Funder: National Science Foundation
Due Dates: August 12, 2025 (main annual deadline; varies by related program)
Funding Amounts: No fixed ceiling; award size and duration vary by related NSF program and project scope.
Summary: Supports interdisciplinary research in plasma science and engineering to address societal and technological needs through translational innovation.
Key Information: Proposals must address both a fundamental plasma science challenge and its societal/technological impact; submit to a related NSF program with "ECLIPSE:" in the title.
Description
The National Science Foundation's ECLIPSE program fosters translational research and workforce development at the intersection of fundamental plasma science and technological innovation. The program is designed to support projects that address societal or technological needs by leveraging advances in plasma physics, plasma chemistry, materials science, space science, and related fields. ECLIPSE aims to build an inclusive, multidisciplinary ecosystem that spans multiple NSF Directorates and encourages proposals that might not fit neatly within existing NSF program boundaries.
Research topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Plasma surface interactions (e.g., advanced manufacturing, catalysis)
- Atmospheric pressure plasmas and microplasmas (e.g., microelectronics, plasma agriculture, environmental remediation, decarbonized energy)
- Dusty plasmas (e.g., nanomaterials, aerosols, surface coatings)
- Novel sensors for non-equilibrium plasmas (e.g., cubesat-based geospace measurements, industrial diagnostics)
- Computational modeling for multi-component/multi-phase plasma systems (e.g., space weather, plasma reactor design)
- Plasmons in nano-photonics and nano-optics (e.g., sub-THz wireless communication, photocatalysis)
- Chemical measurement science for plasma processes (e.g., environmental analysis, forensic evidence)
- Fundamental chemical reactions and mechanisms in plasmas (e.g., novel chemical synthesis)
Proposals must clearly articulate a fundamental scientific or engineering challenge relevant to more than one NSF program and demonstrate how resolving this challenge will address specific societal or technological needs.
Due Dates
- August 12, 2025: Main annual deadline for most related programs (e.g., Plasma Physics, Chemical Measurement and Imaging, HBCU-UP, CREST, EPSCoR, etc.)
- Some related programs may have additional or rolling deadlines; consult the relevant NSF program for specifics.
Funding Amount
- There is no fixed award ceiling or floor; funding levels and project durations are determined by the related NSF program to which the proposal is submitted.
- Awards typically support research projects for 1–5 years, with budgets appropriate to the scope and scale of the proposed work.
Eligibility
- Open to U.S.-based researchers and institutions eligible for NSF funding, including:
- Universities and colleges (including HBCUs, MSIs, and institutions in EPSCoR-eligible jurisdictions)
- Nonprofit, non-academic organizations
- Collaborations between eligible institutions are encouraged
- Proposals must address both a fundamental plasma science/engineering challenge and its broader societal or technological impact.
- Proposals focused on technology development primarily supported by other U.S. government agencies are not eligible.
Application Process
- Proposals must be submitted to a relevant NSF program (see "Related Programs" below) and should begin the title with "ECLIPSE:".
- Applicants should:
- Carefully review the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG)
- Consult with the cognizant Program Officer for the chosen NSF program to confirm fit and eligibility
- Address both required ECLIPSE criteria in the proposal narrative
- Supplement requests to existing NSF awards may also be considered if they meet ECLIPSE criteria.
- Proposals may be transferred or returned without review if they do not fit the scope or fail to address both ECLIPSE criteria.
Additional Information
- The program encourages efforts to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in STEM and welcomes proposals from HBCUs, MSIs, and EPSCoR-eligible institutions.
- Workforce development and diversity initiatives are encouraged as part of the Broader Impacts.
- Information from proposals may be shared with other funding agencies for joint funding consideration, when permitted by MOU.
- For space weather research, select "Space Weather Research" in GEO/AGS as the NSF Unit of Consideration.
External Links
Contact Information
For general NSF inquiries:
- NSF Contact Page
- Email: info@nsf.gov
- Phone: 1-703-292-5111