Experimental Gravitational Physics | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Experimental Gravitational Physics opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PD 13-1243) is a discretionary grant program within the Mathematical and Physical Sciences directorate (CFDA 47.049) that supports experimental research at the leading edge of gravitational physics. Its central aim is to help researchers probe fundamental questions about space and time, understand how gravity behaves across extreme regimes ranging from atomically small distances to cosmological scales, and use gravitational waves as a tool for exploring and interpreting the universe. In practice, the program is designed to fund work that both challenges and refines our understanding of gravity as a fundamental interaction, especially where new physics might appear.

A major theme of the program is precision testing of foundational principles in gravitational theory. This includes experimental tests of the inverse-square law of gravitational attraction, which checks whether gravity falls off with distance exactly as Newtonian gravity predicts or whether small deviations emerge at very short or very large scales. It also includes tests of Lorentz invariance, a cornerstone of relativity that asserts the laws of physics are the same for all observers moving at constant velocity, and tests of the Equivalence Principle, which underlies general relativity by stating that gravitational and inertial mass are equivalent and that all objects fall the same way in a gravitational field when other forces are negligible. These topics reflect the program's interest in experiments that can either confirm general relativity with higher precision or reveal discrepancies that point toward new theoretical frameworks.

Another core pillar is gravitational-wave science, including the direct detection of gravitational waves and the broader experimental ecosystem needed to make those detections scientifically productive. The program specifically notes oversight responsibilities for the construction, commissioning, and operation of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Beyond maintaining and improving the observatory itself, NSF support extends to the broader LIGO user community and to related experimental investigations in gravitational physics. Supported activities span the full chain of work required to turn detector measurements into astrophysical and fundamental-physics results, including instrument science (improving and understanding detector hardware and performance), data analysis methods, detector characterization (identifying and mitigating noise sources and artifacts), and calculations of source populations that estimate the types and rates of astrophysical events that produce detectable gravitational-wave signals.

The opportunity also emphasizes multi-messenger connections, meaning efforts that link gravitational-wave observations with electromagnetic and neutrino signatures from the same astrophysical events. This covers the scientific and technical work required to interpret gravitational-wave detections alongside light-based telescopes and neutrino observatories, strengthening the overall picture of phenomena such as compact-object mergers or other energetic cosmic events. By supporting these connections, the program encourages research that treats gravitational waves not as an isolated data stream, but as part of a coordinated set of observations that can provide a more complete understanding of the underlying astrophysics.

In addition to direct research support, the program funds infrastructure and community-building efforts that help sustain the field. These activities include short- and long-term visitor programs, workshops, and research centers that bring together external scientists from universities, national laboratories, and industry, and that support participation by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. The intent is to strengthen collaboration, accelerate the exchange of ideas and technical know-how, and develop the workforce needed for sophisticated experimental and data-intensive gravitational physics.

From an administrative standpoint, the listing indicates the opportunity is open to unrestricted eligible applicants (with any specific clarifications typically provided in the program text). It does not require cost sharing or matching. The posted date in the archive is September 19, 2013, and it was later archived on August 20, 2014, with the current closing date listed as replaced by PD 14-1243. The archive record shows zero expected awards and zero estimated total funding, which often reflects how historical program-description postings can be cataloged rather than a definitive statement about actual NSF investments in the area. For practical purposes, applicants would be expected to consult the successor program description and NSF submission timelines, which historically referenced annual target dates (notably the last Wednesday in September and later the last Wednesday in October in the provided schedule history).

Overall, this opportunity describes NSF support for experimental efforts that test the foundations of gravitational theory and enable gravitational-wave discovery and interpretation, including the operations and scientific exploitation of LIGO, associated instrumentation and analysis work, and the workshops and research environments that keep the field productive and collaborative.

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