Slots: 1
Deadlines
Internal Deadline: February 28th, 2025, 5pm PT Closed.
Preliminary Proposal Due Date: June 23, 2025, 5pm PT
External Deadline: November 24, 2025 (by invitation only)
Award Information
Award Type: Cooperative Agreement
Estimated Number of Awards: 8 to 10
Anticipated Award Amount: $27,000,000
Who May Serve as PI: No restrictions or limits.
Link to Award: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/mrsec-materials-research-science-engineering-centers/nsf25-532/solicitation
Process for Limited Submissions
PIs must submit their application as a Limited Submission through the Research Initiatives and Infrastructure (RII) Application Portal: https://rii.usc.edu/oor-portal/. Use the template provided here: RII Limited Submission Applicant Template
Materials to submit include:
- (1) Two-Page Proposal Summary (1” margins; single-spaced; standard font type, e.g. Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, or Georgia typeface; font size: 11 pt). Page limit includes references and illustrations. Pages that exceed the 2-page limit will be excluded from review. You must use the template linked above.
- (2) CV – (5 pages maximum)
Note: The portal requires information about the PIs in addition to department and contact information, including the 10-digit USC ID#. Please have this material prepared before beginning this application.
Purpose
The Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) program provides sustained support of materials research and education of the highest quality while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering. Each MRSEC addresses research of a scope and complexity requiring the scale, synergy, and multidisciplinarity provided by a campus-based research center. The MRSECs support materials research infrastructure in the United States, promote active collaboration between universities and other sectors, including industry and international organizations, and contribute to the development of a national network of university-based centers in materials research, education, and facilities. A MRSEC may be located at a single institution, or may involve multiple institutions in partnership, and is composed of two to three Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs), each addressing a fundamental materials science topic aligned with the Division of Materials Research (DMR).
Visit our Institutionally Limited Submission webpage for more updates and other announcements.