Good Morning,

The National Science Foundation has recently released a funding opportunity announcement for the Physics Frontiers Centers Program which provides $1M-$5M per year in funding for six years for university-based centers and institutes to enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. Harvard may submit up to two pre-applications. In order to select two pre-applications to move forward, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research requests that interested applicants submit an internal pre-proposal at https://bit.ly/3MNlcF5 by June 5, 2022. More information can be found in the synopsis below:

NSF Physics Frontiers Centers

Harvard Pre-Proposal Deadline: June 5, 2022

FAS/SEAS/OSP Pre-Proposal Deadline (if nominated): July 27, 2022

Sponsor Pre-Proposal Deadline (if nominated): August 1, 2022

FAS/SEAS/OSP Full Proposal Deadline (if invited): January 20, 2023

Sponsor Full Proposal Deadline (if invited): January 27, 2023

Award Amount: $1M-$5M/year for six years

The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. Activities supported through the program are in all sub-fields of physics within the purview of the Division of Physics: atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, particle astro-, gravitational, and biological physics. Interdisciplinary projects at the interface between these physics areas and other disciplines and physics sub-fields may also be considered, although the bulk of the effort must fall within one of those areas within the purview of the Division of Physics. The successful PFC activity will demonstrate: (1) the potential for a profound advance in physics; (2) creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, diversity, and public outreach; (3) potential for broader impacts, e.g., impacts on other field(s) and benefits to society; (4) a synergy or value-added rationale that justifies a center- or institute-like approach.

Applicant institutions are limited to no more than two pre-applications or applications. In order to secure the Harvard nomination, interested applicants must submit a brief pre-proposal to the Office of the Vice Provost for Research online at https://bit.ly/3MNlcF5 by June 5, 2022.

Questions about this announcement may be directed to Erin Hale at erin_hale@fas.harvard.edu or Susan Gomes at sgomes@fas.harvard.edu.