NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase 1 and 2 for the 2022 Cohort
The National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator is speeding research and discovery into practice by announcing a new funding opportunity NSF Convergence Accelerator Phase 1 and 2 for the 2022 Cohort featuring three research track topics—Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges, and Food & Nutrition Security.
Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities
This track will converge a wide range of disciplines to include social sciences, behavioral sciences, engineering, computer science, ethics, and economics to develop use-inspired solutions to enhance the quality of life, employment access, and opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges
This track will converge advances in fundamental materials science with materials design and manufacturing methods with the goal to couple their end-use and full life-cycle considerations for environmentally and economically sustainable materials and products that address global challenges.
Track J: Food & Nutrition Security
This track will converge a wide range of disciplines to address intertwined challenges in supporting population health, combating climate change, and addressing the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable by empowering youth, women, and disadvantaged communities.
Although different, all tracks require funded teams to accelerate ideas into solutions and at a rapid pace. During phase one, a nine-month planning effort, selected teams are to participate in the program’s innovation curriculum designed to strengthen each team’s convergence approach and to further develop the solution concept toward phase two.
“The Convergence Accelerator’s curriculum, consisting of human-centered design; user discovery; team science; early-stage prototyping; and pitch preparation is designed to provide our funded teams the tools to transition their solutions into practice,” said Douglas Maughan, head of the NSF Convergence Accelerator program. Phase one teams are expected to apply the curriculum; as well as focus on cross-cutting partnerships as most national-scale challenges cannot be solved with a single discipline and expertise.”
At the end of phase one, the 2022 cohort teams will participate in a formal phase 2 proposal and oral pitch. The pitch and proposal will be used in selecting teams for phase two. Selected teams will advance to phase two to further develop the solution from concept to prototype, and beyond; and to build a sustainability model to continue impact beyond NSF support.
“The unique program model of the Convergence Accelerator is focused on delivering tangible solutions that have a positive nation-wide societal impact,” said Maughan. “We encourage researchers and innovators from academia, industry, nonprofit, government, and others to submit a proposal.”
To learn about this exciting new funding opportunity and the Convergence Accelerator program, potential submitters are encouraged to register for an information webinar scheduled for May 4, 2022 and May 5, 2022.
Who Can Apply:
Submitters from academia, industry, nonprofits, and other organizations are encouraged to submit proposals
Funding Opportunity:
Submit your proposal using one of the submission pathways:
- Solicitation, NSF-22-583
- Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), NSFBAA-CA22-02
Solicitation Key Dates:
- Letter of Intent (required): May 31, 2022
- Full Proposal Deadline: July 20, 2022 -
*Full proposals are due 5 p.m. submitter’s local time.