opportunity "Chemistry and Materials Research in Cultural Heritage Science" (Funding Opportunity Number 12-530)?
This NSF solicitation supports highly collaborative research that advances the scientific study of cultural heritage objects. It is aimed at bringing together conservation scientists (often museum-based) with chemists and materials scientists (often university-based) to tackle shared, high-impact problems in understanding, analyzing, and preserving cultural heritage materials.
What is the main goal of the program?
The central goal is to catalyze strong, genuinely collaborative, cross-institutional teams that can push the field forward faster than isolated efforts. NSF emphasized that cultural heritage science would advance more rapidly if museum-based conservation science and academic chemistry/materials research worked in close partnership on major challenges.
What kinds of collaborations does NSF want to see?
NSF expects meaningful collaboration with real synergy between partners, not parallel workstreams. The program is explicitly framed around teams that pair conservation science expertise with chemistry/materials science expertise, typically spanning museums and universities/colleges.
Are new partnerships required?
New partnerships are strongly encouraged. If investigators have worked together before, the proposal must clearly demonstrate that the project represents a new research direction for the team, rather than a continuation of prior joint work.
What research areas or topics are supported under this solicitation?
The solicitation organizes supported research around four major aims: (1) new or improved analytical techniques and instruments, (2) studies of dynamic changes that lead to degradation, (3) design of new multifunctional treatment materials, and (4) new theoretical models to predict degradation-related processes.
What does NSF mean by "highly innovative and non-incremental" research?
Projects should break new ground rather than primarily extending what a lab is already doing. NSF is looking for proposals that are not incremental extensions of ongoing or previously funded research, and that do not substantially overlap with existing funded work.
What kinds of analytical technique or instrument development are of interest?
NSF highlights development of new or improved analytical techniques and instruments with high sensitivity and high spatial resolution across scales (very small to large). The solicitation also notes the importance of approaches that work with restricted sample volumes, including the possibility of standoff detection.
Does the program prioritize non-destructive analysis?
Yes. Suitability for non-destructive analysis is a key priority, reflecting that cultural heritage objects are often unique and cannot be sampled aggressively.
What does the solicitation mean by studying "dynamic changes that lead to degradation"?
This aim supports work investigating how materials change over time under real or simulated conditions, with a focus on mechanisms and processes that drive degradation.
What are "multifunctional treatment materials" in the context of this program?
These are new treatment materials engineered for cultural heritage objects, which can include advanced consolidants, coatings, inhibitors, or other materials designed to interact with heritage substrates in useful ways while avoiding harmful side effects.
What kinds of modeling or theory does NSF encourage under this solicitation?
NSF encourages theoretical models that can predict degradation-related dynamic processes by linking molecular and materials properties with surface and bulk interactions and environmental parameters. The emphasis is on predictive understanding rather than purely descriptive studies.
What projects are not eligible or not accepted under this program?
NSF will not accept proposals for projects that are already funded elsewhere, projects that substantially overlap with existing funded research, or projects that are so closely related to ongoing work that they appear to be incremental extensions.
Is workforce development or training required?
Yes. The solicitation includes a strong expectation that projects meaningfully involve undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers. It also specifically emphasizes inclusion of participants from underrepresented groups.
Does NSF encourage the use of cyberinfrastructure?
Yes. Teams are encouraged to use cyberinfrastructure to strengthen collaboration, such as shared data environments, computational tools, remote access to instruments, or other digital frameworks that increase coordination and joint productivity.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making, and what was the total budget?
NSF anticipated making about 10 awards with an estimated total program budget of $4,000,000.
What was the expected award size?
Individual awards were expected to range from $300,000 to $600,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What is the CFDA number and NSF category listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 47.049 (Mathematical and Physical Sciences) and described as a discretionary grant program within NSF's Science and Technology and other Research and Development category.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes (1) non-profit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies, and similar U.S.-based organizations connected to educational or research activities, and (2) accredited U.S. universities and colleges, including two-year and four-year institutions and community colleges, applying on behalf of their faculty.
What are the expectations for the Principal Investigator (PI)?
The PI must demonstrate expertise in at least one of the key areas (cultural heritage/conservation science and/or chemistry/materials science) and must be part of a multidisciplinary collaborative team.
Should proposals list co-PIs?
Yes, when possible. NSF notes that co-PIs should be listed when possible to reflect the collaborative nature of the effort.
What were the key dates for this solicitation?
The solicitation was posted on January 19, 2012. The full proposal deadline was April 17, 2012. The archive date was May 17, 2012.
Is this funding opportunity current?
The provided dates and the archive date indicate this particular call is historical, even though it describes the structure and priorities of the program at that time.
How should a team demonstrate that collaboration is "meaningful"?
Based on the solicitation language, proposals should show real synergy between conservation science and chemistry/materials science partners, rather than dividing work into separate tracks. The team should present a shared research vision addressing major challenges in cultural heritage materials.
What overall outcomes is NSF trying to catalyze with this program?
NSF is attempting to build a cross-sector research community around cultural heritage science, using chemistry and materials research to create better tools for non-destructive analysis, deeper mechanistic understanding of degradation, smarter conservation treatments, and predictive models connecting materials behavior with real-world environments.
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