NSF Major Facilities List

This page features a list of the major research facilities supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

NSF supports the development, design and post-construction operations and maintenance of research infrastructure across the world. The facilities listed on this page represent exceptional opportunities to enable research and education.

If you have questions or comments about this list, please email arockwel@nsf.gov.

Page last updated: Oct. 1, 2024

 

Major FacilityAcronymLocationStageAwardeeDIR/DIV1Program Officer(s)

1

U.S. Arctic ProgramARCArcticOperationsBattelle Arctic Research Operations GEO/OPPRenee Crain
 Summit Station Modernization and RecapitalizationSuMRGreenlandDesignBattelle Arctic Research Operations GEO/OPPAl Riera, Renee Crain

2

United States Antarctic ProgramUSAPAntarcticaOperationsLeidosGEO/OPPStephanie Short
 Antarctic Infrastructure Modernization for ScienceANT-AIMSAntarcticaConstructionLeidosGEO/OPPJoe Miller
 Antarctic Research VesselANT-ARVAntarcticaDesignLeidosGEO/OPPTim McGovern, Mike Prince

3

Academic Research FleetARFDistributedOperationsVarious (18 individual CA awards for Research Vessels)GEO/OCERose Dufour
 Regional Class Research VesselRCRVMobileConstructionOregon State UniversityGEO/OCEBrian P. Midson

4

Geodetic Facility for the Advancement of GeoscienceGAGEDistributedOperationsEarthScope Consortium IncGEO/EARPaul Cutler, Leonard Spinu

5

IceCube Neutrino ObservatoryICNOAntarctica OperationsUniversity of WisconsinGEO/PLR
MPS/PHY
Vladimir O. Papitashvili,
Marion Dierickx,
William Wester 
 IceCube Upgrade, Phase 1ICNOAntarcticaImplementationUniversity of WisconsinMPS/PHY
GEO/PLR
Marion Dierickx,
William Wester, Vladimir O. Papitashvili

6

International Ocean Discovery Program
(JOIDES Resolution)
IODPTexas & MobileOperationsTexas A&M Research FoundationGEO/OCEKevin Johnson 
 International Ocean Discovery Program (Science Support Office)IODPCaliforniaOperationsUniversity of California-San Diego, Scripps Institution of OceanographyGEO/OCEKevin Johnson 

7

Leadership-Class Computing FacilityLCCFTexasDesignUniversity of Texas, AustinCISE/OACEd Walker
 Leadership-Class Computing FacilityLCCFTexasConstructionUniversity of Texas, AustinCISE/OACEd Walker

8

Large Hadron ColliderLHCSwitzerlandOperations / ConstructionVariousMPS/PHYJames Shank
 A Toroidal LHC Apparatus (ATLAS) Detector OperationsATLASSwitzerlandOperationsSUNY - StonyBrookMPS/PHYJames Shank
 A Toroidal LHC Apparatus (ATLAS) Detector High Luminosity UpgradeATLASSwitzerlandConstructionColumbia UniversityMPS/PHYJames Shank
 Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Detector OperationsCMSSwitzerlandOperationsUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnMPS/PHYJames Shank
 Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Detector High Luminosity UpgradeCMSSwitzerlandConstructionCornell UniversityMPS/PHYJames Shank

9

Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave ObservatoryLIGOLouisiana & WashingtonOperationsCalifornia Institute of TechnologyMPS/PHYPedro Marronetti
 LIGO A+ ProjectLIGOLouisiana & WashingtonImplementationCalifornia Institute of TechnologyMPS/PHYPedro Marronetti

10

National Center for Atmospheric Research (FFRDC)NCARColorado, Wyoming, HawaiiOperationsUniversity Corporation for Atmospheric ResearchGEO/AGSBernard Grant
 Airborne Phased Array RadarAPARColoradoImplementationUniversity Corporation for Atmospheric ResearchGEO/AGSMaria Womack

11

National Ecological Observatory NetworkNEONDistributedOperationsBattelle Memorial InstituteBIO/DBICharlotte Roehm

12

National High Magnetic Field LaboratoryNHMFLFlorida & 
New Mexico
OperationsFlorida State UniversityMPS/DMRCharles Ying
 Mid-scale RI-1: Preliminary & Final Design of the 40T All Superconducting Magnet40T SCMTallahassee, FLDesignFlorida State UniversityMPS/DMRSouleymane Omar Diallo

