NSFBAA-CA22-02 Solicitation Amendment 0005.pdf

NSF Convergence Accelerator 2022 Cohort

Phases 1 and 2 for Tracks H, I, and J

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

1 Introduction

1.1 Background

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator program addresses national-scale societal challenges through use-inspired convergence research. Using a convergence approach and innovation processes like human-centered design, user discovery, as well as team science and integration of multidisciplinary research, the Convergence Accelerator program seeks to transition basic research and discovery into practice – to solve high-impact societal challenges aligned with specific research themes— Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities; Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges; and Track J: Food & Nutrition Security.

NSF Convergence Accelerator track themes are chosen in concordance with the themes identified during the program’s ideation process that aligns with topics that have the potential for significant national impact. The NSF Convergence Accelerator implements a two-phase program. Phase 1 awardees receive resources to further develop their convergence research ideas and to identify important partnerships and resources to accelerate their projects. Phase 2 awardees receive significant resources leading to deliverable research prototypes and sustainability plans.

1.2 Purpose

The purpose of NSF Convergence Accelerator is to provide research opportunities to U.S. for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education, and their partners, to conduct a variety of research projects that will support the strategic objectives of the NSF. The NSF Convergence Accelerator implements a two-phase program. Both phases of the program’s convergence research are described in this BAA and the corresponding program solicitation that can be found here: (LINK). The purpose of this parallel funding opportunity of BAA is to provide increased opportunities for proposals that are led by non-academic entities.

This BAA supports both, US-only proposals and US-led proposals with international participants, and – for Track I ONLY (see below and Section 3.3) – Australian-led proposals.

For Track I ONLY:

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is providing sponsorship for the participation of one Australian team, either as a Principal Investigator or as a team member, in Track I. For this track only, the Principal Investigator may be an Australian entity. All proposals that include Australian entities that wish to be eligible for CSIRO funding, whether as Principal Investigators or as partners in a US-based team, are required to complete a pre-submission review to confirm fit to CSIRO Eligibility Criteria as part of the Letter of Intent. Please see Sections 2.2.3, 3.3, 3.5.2, 3.5.3, 4., 5.1.9, 6.3, 6.9, and 7.8 for further information about Australian participation in Track I. Please also see https://www.csiro.au/missionsaccelerator for additional information.

https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/big_ideas/convergent.jsp https://beta.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/convergence-accelerator/program-model https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22583/nsf22583.htm https://www.csiro.au/missionsaccelerator

NOTE: Awards in response to this BAA will be contracts. Proposals led by for-profit, non-profits or similar organizations should respond to this BAA. Proposals that are led by Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies and similar organizations may prefer to respond to the concurrent program solicitation for Tracks H, I, and J.

1.3 Convergence Research Phase 1 and Phase 2

The NSF Convergence Accelerator implements a two-phase convergence research program designed to accelerate innovation ideation by merging approaches and techniques from a wide and diverse range of disciplines, expertise, and sectors. The overarching program goal is to address national and societal challenges with high-impact solutions. Through an intense hands-on journey, funded teams synergize their work through facilitated collaboration, partnerships, mentorship, and the program’s innovation curriculum.

Solution examples may include integration of new resources into existing systems, production of open-source tools and knowledge products, and expansion of solutions into new markets.

Phase 1: Learning + Applying the Convergence Accelerator Fundamentals, Convergence Research Planning Phase 1 funding is up to $750,000 for 12 months duration. It supports nine months of planning effort to further develop the initial concept, identify new team members and partners, participate in the program’s innovation curriculum, and refine an initial prototype. The innovation curriculum consists of training with professional experts and coaches in human-centered design, team science, inter-team communications, storytelling, and pitch preparation, and developing a public executive summary and presentation—all of which are essential components of the Convergence Accelerator’s model.

Phase 1 efforts will focus on research plan development as well as team formation leading to a proof-of-concept and will include NSF organized convenings for training and cross-cohort collaboration. The Phase 1 innovation curriculum is a significant time investment with weekly participation of all partners under the guidance of coaches. A link to a sample curriculum can be found here.

After nine months of effort, Phase 1 teams participate in a proposal and pitch presentation process, which is used in selecting teams for Phase 2.

Phase 2: Continued Application of the Convergence Accelerator Fundamentals, Prototyping and Sustainability Planning Selected teams from Phase 1 will proceed to Phase 2, with potential funding of up to $5 Million as a contract for 24 months. Phase 2 teams will continue to apply Convergence Accelerator fundamentals, including identifying new team members and end-user partnerships to further develop solution prototypes and to build a sustainability model to continue impact beyond NSF support. Teams will also participate in an entrepreneurial curriculum that includes product development, intellectual property, financial resources, sustainability planning, and communications and outreach.

