2003 Environmental Technologies and Systems

In this solicitation, NSF and EPA are offering funds for fundamental and applied research in the physical and biological sciences and engineering that will lead to environmentally-benign methods for industrial processing/manufacturing; sustainable construction processes; and new technologies for pollution sensing and remediation. The competition addresses technological environmental issues of design, treatment, synthesis, processing, and energy conversion; environmentally conscious construction and disaster management; and the production, use, detection, and ultimate disposition of products in continuous and discrete manufacturing industries as well as in construction industries and in the environment.

There are two parts to this competition. Together they are designed to address pollution avoidance, prevention, treatment, and remediation processes and methodologies. They also support scientific and engineering research with potential long-term industrial and/or societal impacts. Under the Technology for a Sustainable Environment (TSE) part, research proposals are invited that advance the discovery, development, and use of innovative technologies and approaches to avoid or minimize the generation of pollutants at the source. In preventing pollution at its source, the life cycle of both materials and energy can also be considered. Under the New Technologies for the Environment (NTE) part, proposals are invited that explore new technologies that can be applied to environmental remediation, environmental sensing, and small drinking water systems.

NEW ASPECTS of this year's NSF/EPA Solicitation

• Combination of TSE and NTE into one overall solicitation with two separate deadlines
  
• Inclusion of Sustainable Construction Processes in TSE (Contact: Miriam Heller, NSF)
  
• Inclusion of Breakthrough Control Systems for Energy Conversion or Transportation Technologies under the Non-Reaction-Based Engineering portion of TSE (Contact: Paul Werbos, NSF)
  
• Inclusion of Environmental Sensing technologies in NTE (Contacts: Paul Werbos, NSF and Nick Clesceri, NSF)
  
• Treatment Technologies for Arsenic in Small Drinking Water Systems added to NTE (Contact: April Richards, EPA)