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 Process Systems, Reaction Engineering and Molecular Thermodynamics program aims to foster fundamental engineering research in the fields of chemical reactions, systems engineering, and molecular thermodynamics to support the development of energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly chemical processes and materials. The program focuses on improving the design and optimization of chemical reactors, advancing chemical reaction engineering through novel reactor designs and biomass conversion, optimizing process design and control with an emphasis on sustainability, and integrating reactive polymer processing for environmental benefits. Additionally, it prioritizes molecular thermodynamics research to enhance chemical processing and the synthesis of novel functional materials. The program encourages innovative proposals that promise to make chemical processes more efficient, improve environmental sustainability and water quality, and design functional materials with specific properties. Proposals should demonstrate the novelty and potential transformative impact of the research, with an emphasis on engineering science and potential societal or industry benefits. The program also supports early career development, conferences, workshops, rapid response research, and grants for academia-industry liaison with a focus on translational research outcomes.