At the 12-month mark of Phase 2, the Convergence Accelerator will review the team projects to assess whether and to ensure that each team is working towards the expected deliverables. Assessments from the reviewers will be shared with the team along with the guidance/decision for the next steps. At the end of Phase 2, teams are expected to provide/demonstrate outcomes/solutions that were part of the proposal and which impact societal needs at scale and are sustainable beyond NSF support.

https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Sample%20Curriculum%20Schedule_2021%20Cohort%20Phase%201.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Sample%20Curriculum%20Schedule_2021%20Cohort%20Phase%201.pdf

1.4 Components of the NSF Convergence Accelerator

Convergence Research Research and development efforts proposed must represent the highest level of multidisciplinary expertise and convergence research needed to encompass the full scope of the topic selected. Since transition to practice is a core goal of the convergence accelerator, projects need to include personnel with expertise relevant to applications and use, as well as the technologies themselves. Teams must include the necessary expertise in appropriate areas of the physical sciences, math, engineering, data and computer sciences, biological sciences, geological sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and general education and science education, and other disciplines necessary to ensure success.

Partnerships Convergence Accelerator projects should embody use-inspired research that seeks to accelerate research to practice in ways that benefit society at scale. The Convergence Accelerator program requires cross-cutting partnerships to strengthen solutions. Partnerships can take many shapes and can be developed with many types of organizations from academia, industry, government, non-profit, and other sectors, to ensure that research efforts are use-inspired and have a clear path to transition to practice. Therefore, stakeholders from multiple types of organizations and sectors must be involved in ways that allow the project to identify and work with end-users. Partnerships may take many forms and benefits of partnerships may include end-user insights, resources, services, infrastructure, and transition-to-practice pathways.

Deliverables Proposers must clearly identify the deliverables that will result from the proposed project and describe how those outputs will address national and societal challenges and benefit society at scale. While deliverables may take many forms (e.g., hardware, software, data, services, processes, protocols, standards, and more) projects must clearly articulate how benefits to society would result from deliverables developed by the end of Phase 2.

Track Alignment The proposed effort must clearly match the goals described in the track description. Track alignment and contributions to track success must be similarly described. The proposer must clearly outline both the Track relevance (fit within the overall Track topic or specific subtopic) and, also, how the proposed work fits into the overall goals of that Track to enable the transition of convergence research into practice.

Broadening Participation in the NSF Convergence Accelerator NSF is committed to broadening the participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields and research endeavors of members of underrepresented groups—including women, Blacks and African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, Native Pacific Islanders, and persons with disabilities. Broadening participation is a critical element to a successful Convergence Accelerator project capturing a diverse set of perspectives, ideas, and strengths. The Convergence Accelerator focuses on key elements (e.g., end-users, impact, convergence, acceleration, and deliverables), which includes capturing all team member perspectives and expertise when determining the deliverables and project impact to society at scale.

This BAA requires that each project, in both Phase 1 and Phase 2, include a Broadening Participation Plan (under Broader Impacts) that describes activities that will be undertaken to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the project’s research efforts. Examples of ways to engage groups and/or https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/big_ideas/convergent.jsp individuals that are underrepresented may include: through the expertise of personnel, via partnerships, through work with users and user groups, via engagement with stakeholders, through use of datasets that represent information about underrepresented groups, etc.

The Broadening Participation Plan must include:

1. Context: Does the plan describe a goal using institutional or local data?

2. Intended population(s): Does the plan identify the characteristics of participants from an underrepresented group listed above, including school level (e.g., African-American undergraduates or female high-school students)?

3. Strategy: Does the plan describe activities that address the goal(s) and intended population(s)? Is there a clear role for each Principal Investigator (PI) and co-Principal Investigator (co-PI)?

4. Preparation: Does the plan describe how the PI is prepared (or will prepare or collaborate) to do the proposed work? Does the plan highlight prior experience with broadening participation?

5. Measurement: Is there a plan to measure and disseminate the outcome(s) of the activities?

NSF encourages partnerships that include IHEs in Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions, Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) (see, https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html) accredited in, and having a campus located in the US, acting on behalf of their faculty members. We particularly encourage partnerships with NSF INCLUDES Alliances and/or the National Network.

