Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers

The U.S. National Science Foundation, through its Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and the Division of Materials Research, has issued program solicitation NSF 25-532 for the Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC) initiative. This program continues a long-standing NSF commitment to advancing excellence in multidisciplinary materials research and education in the United States. MRSECs are designed to support research efforts that cannot be pursued effectively through traditional individual investigator awards due to their scope, complexity, and the required infrastructure. Each MRSEC consists of two to three Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs), which collectively contribute to national materials research priorities while fostering educational, outreach, and broadening participation objectives. The program emphasizes collaboration between institutions of higher education, industry, government laboratories, and international partners, thereby supporting a national network of centers. The MRSEC program has several central objectives. It provides sustained support for materials research, promotes the integration of education and research, and facilitates the development of future scientific talent. The program also addresses national priorities in strategic materials research, such as semiconductors, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, architected and structural materials, and sustainable alternatives to critical materials. Proposals may include theoretical, computational, or autonomous experimentation approaches when justified by the research focus. All MRSECs are expected to contribute to a robust education and outreach plan, including a required Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) component with at least 50 percent off-campus participation. Centers must also create data management and sharing plans consistent with FAIR principles to ensure the broader accessibility of generated research data. For the FY 2026 competition, NSF anticipates making 8 to 10 cooperative agreement awards with a total funding pool of approximately $27 million. Individual MRSEC awards are expected to range between $3 million annually for a 2-IRG center and up to $4.5 million annually for a 3-IRG center. Awards will be made for up to six years, with the anticipated start date of September 1, 2026. Continued support will depend on annual reviews, site visits, and demonstrated progress. Centers are expected to administer their own seed funding programs to promote high-risk, high-reward research and broaden participation, which will be evaluated as part of post-award reviews. Funding cannot be used for voluntary cost-sharing, and indirect cost limitations are not applicable. Eligibility is limited to accredited U.S. institutions of higher education, including two- and four-year institutions such as community colleges. Each organization may only submit one MRSEC preliminary proposal as a lead institution. Institutions awarded a MRSEC as a lead in the FY 2023 competition are not eligible to apply as a lead in this round. Each MRSEC proposal must contain a minimum of two IRGs and a maximum of three, and proposals submitted as separate but collaborative submissions from multiple institutions are not permitted. International branch campuses of U.S. institutions may participate, but applicants must justify the necessity of such involvement. There are no restrictions on who may serve as principal investigator or co-principal investigator, but an individual may only appear on one preliminary proposal as PI or co-PI. The application process requires the submission of a preliminary proposal via Research.gov by June 23, 2025. Only applicants invited through the preliminary stage may submit full proposals, which will be accepted until November 24, 2025, via either Research.gov or Grants.gov. Proposals must follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and include all required elements, such as project summaries, project descriptions, lists of participants, strategic plans for education and outreach, seed funding criteria, and data management plans. Full proposals must also include a mentoring plan and detailed management structures. Review will include ad hoc mail review, panel review, and reverse site visits for finalists. Evaluation will be based on NSF’s two merit review criteria of intellectual merit and broader impacts, with additional solicitation-specific criteria. Reviewers will assess the significance of the proposed IRGs, the interdisciplinary integration of participants, the appropriateness of research scope, the effectiveness of education and outreach activities, and the center’s plans for broadening participation in STEM. MRSEC proposals will also be reviewed on their potential contributions to the national network of materials research facilities and their ability to foster collaboration across academia, industry, and international organizations. Data management and sharing plans are required to ensure compliance with FAIR data practices. The anticipated effective date for new MRSEC awards is September 1, 2026. Programmatic questions regarding this solicitation can be directed to Serdar Ogut at sogut@nsf.gov or (703) 292-4429. General inquiries about NSF systems should be directed to the Research.gov Help Desk at rgov@nsf.gov or 1-800-381-1532. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726. NSF encourages applicants to allow sufficient time for submissions to pass compliance checks and reminds institutions that full proposals may only be submitted by invitation following the preliminary stage. All awards will be administered under NSF cooperative agreement terms and conditions, with special award conditions and annual reporting requirements specific to MRSECs.

Submit preliminary proposal on time; ensure at least two IRGs are meritorious for full proposal invitation; data sharing must comply with FAIR principles; REU participation required; proposals must align with Division of Materials Research portfolio; strong emphasis on education and broadening participation.