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NSF Materials Engineering and Processing (MEP) Program (PD 16-8092) - FAQs

1) What is the NSF Materials Engineering and Processing (MEP) program?

MEP is an NSF program that funds fundamental, hypothesis-driven research connecting how engineering materials are made (processing/manufacturing choices) to how they perform in service. A central focus is building scientific understanding that links processing, resulting structure across length scales, and the properties and life-cycle performance of materials in real, targeted applications.

2) What kinds of research are a good fit for MEP?

Projects that go beyond incremental improvements and aim to generate new, predictive scientific understanding of how manufacturing decisions influence material behavior from the nanoscale through mesoscale to bulk components, including surfaces and interfaces. MEP supports analytical, experimental, and numerical approaches.

3) What are the key technical themes MEP expects proposals to address?

MEP emphasizes the links among:

• Processing (how the material is made)
• Structure across length scales (nano to meso to bulk, including surfaces/interfaces)
• Resulting properties
• Life-cycle performance in a targeted application (including degradation in service)

4) What manufacturing/processing topics does MEP cover?

MEP focuses on manufacturing processes that convert materials into useful intermediate or final forms. Examples named include extrusion, molding, casting, deposition, sintering, and printing. The program is also interested in novel processes for producing nanoscale materials such as nanotubes and nanocrystals (when the work is fundamentally scientific rather than routine optimization).

5) Does MEP require a targeted application?

Yes. Proposals are expected to be anchored in a targeted application where the material bears mechanical load in service.

6) What materials are considered "structural" for MEP purposes?

MEP includes structural materials such as metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, biomaterials, and hybrid systems.

7) What application scales are relevant?

The program is open to applications ranging from microscale devices (for example, MEMS) to large-scale structures (for example, fiber-reinforced composites).

8) Is research on surfaces, interfaces, and tribology appropriate?

Yes, MEP includes behavior at surfaces and interfaces and welcomes surface engineering and tribology topics when they are tied to fundamental mechanical performance questions.

9) Does MEP support work on durability, corrosion, and degradation?

Yes. MEP is interested in how performance deteriorates over time in service environments, including mechanisms such as corrosion and degradation.

10) Are collaborations with industry allowed or encouraged?

Yes. MEP encourages collaborations with industry through GOALI when those partnerships strengthen the research.

11) What approaches or methods can be used in an MEP proposal?

MEP supports analytical, experimental, and numerical approaches.

12) Does MEP expect consideration of practical constraints like cost and scale-up?

Yes. On the processing side, proposals are expected to consider practical constraints where appropriate, including cost, performance tradeoffs, and whether the approach can plausibly scale up.

13) Is routine process optimization a good fit for MEP?

No. The program draws a clear line between fundamental research and routine process tweaking. Process optimization that does not deliver a fundamental scientific contribution is not competitive in this program.

14) Can MEP fund research on functional or responsive materials?

Sometimes. MEP may support research on functional and responsive materials when mechanical performance is a meaningful part of the project. Examples include materials controlled by external stimuli (temperature, light, pH) and responsive classes such as piezoelectric, chromogenic, shape-memory, and self-healing materials.

15) Are energy storage or energy conversion electronic materials (batteries, fuel cells, photovoltaics) a fit for MEP?

Generally no. Proposals centered on electronic materials for energy storage or conversion (fuel cells, batteries, photovoltaics) generally do not fit MEP.

16) Is there any exception for energy-related electronic materials?

Yes. Exceptions may apply if the work is genuinely multifunctional (not single-function) and includes a meaningful mechanical performance component, or if the proposal introduces new science specifically about manufacturing processes for those electronic materials.

17) Where should additive manufacturing, laser processing, or bonding/joining proposals be submitted?

MEP clarifies that proposals emphasizing additive manufacturing, laser processing, or bonding/joining should go to the Manufacturing Machines and Equipment (MME) program within CMMI, even if the work is heavily materials-focused.

18) Where should nanomanufacturing scale-up work be submitted?

Work centered on the manufacture of nanoscale materials, structures, devices, and systems at scale (including scale-up, quality, and reliability) belongs in the Nanomanufacturing (NM) program.

19) Are atomic or molecular scale synthesis projects appropriate for MEP?

No. Projects focused on atomic or molecular scale synthesis, or thin-film synthesis as opposed to manufacturing processes, are not appropriate for MEP.

20) If my project is mainly civil infrastructure or architectural materials, is MEP the right program?

No. If the main thrust is civil infrastructure or architectural materials, NSF directs investigators to SAEM.

21) If my project is mainly about the mechanics of solid materials, where should it go?

MEP indicates that if the emphasis is the mechanics of solid materials, the proposal should go to MoMS.

22) If my project emphasizes design methodologies and theory to accelerate materials development and insertion, is MEP appropriate?

No. If the emphasis is on design methodologies and theory to accelerate materials development and insertion, NSF directs investigators to DEMS.

23) If my project aligns with the Materials Genome Initiative and accelerates materials discovery, where should I submit?

For efforts aligned with the Materials Genome Initiative that combine theory and experiment to accelerate materials discovery and development, NSF points investigators to DMREF.

24) What is the CFDA number and what type of award is this?

The opportunity is described as an NSF discretionary grant with CFDA 47.041.

25) Who is eligible to apply?

The listing states the opportunity is open to unrestricted eligible applicants, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full NSF text.

26) What are the key dates shown in the opportunity record?

The posting dates in the record are October 24, 2015, and the deadline shown is February 16, 2016.

27) Does NSF recommend contacting the program before submitting?

Yes. NSF strongly encourages principal investigators to email a project summary to mep@nsf.gov several weeks before submission to confirm fit with the program.

28) How can someone volunteer to serve on an NSF review panel for MEP?

Researchers who want to serve on review panels can contact mep@nsf.gov with a short biographical sketch, areas of expertise, and a link to a homepage.

29) Are REU/RET supplements mentioned, and when are they due?

Yes. REU/RET supplement requests are expected by March 31 each year.

30) What is the main reason a proposal might be considered a poor fit for MEP even if it involves materials?

Based on the program description, common poor-fit situations include proposals that focus on routine process optimization without fundamental scientific contribution, proposals centered on additive manufacturing/laser processing/bonding and joining (directed to MME), proposals aimed at nanomanufacturing scale-up/quality/reliability (directed to NM), and projects focused on atomic/molecular synthesis or thin-film synthesis rather than manufacturing processes.