Collaborative Research in Magnetic Fusion Energy Sciences on Long Pulse International Stellarator Facilities | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is DE-FOA-0001156?

DE-FOA-0001156 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science funding opportunity issued by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES). It sought applications to support U.S.-backed experimental research in magnetic fusion energy sciences on long-pulse international stellarator facilities located outside the United States.

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The purpose was to support U.S. researchers collaborating with major international stellarator programs by helping plan experiments, participate in executing experimental campaigns, and perform analysis and interpretation of the resulting data. The broader goal was to strengthen the scientific basis for fusion energy.

Which overseas facilities were specifically targeted?

The FOA targeted two long-pulse stellarator facilities located overseas: Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) in Germany and the Large Helical Device (LHD) in Japan.

What kinds of research activities were expected to be supported?

Proposed work needed to be directly connected to experimental planning and operations on W7-X and/or LHD and include rigorous analysis and interpretation of experimental results. The public description indicates the FOA was aimed at hands-on experimental collaboration rather than projects that are purely theoretical or not tied to these facilities.

Does the public summary list the topical research areas or scientific priorities?

No. The public summary notes that proposals were expected to align with topical research areas laid out in the FOA itself, but it does not enumerate those topics.

Are purely theoretical projects a fit for this opportunity?

Based on the provided description, projects were expected to be tied to experimental planning/operations and to analysis of results from W7-X and/or LHD. The summary explicitly distinguishes this from work that is purely theoretical or otherwise unrelated to these long-pulse stellarator platforms.

What types of contributions might collaborative teams make under this FOA?

The description indicates that this type of call typically supports collaborative teams that can contribute to areas such as diagnostic development or operation, experiment design, plasma scenario development, validation of models with experimental data, and cross-machine comparisons. It also references improving understanding of confinement, stability, transport, plasma-wall interactions, and other issues relevant to sustained fusion-relevant plasmas.

What kind of funding mechanism was used for awards?

Awards were issued as grants or cooperative agreements.

What CFDA program was associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity was listed under CFDA 81.049, the Office of Science Financial Assistance Program.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity stated that no cost sharing or matching was required.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was broadly open to many types of applicant organizations, with specific exclusions noted in the FOA summary.

Who was not eligible to apply?

Two explicit exclusions were listed: (1) Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors were not eligible to apply, and (2) 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995 were also excluded.

Can an individual serve as the Program Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI)?

Yes. The solicitation emphasized that qualified individuals could serve as Program Director/Principal Investigator through their organizations.

Did the FOA encourage participation from any specific groups?

Yes. It explicitly encouraged applications from individuals from underrepresented groups and individuals with disabilities.

When was the FOA posted?

The FOA was posted on July 7, 2014.

What was the application deadline?

The application deadline was September 22, 2014.

When was the FOA archived?

The FOA was archived on December 22, 2014.

Did the public listing provide the estimated total funding amount or award size (floor/ceiling)?

No. In the public listing, the estimated total funding and award floor/ceiling were shown as 0, which the summary notes can indicate those values were not predetermined in the metadata or were only provided in the full FOA text.

Where were applicants directed to find the complete announcement and submission instructions?

Applicants were directed to retrieve the complete announcement and application instructions through FedConnect, which hosted the official FOA package and submission requirements.

Who was the listed point of contact for technical or access questions?

The point of contact listed was Samuel J. Barish at the DOE Office of Science.

How could the point of contact be reached?

Samuel J. Barish could be reached by phone at 301-903-2917 or by email at sam.barish@science.doe.gov.

What if someone could not access the full announcement electronically?

The listing notes that the point of contact could assist if the full announcement could not be accessed electronically.

What general category of funding was this opportunity listed under?

It was categorized as discretionary funding under science and technology research and development.

Is this opportunity focused on U.S.-based facilities?

No. The focus was on U.S.-supported research carried out on international long-pulse stellarator facilities located overseas (W7-X in Germany and LHD in Japan).