Antarctic Research Requiring U.S. Antarctic Program Support for Fieldwork
This grant supports cutting-edge Antarctic research, advancing understanding of Antarctic systems and global processes, and enhancing diversity in the US workforce for polar-related science, with logistical support from the USAP.
Funder: U.S. National Science Foundation
Due Dates: January 31, 2025 (Concept Outline) | June 2, 2025 (Full Proposal) | January 15 (Concept Outline, Annually Thereafter) | June 1 (Full Proposal, Annually Thereafter)
Funding Amounts: Up to $60 million annually across all Antarctic Sciences programs; ~50 awards per year; standard or continuing grants.
Summary: Supports research requiring U.S. Antarctic Program logistical field support to advance understanding of Antarctic and global Earth systems.
Key Information: Concept Outline submission is required before a full proposal; only projects necessitating USAP fieldwork are eligible.
Description
This opportunity funds cutting-edge research that requires logistical support from the U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) for fieldwork in Antarctica or the Southern Ocean. The program aims to improve understanding of the Antarctic region’s interactions with global systems, the processes driving environmental change, and the unique biological, geochemical, and physical phenomena of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean. Proposals must justify why the research must be performed, or is best performed, in Antarctica. Projects not requiring USAP logistical support should consider other NSF Antarctic Sciences opportunities.
Research areas include, but are not limited to:
- Interactions between the Antarctic and global systems
- Dynamic linkages among Antarctic and Southern Ocean processes
- Biological, geochemical, and physical drivers and responses to global change
- Capacity building and workforce development for polar science
- Instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, and data management relevant to Antarctic research
USAP logistical support is available for work at NSF McMurdo Station, Palmer Station, and on the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer. Some restrictions apply due to ongoing infrastructure upgrades and existing project backlogs.
