People walking on a crosswalk on a city street.

Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE)

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) supports basic research on people and society.

This includes the study of human behavior and social organizations, as well as research on how social, economic, political, cultural and environmental forces affect the lives of people from birth to old age and how people in turn shape those forces.

SBE also supports research infrastructure in social and behavioral sciences, including surveys that provide data about American society and about the state of the U.S. science and engineering enterprise.

At every level, researchers supported by SBE are making transformative discoveries that empower America's industries and communities, provide opportunities for entrepreneurs and create the knowledge that fuels American economic leadership.


SBE: Your life, our work

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Recent funding opportunities

Program
Next Required Due Date: February 3, 2025
Posted November 1, 2024
Program
Next Required Due Date: January 15, 2025
Posted October 7, 2024
Program
Next Required Due Date: January 14, 2025
Posted September 13, 2024

Explore SBE

College students sitting at desks in a classroom.

SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (SBE/SMA)

Cultivates interdisciplinary research and training in the social, behavioral and economic sciences, including capacity-building at minority-serving institutions, international collaborations and the ethical conduct of scientific research.

Upcoming events

Q&As and information sessions
Office hour meetings are 1-on-1 on Zoom. Meet the program director and ask questions.
Outreach

 

Discovery Files Podcast: Mysteries of Mayan Civilization

Prior to European arrival, the Maya peoples built a civilization in the inhospitable lowland jungles of Middle America. David Lentz, professor of biological sciences and executive director at the University of Cincinnati Center for Field Studies, joins to discuss his archeological findings from ancient Mayan cities.

NCSES reports

The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics is is tasked with providing objective data on the status of the science and engineering enterprise in the U.S. and other countries.

The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2024

This report summarizes key indicators that assess the status of the science and engineering enterprise within the United States and illustrate the U.S. global position in multiple aspects of that enterprise.

Diversity and STEM: Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities 2023

This report provides high-level insights from multiple data sources into the diversity of the STEM workforce in the United States.