Science and Technology Studies

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences, through its Division of Social and Economic Sciences, administers the Science and Technology Studies (STS) program. NSF is an independent federal agency created in 1950 to advance national health, prosperity, welfare, and security by supporting research and education in all areas of science and engineering. The STS program fosters research on the conceptual foundations, historical developments, and social contexts of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including medical science. This interdisciplinary field draws on historical, philosophical, and social scientific methods to investigate STEM theory and practice, using empirical or conceptual approaches. Projects may focus on intellectual, material, or social aspects of STEM and examine how scientific knowledge is produced, sanctioned, challenged, and transformed. The program supports research from diverse disciplines such as anthropology, history, philosophy, sociology, political science, psychology, communication, economics, and related STEM fields. STS work may explore the social organization of scientific work, historical and conceptual foundations of sciences, mixed-method and interdisciplinary approaches, and engagement with societal challenges. The program particularly encourages proposals that address complex socio-technical problems using multiple disciplinary perspectives, including those related to emerging technologies, environmental sustainability, and societal impacts of major technological shifts. It also welcomes contributions to NSF initiatives like Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) and Science of Broadening Participation. Funding is available for a variety of grant types, including Standard Research Grants, Grants for Collaborative Research, Scholars Awards, Research Community Development Grants, Conference Grants, and Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants (DDRIGs). Additional NSF-wide mechanisms such as CAREER, Mid-Career Advancement (MCA), Research Coordination Networks (RCN), EAGER, RAISE, RAPID, and REU Supplements are also supported under specific guidelines. Award ceilings and durations vary by grant type, with Standard Research Grants and Collaborative Research Grants rarely exceeding $750,000 over two to three years, Scholars Awards typically capped at $350,000, DDRIGs up to $25,000, and other limits outlined in the solicitation. Eligible applicants include U.S. institutions of higher education, U.S. nonprofit non-academic organizations, and in some cases other categories depending on the grant type. Conference grants are open to all NSF-recognized proposers, while DDRIGs are limited to doctoral students enrolled at U.S. institutions who have passed qualifying exams and obtained dissertation topic approval. There are no restrictions on the number of proposals per institution or principal investigator. Cost sharing is not required and voluntary committed cost sharing is prohibited. Applications must be submitted through Research.gov or Grants.gov in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Deadlines are February 2 annually for all grant types except DDRIGs, which have an annual August 3 deadline; DDRIG proposals are not accepted for the February deadline. The program operates on a recurring cycle, with proposals evaluated under NSF’s two merit review criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts. Proposals should clearly situate the project in relevant STS literatures, articulate research questions and methods, detail broader impacts, and demonstrate feasibility and resource access. Approximately $6.2 million is anticipated for FY 2023 to support an estimated 40 awards, contingent on availability of funds. Awards may be standard or continuing grants. The program encourages early engagement with STS program directors via a one-page prospectus to assess fit. Questions may be directed to the program via stspgm@nsf.gov. NSF maintains standard reporting requirements, including annual and final reports submitted through Research.gov, and compliance with applicable federal policies such as the Build America, Buy America Act.