Atom | Physical Oceanography

Due Dates: August 15, 2025

Funding Amounts: Estimated total program funding: $10,000,000 | Typical award floor: $250,000

Summary: Supports research on the physical structure, movement, and transport processes of the ocean, and its interactions with biological, chemical, atmospheric, earth, and ice systems.

Key Information: Proposals must follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) in effect at submission.

Description

The Physical Oceanography Program funds research that advances understanding of the physical structure and movement of the ocean, the transport of various quantities within it, and the interactions between the ocean's physical structure and biological, chemical, atmospheric, solid earth, and ice processes. The program welcomes proposals addressing a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

Ocean circulation and mixing
Air-sea and ocean-ice interactions
Transport of heat, salt, and other properties
Physical-biological-chemical coupling in the ocean
Interactions with the solid earth and climate system

The program is part of the NSF Directorate for Geosciences, Division of Ocean Sciences.

Due Dates

Full Proposal Deadline: August 15, 2025

Check the NSF program page for any updates or additional deadlines.

Funding Amount

Estimated total program funding: $10,000,000
Typical award floor: $250,000
Award duration: Varies by project; most awards are multi-year.

No cost sharing or matching is required.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants: Unrestricted. Open to universities, colleges, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and other research institutions.
Eligible individuals: Principal Investigators (PIs) from eligible organizations.
Citizenship: No explicit citizenship restrictions, but PIs must be affiliated with eligible U.S. institutions.

Refer to the NSF PAPPG for detailed eligibility requirements.

Application Process

Submission: Proposals must be submitted via NSF FastLane, Research.gov, or Grants.gov.
Requirements: All proposals must comply with the current NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG).
Review: Proposals are evaluated through NSF’s merit review process, considering intellectual merit and broader impacts.

For detailed instructions, see the program page and the PAPPG.

Additional Information

Award conditions: Awards are subject to NSF’s standard terms and conditions, including those updated as of October 1, 2024. See NSF award conditions.
No-cost extensions: May be available; see NSF guidance.
Program updates and office hours: See announcements.

External Links

Contact Information

Name	Email	Phone	Organization
Baris M. Uz	bmuz@nsf.gov	(703) 292-4557	GEO/OCE
Sean C. Kennan	skennan@nsf.gov	(703) 292-7575	GEO/OCE
Sabine Mecking	smecking@nsf.gov	(703) 292-2435	GEO/OCE
General NSF Info	info@nsf.gov	1-703-292-5111	NSF

For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov.