Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Astronomical Sciences
Mathematical Sciences
Physics
Chemistry
Materials Research

• Increase the knowledge base in the mathematical and physical sciences;

• Improve the quality of education in the mathematical and physical sciences, chiefly in the area of graduate study, but with increasing emphasis on undergraduate activities;

• Increase the rate at which advances in the mathematical and physical sciences are translated into advances in science and technology broadly and into societal benefits; and

• Increase the diversity of people and approaches in the mathematical and physical sciences.

Support for research and education in the mathematical and physical sciences can take many forms.

• Standard research projects range from basic through applied and support the research of individuals and small groups with their associated students, postdoctoral researchers, equipment, etc.

• Groups and centers support the research of individuals and teams within a framework of larger scope and scale, including greater expectations for outreach and interaction, shared use of facilities, and development of students and postdoctoral researchers.

• Instrumentation for shared use, instrumentation development, user facilities, and construction of major research equipment provide needed infrastructure for research and education.

• Activities aimed at education in the mathematical and physical sciences focus on the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral levels, and cooperate with and complement programs in the Education and Human Resources Directorate.

• MPS programs support workshops, symposia, conferences, and related activities that achieve results and focus on new directions for future work.

MPS is an active participant in a number of inter- and intraagency areas that are focused on interdisciplinary areas of importance to the national interest. These include the Advanced Materials and Processing Program; Biotechnology; the U.S. Global Change Research Program; Environment; High Performance Computing and Communications; Advanced Manufacturing Technologies; Civil Infrastructure Systems; and Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education. Researchers and educators interested in exploring opportunities in these areas should contact the division most closely related to their own interests to determine the best mechanism for submitting proposals.

• Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions (C-RUI) Program--This is a new initiative of the Biological Sciences (BIO) and the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorates. This program is designed to support multidisciplinary collaborative research groups at primarily undergraduate institutions. These groups are composed of three faculty members representing at least two disciplinary areas, and up to ten undergraduates who will work on a primarily biological and/or mathematical and physical sciences project that requires a cross-disciplinary approach. Further information can be found in Collaborative Research in Undergraduate Institutions (NSF 94-90). (See the Chapter "Other Research Activities" for details on cross-directorate programs.)

Astronomical Sciences

In addition to providing research grants, NSF supports the development and operation of three National Astronomy Centers, where radio, optical, infrared, and special telescopes are made available on a competitive basis to the scientific community. Resident staff at the centers give technical assistance to visiting scientists, conduct studies of their own, and develop advanced instrumentation. Astronomical Sciences also supports the Center for Particle Astrophysics, an NSF Science and Technology Center. These centers meet national needs for research in specific areas of science requiring facilities, equipment, staffing, and operational support that could not appropriately be offered by a single institution.

ASTRONOMY PROJECTS

Deadlines
Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics has a deadline of May 15, 1995, for research to be done commencing on or after October 1, 1995. Proposals for research in other areas by individual investigators should preferably be submitted in the spring or early summer. Proposers are urged to contact a program officer in advance of submitting a proposal to any of the programs.

For More Information
For further information, contact the Division of Astronomical Sciences, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230, (703) 306-1820.

Areas of Research

• Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation--Supports development and construction of state-of-the-art detectors and instruments for the visible and infrared region of the spectrum; interferometric imaging instrumentation; adaptive optics; and application of new technology and innovative techniques to astronomy.

• Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs--Research in special areas that are astronomy related may be coordinated through this program. Programs include Research Experiences for Undergraduates (Sites), Presidential Faculty Fellows, the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions, and programs for women and underrepresented minorities.

• Electromagnetic Spectrum Management--Supports coordination with Government agencies of electromagnetic spectrum use for research, as well as frequency assignments for other telecommunications/electronics systems.

• Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology--Supports theoretical and observational studies of extragalactic objects ranging from nearby galaxies to the most distant quasars, and their relevance to galactic evolution and cosmology.

• Galactic Astronomy--Supports theoretical and observational studies on the structure and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy; the distribution, positions, and motions of stars in the galaxy; the characteristics of star clusters in the galaxy; the interstellar medium; and the properties of atoms and molecular constituents of the interstellar medium.

• Planetary Astronomy--Supports theoretical and observational studies of the detailed structure and composition of planetary surfaces, interiors, atmospheres, and satellites; the nature of small bodies (asteroids and comets); and the origin and development of the solar system.

• Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics-- Supports theoretical and observational studies of the structure and activity of the sun; the physical properties of all types of stars; all aspects of star formation and stellar evolution; the effects of mass loss, rotation, and magnetic fields; and the properties of atoms and molecules of relevance to stellar astronomy.

NATIONAL ASTRONOMY AND IONOSPHERE CENTER

NAIC provides telescope users with a wide range of research and observing instrumentation, including receivers, transmitters, movable line feeds, and digital data acquisition and processing equipment. The center has a permanent staff of scientists, engineers, and technicians who are available to help visiting investigators with their observing programs.

NAIC's principal astronomical research instrument is a 305-meter, fixed spherical radio/radar telescope--the world's largest single radio reflector. Its frequency capabilities range from 50 megahertz to 5 gigahertz. Transmitters include an S-band (2,380-megahertz) radar system for planetary studies and a 430- megahertz radar system for aeronomy studies. A second observing site, located 9.6 kilometers from the main site, has a 30.5-meter steerable parabolic antenna and is paired with the main antenna to provide an effective interferometric S-band radar mapping system. This antenna pair is also available for radio astronomy interferometry at a wavelength of 12 centimeters.

The S-Band Planetary Radar System is now available for high-spatial-resolution studies of stratospheric dynamics. A high-power ionospheric heating facility provides a unique capability to investigate nonlinear plasma phenomena in the ionosphere.

A major three-phase upgrade of NAIC's main antenna facility is presently under way. First, a large reflecting screen is being erected around the periphery of the 305-meter reflector to reduce the effect of scattered ground radiation on the observations. Second, a pair of wide- band aberration-correcting reflectors are being installed to replace the line feeds above around 250 megahertz. Finally, the power of the S-band radar system is being doubled. Completion of the upgrade is expected in 1996.

Eligibility
NAIC facilities and instrumentation are available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists from all over the world. Telescope time is assigned after judgment of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and available telescope time.

For More Information
For further information, contact the Director, National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853.

GEMINI 8-METER TELESCOPES

When operational (approximately 1998 on Mauna Kea and 2000 in Chile), these telescopes will provide astronomers of the partner countries with world-class observing facilities. Observing time will be assigned on the basis of scientific merit.

NATIONAL OPTICAL ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORIES

The headquarters of NOAO are in Tucson, Arizona. NOAO includes the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), and the National Solar Observatory (NSO). NOAO is operated and managed by AURA.

The observing facilities of KPNO are located on Kitt Peak, a 2,089-meter mountain 90 kilometers southwest of Tucson. The facilities include the 4-meter Mayall Telescope, a 2.1- meter general-purpose reflector, a 92- centimeter coudĒ feed (associated with the 2.1- meter), a 1.3-meter reflector instrumented for the infrared, and the Burrell Schmidt Telescope of Case Western University. A full complement of state-of-the-art spectroscopic, photometric, and imaging instrumentation is available for use on these telescopes.

CTIO provides qualified scientists with telescopes and related facilities for astronomical research in the southern hemisphere. CTIO has offices, laboratories, and living quarters in the coastal city of La Serena, Chile, about 482 kilometers north of Santiago, Chile. The observing facilities are located on Cerro Tololo, a 2,194-meter mountain on the western slopes of the Andes, about 64 kilometers inland from La Serena.

CTIO operates six telescopes, including the 4- meter, a near twin to the Kitt Peak 4-meter. Other telescopes are the 1.5-meter, 0.91-meter, 0.61-meter reflector, a Schmidt telescope on loan from the University of Michigan, and a 1- meter reflector on loan from Yale. These telescopes are equipped with instruments similar to those at KPNO.

NSO is devoted to research in the fields of solar physics, solar-terrestrial relationships, and related areas. NSO makes available the world's largest collection of modern optical solar telescopes and auxiliary instrumentation designed to observe the solar photosphere, chromosphere, and corona.

NSO has observing facilities atop Kitt Peak, Arizona (NSO/KP), and Sacramento Peak, New Mexico (NSO/SP). The Kitt Peak facilities consist of the 1.5-meter McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope--the world's largest solar research instrument--and a solar vacuum telescope/magnetograph. The McMath complex, designed primarily for solar observations, is also used for planetary and stellar observations and for laboratory high- resolution spectroscopy.

NSO/SP is located in Sunspot, New Mexico, at an elevation of 2,800 meters on a crest of the Sacramento Mountains. The principal instruments are the 0.76-meter aperture Solar Vacuum Tower Telescope, equipped with spectrographs, optical benches, and the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter; and the Evans Solar Facility, equipped with a 40-centimeter aperture coronagraph, spectrographs, and a coronal photometer.

Eligibility
The NOAO facilities and instrumentation are available on a competitive basis to all qualified U.S. scientists and, on occasion, foreign visitors. Telescope time is assigned on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the available telescope time.

For More Information
For further information, contact the Director, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726.

NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY

Headquarters for NRAO are in Charlottesville, Virginia. Observing sites are located in Green Bank, West Virginia; Kitt Peak near Tucson, Arizona; a site 80 kilometers west of Socorro, New Mexico; and 10 sites in the continental United States and the islands of Hawaii and St. Croix, where the individual antennas of the Very-Long-Baseline Array (VLBA) are located. NRAO is supported under the terms of a cooperative agreement between NSF and Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), the organization responsible for the operation and management of the observatory.