More information, including potential metrics for activities and examples, can be found at the following links:

https://nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg https://www.nsf.gov/od/broadeningparticipation/bp.jsp https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2021/nsf21070/nsf21070.pdf https://www.nsf.gov/mps/broadening_participation/index.jsp https://www.nsf.gov/cise/bpc/

2. Research Areas

For the FY 2022, Phase 1 and Phase 2 topics are as follows:

2.1 Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities

2.1.1 Research Background

The NSF Convergence Accelerator’s Track H: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities will serve as a platform to bring together researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders from a wide range of disciplines and sectors to work on use-inspired solutions to enhance the quality of life, employment access, and opportunities for people with disabilities (PWD or PWDs). The big picture goal is to enhance equity, inclusion, and accessibility for PWDs. Track H was chosen based on the results of two NSF-funded community workshops related to this topic. The reports from these workshops are Accelerating Disability Inclusion in Workplaces Through Technology Workshop and Liberate 2021: Living Better through Rehabilitative and Assistive Technology.

https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html https://nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pappg https://www.nsf.gov/od/broadeningparticipation/bp.jsp https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2021/nsf21070/nsf21070.pdf https://www.nsf.gov/mps/broadening_participation/index.jsp https://www.nsf.gov/cise/bpc/ https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Accelerating%20Disability%20Inclusion%20in%20Workplaces%20Through%20Technology%20Workshop%20Report_2122120_May%202021_Final_Ready%20for%20508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Accelerating%20Disability%20Inclusion%20in%20Workplaces%20Through%20Technology%20Workshop%20Report_2122120_May%202021_Final_Ready%20for%20508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Liberate%202021%20-%20Living%20Better%20through%20Rehabilitative%20and%20Assistive%20Technology%20Workshop%20Report_2125017_June%202021_Final_508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Liberate%202021%20-%20Living%20Better%20through%20Rehabilitative%20and%20Assistive%20Technology%20Workshop%20Report_2125017_June%202021_Final_508.pdf

This track offers opportunities to community stakeholders to bring in knowledge, expertise, insights, methods, and tools from disparate areas of research including, but not limited to, engineering, manufacturing, robotics, computer/data science (including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)), healthcare, social, behavioral, and economic sciences, policy, and ethics. The resulting collaborative projects must work toward ensuring the development of tangible tools, resources, hardware, or software, and/or improving the participation of PWDs in the workforce. Proposals that are driven by use-inspired research are encouraged. Proposed research must leverage convergence between disciplines; be ready for acceleration; fueled by strong public-private partnerships; and ultimately enable translation into tangible solutions that are sustainable.

PWDs represent the largest minority group in the United States and in the world (Invisible Disabilities Association). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 26% of people in the United States (~ 1 in 4 adults) have a disability (Disability and Health Data System). In addition, data from the United Nations indicates that about 15% of the people in the world (~1 billion) live with some form of a disability (Factsheet on Persons with Disabilities). Disabilities may be apparent or non-apparent, temporary or permanent, and may change or develop during a person’s lifetime. Disabilities can vary in type and affect a person’s development, thinking, learning, hearing, mobility, vision, self-care, mental health, and other activities of daily living.

PWDs experience major barriers that can hamper their quality of life, health, and wellness, which often reflect on insufficient levels of support, services, and resources to help meet their access needs. Regardless of the type of impairment a person may have, the experience of living with a disability represents the interplay of several factors, including activity limitations, restricted participation, environmental factors, and personal factors (World Health Organization Report, 2002).

PWDs, especially women and racial and ethnic minorities, remain highly underemployed in the U.S., despite offering talents and skills that can benefit employers and workplaces. The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in the U.S. Department of Labor notes that the labor force participation rates for people with and without disabilities in the U.S. in October 2021 were 22.4% and 67.1%, respectively. The unemployment rates for people with and without disabilities were 9.1% and 4.0%, respectively (Office of Disability Employment Policy, 2021). The scale and impact of these disparities are even greater for women and underrepresented minorities who have disabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected PWDs, along with women and minority communities. They have faced major challenges such as reduced access to vaccines, routine care and rehabilitation; job losses, including from safety issues hindering staying at and returning to work; an inability to telework effectively or at all; and insufficient work supports and accommodations. Even before the pandemic, many workers with disabilities lacked access to job accommodations, and their accommodations often failed to meet their access needs.

U.S. demographics for the employment of PWDs in different states, where they live in the community, and types of disability can vary widely. External factors can often make it harder for PWDs to attain and maintain gainful employment or involvement in the community. Some core access issues include reliable, accessible transportation, centralized services and accessible, affordable housing in a community or near workplaces (Office of Disability Employment Policy, 2021; Senate Help Committee, 2014). Services for PWDs that help support and maintain employment and community inclusion are often not centralized or not easy to access, which compounds many of these issues.

