NSF launches TRAILBLAZER program for groundbreaking engineering ideas

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced the NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (TRAILBLAZER) program, a new $15 million activity in the Directorate for Engineering, to enable researchers with established records of creativity and paradigm-shifting outcomes to pursue novel engineering research projects that will open unexplored frontiers.

"With the NSF TRAILBLAZER program, we are supporting engineering researchers who have a track record of innovative breakthroughs to explore far beyond the boundaries of what we know and can do today," said Susan Margulies, NSF assistant director for Engineering. "We anticipate that our investment in NSF Trailblazers will generate novel solutions to grand challenges, yield fundamental new insights and pioneer technological advances that strengthen U.S. competitiveness."

Each TRAILBLAZER award will provide up to $3 million over three years for a project led by a single investigator in any engineering field or topic.

"We look forward to the NSF TRAILBLAZER program advancing the Engineering Directorate's goals to significantly address societal challenges through groundbreaking engineering research," said Sohi Rastegar, head of the NSF Office of Emerging Frontiers and Multidisciplinary Activities, which manages the program.