Only one telescope is currently operated at the Green Bank site. It is a 43-meter aperture instrument, which permits the study of spectral lines at centimeter wave lengths and is an integral part of the Very-Long-Baseline- Interferometer network. This network is involved in studies of quasars and the high- resolution mapping of galactic objects based on simultaneous observations by combinations of telescopes over transcontinental and intercontinental distances. Currently under construction at Green Bank is a 100-meter telescope expected to be fully operational in 1995, at which time the 43-meter telescope will be retired.

A 12-meter millimeter-wavelength telescope is located on Kitt Peak to take advantage of the high altitude and dry climate necessary for short radio wavelengths. This telescope is capable of both continuum and spectral-line studies at wavelengths from 1 centimeter to as short as 1 millimeter.

The Very Large Array (VLA) west of Socorro, New Mexico, consists of 27 antennas, available for use in an interferometric mode for aperture synthesis observations of faint radio sources. Both continuum and spectral-line observations at wavelengths of 1.3, 2, 6, and 20 centimeters can be made. The VLBA operates on the basis of the same physical principles as the VLA but, because of the much larger distances between antennas, the data are recorded at each site and compared later at Socorro, New Mexico. Because of its larger antenna separation, the VLBA is capable of resolving much smaller details in astronomical sources than is the VLA.

Eligibility
NRAO makes observing time on each instrument available for the use of all qualified U.S. scientists and, on occasion, foreign visitors. Telescope time is assigned after judgment of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the available telescope time.

For More Information
For further information, contact the Director, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903.

Mathematical Sciences

The following three activities cut across all disciplinary programs.

• Mathematical Sciences Research Groups--Mathematics thrives on the sharing of ideas among researchers. There has been a trend in recent years for significant work in the most active areas of the subject to emerge from groups of investigators organized around a common problem agenda or intellectual theme. The advantages of pooled insight and awareness make the successful research group more than the sum of its members. This is particularly important in research that requires input across the traditional subdisciplinary boundaries within the mathematical sciences or that cuts across major scientific disciplines.

  Although individual efforts continue to be the core of the mathematics research enterprise, it is appropriate to recognize organized groups as a viable complement. Mathematical Sciences Research Groups provide support for collaborative, multi-investigator research in all programs within the purview of DMS, across such programs, and jointly with other programs in the Foundation or at other Federal agencies. Group activities should envision work well beyond what could be accomplished by investigators working individually during a comparable time period.

• Cross-Disciplinary Interactions--In a number of areas of science and engineering, problems of great mathematical and statistical complexity or subtlety are creating a demand for mathematical and statistical cooperation. The depth of the questions being raised often exceeds that of the training of scientists and engineers in current mathematical and statistical theory. To make headway on the problems, mathematical scientists themselves must be sought to work in tandem with other scientists. At the same time, it is frequently the case that the problems posed stimulate interesting, new, and deep mathematical and statistical questions that deserve attention. DMS hopes to foster interactions that require participants to go well beyond their respective areas of expertise, to nurture young talent in the interdisciplinary mode of research, and to involve underrepresented groups whenever possible. The following are some of these exciting research opportunities:
  • In the area of biosciences, striking advances in biology, computer science, and the mathematical sciences are creating opportunities for important collaborative work with fields such as molecular biology, neuroscience, and ecosystems and offer challenging computational and analytical problems. Biological sciences interaction may reach significantly into the core areas of mathematics, such as topology, operator algebras, probability, and nonlinear dynamical systems, as well as the more traditional areas of applied mathematics and statistics.

  • New efforts being undertaken in the geosciences, geography, and mathematical sciences offer research opportunities. Projects will involve teams of investigators in two or more of the targeted disciplines, including mathematical sciences, atmospheric sciences (including climate dynamics and atmospheric chemistry), Earth sciences, geography and regional sciences, and oceanography.

  • Other opportunities include research in the areas of high performance computing and communications; mathematical and statistical aspects of materials behavior and theoretical continuum mechanics; advanced manufacturing technologies; mathematical sciences related to the biotechnology area; and mathematical, statistical, and computational aspects of global change research. Research in the area of materials includes interaction of thermal and mechanical effects; phase transition and formation of microstructures and crystals; foundations of nonlinear elasticity and electromagnetic materials; composite materials; and related mathematical questions such as control, optimization, and studies of differential equations arising in these contexts. Research opportunities in advanced manufacturing particularly emphasize simulation, modeling, and analysis of manufacturing processes and devices, applications to manufacturing of deterministic and stochastic quality control, and optimization. Mathematical sciences research related to bioprocessing and bioconversion, bioelectronics and bionetworks, agricultural applications, and marine biotechnology is especially encouraged.
  • Global change research supports critical development of modeling, analysis, simulation, and prediction in the context of the total Earth system, with emphasis on analytical and computational methods for stochastic and deterministic partial differential equations and statistical techniques that encompass the full range of temporal and spatial scales. There are also opportunities in environmental technology, including pollution prevention, monitoring, and remediation. Researchers should be aware of implications of their efforts toward such activities.

• Group Infrastructure Grants--In fiscal year 1995, it is anticipated that DMS will make a small number of awards that address the infrastructure needs of research groups. Contact the division for further details.

October 12, 1994:

Algebra and Number Theory Program

Applied Mathematics Program

Classical Analysis Program

Modern Analysis Program

November 9, 1994:

Computational Mathematics Program

Geometric Analysis Program

Statistics and Probability Program

Topology and Foundations Program

For More Information
For further information, contact the Division of Mathematical Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230, (703) 306-1870.

• Algebra and Number Theory--Supports research in algebra, including algebraic structures, general algebra, and linear algebra; number theory, including algebraic and analytic number theory, quadratic forms, and automorphic forms; and combinatorics and graph theory and algebraic geometry.

• Applied Mathematics--Supports mathematical research motivated by or having impact on applied problems arising in science and engineering. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, mathematics of fluid dynamics, solid mechanics, reaction-diffusion, and wave propagation; asymptotic methods; numerical analysis; variational methods; control theory; optimization theory; inverse problems; mathematics of biological sciences; and mathematical physics.

• Classical Analysis--Supports research on properties and behavior of solutions of differential equations; variational methods; approximations and special functions; analysis of several complex variables and singular integrals; harmonic analysis and wavelet theory; Kleinian groups and functions of one complex variable; and real analysis.

• Computational Mathematics--Computation is increasingly important to all sciences. Mathematics plays a unique role in providing the development of basic algorithms and techniques necessary to carry out computations. Proposals from interdisciplinary teams of mathematical, computer, and general scientists are encouraged in an effort to develop critical computational techniques from algorithm development through implementation. Proposals for innovative computational methods within the mathematical sciences are also encouraged. In 1994, this program will begin an experiment in electronic submission of proposals. Contact the Program Officer for information.

• Geometric Analysis--Supports research on differential geometry and its relation to partial differential equations and variational principles; aspects of global analysis, including the differential geometry of complex manifolds and geometric Lie group theory; geometric methods in modern mathematical physics and dynamical systems; and geometry of convex sets, integral geometry, and related geometric topics.

• Modern Analysis--Research areas currently supported include Banach spaces, Banach algebras and function algebras, Lie groups and their representations, harmonic analysis, ergodic theory and dynamical systems, some aspects of mathematical physics such as Schroedinger operators and quantum field theory, and operators and algebras of operators on Hilbert space.

• Statistics and Probability--Statistical theory and methodsare used to plan scientific experiments and to understand and analyze data. Major subfields include parametric and nonparametric inference, sequential analysis, multivariate analysis, Bayesian analysis, experimental design, time series analysis, resampling methods, and robust statistics. Almost all these subfields have become computationally intensive in recent times.

  Probability theory is the study of mathematical structures that provide tractable models to statistics as well as many diverse areas such as physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. Major subfields include stochastic processes, limit theory, infinite particle systems, stochastic analysis in Banach spaces, martingales, and Markov processes.

• Topology and Foundations--Supports research on algebraic topology, including homotopy theory, ordinary and extraordinary homology and cohomology, cobordism theory, and K-theory; topological manifolds and cell complexes, fiberings, knots, and links; differential topology and actions of groups of transformations; general topology and continua theory; and mathematical logic, including proof theory, recursion theory and model theory, foundations of set theory, and infinite combinatorics.

• General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities--These activities have two submission deadlines: November 1 (for conferences to be held the following June through November) and May 1 (for conferences to be held the following December through May). Proposals should be submitted directly to one of the disciplinary programs listed above.

• Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program--Supports different activities from the usual research projects, including work of research institutes and the following:
  1. Regional Conferences (Operated by the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences). These conferences feature a principal speaker who gives 10 one-hour talks on a subject during a week-long session. Submission deadline is April 1, 1995.

  2. Scientific Computing Research Environments in the Mathematical Sciences. Moderate grants for computing equipment benefit groups of researchers of outstanding quality and high productivity whose work has been seriously impeded by the lack of computing facilities. Submission deadline is the first Monday in December.

  3. Undergraduate Activities. Awards are made in conjunction with NSF-wide undergraduate efforts. Activities include Research Experiences for Undergraduates, cooperative activities with the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, and related items. See the Chapters "Education and Human Resources" and "Other Research Activities" for more on NSF's undergraduate efforts.