13

NSF's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, FFRDC
(formerly NOAO)
NOIRLabArizona & ChileOperationsAssociation of Universities for Research in AstronomyMPS/ASTChristopher Davis
 Gemini ObservatoryGemini
(NOIRLab)
Chile & 
Hawaii
OperationsAssociation of Universities for Research in AstronomyMPS/ASTMartin Still
 Vera C. Rubin ObservatoryRubin
(NOIRLab)
ChilePre-OperationsAssociation of Universities for Research in AstronomyMPS/ASTEdward Ajhar

14

Vera C. Rubin Observatory
(formerly Large Synoptic Survey Telescope)
RubinChileConstructionAssociation of Universities for Research in AstronomyMPS/ASTEdward Ajhar

15

National Radio Astronomy Observatory (FFRDC)NRAODistributedOperationsAssociated Universities Incorporated (AUI)MPS/ASTJoe Pesce
 Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter ArrayALMAChileOperationsAUIMPS/ASTJoe Pesce
 Green Bank ObservatoryGBOWest VirginiaOperationsAUIMPS/ASTHarshal Gupta 
 Next Generation Very Large Array Design ActivitiesngVLADistributedDesignAUIMPS/ASTJoe Pesce
 Very Large ArrayVLANew MexicoOperationsAUIMPS/ASTJoe Pesce
 Very Long Baseline ArrayVLBADistributedOperationsAUIMPS/ASTJoe Pesce

16

National Solar Observatory (FFRDC)NSONew Mexico & ArizonaOperationsAssociation of Universities for Research in AstronomyMPS/ASTCarrie Black, Megan Johnson
 Daniel K. Inouye Solar TelescopeDKISTHawaiiOperationsAssociation of Universities for Research in AstronomyMPS/ASTCarrie Black

17

Ocean Observatories InitiativeOOIDistributedOperationsWoods Hole Oceanographic InstitutionGEO/OCEGeorge Voulgaris 

18

Seismological Facility for the Advancement of GEoscienceSAGEDistributedOperationsEarthScope Consortium IncGEO/EARPaul Cutler, Leonard Spinu

19

U.S. Extremely Large Telescope ProgramUS-ELTCaliforniaDesignAURAMPS/ASTChristopher Davis
 U.S. ELTP GMT Optical Performance Risk U.S. ELTP Reduction GMT Optical Control and PerformanceGMTCaliforniaDesignGMTO CorporationMPS/ASTChristopher Davis
 TMT Design and Development EffortsTMTCaliforniaDesignTMT International Observatory LLCMPS/ASTLuca Rizzi

FFRDC - Federally Funded Research & Development Center

1. Key for NSF directorate and division abbreviations:

Biological Sciences (BIO)

  • Division of Biological Infrastructure (BIO/DBI)
  • Division of Environmental Biology (BIO/DEB)
  • Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (BIO/IOS)
  • Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (BIO/MCB)
  • Emerging Frontiers Office (BIO/EF)

Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)

  • Division of Computer and Network Systems (CISE/CNS)
  • Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CISE/CCF)
  • Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (CISE/IIS)
  • Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure (CISE/OAC)

Engineering (ENG)

  • Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (ENG/CBET)
  • Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (ENG/CMMI)
  • Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ENG/ECCS)
  • Division of Engineering Education and Centers (ENG/EEC)
  • Office of Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities (ENG/EFMA)

Geosciences (GEO)

  • Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (GEO/AGS)
  • Division of Earth Sciences (GEO/EAR)
  • Division of Ocean Sciences (GEO/OCE)
  • Office of Polar Programs (GEO/OPP)
  • Division of Research, Innovation, Synergies and Education (GEO/RISE)

Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)

  • Division of Astronomical Sciences (MPS/AST)
  • Division of Chemistry (MPS/CHE)
  • Division of Materials Research (MPS/DMR)
  • Division of Mathematical Sciences (MPS/DMS)
  • Division of Physics (MPS/PHY)
  • Office of Strategic Initiatives (MPS/OSI)

Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)

  • Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (SBE/BCS)
  • Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SBE/SES)
  • National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (SBE/NCSES)
  • SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (SBE/SMA)

STEM Education (EDU)

  • Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM (EDU/EES)
  • Division of Graduate Education (EDU/DGE)
  • Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (EDU/DRL)
  • Division of Undergraduate Education (EDU/DUE)

Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP)