Opportunity Information: Apply for PD 15 1406
Apply for PD 15 1406
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Thermal Transport Processes" 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.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 30, 2015 and posted on Jul 24, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 20, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $7,047,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) program (Funding Opportunity Number PD 15-1406) funds fundamental engineering research focused on understanding how heat moves when driven by thermal gradients, and how those underlying thermal transport phenomena can be manipulated to meet practical engineering objectives. The core emphasis is on building basic, mechanistic insight into thermal processes rather than on incremental design work, with a strong preference for research that can clearly articulate meaningful economic, environmental, and societal relevance if the science succeeds.
A major theme in TTP is the active and passive control of thermal process dynamics. This includes work that can deliberately influence heat transfer behavior through control strategies, novel thermal architectures, or physics-informed approaches that change how thermal gradients drive transport. The program is also explicitly interested in studies that connect multiple length and time scales, especially efforts that combine experiments and simulations to bridge from small-scale physics to larger-scale thermal behavior. In practice, this often means multi-scale modeling, carefully designed validation experiments, and frameworks that translate data and mechanisms across scales in a way that improves predictive capability.
The application contexts the program highlights include cooling and heating challenges for components, devices, and equipment, as well as thermal transport problems tied to energy conversion and storage, power generation, physiologic or bio-related systems, and propulsion. These application areas are not meant to turn proposals into product development projects; instead, they serve as motivating settings where fundamental advances in thermal transport understanding and controllability can have tangible downstream impact.
The program draws clear boundaries around what it does not want to fund. Proposals centered primarily on designing new materials and tuning their thermal properties are not considered a fit for TTP. Similarly, work focused on thermal transport specifically in the context of materials synthesis or processing is expected to be routed to other NSF programs, such as Materials Engineering and Processing (MEP) within ENG/CMMI or the Division of Materials Research (DMR) within the MPS Directorate. In addition, projects that are mainly mass transport focused or largely oriented around overall system design, rather than fundamental thermal transport science, are also identified as outside TTP priorities.
For investigators working at the intersection of thermal transport and computational or mathematical sciences, NSF notes that such proposals are encouraged but may be better aligned with the Computational and Data Enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E) program, depending on where the main intellectual contribution sits. At the same time, TTP signals interest in proposals related to low-cost, sustainable, scalable manufactured materials with improved thermal properties under the SusChEM framing; these are encouraged within this opportunity when submitted using the specified SusChEM titling convention, reflecting an interest in sustainability-oriented thermal property improvements when positioned appropriately.
From an award perspective, unsolicited TTP awards typically run one to three years, with a typical funding level around $100,000 per year. Budgets substantially higher than that are risky without prior discussion and approval from the Program Director, and NSF explicitly warns that over-budget requests may be returned without review. NSF also advises that investigators considering ideas that are outside the listed focus areas should contact the Program Director before submitting, to reduce the chance of administrative return without review.
Like most programs in NSF CBET, TTP expects proposals to clearly explain what is novel and/or potentially transformative relative to prior work, and why the research matters for engineering science. Proposers are expected to articulate plausible pathways to societal and/or industrial impact if successful, and NSF emphasizes that the novelty/transformative angle should be stated at minimum in the Project Summary. The program also encourages a variety of NSF proposal mechanisms when appropriate, including CAREER proposals (five-year duration, with Engineering CAREER deadlines typically in July), as well as RAPID and EAGER submissions (which require prior discussion with the Program Director). Conference, workshop, and supplement requests are also possible, but NSF strongly encourages discussing these with the Program Director in advance. GOALI proposals that pair fundamental research with translational outcomes and align with program application areas are encouraged as well, with the constraint that GOALI submissions must fall within the annual unsolicited proposal window.
Administrative compliance matters heavily. Proposals must follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG), and noncompliant submissions can be returned without review. NSF also notes that unsolicited proposals submitted outside the announced proposal window dates will be returned without review. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants), does not require cost sharing, and has unrestricted eligibility subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. The archived posting information shows it was originally posted in July 2015 with an October 2015 closing date, and an estimated total funding amount of about $7.047 million for the opportunity as published.
NSF Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) Program (PD 15-1406) - FAQs
1) What is the NSF Thermal Transport Processes (TTP) program trying to fund?
The TTP program funds fundamental engineering research that explains how heat moves under thermal gradients and how those underlying thermal transport phenomena can be manipulated to meet practical engineering objectives. The emphasis is on building basic, mechanistic insight rather than incremental design improvements.
2) What kinds of outcomes does TTP expect proposals to emphasize?
TTP expects proposals to clearly explain what is novel and/or potentially transformative relative to prior work and why it matters for engineering science. Proposers are also expected to describe plausible pathways to economic, environmental, and societal relevance if the science succeeds.
3) What is a major technical theme within TTP?
A major theme is the active and passive control of thermal process dynamics. This includes approaches that deliberately influence heat transfer behavior using control strategies, novel thermal architectures, or physics-informed methods that change how thermal gradients drive thermal transport.
4) Does the program support research that connects multiple length and time scales?
Yes. TTP is explicitly interested in studies that connect multiple length and time scales, especially efforts that combine experiments and simulations to bridge small-scale physics to larger-scale thermal behavior. Multi-scale modeling, validation experiments, and cross-scale translation frameworks are highlighted as relevant approaches.
5) What application contexts does TTP highlight, and how should applicants use them?
The program highlights motivating contexts such as cooling and heating of components, devices, and equipment; energy conversion and storage; power generation; physiologic or bio-related systems; and propulsion. These contexts are intended to motivate fundamental advances, not to turn proposals into product development or system build projects.
6) Is TTP a good fit for proposals focused mainly on designing new materials or tuning material thermal properties?
No. Proposals centered primarily on designing new materials and tuning their thermal properties are described as not being a fit for TTP.
7) What if my work focuses on thermal transport in materials synthesis or processing?
TTP indicates that work focused on thermal transport specifically in the context of materials synthesis or processing should be routed to other NSF programs, such as Materials Engineering and Processing (MEP) within ENG/CMMI or the Division of Materials Research (DMR) within the MPS Directorate.
8) Are mass-transport or overall system design projects appropriate for TTP?
Generally no. Projects that are mainly mass transport focused or largely oriented around overall system design (rather than fundamental thermal transport science) are identified as outside TTP priorities.
9) If my project is strongly computational or mathematical, is TTP still appropriate?
Computational and mathematical efforts at the intersection with thermal transport are encouraged, but NSF notes they may be better aligned with the Computational and Data Enabled Science and Engineering (CDS&E) program depending on where the main intellectual contribution sits.
10) What is the program's position on sustainability-oriented thermal property improvements (SusChEM)?
TTP signals interest in proposals related to low-cost, sustainable, scalable manufactured materials with improved thermal properties under the SusChEM framing. Such proposals are encouraged within this opportunity when submitted using the specified SusChEM titling convention.
11) What is the typical award duration for unsolicited TTP awards?
Unsolicited TTP awards typically run one to three years.
12) What is the typical funding level for TTP awards?
A typical funding level is around $100,000 per year.
13) Can I request a budget substantially higher than $100,000 per year?
Budgets substantially higher than the typical level are described as risky without prior discussion and approval from the Program Director. NSF explicitly warns that over-budget requests may be returned without review.
14) When should I contact the Program Director before submitting?
NSF advises investigators to contact the Program Director in advance if they are considering ideas outside the listed focus areas, to reduce the chance of an administrative return without review. Prior discussion is also indicated for certain proposal mechanisms such as RAPID and EAGER, and is strongly encouraged for conference, workshop, and supplement requests.
15) What NSF proposal mechanisms are mentioned as relevant to TTP?
The program notes that a variety of NSF proposal mechanisms may be appropriate, including CAREER proposals (five-year duration, with Engineering CAREER deadlines typically in July), and RAPID and EAGER submissions (which require prior discussion with the Program Director). Conference, workshop, and supplement requests are also possible, with advance discussion strongly encouraged.
16) Are GOALI proposals encouraged under TTP?
Yes. GOALI proposals that pair fundamental research with translational outcomes and align with program application areas are encouraged, with the constraint that GOALI submissions must fall within the annual unsolicited proposal window.
17) What are the key compliance requirements applicants need to follow?
Proposals must follow the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). NSF notes that noncompliant submissions can be returned without review.
18) What happens if an unsolicited proposal is submitted outside the program's proposal window?
NSF notes that unsolicited proposals submitted outside the announced proposal window dates will be returned without review.
19) Where should the novelty or transformative aspect be stated?
TTP emphasizes that the novelty/transformative angle should be stated at minimum in the Project Summary.
20) Is cost sharing required for this opportunity?
No. The opportunity does not require cost sharing.
21) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 47.041 (Engineering Grants).
22) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
23) What is the published estimated total funding amount for the opportunity?
The archived posting information lists an estimated total funding amount of about $7.047 million for the opportunity as published.
24) When was this opportunity originally posted and when did it close (per the archived posting)?
The archived posting information shows it was originally posted in July 2015 with an October 2015 closing date.
25) What is the funding opportunity number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is PD 15-1406.
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