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/dhds/index.html https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities.html https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/classification/icf/icfbeginnersguide.pdf?sfvrsn=eead63d3_4 https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/program-areas/employment-supports/housing https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/HELP%20Committee%20Disability%20and%20Poverty%20Report.pdf

PWDs are also underrepresented in STEM. A recent report released by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics states that about 10% of women and 9% of men, who are scientists and engineers with at least a bachelor’s degree, reported that they are not working due to chronic illnesses or disabilities. As a result, the society is deprived of a wealth of untapped talent.

Studies show that most PWDs want to engage in meaningful life activities. Recent studies and reports emphasize that expanding opportunities for PWDs can yield major economic benefits while meeting legal obligations. Many employers remain unaware of the benefits and ease of hiring workers with disabilities (EARN: Disability Inclusion in the Workplace). These studies also suggest that misconceptions about the costs and benefits of including workers with disabilities contribute to low participation in the labor force.

Employment is the likeliest means that can help improve outcomes for many PWDs, including financial security, access to protections such as health insurance, social interaction with colleagues, a sense of self-worth and purpose, and better satisfaction with quality of life. Unemployment often has a particularly detrimental impact on quality of life, mental and physical health, and the financial stability of PWDs.

Major advances in technology, both in the workplace and in the home, have helped empower job seekers and workers with disabilities who strive for upward mobility in their fields in the modern knowledge economy.

The use of universal design and workplace accessibility applies equally for emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality, autonomous vehicles, and mainstream information and communication technologies, including those used in the workplace.

This track seeks new and affordable assistive or rehabilitative technologies, products including software enabled services, or tools. This track also seeks ways to increase workforce participation of PWDs. Deep integration of, and collaboration between, disparate disciplines are needed to develop use-inspired solutions to achieve these goals.

Partnerships and Engagements: Proposals submitted to this track should integrate expertise, insights, methods, facilities, and tools from multiple disciplines. Direct participation by PWDs, their caregivers, and stakeholder organizations, those who are trained as researchers (STEM or related disciplines), and veterans is also strongly encouraged. Leveraging resources and projects from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR), the Veterans Administration (VA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), ODEP, and/or state and local agencies, non-profits, and industry is encouraged but not required. Involvement of these organizations will increase the likelihood of ultimately translating innovative technologies/approaches/findings into implemented solutions. Proposals should be explicit in how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility will be incorporated into the overall project.

Advancing substantive innovation requires that researchers work cooperatively and collaboratively across different sectors including private industry, government, academia, advocates for PWDs, associations of employers and trades, and all types of problem solvers from all sectors of the community. Such collaborations could also help to further enhance equity, inclusion, and accessibility for PWDs.

Partnerships with state programs serving PWDs (employment advisory groups, state and local workforce boards, developmental disability and rehabilitation councils, and state and local initiatives) that will help facilitate employment opportunities are encouraged. Examples include legislatively mandated Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs (adult program, dislocated worker program, youth program, Adult Education and Family Literacy Act Program, Wagner-Peyser Act, Vocational Rehabilitation Program, and Career and Technical Education Programs).

https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21321/report/about-this-report https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf21321/report/about-this-report https://askearn.org/page/disability-inclusion-in-the-workplace

2.1.2 Tasks and Deliverables

Note: This program is not intended to support clinical trials.

This track seeks to fulfill its promise by accelerating the development of innovative, interconnected projects founded in creative, translational, and use-inspired innovative ideas/concepts/themes that can harness the power of partnerships to tackle the key barriers faced by PWDs.

It focuses on use-inspired, translational research that adopts the use of human-centered design and approaches. Projects must embrace and display a culture of convergence among disciplinary approaches, and must include partners from multiple sectors (e.g., colleges and universities, industry, non-profits, community organizations, and/or local, state, tribal, or federal government). Projects must articulate one or more clear deliverable(s) that will help transition research into practice with measurable impacts and benefits to society within the less-than-three-year effort of a Convergence Accelerator track—nine months of Phase 1 and two years of Phase 2. Deliverables must address challenges in enhancing the participation of PWDs in the workforce and/or developing products, services, tools that could ultimately help them.

In terms of the primary focus or theme, proposals submitted to this track are expected (but not required) to fall into two broad categories: (a) assistive or rehabilitative technologies to help enhance quality of life or (b) strategies for improving participation of PWDs in the workforce. As noted, race and ethnic background, gender, socioeconomic and LGBTQIA+ status, and societal attitudes can affect whether and how PWDs address and mitigate core barriers that hinder gainful employment and full inclusion in the community.

