Abstract collage of science-related imagery

Joint Domestic Nuclear Detection Office-National Science Foundation: Academic Research Initiative (ARI)

Status: Archived

Archived funding opportunity

This document has been archived.

Important information about NSF’s implementation of the revised 2 CFR

NSF Financial Assistance awards (grants and cooperative agreements) made on or after October 1, 2024, will be subject to the applicable set of award conditions, dated October 1, 2024, available on the NSF website. These terms and conditions are consistent with the revised guidance specified in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2024.

Important information for proposers

All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in this funding opportunity and in the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. It is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets these requirements. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Synopsis

The ARI is a joint Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) and National Science Foundation (NSF) program seeking novel cross-cutting research that will enhance the nation's ability to detect and interdict nuclear or radiological material outside of regulatory control, and otherwise help prevent nuclear or radiological attacks.  This year's solicitation topics will encompass a range of subjects, with an emphasis on unconventional, multidisciplinary approaches to threat detection. A number of small to medium awards are intended in the areas of novel approaches to extremely low-cost threat detection, orthogonal and informatics approaches to threat detection, deterrence analytics, and advanced forensics techniques. A single large award is intended for an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to shielded special nuclear material detection.  Primary objectives of the ARI include advancing fundamental knowledge in the above areas and developing intellectual capacity in scientific fields relevant to long-term advances in these areas. 

Proposals outside of the scope described in this solicitation will be returned without review.

Research proposals specific to detection of biological, chemical, and conventional weapons are excluded from the scope of this solicitation, however approaches that consider explosives detection and nuclear or radiological materials detection are of interest.

  

Program contacts

Bruce Hamilton
Program Director
bhamilto@nsf.gov (703) 292-8320 ENG/CBET
Bradley Keister
Program Director
bkeister@nsf.gov (703) 292-7377
Sylvia Spengler
Program Director
sspengle@nsf.gov (703) 292-8930 CISE/IIS
Dennis Wenger
Program Director
dwenger@nsf.gov (703) 292-8606
Kerstin Mukerji
Science Assistant
kmukerji@nsf.gov (703) 292-8339 TIP/OAD
Paul Werbos
Program Director, ENG/EFRI
pwerbos@nsf.gov (703) 292-8339
Gail Dodge
Program Director, Nuclear Physics, MPS/PHY
gdodge@nsf.gov (703) 292-8958

Awards made through this program

Browse projects funded by this program
Map of recent awards made through this program