Most recent content update: May 21, 2022
Note: This page will be updated as new information is available. Please check back frequently.
Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC)
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:
- the potential for a profound advance in physics;
- creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, diversity, and public outreach;
- potential for broader impacts, e.g., impacts on other field(s) and benefits to society; and
- a synergy or value-added rationale that justifies a center- or institute-like approach.
Funding level is up to $5 million per year for six years.
Timeline
- June 8, 2022: Internal proposals due to VPDoR Limited Submission Programs through the Stanford Funding Opportunities portal
- Week of June 13: Notification of internal application status
- August 1, 2022: Preliminary Proposals due (required for selected applicants)
- January 27, 2024: Full Proposals due (by NSF invitation only)
Eligibility
- Faculty with PI eligibility (members of the University's Academic Council or UML faculty) are permitted to serve as PIs.
- Any one individual may be the Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) for only one preliminary proposal. This same limitation applies to full proposals.
- Individuals may be listed as participating senior investigators on more than one proposal.
- No more than two preliminary proposals may be submitted by any one institution.
- No more than two full proposals may be submitted by any one institution.
Limited Submissions Process
This is a Limited Submission funding opportunity. A university-wide selection process is required prior to proposal submission to NSF. No more than two preliminary proposals are permitted from Stanford as the lead institution.
Find more information on the selection process and submit internal applications via the PFC competition page, available from the Limited Submissions portal page.
For questions about the limited submissions process, please email limitedsubmissions@stanford.edu.
Resources
Program Information
- NSF Program Page
- NSF Program Solicitation (NSF 22-592)
- RDO compilation of PFC information and current centers
Stanford support for proposals
The Stanford Research Development Office (RDO) provides proposal development support, including writing, editing and project management for collaborative, complex, and strategic proposals. Please contact Kim Baeten for more information.
(For applications from the School of Engineering, RDO will coordinate with Blythe Nobleman in ERA to optimize research development support. See FAQs for details.)