Arctic Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (Arctic DDRIG) Arctic Social Sciences, Arctic System Sciences, and Arctic Observing Network

The Arctic Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (Arctic DDRIG), administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF), support doctoral dissertation research that enhances fundamental scientific understanding of the Arctic. This initiative is part of the Arctic Sciences Section within the Office of Polar Programs, and encompasses three primary programs: Arctic Social Sciences (ASSP), Arctic System Science (ARCSS), and Arctic Observing Network (AON). The purpose of these grants is to support early-career scientists whose dissertation research addresses significant natural and social changes in the Arctic region, while also contributing to STEM workforce development. The Arctic DDRIG supports a range of dissertation-level research, encouraging process-based and systems-level studies of Arctic phenomena, including its environmental, biological, social, and geophysical systems. Special consideration is given to proposals aligned with national Arctic research objectives, as detailed in strategic documents like the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee's research plan. The program explicitly promotes interdisciplinary and community-engaged research, including Indigenous-led projects and those involving local Arctic communities. Applicants must be doctoral students enrolled in U.S. institutions of higher education, with the dissertation advisor serving as the Principal Investigator (PI) and the student listed as Co-PI. The student must be the primary author of the proposal. Institutions must be accredited U.S.-based two- or four-year colleges or universities, including community colleges. A maximum of two submissions per student is allowed—one initial submission and one resubmission—unless an exception is granted by the Arctic Program Officers. Proposals must be submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov and follow the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide. Required documents include a detailed project description (10 pages of text and up to five pages of figures), biographical sketches, a data management plan, and a signed statement from the advisor affirming the student’s readiness. Budgetary guidelines limit direct costs to $40,000, not including indirect costs, and project durations can be up to three years. Letters of collaboration may be submitted, but letters of recommendation are not permitted. Proposals are reviewed based on NSF’s merit review criteria—intellectual merit and broader impacts—with additional attention given to the contribution of non-Arctic studies to Arctic knowledge. Key deadlines occur twice annually: December 15 and May 15. The program is recurring annually. Award decisions typically take six to eight months. For support or inquiries, applicants can contact the relevant NSF program officers at AON@nsf.gov, ARCSS@nsf.gov, or ASSP@nsf.gov, or call (703) 292-8030.