  4. Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. These fellowships will go to between 30 and 40 new fellows in fiscal year 1995. Tenure provides a research instructorship option. The fellowships will be offered only to persons who (a) are citizens, nationals, or lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens of the United States as of January 1, 1995; (b) will have earned by the beginning of their fellowship tenure a doctoral degree in one of the mathematical sciences listed above or have had research training and experience equivalent to that represented by a Ph.D. in one of those fields; (c) will have held the doctorate for no more than five years as of January 1, 1995; and (d) will not previously have held any other NSF postdoctoral fellowship.

The postdoctoral activities will also include a university-industry cooperative postdoctoral program with 10 or more awards. In fiscal year 1995, it is anticipated that the university- industry program will be expanded to include sabbatical support for mid-career scientists and graduate assistantships and internships. Submission deadline for the university-industry activities is anticipated to be in mid-December, 1994.

For More Information
For further information, contact the Program Officer, Office of Special Projects, Mathematical Sciences Division, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22230, (703) 306-1883.

Physics

Recently the division, in cooperation with other divisions in MPS, began small-scale initiatives in Biological Physics and in Particle Astrophysics.

The research activities of the division are inextricably linked to education. On the graduate level, it supports about 1,000 students who are fully engaged in research programs. In addition, these programs involve substantial numbers of undergraduates, especially in the summer activities that are centered around the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program. Research activities at four-year colleges are supported through the Research at Undergraduate Institutions Program. Significant training of young people also occurs through the support of about 500 postdoctoral fellowships.<

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics--Supports research in Atomic and Molecular Physics, including (1) electronic structure of isolated neutral and ionized atoms and molecules, their interparticle collision dynamics, and their interactions with charged particles and with electromagnetic radiation; and (2) the collective behavior of atoms, molecules, and their ionization products in general and collisionless plasma environments. In Optical Physics, a rapidly growing part of the program, specific current interests include the nonlinear response of isolated atoms to intense, ultrashort electromagnetic fields; the structure of "exotic" atoms; and ultraprecise tests of basic atomic properties and the laws of quantum electrodynamics using well-characterized electromagnetic fields. The University of Michigan Center for Ultrafast Optics has been extremely successful in its outreach to commercial corporations and new companies. The newly begun Center for Light Force Dynamics is a consortium of several universities, government laboratories, and private corporations. Its purpose is to study the fundamental physics of light-matter interactions and to use that knowledge in the development of new science and technology.

• Elementary Particle Physics--This program supports research on the properties and interactions of elementary particles; the experimental explanation of the most fundamental building blocks of matter, including quarks and leptons; and the interactions among elementary constituents. Research involves the use of high-energy beams from large accelerators or cosmic rays. Support goes primarily to university groups to conduct research at major accelerator laboratories worldwide or to specialized university-based facilities. The program supports the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, which produces electron and positron colliding beams that allow detailed studies of b-meson physics and upsilon physics; and an aggressive program of synchrotron radiation research at the Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source, which is operated by the Division of Materials Research.

• Gravitational Physics--This program emphasizes the theory of strong gravitational fields and its applications to astrophysics and cosmology; the fine details of weak gravitational fields; gravitational radiation; and gravitational interaction with quantum mechanical systems. A number of experimental investigations are a part of this program also. Oversight of the Foundation-wide LIGO project is carried out in this program.

• Nuclear Physics--This program supports studies of properties of nuclei and nuclear matter under extreme conditions. This includes studies with heavy ions from low to relativistic energies; the structure and dynamics of nucleons, nuclei, and nuclear excitations, studied with light and heavy ions, neutrons, and electrons, from low to multi-GeV energies; roles of meson and quark degrees of freedom in nuclei; and basic interactions and fundamental symmetries investigated at the interface between particle and nuclear physics. Other important components include accelerator physics, interdisciplinary efforts, and applications to other fields. The program supports university user groups executing experiments at a large number of laboratories in the United States and abroad and also two national user facilities--a light-ion cyclotron and booster/storage ring facility at Indiana (IUCF) and a superconducting heavy-ion cyclotron facility at Michigan State (NCSL).

• Theoretical Physics--This program supports the development of qualitative and quantitative understanding of fundamental physical systems ranging from the most elementary constituents of matter through nuclei and atoms to astrophysical objects. This includes formulating new approaches for theoretical, computational, and experimental research that explores fundamental laws of physics and the behavior of physical systems; formulating quantitative hypotheses; exploring and analyzing the implications of such hypotheses computationally; and in some cases interpreting the results of experiments. The program supports research in elementary particle physics, nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, astrophysics and cosmology, mathematical physics, computational physics, nonlinear dynamics, chaos, statistical physics, and plasma physics, and includes a considerable number of interdisciplinary grants.