Proposals that specifically address the needs of these groups are strongly encouraged. Projects should focus on achieving tangible and significant outcomes to empower PWDs or communities in which they interact or work. All proposals should be explicit in explaining how diversity, equity, and inclusion are incorporated into the overall project.

2.1.3 Outcomes

The outcomes from this effort are expected to yield key tangible benefits for PWDs. It is anticipated that the projects supported through this program will help enhance quality of life through assistive or rehabilitative products or services and approaches to reduce barriers that can hinder entering the workforce, sustaining jobs, and achieving high work performance, especially for women and underrepresented minorities with disabilities.

Developing innovative assistive or rehabilitative technologies can help improve equity, inclusion, and accessibility for PWDs of all ages. These could be based on advances in social and rehabilitation robotics, non-invasive stimulation technologies, advanced materials, additive manufacturing/3D printing, battery technologies, sensors, flexible, printed electronics, soft robotics, neuromorphic engineering, extended reality, AI/ML, autonomous vehicles, and mainstream information and communication technologies. It is expected that all solutions will emphasize the use of inclusive, affordable, and human-centered universal design. This approach can foster best and promising practices that drive good outcomes to become universally adopted and thus commercially viable, creating a broader impact for a wider range of stakeholders that comprise both people with and without disabilities. Broad topics within this track may include – but are not limited to – the ones listed below.

• Design of and enhancements to assistive technologies and access to digital and in-person spaces, hiring and workforce accommodations, training, workforce development, integrated services, work-based learning and K-16 education, and scalable and adaptive retraining tools. The use of universal design and workplace accessibility using emerging technologies, such AI and ML.

• Tools/methods/software/other resources that are based on translational approaches rooted in social, behavioral, and economic sciences, and ethics, which could ultimately advance innovative policies and procedures that will be helpful to PWDs and the communities they interact with.

Projects could also focus on the provision and coordination of services, design of accessible transportation and housing, workforce programs, and other key focuses.

2.2 Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges

2.2.1 Research Background

The objective of the NSF Convergence Accelerator’s Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges will be to converge advances in fundamental materials science with materials design and manufacturing methods in an effort to couple their end-use and full life-cycle considerations for environmentally- and economically-sustainable materials and products. This convergence research track topic was based on the results of NSF-funded community workshops, such as Accelerating Translational Materials R&D for Global Challenges and Socioresilient Infrastructure: Precision Materials, Assemblages, and Systems.

The overarching goal of Track I is to accelerate convergence research across the materials discovery, development, and production sectors to address challenges in the manufacture and reuse and recycling of critical materials and products and to develop new, innovative, sustainable materials and manufacturing processes. Broad topics within this track may include – but are not limited to – the ones listed below.

• Critical materials and manufacturing processes, such as microelectronics and their components;

solutions for sustainable polymers in areas of high unmet need such as healthcare and packaging;

and commercially viable materials for sustainable clean energy (e.g., batteries, photovoltaics, wind turbines, hydrogen) and transport.

• Full life cycle and sustainability “Systems Thinking” in materials design including the construction of inclusive, large-scale partner ecosystems and education/workforce development for sustainable design that is connected to opportunities in industry. Education (for and as) infrastructure, including scaling of innovative curricula and training for inclusive sustainable infrastructure design and job creation. This could include community/citizen science projects for socio-resilient infrastructure such as housing for displaced persons that is resilient to changing weather patterns.

The world is dependent on materials such as plastics and microelectronics for every aspect of life and work.

These materials are integral to energy, infrastructure, healthcare, economic development, national security, etc. and while the research enterprise has previously paid significant attention to the discovery of new materials and material properties (Materials Genome Initiative), relatively little effort has been applied to a holistic approach to materials development from the molecular level to their durable long-term applications and end-of-life challenges.

In addition, the world is at an unprecedented time when climate change is becoming an existential threat.

Material production is widely acknowledged as the cause of over half of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

(Increased carbon footprint of materials production driven by rise in investments) The current production https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Accelerating%20Translational%20Materials%20R%26D%20for%20Global%20Challenges%20Workshop%20Report_2122643_June%202021_Final_508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Accelerating%20Translational%20Materials%20R%26D%20for%20Global%20Challenges%20Workshop%20Report_2122643_June%202021_Final_508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2022-02/Socioresilient%20Infrastructure%20-%20Precision%20Materials%2C%20Assemblages%2C%20and%20Systems.pdf https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/mgi https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-021-00690-8 and use of materials are not sustainable for human beings and the planet. By taking a systems level view of materials and their production, we can address the urgent planetary crises that are facing society today (climate, nature and biodiversity, and pollution and waste). To address these crises, we must converge efforts in fundamental materials science with materials design and manufacturing methods coupled with their end use and full life cycle considerations for the environmentally and economically sustainable production and reuse and recycling of critical materials and products. This will require a rethinking of the current materials we use and the processes by which they are produced in addition to their interaction with the environment and society as a whole.

