NSF 2024: Investing in the nation's scientific and competitive future

From witnessing an extraordinary solar eclipse to ensuring that artificial intelligence resources are available to researchers and educators to investing in research centers that bring together a broad array of partners and collaborators, the U.S. National Science Foundation made significant strides in 2024.

NSF's support of curiosity-driven and use-inspired research, combined with investments in research infrastructure and workforce development, continues to expand U.S. leadership across a broad range of scientific and technology areas. The agency's vision and leadership in areas such as AI, quantum information science, next-generation wireless networking, biotechnology and advanced computing continue to establish the strong foundation needed to ensure a more innovative and prosperous future for the nation.

On September 19, 2024, NSF-funded teams demonstrated innovations in AI education at a Congressional showcase called, "Empowering the AI Talent of Today and Tomorrow: NSF Investments in AI Education and Development." The event was co-hosted by the House AI Caucus and the Senate AI Caucus.

Investing in the AI infrastructure and innovations of tomorrow

NSF's long-term vision and investments in AI research since the 1960s have set the stage for the understanding and application of AI today and into the future.

This vision includes the democratization of access to computational power and other resources necessary for AI research and innovation. The National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) pilot, launched in January 2024, is a concept for a shared national resource infrastructure connecting U.S. researchers to the computational, data, software, training and education resources required to fuel AI research and discovery.  The pilot, a proof of concept to demonstrate and investigate all major elements of the NAIRR vision, is led by NSF in partnership with 12 other federal agencies and more than 25 nongovernment contributors. Through a competitive process, the pilot has awarded more than 150 research and education projects ranging from AI innovation and cybersecurity to agriculture, health care and wildfire detection.

NSF also added new institutes under the National AI Research Institutes program, bringing the total number of institutes to 27. Each institute focuses on specialized issues where AI can be game-changing. They are supported by a network of 500 funded and collaborative institutions nationwide, enabled by partnerships between NSF, other federal agencies and the private sector. In 2024, NSF and Simons Foundation partnered to launch two AI Institutes for astronomical sciences. The NSF-Simons AI Institute for Cosmic Origins, led by The University of Texas at Austin, aims to accelerate time-consuming aspects of astronomical research, such as processing and analyzing large amounts of data. The NSF-Simons AI Institute for the Sky, led by Northwestern University, will tackle complex problems in astrophysics and astronomy, such as the role that dark matter and dark energy play in the universe.

The surge in AI-enabled organizations and services is driving a growing need for AI-capable workers, with demands for an AI-ready workforce growing in finance, national security, health care, manufacturing and more. Each of the 27 AI Institutes has an educational component, part of a wider NSF effort to help expand the domestic STEM workforce.

A quantum chip photographed in the lab at the Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Robust Quantum Simulation at the University of Maryland, an NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute.

Keeping the U.S. at the forefront of the quantum revolution

NSF has also been a leader in supporting quantum research for over seven decades, and quantum-enabled applications are starting to transform industries at an unprecedented pace. NSF's role in this transformation, such as the NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes, cannot be overstated. These large-scale, interdisciplinary research endeavors catalyze breakthroughs across quantum computation, communication, simulation and sensing.

In 2024, NSF launched the first awards for the NSF National Quantum Virtual Laboratory, a first-of-its-kind decentralized national program to enable faster discovery and development of use-inspired quantum technologies. This shared ecosystem helps transform foundational research into market-ready applications, and 11 pilot project teams each received $1 million to design and use test beds to create prototypes of quantum-based technologies and advance their projects.

NSF also unveiled a nearly $20 million investment through the Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure 1 program to support the NSF National Quantum Nanofab facility at the University of Colorado Boulder. This facility will accelerate the design and development of atomic-photonic quantum devices, positioning the nation as a global leader in quantum science and engineering and training the next generation of researchers and engineers. Another NSF effort, the NSF Expanding Capacity in Quantum Information Science and Engineering program, will use $39 million to fund 23 research projects to break new ground in fields such as quantum computing, sensors and materials. The funding will help establish partnerships between established programs at research-intensive institutions and up-and-coming programs at institutions seeking to build their quantum research and developmeNSF nt infrastructure.

