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.

Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) 2024 Awards

New NSF awards to support responsible and ethical research practices in STEM fields

November 15, 2024

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is investing more than $5 million in new research projects that promote responsible and ethical practices in STEM fields. The funding will support 19 projects at academic institutions across various regions of the nation including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas.

NSF has a long track record of supporting ethics research projects and educational activities across all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. One of the agency’s commitments to ethics in STEM fields is the Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program. The ER2 program is supported by all eight of the agency’s research directorates and its Office of International Science and Engineering.

"The awards from the Ethical and Responsible Research program tackle a range of important issues in STEM fields including how to manage authorship decisions when working with Indigenous partners, foster a culture of research ethics at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), and develop approaches to educating students about artificial intelligence ethics," says Jason Borenstein, Program Director for Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE). “The ER2 awards aim to promote responsible and ethical practices across career stages within research environments and beyond," Borenstein adds.

“These ER2 awards will have national and global impact on promoting ethical research conduct across scientific and technological fields, from studying the ethical impacts of how researchers choose the data used to train AI models to supporting scientists as they address ethical issues in environmental cleanup efforts,” says Kaye Husbands Fealing, NSF’s SBE Assistant Director.

ER2 focuses on fostering collaboration among researchers, institutions, and communities to address ethical challenges and enhance research integrity. By providing funding opportunities and supporting the development of educational approaches, and resources, the program seeks to cultivate a culture of responsibility so that the social, behavioral, and economic sciences and other STEM research fields contribute positively to society. To learn more about the complete list of nineteen awards announced in fall 2024, visit the Ethical and Responsible Active Awards page.

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