The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The broad goals of the Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program are to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions (MSIs) through the integration of education and research. Specifically, the CREST-RISE component seeks to expand institutional research capacity and increase the successful production of research doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, with a particular focus on those from underrepresented groups. CREST-RISE supports STEM research doctoral programs in NSF-supported areas and encourages proposals in national interest areas, such as artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, cybersecurity, and clean energy, among others. The objectives include increasing the number of STEM doctoral programs and graduates from MSIs, especially those from underrepresented groups, and enhancing institutional research capacity to improve doctoral graduation rates. It includes initiatives for program support, research advancement, and investment in equipment and instrumentation.