Innovation anywhere, opportunities everywhere

Within its first year, the newly established NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships launched the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program, which brings together academia, industry, government, nonprofits and civil society to supercharge research, innovation and education in communities nationwide.  

In January, NSF announced the first 10 awards, with an initial NSF investment of $150 million that has already been matched by more than $350 million in commitments from state and local governments, the private sector and philanthropy organizations. These 10 NSF Engines have the potential to receive over $2 billion over the next decade and empower regions across the country to make research and development a focal point for new economic opportunities and workforce development.

NSF investments catalyze the development of new semiconductor technologies, spur domestic manufacturing and train a highly skilled semiconductor workforce. This includes a partnership with Micron Technology Inc. and GlobalFoundries to invest in semiconductor workforce development at minority-serving institutions; an agreement with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to jointly invest in a new initiative to train the future semiconductor workforce at all levels; and a $7.6 million investment with Intel Corp. in six projects to advance STEM education and training opportunities.

Image used in capability sheet

Safeguarding taxpayer dollars through research security

As new investments in cutting-edge technology begin to produce benefits, research security is more important than ever. The NSF Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy announced a pilot risk mitigation process in 2024, the Trusted Research Using Safeguards and Transparency. This framework will guide NSF in assessing grant proposals for potential national security risks, strengthening safeguards around U.S. taxpayer investments in research and innovation while also bolstering international collaboration. NSF also initiated a five-year investment of $67 million, establishing the Safeguarding the Entire Community of the U.S. Research Ecosystem (NSF SECURE). The NSF SECURE Center, led by the University of Washington with support from nine institutions of higher education as well as other non-profits, will serve as a clearinghouse for information to empower the research community to identify and mitigate foreign interference that poses risks to the U.S. research enterprise. Additionally, SECURE Analytics, led by Texas A&M University, will perform landscape analyses, risk modeling and data reporting through the SECURE Center.

Leveraging partnerships to advance the nation's interests

Seeding new opportunities for innovation requires a broad array of partners - other federal agencies, the private sector and international organizations.

For example, NSF launched a $9.5 million research funding opportunity in partnership with BASF, Dow, IBM, PepsiCo Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. - NSF Sustainable Polymers Enabled by Emerging Data Analytics. The effort is supported by the NSF Molecular Foundations for Sustainability program seeking to accelerate the discovery and manufacture of sustainable polymers to enhance national competitiveness and tackle global challenges such as plastic waste. NSF is providing $7 million, with the five industry partners collectively contributing $2.5 million in funding and in-kind donations.

These efforts also include working with international partners to establish six Global Centers to address global bioeconomy challenges. NSF and the Japan Science and Technology Agency, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Australia signed a memorandum of cooperation on the Advancing Innovations for Empowering NextGen AGriculturE (AI-ENGAGE) Initiative. The AI-ENGAGE partnership aims to strengthen research collaboration among the four countries to increase the impact of research in critical technologies on the people and economies of the Indo-Pacific region.

Total solar eclipse event at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas, on April 8, 2024

The total solar eclipse on April 8 also showcased NSF's role in advancing fundamental research while engaging and inspiring communities nationwide - in collaboration with other federal agency partners. The total solar eclipse was visible from Texas to Maine, with a partial solar eclipse viewable over most of the continental United States, providing researchers with a unique opportunity to gain a better understanding of the sun. NSF supported outreach activities across the country as educators came up with creative ways to inspire the next generation of researchers and introduce school-age children in the path of totality to their STEM spark moment for the first time.

For 75 years, NSF has been a key contributor to national and economic security by keeping the U.S. at the forefront of scientific discovery and innovation. NSF's work in 2024 underscores the agency's commitment to making investments that advance fundamental discoveries and emerging technologies, bolster research infrastructure, unleash regional innovation across the nation, and promote access to STEM instruction and workforce training in every corner of the country.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.