• Cross-Disciplinary Programs--The Physics Division also supports activities in conjunction with Foundation-wide programs, such as the Presidential Faculty Fellows and Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, Research Experiences for Undergraduates, and those programs that are aimed at women and underrepresented minorities (see the Chapters "Education and Human Resources" and "Other Research Activities"). In addition, the division supports activities that improve the education and training of physics students (both undergraduate and graduate) and that are not included in specific programs elsewhere in the Foundation. This includes, for example, curriculum development for upper-level physics courses. The new initiative in Biological Physics is a part of this program.

Chemistry

The Chemistry Division supports research activities in emerging areas of national interest that cut across "traditional" subdisciplines. These areas include biological chemistry and biotechnology; the chemistry of advanced materials; environmental chemistry, including research in greenhouse gas dynamics and the program in Environmentally Benign Chemical Synthesis and Processing jointly supported with the Engineering Directorate (see brochure NSF 92-13 for more information); high performance computing and communications; and advanced manufacturing, including fundamental research underpinning chemical and pharmaceutical manufacture. Many of these activities are part of research programs that are coordinated through the National Science and Technology Council.

Research in subdisciplinary areas is also a vital part of the Chemistry Research Project Support investment portfolio. These areas include the following:

• Analytical and Surface Chemistry--Supports fundamental chemical research directed toward the characterization and analysis of all forms of matter. This program includes studies of elemental and molecular macrocomposition, and of microstructure of both bulk and surface domains. Investigations designed to probe the interphase region between different forms of matter are the responsibility of this program.

• Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry--Supports research on the synthesis, structure, and reaction mechanisms of molecules containing metals, metalloids, and nonmetals, encompassing the entire periodic table of the elements. Included are studies of stoichiometric and homogeneous catalytic chemical reactions; bioinorganic and organometallic reagents and reactions; and the synthesis of new inorganic substances with predictable chemical, physical, and biological properties. Such research provides the basis for understanding the function of metal ions in biological systems, for understanding the synthesis of new inorganic materials and new industrial catalysts, and for systematic understanding of the chemistry of most of the elements in the environment.

• Organic Chemical Dynamics--Supports research on the structures and reaction dynamics of carbon-based molecules, metalloorganic systems, and organized molecular assemblies. Research includes studies of reactivity, reaction mechanisms, and reactive intermediates, and characterization and investigation of new organic materials. Such research provides the basis for understanding and modeling biological processes, and for developing new or improved theories relating chemical structures and properties.

• Organic Synthesis--Supports research on the synthesis of carbon-based molecules, metallo-organic systems, and organized molecular assemblies. Research includes development of new reagents and techniques for organic synthesis and characterization and for investigation of new organic materials and natural products. Such research provides the basis for designed synthesis of new materials and natural products, and for preparation of compounds important to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

• Experimental Physical Chemistry--Supports experimental investigations of the physical properties of chemical systems. Scientific issues range from the nature and properties of individual molecules to the behavior of molecules in the aggregate. Areas of current activity include spectroscopy and clusters of molecules, the elastic and inelastic scattering of molecules and photons, the thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of fluids and fluid mixtures, and the kinetics of chemical reactions.

• Theoretical and Computational Chemistry--Supports the development of chemical theory, including quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and dynamics. This has applications to all areas of chemistry, including support of computer code development.

Equally important infrastructure and instrumentation investments, made in the Chemical Instrumentation and Facilities Program (see brochure NSF 93-94 for more information), provide funds to research institutions and consortia thereof for the purchase of multiuser instruments, for major instrumentation development and construction, and for the establishment and support of multiuser research facilities in the chemical sciences. This program is designed to support the following types of academic instrumentation needs: (1) the purchase or upgrade of shared, multiuser instruments (requires a one-third to one-half cost contribution from the grantee institution); (2) the development plans for Chemistry Departments' multiyear instrument centers; (3) instrumentation development, including the construction of new prototype instruments; and (4) the establishment and support of unique national and regional instrumentation facilities. This program focuses on shared instruments and facilities; specialized equipment dedicated for use in particular chemistry research projects is funded as part of individual investigator awards, along with personnel and other direct project costs in other Chemistry Division programs.

Materials Research

DMR plays a significant role in various broad, interdisciplinary areas and programs, including the Advanced Materials and Processing Program (AMPP), High Performance Computing and Communications (HPCC), and Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT). DMR is also a participant in the Biotechnology, Civil Infrastructure Systems, and Environmental Research Initiatives. The division's interest in HPCC ranges from computational approaches to real materials and processes to materials for new or advanced computational and communications devices and systems. In AMT, the division's interests range from the understanding of the fundamental materials science basis of phenomena (e.g., lubrication, adhesion, joining, forming, packaging) that broadly crosscuts strategically significant industrial sectors, to materials for specific manufacturing processes and applications. In addition to the impact of materials on manufacturing, the division also has an interest in the impact of advanced manufacturing technologies on materials research (e.g., through the cost-effective enhancement of the instrumentation and equipment infrastructure for materials research). In Environmental Research, the division is concerned with the preparation of innovative materials and with new processes that are more environmentally benign, as well as with novel concepts for reuse or recycling of materials.

