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.

ER2 Research Topics of Interest

The Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program supports projects that focus on what constitutes or promotes responsible and ethical research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The list below provides examples of research topics of interest to the ER2 program. The list is not intended to be exhaustive. Questions about program scope can be directed to the program officers listed in the ER2 solicitation.

Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

  • Responsible and ethical research practices in SBE fields such as economics, psychology or sociology
  • Responsible and ethical practices when SBE researchers collaborate with researchers from other STEM fields

Biological Sciences

  • Responsible and ethical research practices in the biological sciences including realms such as bioengineering
  • How to conduct research in emerging areas such as gene editing and synthetic biology responsibly and ethically

Computer and Information Science and Engineering

  • How to conduct research involving computing technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality or internet of things devices responsibly and ethically
  • How to conduct research involving human-computer or human-robot interaction responsibly and ethically

Engineering

  • How responsible and ethical practices contribute to the professional development of engineers, including in aerospace, electrical, materials, mechanical, transportation or other engineering research environments
  • Responsible and ethical research practices in engineering or engineering education including in areas such as artificial intelligence, climate change, renewable energy and qualitative data sharing

Geosciences

  • Responsible and ethical research practices for coproduction of use-inspired geoscience research with local communities, policy makers, non-profit organizations, and industry 
  • Responsible and ethical research practices in geoscience research areas such as artificial intelligence, critical minerals, and geoengineering 

Mathematical and Physical Sciences

  • How to incorporate responsible and ethical practices into astronomy, chemistry, materials, mathematics, physics or other physical science research environments
  • Responsible and ethical practices that guide math and physical science research collaborations, and how such practices extend to data and information sharing

STEM Education

  • How to incorporate responsible and ethical practices into a range of organization types such as primarily undergraduate, minority serving, public or private academic institutions
  • Responsible and ethical practices that guide mentoring and advising, interdisciplinary team science and research environments and the conduct of educational research

Technology, Innovation and Partnerships

  • Responsible and ethical practices when researchers partner across different sectors such as when academic researchers collaborate with industry or non-profit organizations
  • How to conduct research involving the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 technology and challenge priority areas responsibly and ethically

International Science and Engineering

  • Responsible and ethical STEM research practices in international contexts that could include but are not limited to collaboration with international researchers and communities at home and abroad 
  • How to conduct research responsibly and ethically when there are different research norms, resource constraints, expectations, practices, or asymmetries across regions of the world 
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