Combustion and Fire Systems

The Combustion and Fire Systems (CFS) program, administered by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), is situated within the Transport Phenomena cluster under the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) of the Directorate for Engineering. The NSF is an independent federal agency that promotes the progress of science, supports national health, prosperity, and welfare, and secures the national defense. This program seeks to advance scientific knowledge and technological innovation in the field of combustion and fire systems, aligning with broader goals in clean energy development, climate change mitigation, and public safety enhancement. The primary aim of the CFS program is to generate fundamental knowledge essential for the safe, efficient, and clean application of combustion systems while mitigating fire-related hazards. It funds research that identifies the controlling principles of combustion and fire dynamics and applies that understanding to develop predictive models and practical solutions. The program supports a broad spectrum of approaches—including experimental, theoretical, and computational methods—that address issues across various combustion technologies and fire scenarios. Core research areas supported include basic combustion science, such as studies on the combustion of gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels across diverse conditions, supercritical combustion, and advanced propulsion. Other areas include combustion science related to clean energy with emphases on carbon-free fuels, biomass processing, and technologies like oxy-fuel and chemical looping for carbon capture. The program also prioritizes fire prevention and suppression, including understanding wildland and structural fires and their spread, especially in wildland-urban interfaces. A significant focus is placed on turbulence-chemistry interactions, where joint funding with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) is available. Proposals in this area are reviewed collaboratively using NSF’s merit review process. Applications may be submitted at any time and are not subject to a formal deadline, though applicants must comply with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) in effect at the time of submission. The typical award duration is up to three years for unsolicited proposals and up to five years for Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) awards. While single-investigator projects generally support one graduate student and one month of principal investigator time annually, budgets significantly larger than standard are subject to prior consultation with a program officer. Eligibility for this opportunity is unrestricted, meaning any entity may apply unless otherwise constrained by specific proposal solicitations. Proposals that fall outside of the stated priority areas may still be considered if their scientific merit and relevance are demonstrated; applicants are encouraged to consult program officers beforehand to ensure alignment with program objectives. The program supports proposals for conferences, workshops, supplements, and exploratory research (e.g., RAPID, EAGER, and GOALI) if discussed in advance with a program director. For direct inquiries, applicants can contact Program Directors Harsha Chelliah ([email protected], 703-292-7281) or Fangyu Cao ([email protected], 703-292-4736). The opportunity remains open year-round, with no fixed submission deadline. Applicants are advised to monitor related announcements, such as CAREER proposal deadlines or policy updates, through the NSF website. While no formal pre-application requirements are specified, applicants should rigorously ensure compliance with all guidelines to avoid proposal rejection.