Stanford Research Development Office

NSF Science and Technology Centers

Note: This page will be updated as new information is available. Please check back frequently. (Most recent content update Jan 12, 2022)

Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships

The NSF Science and Technology Centers (STC): Integrative Partnerships program supports exceptionally innovative, complex research and education projects that require large-scale, long-term awards.

STCs focus on creating new scientific paradigms, establishing entirely new scientific disciplines, and developing transformative technologies that have the potential for broad scientific or societal impact. STCs conduct world-class research through partnerships among institutions of higher education, national laboratories, industrial organizations, other public and private entities, and via international collaborations, as appropriate.

The STC program supports potentially groundbreaking investigations at the interfaces of disciplines or highly innovative approaches within disciplines. STCs may involve any area of science and engineering that NSF supports. STCs exploit opportunities in science, engineering and technology where the complexity of the research agenda requires the duration, scope, scale, flexibility, and facilities that center support can provide. Centers offer the science and engineering community a venue for developing effective mechanisms to integrate scientific and technological research and education activities; to explore better and more effective ways to educate students; to broaden participation of underrepresented groups and under resourced institutions; and to ensure the timely transfer of research and education advances made in service to society.

Funding level is up to $6M/year for 5 years with option for renewal.

Timeline

  • November 29, 2021: Internal proposal due to VPDoR Limited Submissions
  • February 1, 2022: Required preliminary proposal due to NSF
  • August 29, 2022: Full proposal due to NSF

Eligibility

  • NSF limits the number of proposals submitted by each organization to three (further details in the Limited Submissions process section below).
  • PIs or Co-PIs (see NSF personnel definitions) may only participate in one NSF STC proposal at a time. If a proposal is declined at any stage of the review process, a PI or co-PI on the declined proposal may then participate in another STC proposal. This eligibility constraint is strictly enforced by NSF

Limited Submissions process

This is a Limited Submission funding opportunity. A university-wide internal selection process is required prior to proposal submission to NSF. No more than three preliminary proposals are permitted from Stanford as the lead institution.

Find more information on the selection process and submit internal applications via the STC competition page, available from the Limited Submissions portal page.

For questions about the limited submissions process, please email limitedsubmissions@stanford.edu.

Resources

Program information

Stanford support for proposals

Proposal support is available through the Stanford Research Development Office, Office of STEM Outreach, and School of Engineering.

  • The Stanford Research Development Office (RDO) supports faculty across Stanford on proposal development, including advising on proposal sections, writing, editing, project management, and bringing in internal and external expertise. Please contact RDO Director Kim Baeten (kimbaeten@stanford.edu) for more information.
  • Kyle Cole (kylecole@stanford.edu), Director of Education and STEM Outreach for the Office of Community Engagement, can provide support in connecting the Stanford community with youth, schoolteachers, nonprofits, and the broader community to help increase engagement, participation, equity, and inclusion in STEM fields. School of Engineering faculty may also contact Blythe Nobleman for developing broadening participation and educational outreach plans. See details below.
  • Blythe Nobleman is the Research Development Strategist & Editor in the School of Engineering. Working closely with engineering research administrators, Blythe works with SoE faculty to identify funding opportunities, develop concepts, encourage best practices in proposal writing, and to review/edit proposals. Blythe also assists with developing broadening participation and educational outreach plans. To learn more, contact: nobleman@stanford.edu