DMR funding modes include support for individual investigators, groups, centers, national facilities, and instrumentation. Individual investigator proposals need not be confined or targeted to a specific program. Division staff and management will work to facilitate the co-funding of highly meritorious proposals across appropriate program, division, or directorate boundaries.

• Metals, Ceramics, and Electronic Materials--This program focuses on fundamental research in these areas. Projects are composed primarily of experimental activities but may incorporate some related theoretical and computational research. The objective is to increase knowledge, understanding, and predictive capabilities for relating fundamental, physical, and chemical properties of these materials to their microstructure and performance in various applications and environments.

  Research in the metals component encompasses the broad areas of physical and mechanical metallurgy. Topics of interest include phase transformations; thermodynamics and phase equilibria; microstructural characterization and morphology; fundamentals of solidification; nonequilibrium and amorphous materials; nanostructured metal alloys; high performance metals and alloys; metallic thin films; surface structure and properties; interface and grain boundary structure; corrosion and oxidation; defects; deformation and fracture of metals and composite materials; and ion implantation, laser surface modification, and advanced materials processing.

  The ceramicscomponent includes research on structural and electronic (functional) ceramics as well as glasses. Examples of topics include synthesis and processing of advanced ceramics; fundamental studies in ceramics; low- temperature chemical synthesis and processing; ceramic thin films; toughening mechanisms; novel analytical characterization techniques; advanced atomic-scale characterization of defects, interfaces, and microstructures; mechanical behavior of ceramics and ceramic composites; computational modeling of mechanical behavior; behavior under complex stress states and in extreme environments; chemical stability, reactivity, and kinetics; defect structures; and transport properties.

  Examples of research in the electronic materials component include electronic, magnetic, ferroelectric, and optical behavior of inorganic materials, semiconductors, superconductors, insulators, and nonlinear optical materials; synthesis and processing of thin films; hetero- epitaxial layers, nanostructures, and superlattice structures; fundamentals of epitaxy; atomic structure of defects and interfaces; beam-solid interactions; beam and field processing; ion implantation doping; supersaturated semiconductor alloys; novel processing routes and precursors; in situ low-temperature processing and diagnostics; and characterization of electronic and optical behavior of defects and defect arrays.

• Materials Theory--In this program, theoretical investigations of condensed matter physics and advanced materials are carried out on structure, electronic properties, and phenomenology associated with solid-state physics and chemistry, metals, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, liquids, quantum fluids, and other condensed phases of matter. Theoretical and computational techniques are used to understand phenomena from the microscopic to microstructural/mesoscopic levels.

  Topics of interest include surface and interfacial phenomena; systems far from equilibrium; phase transitions and critical phenomena; superconductivity and superfluidity; nonlinear and dynamical phenomena; crystal growth and epitaxy; predictive capabilities for structure-property relationships; lattice dynamics; modeling of atomic structure of defects, interfaces, and grain boundaries; elementary excitations and their interactions; electronic, optical, and magnetic properties; and kinetics and transport phenomena.

• Condensed Matter Physics--This program provides support for fundamental experimental research into the physical properties of amorphous, ordered, and nanostructured solids; classical, quantum, and partially ordered fluids; and the interfaces of such condensed phases. Materials being investigated include metals, insulators, semiconductors, amorphous solids, liquid crystals, and biomolecular materials. Phenomena of interest include phase transitions; localization; electronic, magnetic, and lattice structure of solids; superconductivity; elementary excitations, including electronic, magnetic, plasma, and lattice; transport and optical properties; and nonlinear dynamics.

  Particular topics of current interest include the study of surfaces, interfaces, thin films, nanostructures, and quantum fluids; nonequilibrium systems; and phenomena exhibited by systems of reduced dimensionality or reduced crystalline perfection. The development of new experimental techniques is an important part of this activity. Synthesis, characterization, and analysis of new materials by novel methods are also of interest. In addition, support will include experimental research on condensed matter under extreme conditions, such as low or ultra-low temperatures, ultra-high pressures, and high magnetic fields.

• Solid-State Chemistry and Polymers-- This program is largely experimental and multidisciplinary, with strong components of chemistry, physics, and materials science. Emphasis is placed on synthesis, processing, characterization, and structure/property relationships of materials at the molecular level, with special attention to new materials or materials with superior properties. The solid-state chemistrycomponent of the program supports research in the following areas: innovative synthetic routes to new inorganic and organic solid-state and mesophase materials; characterization of new materials with novel electronic, optical, magnetic, and chemical behavior; relationships among bulk, surface, interface, and defect structures, and properties such as chemisorption, transport, and reactivity; and materials preparation, processing, and optimization by chemical means. The creation of new materials exhibiting new phenomena is emphasized within selected classes of advanced materials such as biomolecular, magnetic, and superconducting materials, and with emphasis on special issues such as environmental concerns related to the processing and utilization of potentially functional materials.