We must accelerate this convergence to achieve the capability to source and/or produce those critical minerals and materials as well as develop the sustainable (environmental and economic) discovery and production capabilities that are important to the economy, security, health, and energy resources of our Nation and globally. (Building Resilient Supply Chains) While the plastics problem is highly recognized (The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the future of plastics & catalysing action), prevailing commercial incentives have made it difficult to make significant progress and the problem, often referred to as a “Gordian knot”, is much more complex than simple incentives might imply. New approaches and incentives are critical to future success. (Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand; Plastics Innovation Fund)

Our efforts in microelectronics are seen as having fallen behind and our inability to manufacture critical supply chain components and assess the supply chain itself is considered by some as a significant national security risk. However, that tide is turning as there are several new programs and bold initiatives in place to solve some of the most daunting materials issues including exciting global efforts and partnerships.

(Cooperation in Quantum Science and Technology – United States Department of State)

Partnerships and Engagements: Proposals should seek to build upon the various related NSF programs by focusing on areas of research that are ready for accelerated convergence research and can produce solutions and deliverables in a three-year time-period. Relevant NSF programs include, but are not limited to the following: Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) and Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) as well as centers, platforms, and foundries, including: Materials Science Research and Engineering Centers (MRSECs), Science and Technology Centers (STCs), Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCIs), Engineering Research Centers (ERCs), Industry–University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRCs), Materials Innovation Platforms (MIPs), NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers (CSP), and Convergent Accelerated Discovery Foundries for Quantum Materials Science, Engineering and Information (Q-AMASE-i). In addition to leveraging NSF investments, projects may also leverage other Federal agency investments such as the Manufacturing USA Institutes, the Department of Energy’s BOTTLE consortium, and numerous others. Proposals should be explicit in how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility will be incorporated into the overall project.

Over the past year, the NSF Convergence Accelerator has supported several ideation workshops aimed at distilling meaningful solutions and deliverables for some of the most pressing materials and manufacturing needs as well as broad cross-cutting resources that can contribute to many different materials and their applications, such as:

• Accelerating Translational Materials R&D for Global Challenges,

• Development of Infrastructure for Distributed Bio-Manufacturing and Bio-Readiness,

• Design for Circular Economy from Molecules to the Built Environment, https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/100-day-supply-chain-review-report.pdf https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics-and-catalysing https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics-and-catalysing https://www.pmcsa.ac.nz/topics/rethinking-plastics/ https://www.pmcsa.ac.nz/topics/rethinking-plastics/ https://environment.govt.nz/what-you-can-do/funding/plastics-innovation-fund/ https://www.state.gov/cooperation-in-quantum-science-and-technology-aus https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Accelerating%20Translational%20Materials%20R%26D%20for%20Global%20Challenges%20Workshop%20Report_2122643_June%202021_Final_508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-09/Development%20of%20Infrastructure%20for%20Distributed%20Bio-Manufacturing%20and%20Bio-Readiness_Boston%20University_March%202021_Final.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-09/Design%20for%20a%20Circular%20Economy%20from%20Molecules%20to%20the%20Built%20Environment_University%20of%20Pittsburgh_Nov%202020_Final.pdf

• Socioresilient Infrastructure: Precision Materials, Assemblages, and Systems.

A key three-year milestone was identified in each of five technical areas:

1. Materials Research Data Sharing Principles & Infrastructure: Establishment of a common US-wide data standard and data sharing infrastructure for academic, government, and industrial materials data, building on FAIR data principles and providing needed metadata, annotations, and access controls.

2. Incentives for Long-term Investment & Sustainability: Creation of a multi-stakeholder effort that demonstrates the effective use of a convergence approach to de-risk solutions in an area of sustainable materials, such as polymers.

3. Full-lifecycle and Sustainability “Systems Thinking” in Materials Design: Demonstration of an open data platform and program for holistic materials research and development that incorporates interdisciplinary perspectives beyond materials science (lifecycle analysis, socio-economics, policy, environmental issues, etc.) in an area with large societal impact like materials for the built environment.

4. Construction of Inclusive, Large-scale Partner Ecosystems: Implementation and evaluation of multiple embedding mechanisms (collaboration, technology transfer, internships, sabbaticals, visiting scientists, etc.) to see which are most effective at building strong, inclusive communities of innovation that connect materials science and manufacturing.

