Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI)

The Chemical Measurement and Imaging (CMI) program supports research focusing on chemically relevant measurement science and chemical imaging. Projects may target development of innovative approaches and instruments likely to be of use to the chemistry community, and/or improved understanding of new and existing methods. Research areas include but are not limited to: analytical separation science; electroanalytical chemistry; and spectrometry (including atomic, molecular, magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry). Development of new chemical imaging and measurement tools that probe chemical properties and processes is supported. Innovations enabling the monitoring and imaging of chemical and electronic processes across a wide range of time and length scales are also relevant. New approaches to data analysis and interpretation (including cheminformatics) are encouraged. Proposals addressing established techniques must seek improved understanding of fundamental principles and/or present innovative approaches to substantially broaden applicability. Sensor-related proposals are expected to address new strategies for chemical sensing, with prospects for broad utility and significant enhancement of current capabilities.  

Proposals addressing development of new instrumentation that enables chemical measurements likely to be of wide interest and utility to the chemistry research community should include the words "Instrument Development:" at the beginning of the title, and the Project Description should include consideration of a development timeline, potential utility, and prospects for the extension of the technique to other uses or fields, should it prove viable.  

The CMI program is also interested in proposal submissions in the following topical areas: Industrial partnerships are encouraged through the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) mechanism as means of enhancing use by the greater community. Already promising concepts nearing commercialization are better fits to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. 

Proposals integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and data science with CMI-relevant research, such as enabling efficient and effective data acquisition and analysis are encouraged. Proposals with a significant component of computational or data science that goes well beyond what would typically be included in a proposal to CMI should be submitted to the CMI Program through the Computational and Data Science and Engineering (CDS&E) funding opportunity.   

Proposals addressing quantum concepts and phenomena in chemical systems, for example new concepts for chemical metrology applied to quantum information systems, are highly encouraged.   

The CMI program encourages PIs to monitor current funding priorities identified by the Foundation and to highlight relevant synergies in their project summaries and project descriptions.  

Research topics that are not of interest to the CMI program:  

• Projects addressing: the development of techniques for topological /morphological imaging; research based on known sensing mechanisms, such as probe synthesis or assembly of array-type devices; or engineering aspects of membrane separations, microfluidics, and/or "lab-on-a-chip" device design, technology, and application.  

• Projects for the design and synthesis of novel molecular probes for sensing or contrast agents may be more suitable for the Chemical Mechanism, Function, and Properties (CMFP) Program.  

• Projects for optimizing and/or utilizing established methods for specific applications should be directed to programs focused on the application. Projects addressing innovations with anticipated utility primarily in other communities (e.g., biology or materials) should be directed to the programs that serve those communities.  

• Projects with large equipment acquisition requests for shared use may be better suited to the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program.  

• Principal Investigators unsure of program fit for their projects should send a single email, copied (but not bcc’d) to all potentially relevant programs, for feedback and to schedule further discussion if warranted. 

Proposals to the CMI program are welcome at any time, starting September 1, 2026.  

All proposals submitted to this program (including individual and collaborative proposals, GOALIs) must be submitted to the CHE Disciplinary Research Programs solicitation (NSF 22-605), except for: 

• RUI proposals must be submitted to the Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions: (RUI and ROA-PUI) program. 

• Proposals submitted in response to another solicitation should follow the solicitation guidelines (e.g. CAREER). 

• Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER), Rapid Response Research (RAPID), or Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE) proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission and then should only be submitted as instructed. 

MPS Chemistry occasionally supports forward-looking workshops to inform future research needs and directions relevant to chemical science. We are not generally able to support research symposia, including those at either special or recurring meetings and conferences. Workshop proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission.  

For recent awards made by the program, search NSF award database with the Program Element Code 688000.

• What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)
• Map of Recent Awards Made Through This Program