Engineering (ENG): Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET)
NSF’s CBET program funds foundational research in chemical, bioengineering, energy, and transport systems, supporting innovative projects without requiring immediate commercial applications.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: August 17, 2076 (Final closing date; proposals accepted anytime)
Funding Amounts: Estimated total program funding: $100,000,000 | Typical award floor: $500,000 | 225–275 awards anticipated
Summary: Supports foundational research in chemical, bioengineering, energy, and transport systems, spanning four core program areas.
Key Information: Proposals are accepted at any time; contact a program officer for guidance before submitting.
Description
This opportunity from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering supports fundamental research in chemical, bioengineering, energy, and transport systems. The program encompasses four major tracks:
- Chemical Process Systems (CPS): Foundational research in chemical and biochemical processes for chemicals, fuels, energy, and materials.
- Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS): Research on platforms, devices, organisms, tissues, and processes to advance knowledge and control of biological functions.
- Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering (EWRE): Foundational research to manage energy, water, minerals, and material resources.
- Transport Phenomena (TP): Research to understand, model, and control the transport of mass, momentum, energy, and species across multiple scales.
NSF is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative research. Proposals do not need to promise near-term products or commercial outcomes, nor address later-stage development, to be competitive. Both single-program and multidisciplinary proposals are welcome. Early-career investigators and those leveraging emerging technologies (e.g., AI, advanced computation) are encouraged to apply.
