Mathematical Foundations of Digital Twins

The National Science Foundation (NSF), in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), has announced the "Mathematical Foundations of Digital Twins (MATH-DT)" funding opportunity under solicitation NSF 24-559. This program is housed within the Division of Mathematical Sciences in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and supported by the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation in the Directorate for Engineering. The aim is to support foundational mathematical and statistical research to advance the development of Digital Twins (DTs), dynamic digital representations of real-world systems used to simulate, analyze, and optimize decision-making across fields such as engineering, medicine, urban planning, and more. This joint pilot initiative between NSF and AFOSR is motivated by recent interdisciplinary advancements, including artificial intelligence, data assimilation, uncertainty quantification, and computational optimization, which are accelerating the application and potential of DTs. The program supports projects that bridge mathematical theory with practical application. Proposals must address substantial mathematical challenges associated with the development and deployment of DTs, encouraging innovation that can inform and be informed by practical domain needs. Eligible applicants include US-based institutions of higher education (including community colleges), nonprofit non-academic organizations such as research labs and observatories, and federally recognized Tribal Nations. A minimum of two Principal Investigators (PIs) is required per proposal, with at least one PI focused on mathematical or statistical research and another with expertise in DT modeling or access to relevant data. Each PI or co-PI may only participate in one proposal at a time. Proposals from diverse institutions, including Minority-Serving Institutions and EPSCoR jurisdictions, are particularly encouraged. Full proposals must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov and adhere to the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Proposals must be titled beginning with “MATH-DT” or “Collaborative Research: MATH-DT” for multi-institution collaborations. Letters of intent and preliminary proposals are not required. Submission deadlines include June 20, 2024; March 17, 2025; and March 15 annually thereafter. Voluntary cost-sharing is prohibited. Awards will support 6 to 10 collaborative projects for a period of 36 months, with an anticipated total program funding of $5 million. Proposals will be evaluated based on NSF’s standard merit review criteria—Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts—alongside program-specific criteria such as the depth of mathematical innovation, the strength of interdisciplinary collaboration, and the clarity of the two-directional relationship between theory and application. Award notifications will be handled by NSF, and standard reporting requirements will apply. Program contacts include a range of NSF and AFOSR officers whose names, emails, and phone numbers are provided in the solicitation. For technical support with submissions, Research.gov and Grants.gov contact centers are available.