5. Making Materials Knowledge Consumable in Design and Manufacturing: Demonstration of programs that drive enhanced data sharing between academic materials research and industry in the form of student projects, industrial internships, and joint training.

2.2.2 Tasks and Deliverables

NSF is seeking solutions that utilize advanced technologies for the translation of materials for global challenges. The Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges track focuses on use-inspired, translational research that address challenges in sustainable materials for global challenges while providing significant benefits to society. Each project should incorporate community engagement and strive to include an education or training component that connects user communities. Such connections could include, but are not limited to, citizen science, co-designing projects so they provide benefits to local communities or provide user-friendly data products and services, or creating workforce training programs.

Building upon ideas for education which mandate three core competencies: communications, teamwork and ethics, develop educational tools and programs on sustainable materials development, including experiential elements such as internships, etc., projects should consider potential benefits to local communities from the data and insights produced by project efforts and by enabling communities to participate in project evaluation activities. Also critical for this topic are projects which focus on behavior change and environmental justice. In addition, proposals should be explicit in how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) will be incorporated into the overall project. Projects that redefine and quantify value so that it includes broader value for the community, biodiversity, etc. are welcomed.

Specifically, solutions that address both the problem of waste remediation and conversion into useful products as well as an entire rethinking of the design and manufacturing process of new materials to prevent future pollution and waste are sought. Further, while there has been increasing attention paid to sustainability and environment issues, viable solutions, for example, in infrastructure, must be truly converged with the humanistic fields including history, social sciences, science, technology and society studies, social justice, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Projects need to clearly articulate a https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2022-02/Socioresilient%20Infrastructure%20-%20Precision%20Materials%2C%20Assemblages%2C%20and%20Systems.pdf theory of change and identify how the project is going to act as an entry point to effect lasting change.

(Accelerating the low carbon transition)

Potential solutions can include, but are not limited to, the creation of a circular economy that is also just and equitable providing access to natural resources and durable manmade resources. Innovative technologies which address both the sustainable production of needed products from the accumulation of waste from such materials as plastics and batteries as well as the design of entirely new ways of developing materials and products are sought. It is highly desirable to make all products (and services) “transparent” with respect to origins, production, use and end-of-life by providing accessible data and data frameworks. Efforts should also include the empowerment of the consumer to make good choices and behave in ways that support circular economies.

Further, those efforts that provide equitable access to circular financing, or how the financing, financial markets and financial actors are affected by a transition from a linear to a circular economy, will be strongly considered. Cross-cutting aspects of each effort should include the transformation of the education and training of the next generation’s scientists to consider materials design, development, production, use, and fate from a transdisciplinary perspective that includes sustainable design principles, takes into account societal impact, and is also equitable and just. Concerted efforts across the fields of materials, chemistry, biology, math, physics, engineering, computer science, social, behavioral, economic, and education sciences as well as the broader materials and chemical sectors including legal, policy, design, certification, supply chain and manufacturing capabilities. Proposed solutions should be sustainable from both environmental and economic perspectives.

2.2.3 Outcomes

The objective of this track is to converge efforts in fundamental materials science with materials design and manufacturing methods coupled with their end use and full life cycle considerations for the environmentally and economically sustainable production of critical materials and products. Key themes and potential outcomes may include but are not limited to:

• Materials research data sharing principles & infrastructure (Materials Informatics). Software and tools to enable decision-making across the supply chain, including potential gap analysis and uncertainty analysis to support improvements in systems-level analysis packages, which use multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional approaches such as data sharing infrastructure for inclusive co-design studios. Making materials knowledge consumable in design, manufacturing, and to all key stakeholders.

• Critical materials and manufacturing processes, such as microelectronics and their components, solutions for sustainable polymers in areas of high unmet need such as healthcare and packaging, and commercially viable materials for sustainable-clean energy (batteries, photovoltaics, wind turbines, hydrogen, etc.) & transport.

