NSF NEWS

Keep up with today’s research news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at noteworthy scientific findings from researchers around the country.

• NSF announces increased support for capacity building in quantum information science and engineering research (The expansive and growing societal and economic impacts of quantum information science and engineering, or QISE, pose new challenges and unique…)
• Sharpest image to date of universe's most massive known star (Astronomers have yet to fully understand how the most massive stars — those more than 100 times the mass of the sun — are formed. One particularly…)
• Burying short sections of power lines could drastically reduce hurricanes' impact on coastal residents (As Earth warms due to climate change, people living near the coasts not only face a higher risk of major hurricanes but are also more likely to…)
• Researchers develop an integrated method to measure stability during walking (Researchers at Georgia Tech funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation have developed an integrated approach to studying the biomechanics of falls…)
• Fish 'chock-full' of antifreeze protein found in iceberg habitats off Greenland (New research based on an expedition to the icy waters off Greenland reveals high levels of antifreeze proteins in a species of tiny snailfish…)
• Study shows 'unprecedented' changes to world's rivers (The way rivers function is significantly affected by how much sediment they transport and deposit. River sediment — mostly sand, silt and clay — plays…)
• 'Forever chemicals' destroyed by simple method (PFAS, manufactured chemicals commonly used since the 1940s in nonstick and waterproofing agents, are called "forever chemicals" for good reason…)

Apply before October 19, 2022

As the Amazon Research Awards (ARA) program continues to expand in scope, so does the call for proposals list. To that end, as of Sept. 16, Amazon Research Awards opened its fall 2022 call for proposals related to four research areas. The full list, and links to additional details, is below. The deadline for submissions is October 19, 2022.

• AWS AI
• AWS Automated Reasoning
• Prime Video
• Sustainability

Proposals will be reviewed for the quality of their scientific content, creativity, and their potential for impact at scale. Proposals related to theory, practice, and novel new techniques are all welcome.

This edition of the call for proposals reflects Amazon's ongoing efforts to collaborate with researchers in a variety of areas.

ARA provides grant recipients unrestricted funds and AWS promotional credits. Funded projects are assigned an Amazon research contact, and recipients also receive training resources, including AWS tutorials and hands-on sessions with Amazon scientists and engineers.

Before applying, researchers are encouraged to visit the ARA website and read the frequently asked questions for more specific program information. Decision letters will be sent out in March 2023.

Monday, September 19, 2 - 3 PM ET

The Research in Progress database is a leading tool for transportation professionals to stay updated on current or recently-completed transportation research projects. This webinar will demonstrate how to maximize the RIP database to find and display research, and how to distinguish between the RIP and TRID databases.

Adaptive Flood Relief Techniques to Enhance Resiliency

Wednesday, September 21, 2 - 3:30 PM ET

Extreme weather results in unprecedented increasingly common rainfall intensities, and the majority of infrastructure flood inundation cases occur at sparsely gauged locations. This webinar will describe recent cases that estimate, mitigate, and prepare for flooding.

Resistivity and Concrete Durability

Tuesday, October 11, 12:30 - 2 PM ET

One of the many factors that contribute to concrete durability is the material’s resistivity. This webinar will discuss how resistivity and durability affect the longevity of our roads and other concrete infrastructures.

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Dear colleagues interested in submitting a 2023 NSF career proposals application. I am in the process of planning the 2023 workshops (available to MSU EGR faculty who will be applying) and would like to seek your input. In the past, we have offered the first preparation workshop in March when many of us are in the middle of our teaching assignments. I propose that we do the first workshop between January 4 and 6, before the semester begins. Do you think the earlier schedule would have been beneficial to you? Thank you for your input. Please feel free to email me (ofoli@egr.msu.edu) your input as we plan for the 2023 NSF proposal applications.

Robert Ofoli, CoE Faculty Excellence Advocate, FELLOW, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science