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.

Dear Colleague Letter

Advancing Quantum Education and Workforce Development

Encourages the submission of proposals to specific programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources that support students in education pathways and careers in quantum information science and engineering.

Encourages the submission of proposals to specific programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources that support students in education pathways and careers in quantum information science and engineering.

Dear Colleague:

This Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) encourages submission of proposals for projects that will motivate and prepare students for quantum industries of the future. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is interested in preparation of students for quantum information science and engineering (QISE) at all levels and in all settings, both formal and informal.

BACKGROUND

We are on the cusp of a new quantum revolution that will require the nation to engage a well-prepared workforce. NSF has been funding quantum research and education since the 1980s, providing support for thousands of graduate students, post-docs, and early-career researchers. Now NSF intends to go even further by supporting projects to educate students in QISE, starting at the K-12 level and spanning informal and formal educational settings. NSF expects that these projects will not only help students develop the interest and flexible thinking needed to understand QISE, but also lead to improvements in educational practices that would have broad benefits across the country. Through such efforts in QISE education and workforce development, the United States can improve its industrial base, create and fill new jobs, and provide economic and national security benefits.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

To improve QISE education, NSF is accepting proposals to conduct education-related research and development to prepare a diverse QISE workforce. The Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) encourages the education research community to respond to this challenge through existing funding opportunities in EHR listed at the end of this DCL. Note that these proposals must meet all of the requirements of the corresponding funding program solicitations, including applicable deadlines and budget guidelines.

This DCL encourages proposals that will study, inspire, and support students' interest and motivation to pursue education pathways and careers in QISE. Successful projects should research and/or promote awareness and interest in QISE and inform preparation for QISE jobs of the future, while building the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and practices that will be needed for these jobs. As appropriate, proposals may address curricula, educational approaches, and educator professional development, as well as needs of other stakeholders such as industry professionals and professional societies. It is imperative that industries of the future be founded in principles of inclusivity that ensure equitable access to these new careers. Thus, this DCL encourages all proposals to include educational approaches designed to broaden participation in QISE and related careers. Proposals can build from the perspectives and strengths of talent pools that have not yet been fully tapped, including women, African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Native Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities.

Questions about this DCL should be directed to the cognizant program directors for the programs listed below.

Sincerely,

Karen Marrongelle
Assistant Director, Education and Human Resources

  1. Funding Opportunities for K-12 Education
  2. Funding Opportunities for Undergraduate Programs
  3. Funding Opportunities for Graduate Programs
  4. Funding Opportunities for All Educational Levels

CONTACT INFORMATION

Level

Program

Contact

E-mail

K-12 Education

CSforAll (NSF 20-539)

Michael Ford

miford@nsf.gov

DRK-12 (NSF 20-572)

Michael Steele

DRLDRK12@nsf.gov

ITEST (NSF 19-583)

Wu He

DRLITEST@nsf.gov

NOYCE (NSF 17-541)

Sandra Richardson

srichard@nsf.gov

Undergraduate

ATE (NSF 18-571)

Celeste Carter

vccarter@nsf.gov

HSI (NSF 20-599)

Erika Tatiana Camacho

NSF-EHR-HSI@nsf.gov

HBCU-UP (NSF 20-559)

Claudia Rankins

crankins@nsf.gov

IUSE (NSF 19-601)

Ellen Carpenter

elcarpen@nsf.gov

S-STEM (NSF 20-526)

Alex Medina-Borja

amedinab@nsf.gov

LSAMP (NSF 20-590)

Art Hicks

LSAMP_national@nsf.gov

CREST (NSF 18-509)

Victor Santiago

vsantiag@nsf.gov

TCUP (NSF 18-546)

Jody Chase

lchase@nsf.gov

Graduate

AGEP (NSF 16-552)

Mark Leddy

mleddy@nsf.gov

IGE (NSF 20-595)

Daniel Denecke

NRT@nsf.gov

NRT (NSF 19-522)

Daniel Denecke

NRT@nsf.gov

All Levels

AISL (NSF 20-607)

Julie Johnson

DRLAISL@nsf.gov

ECR (NSF 19-508)

Jolene Jesse

ECR@nsf.gov

NSF INCLUDES (NSF 20-569)

Tori Smith

nsfincludes@nsf.gov

RETTL (NSF 20-612)

Amy Baylor

abaylor@nsf.gov

SaTC (NSF 21-500)

Victor Piotrowski

satc-edu@nsf.gov