• Full-lifecycle and sustainability “Systems Thinking” in materials design including the construction of inclusive, large-scale partner ecosystems. Education and Workforce Development for sustainable design that is connected to opportunities in industry. “Education for and as infrastructure” including scaling of innovative curricula and training for inclusive sustainable infrastructure design and job creation. Community/citizen science projects for socio-resilient infrastructure such as housing for displaced persons that is climate change resilient.

https://www.brookings.edu/research/accelerating-the-low-carbon-transition/

For Track I ONLY:

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, is providing sponsorship for the participation of one Australian team, either as a Principal Investigator or as a team member, in Track I. For this track only, the Principal Investigator may be an Australian entity. All proposals that include Australian entities that wish to be eligible for CSIRO funding, whether as Principal Investigators or as partners in a US-based team, are required to complete a pre-submission review to confirm fit to CSIRO Eligibility Criteria as part of the Letter of Intent. Please see Sections 1.2, 3.3, 3.5.2, 3.5.3, 4., 5.1.9, 6.3, 6.9, and 7.8 for further information about Australian participation in Track I. Please also see https://www.csiro.au/missionsaccelerator for additional information.

2.3 Track J: Food & Nutrition Security

2.3.1 Research Background

The overarching goal of the NSF Convergence Accelerator’s Track J: Food & Nutrition Security is to accelerate convergence across food and nutrition sectors to address intertwined challenges in supporting population health, combating climate change (Executive Order 13990, Executive Order 14008), and addressing the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable by empowering youth, women, and disadvantaged communities (Executive Order 14002). The vision for transforming America’s food systems underlying this call for proposals is in alignment with goals of the United States Department of Agriculture and focuses on:

● Ensuring access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities,

● Building more resilient local and regional food systems,

● Building new markets domestically and internationally, and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, and

● Making consequential investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America.

The convergence research track topic was chosen based on the results of NSF-funded community workshops, such as Digital and Precision Agriculture and Sustainable Systems Enabling Food Security in Extreme Environments and Food Deserts Employing a Convergence of Food, Energy, Water and Systems for Societal Impact.

There exists an increasing demand for water, food, and energy resources in the world and in the United States. Concurrent with the effects of climate change and population growth, these essential resources are becoming increasingly scarce. As highlighted by the NSF-funded workshops on this topic, by 2050, water demand will increase by 55%, energy needs by 80%, and food demands by 60%. The world’s population is expected to increase from 3 billion in the late 1960s to almost 10 billion by 2050, representing an increase in agricultural demand, creating an urgent need to produce more food to enable food security. Total food consumption globally is projected to increase from 2,373 kcal/person/day in about 1970 to 3,070 kcal/person/day by 2050. In addition, changes in climate, land use, resource consumption, and population growth are pushing some regions to no longer be able to support regional food requirements, contributing to large-scale human migration in parts of the world.

Food and nutrition related industries, consumption behaviors, and resources have always been important for humanity; and they are expected to play a central role over the next decades in addressing challenges related to climate change and population growth. Recognizing this opportunity, Track J of the NSF Convergence Accelerator seeks proposals to create use-inspired, integrative solutions to enable Food & Nutrition Security.

https://www.csiro.au/missionsaccelerator https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01765/protecting-public-health-and-the-environment-and-restoring-science-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/02/01/2021-02177/tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/27/2021-01923/economic-relief-related-to-the-covid-19-pandemic https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Digital%20and%20Precision%20Agriculture%20Workshop%20Report_2120483_July%202021_Final_508.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Sustainable%20Systems%20Enabling%20Food%20Security%20in%20Extreme%20Environments%20and%20Food%20Deserts%20Employing%20a%20Convergence%20of%20Food%2C%20Energy%2C%20Water%20and%20Systems%20for%20Societal%20Impact_2119533_June%202021_Final_508_0.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Sustainable%20Systems%20Enabling%20Food%20Security%20in%20Extreme%20Environments%20and%20Food%20Deserts%20Employing%20a%20Convergence%20of%20Food%2C%20Energy%2C%20Water%20and%20Systems%20for%20Societal%20Impact_2119533_June%202021_Final_508_0.pdf https://das-prod-nsf-gov.s3.amazonaws.com/2021-12/Sustainable%20Systems%20Enabling%20Food%20Security%20in%20Extreme%20Environments%20and%20Food%20Deserts%20Employing%20a%20Convergence%20of%20Food%2C%20Energy%2C%20Water%20and%20Systems%20for%20Societal%20Impact_2119533_June%202021_Final_508_0.pdf

The goal of this undertaking is to facilitate making connections between agricultural and food processing technologies, data, training, and impacted communities. In developing resilient and regenerative agricultural practices that provide societal impact, there are many obstacles and challenges to overcome. Addressing these requires deep integration and collaboration among many disciplines as well as inventive and innovative partnerships across academia, industry, the public, local/regional communities, non-profit organizations, and federal, state, and local government agencies.

Acceleration of Food & Nutrition Security that concomitantly advances agricultural economic interests and regenerative agriculture practices as well as a reduction in waste behavior is a challenge that requires effort and collaboration among disparate…