Opportunity Information: Apply for 14 541
Apply for 14 541
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) in Engineering" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences 47.076 Education and Human Resources.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 27, 2014 and posted on Feb 27, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 27, 2014 Full Proposal Deadline(s) May 27, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,900,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 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).
- Who May Submit Proposals Proposals may only be submitted by the following 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. Who May Serve as PIThe lead PI must hold a faculty appointment within a College/Department of Engineering or College/Department of Engineering Technology within the submitting US academic institution.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) in Engineering grant opportunity (NSF Publication 14-541; Funding Opportunity Number 14-541) is a National Science Foundation discretionary grant program designed to strengthen undergraduate engineering education by embedding nanoscale science, engineering, and technology into the curriculum. The core purpose is educational: NSF is looking for interdisciplinary, research-informed approaches that help undergraduate engineering students gain meaningful exposure to nanotechnology concepts and practices, with an emphasis on preparing a skilled STEM workforce that can operate in fast-changing technical fields. In the FY 2014 competition specifically, the solicitation highlights two main directions: (1) nanoscale engineering education that connects clearly to devices and systems, and (2) education that tackles the societal dimensions of nanotechnology, including ethical, economic, environmental, and related impacts.
A major theme running through the solicitation is workforce and national competitiveness. NSF frames nanoscale engineering education as part of a broader national need to produce more highly qualified STEM graduates (and, indirectly, strengthen the pipeline of future STEM educators as well). The program is positioned as a response to policy priorities that stress not only producing technical leaders and innovators, but also improving scientific literacy more broadly. The quality of the undergraduate experience is treated as central to both goals, so proposals are expected to go beyond adding a lecture or a single lab module and instead make a thoughtful case for how the project improves learning, engagement, and preparation for real-world challenges tied to nanotechnology.
The solicitation also situates NUE within NSF's larger strategy for improving undergraduate STEM education through approaches that are research-based and, ideally, research-generating. In practical terms, this means projects should be grounded in what is known about STEM learning and should include ways to design, test, measure, and refine curricular or pedagogical innovations. NSF signals interest in a wide range of methods and settings, including experiential learning opportunities, development and use of assessment tools and learning metrics, professional development and institutional change efforts, work that bridges formal and informal learning environments, and undergraduate research experiences tied to the discipline. While not every project must include all of these elements, the solicitation makes it clear that strong projects will have a credible plan for implementation and evaluation, and they will be able to explain how the educational intervention leads to measurable improvements such as stronger learning outcomes, improved retention in STEM majors, and better preparation for future scientific and engineering work.
Funding details reflect a relatively focused, pilot-to-mid-scale educational intervention. NSF anticipated making about 10 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $1.9 million. Individual awards were expected to fall between $100,000 (award floor) and $200,000 (award ceiling). The program does not require cost sharing or matching, which lowers the barrier for institutions that may not have substantial discretionary resources. The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development, and the solicitation references multiple CFDA numbers that hint at the program's interdisciplinary nature: Engineering Grants (47.041), Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (47.075), and Education and Human Resources (47.076). That combination reinforces that proposals can blend engineering content with education research and, where relevant, societal and behavioral dimensions of nanotechnology.
Eligibility is limited to US academic institutions: accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities (including community colleges) with a US campus, submitting on behalf of their faculty. A key personnel requirement is that the lead Principal Investigator must hold a faculty appointment in an engineering or engineering technology department/college at the submitting institution. This keeps the program anchored in undergraduate engineering education while still leaving room for multidisciplinary teams that may include collaborators from other departments involved in learning science, assessment, or societal implications of technology.
In terms of timing, the solicitation was posted and created on February 27, 2014, with a full proposal deadline of May 27, 2014. The opportunity was archived on June 27, 2014. The notice also points applicants toward related funding opportunities through the National Nanotechnology Initiative website (nsf.gov/nano) and notes that other NSF programs and divisions continue to support broader nanoscale science and engineering research and education projects, which is a useful signal for applicants seeking alternative or follow-on pathways beyond NUE.
Overall, NUE in Engineering is best understood as an NSF effort to modernize and enrich undergraduate engineering education by making nanotechnology more present, more hands-on, and more connected to both real devices/systems and real societal questions. Competitive projects under this solicitation would typically propose curriculum development or redesign, creation of lab experiences or modules, integration of undergraduate research or experiential learning, and a clear assessment plan showing how the project improves student learning and participation, with the long-term goal of strengthening the STEM workforce and expanding the reach and quality of undergraduate STEM education.
Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) in Engineering (NSF 14-541) - FAQs
What is the Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) in Engineering program?
NUE in Engineering (NSF Publication 14-541; Funding Opportunity Number 14-541) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) discretionary grant program focused on strengthening undergraduate engineering education by embedding nanoscale science, engineering, and technology into undergraduate curricula.
What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?
