NATIONAL SECURITY SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FACULTY FELLOWSHIP (NSSEFF) PROGRAM

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The National Defense Education Program (NDEP) supports both basic science and/or engineering research within academia as well as education initiatives that seek to create and develop the next generation of scientists and engineers for the defense and national security workforce. The focus of the current competition is to provide faculty and staff scientists and engineers from U.S. accredited, degree-granting academic institutions with a career enhancing opportunity through their association with DoD while at the same time they are conducting unclassified basic research in critical areas of interest. Outstanding researchers selected for award and granted Secret security clearances will participate in all NSSEFF activities that are designed to enhance their understanding of critical research needs and interact with DoD senior leaders. Awardees may be exposed to classified information necessary to enhance the objectives, approach and conduct of their basic research. The amount and duration of an award is expected to be sufficient to produce quantifiable results. The Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) encourages faculty and staff members at U.S. accredited, degree-granting academic institutions to participate in its programs. This BAA offers an opportunity by which distinguished faculty or staff are able to actualize DoD-relevant research ideas for the Department of Defense and create breakthroughs. It also provides an opportunity to be sponsored and promoted within the DoD and exposed to mind-bending challenges that are irregular, catastrophic and disruptive. A NSSEFF award is expected to provide the DoD with revolutionary research that is critical to the future success of our national security. The BAA is for single investigator grant proposals for basic research in one, or combinations of, areas of interest to DDR&E including Enabling Technologies and Desired Capabilities described in the 2007 Department of Defense Research & Engineering Strategic Plan found at http://www.dod.mil/ddre/doc/Strategic_Plan_Final.pdf or http://www.nps.edu/Research/WorkingWithNPS.html. Technical subject categories include: (1) astronomy, astrophysics and space sciences; (2) atmospheric sciences and meteorology; (3) aviation science, astronautics; (4) behavioral and social sciences, including psychology and training; (5) biological and medical sciences, including biochemistry and biotechnology; (6) chemistry (physical, organic, polymer) and chemical engineering; (7) communications and networks; (8) computer and information sciences; (9) earth sciences and oceanography; (10) materials—functional materials, including electronic and bio-inspired materials, textiles, adhesives, etc.; (11) materials—structural materials, metallurgy, ceramics, refractory materials; (12) mathematics; (13) mechanical, industrial, electrical, civil, and marine engineering; (14) physics, including acoustics, fluid mechanics, optics, spectroscopy, nuclear physics, etc.; (15) propulsion, engines, and fuels; (16) robotics, science of autonomy; (17) weapons and military sciences, countermeasures, including counter-WMD and counter-directed weapons science; and (18) other. Proposed research should focus on innovations that enable revolutionary advances rather than evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice.

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