  The polymers component of the program supports basic research in polymer science. The emphasis is on those special chemical and physical properties that distinguish macromolecules from small molecules. Topics of interest include the synthesis of novel high- polymeric materials, particularly those with well-defined structures; synthesis and processing of polymer films; unconventional polymerization processes; the characterization of the chemical and physical structure of polymers by state-of-the-art instrumentation methods; the arrangements of macromolecules and the morphology in amorphous, crystalline, and cross-linked polymers; the compatibility and phase relations in block polymers and mixtures of polymers; the chain dynamics and relaxations in macromolecules; the relation of macromolecular characteristics to electronic, optical, surface, solid-state, liquid-crystalline, solution, and other properties; and the fundamental polymer science and surface science of organic-matrix composites. The polymers studied are principally synthetic, but there is an increasing interest in biomolecular materials.

• Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs)-- Constitutes a new and strengthened program to support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary materials research and education while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering that are important to society. MRSECs require outstanding research quality, intellectual breadth, and interdisciplinary flexibility in responding to new research opportunities, support for research infrastructure, and full integration with the academic programs of the participating institutions. They have strong links to industry and other sectors and will lead ultimately to a national network of university-based centers in materials research. MRSECs address fundamental materials research topics of intellectual and strategic importance; they contribute to national priorities by fostering active collaboration between universities and other sectors; and they enable researchers to address problems of a scope or complexity requiring the advantages of scale and of an interdisciplinary nature that can only be provided by a campus-based research center.

  The MRSEC program supersedes the Materials Research Laboratories and Groups Program and also encompasses the activities of Science and Technology Centers in the materials field. Thus, it accommodates programs that currently are separate and provides an evolutionary path to a more coordinated approach. The research undertaken is of a scope or complexity that would not be feasible under traditional funding of individual research projects. Each MRSEC encompasses one or more interdisciplinary research groups. To coincide, the larger centers are expected to undertake a broad program of research and education, which may involve several interdisciplinary groups as well as programs to stimulate interdisciplinary education and the development of human resources; active collaboration with industry and other sectors and institutions; and support for shared experimental facilities. NSF encourages the use of MRSEC funds to include support for junior faculty and high-risk research, and to foster emerging areas of interdisciplinary materials research.

• National Facilities and Instrumentation- -Provides support for development and acquisition of state-of-the-art instrumentation to carry out advanced materials research and for the operation of National Facilities. The program also administers the new National High Magnetic Field Laboratory operated by Florida State University, the University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

  Major instrumentation required by investigators conducting research in two or more disciplinary areas within the purview of DMR is supported. Also supported is instrumentation required by one or more investigators conducting research in a single disciplinary area within the purview of DMR and costing $100,000 or more. Examples of major equipment items include electron microscopes, scanning tunneling microscopes, X-ray diffractometers, SQUID magnetometers, dilution refrigerators, instrumentation for surface and bulk spectroscopies such as NMR spectrometers and laser systems, instrumentation for synchrotron radiation beamlines, equipment for materials synthesis and processing such as MBE and CVD systems, hot-isostatic presses, ion implantation equipment, mechanical testing equipment, and electron-beam lithography systems. Proposals for development of new instruments likely to have significant impact on materials research are strongly encouraged. For information on current guidelines for submission of instrumentation proposals, contact the program officer.

  National Facilities are research facilities with specialized instrumentation that are available to the scientific research community, particularly the materials research community. These facilities provide unique research capabilities that can be located at only one of a very few of the Nation's laboratories. Examples include facilities and resources for research using high magnetic DC and pulsed fields, ultraviolet and X-ray synchrotron radiation, small-angle neutron scattering, and ultrahigh-resolution electron microscopy.

Center for High-Resolution Electron Microscopy

Center for Solid-State Science

Arizona State University

Tempe, Arizona 85287-1704

(602) 965-4540

Center for High-Resolution Neutron Scattering

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Reactor Radiation Division

Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

(301) 975-6242

Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source

Wilson Laboratory

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 14853

(607) 255-7163

Francis Bitter National Magnet Laboratory

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

170 Albany Street

Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139

(617) 253-5517

National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (under development--operated by Florida State University, University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory)

Florida State University

1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive

Tallahassee, Florida 32306-4005

(904) 644-0311

Synchrotron Radiation Center

University of Wisconsin-Madison

3731 Schneider Drive

Stoughton, Wisconsin 53589-2200

(608) 873-2000