The core goal is educational: NSF is looking for interdisciplinary, research-informed approaches that give undergraduate engineering students meaningful exposure to nanotechnology concepts and practices, with an emphasis on preparing a skilled STEM workforce for fast-changing technical fields.
What are the two main topical directions emphasized in the FY 2014 competition?
The solicitation highlights two main directions: (1) nanoscale engineering education that clearly connects to devices and systems, and (2) education that addresses societal dimensions of nanotechnology, including ethical, economic, environmental, and related impacts.
Is this opportunity primarily a research grant or an education grant?
It is primarily an education-focused opportunity. While projects are expected to be research-informed and may be research-generating in the sense of testing and refining educational innovations, the purpose is to improve undergraduate engineering education in nanotechnology.
What kinds of projects does NSF appear to be looking for under NUE?
Competitive projects would typically propose curriculum development or redesign, creation of laboratory experiences or modules, integration of undergraduate research or experiential learning tied to the discipline, and a clear assessment plan showing how the project improves student learning and participation.
Does the solicitation expect proposals to go beyond adding a single lecture or lab?
Yes. NSF emphasizes improving the quality of the undergraduate experience and expects proposals to go beyond simply adding a lecture or a single lab module. Projects should make a thoughtful case for how they improve learning, engagement, and preparation for real-world nanotechnology challenges.
How does the program connect to workforce development and national competitiveness?
The solicitation frames nanoscale engineering education as part of a national need to produce more highly qualified STEM graduates. It is positioned as supporting technical leadership and innovation, strengthening the STEM pipeline (including future STEM educators), and improving broader scientific literacy through a stronger undergraduate experience.
Does NSF require projects to be grounded in STEM education research?
Yes. The solicitation situates NUE within NSF's broader strategy for improving undergraduate STEM education through research-based approaches. Projects are expected to be grounded in what is known about STEM learning.
What does NSF mean by "research-informed" or "research-generating" approaches in this context?
Based on the solicitation description, NSF is signaling interest in projects that design, test, measure, and refine curricular or pedagogical innovations, using credible evaluation methods and learning metrics to determine what works and how it can be improved.
What types of methods or settings are mentioned as being of interest?
The solicitation signals interest in a range of methods and settings, including experiential learning opportunities, development and use of assessment tools and learning metrics, professional development and institutional change efforts, bridging formal and informal learning environments, and undergraduate research experiences connected to the discipline.
Is every project required to include all of the listed elements (experiential learning, assessment tools, professional development, etc.)?
No. The solicitation indicates that not every project must include all of these elements, but strong projects will include a credible implementation and evaluation plan and clearly explain how the intervention leads to measurable improvements.
What kinds of outcomes does NSF expect projects to measure or improve?
The solicitation mentions measurable improvements such as stronger learning outcomes, improved retention in STEM majors, and better preparation for future scientific and engineering work.
How many awards were anticipated for this competition?
NSF anticipated making about 10 awards in the FY 2014 competition.
What was the estimated total funding available?
The estimated total funding amount was $1.9 million for the competition.
What is the expected award size range for individual grants?
Individual awards were expected to range from $100,000 (award floor) to $200,000 (award ceiling).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program does not require cost sharing or matching.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.
Which CFDA numbers are referenced, and what do they suggest about the program?
The solicitation references CFDA numbers Engineering Grants (47.041), Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (47.075), and Education and Human Resources (47.076). This combination suggests an interdisciplinary program where proposals may blend engineering education with education research and, when relevant, societal and behavioral dimensions of nanotechnology.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S. academic institutions: accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities (including community colleges) with a U.S. campus, submitting proposals on behalf of their faculty.
Is there a requirement for the Principal Investigator (PI)?
Yes. The lead Principal Investigator must hold a faculty appointment in an engineering or engineering technology department/college at the submitting institution.
Can project teams be multidisciplinary?
Yes. While the program is anchored in undergraduate engineering education via the PI requirement, the solicitation leaves room for multidisciplinary teams, including collaborators from other departments involved in learning science, assessment, or societal implications of technology.
What were the key dates for the FY 2014 solicitation?
The solicitation was posted and created on February 27, 2014. The full proposal deadline was May 27, 2014. The opportunity was archived on June 27, 2014.
Is this opportunity still open?
Based on the provided information, the solicitation was archived on June 27, 2014, and the full proposal deadline was May 27, 2014.
Where does NSF point applicants for related nanotechnology opportunities?
The notice points applicants toward related funding opportunities through the National Nanotechnology Initiative website at nsf.gov/nano and notes that other NSF programs and divisions continue to support broader nanoscale science and engineering research and education projects.
What is the overall intent of NUE in Engineering as described in the solicitation?
Overall, NUE in Engineering is described as an NSF effort to modernize and enrich undergraduate engineering education by making nanotechnology more present, more hands-on, and more connected to both real devices/systems and real societal questions, with a long-term goal of strengthening the STEM workforce and improving undergraduate STEM education quality and reach.
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