Experimental Nuclear Physics | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant opportunity, titled Experimental Nuclear Physics (Funding Opportunity Number PD 11-1232), is aimed at supporting experimental research at the leading edge of nuclear science. The program focuses on understanding the properties, structure, and behavior of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter, especially under extreme conditions such as very high temperature, high density, or unusual neutron-rich environments. A major theme is connecting nuclear phenomena to astrophysical questions, meaning it supports work that helps explain processes and objects in the universe where nuclear physics plays a central role.

A key scientific emphasis is on the underlying quark-gluon basis of nuclear matter and how nuclear matter changes phase as conditions vary. This includes research related to the transition from ordinary nuclear matter at typical density and temperature to the predicted quark-gluon plasma at very high temperatures. In practical terms, this means experiments that probe how nuclear matter is organized and how it behaves when pushed far from everyday conditions, including studies of phase transitions and the fundamental degrees of freedom that govern nuclear structure and dynamics. The program also highlights basic interactions and fundamental symmetries, supporting experiments that test core principles of physics and look for subtle symmetry effects in nuclear systems.

The opportunity is broad in terms of experimental approaches and facilities. It supports work using a wide range of beams and probes, from low-energy to multi-GeV electrons and photons, intermediate-energy light ions, and low-energy through relativistic heavy-ion beams, including experiments that use radioactive beams. It also covers experiments involving cold and ultracold neutrons, as well as non-accelerator-based experimental methods. This breadth signals that NSF intends to fund diverse experimental strategies, so long as they advance frontiers in experimental nuclear physics and align with the program themes.

The program explicitly supports university-based user groups that carry out experiments at many laboratories in the United States and internationally, reflecting the collaborative, facility-driven nature of modern nuclear physics. It also supports a national user facility, the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University, described as a superconducting heavy-ion cyclotron facility. In addition, it recognizes and supports smaller accelerator facilities, citing examples such as those at Florida State University and the University of Notre Dame, indicating that both large national facilities and smaller university-scale accelerators are within scope.

From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument is a grant within the NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences area (CFDA 47.049). Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to any additional eligibility details provided in the full program text. The solicitation notes no cost sharing or matching requirement. The original full proposal target date was October 26, 2011, with an indication that proposals were typically due on the last Wednesday in October annually thereafter. The listing is archived and notes that the opportunity was replaced by PD 12-1232, meaning applicants would need to follow the successor announcement for the current version of the program. For access issues, the notice points to Grants.gov support via grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.

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