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University of Wisconsin–Madison

NSF National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes Accelerating Research, Transforming Society, and Growing the American Workforce

Posted October 15, 2021
To:Chairs and Administrators, Departments in the Biological, Physical and Social Sciences; Associate Deans for Research; College/School Research Administrators
From:Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Education
Date:October 15, 2021
Subject:NSF National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Institutes Accelerating Research, Transforming Society, and Growing the American Workforce 2022 (NSF 22-502)

Deadline

Deadline for Internal Review:November 04, 2021

Project Description

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has advanced tremendously and today promises personalized healthcare; enhanced national security; improved transportation; and more effective education, to name just a few benefits. Increased computing power, the availability of large datasets and streaming data, and algorithmic advances in machine learning (ML) have made it possible for AI research and development to create new sectors of the economy and revitalize industries. Continued advancement, enabled by sustained federal investment and channeled toward issues of national importance, holds the potential for further economic impact and quality-of-life improvements.

The 2019 update to the National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan, informed by visioning activities in the scientific community as well as interaction with the public, identifies as its first strategic objective the need to make long-term investments in AI research in areas with the potential for long-term payoffs in AI. The National AI Research Institutes program enables longer-term research and U.S. leadership in AI through the creation of AI Research Institutes.

This program is a joint government effort between the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), U.S. Department of Education (ED) Institute of Education Sciences (IES), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Department of Defense (DOD) Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD (R&E)), and IBM Corporation (IBM).

This program solicitation expands upon the nationwide network established by the first 18 AI Research Institutes to pursue transformational advances in a range of economic sectors, and science and engineering fields. In this round, the program invites proposals for institutes that have a principal focus in one of the following themes, detailed in the Program Description:

  • Theme 1: Intelligent Agents for Next-Generation Cybersecurity
  • Theme 2: Neural and Cognitive Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
  • Theme 3: AI for Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry
  • Theme 4: AI for Decision making
  • Theme 5: Trustworthy AI
  • Theme 6: AI-Augmented Learning to Expand Education Opportunities and Improve Outcomes

 

Amount: Institute awards will be made for between $16,000,000 and $20,000,000 for four to five years ($4,000,000 per year on average). Proposals outside this range may be returned without review. Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.

Duration of Award: 4-5 years

Number of Awards:   7.  NSF plans to make approximately one Institute award in each of themes 1-5, and one award to each of the two tracks listed in theme 6 as described in the program solicitation.

 

Eligibility

An individual may be designated as senior personnel (which includes but is not limited to PI or co-PI) on at most one preliminary proposal, and at most one full proposal to this solicitation.

UW-Madison may submit 2 proposals.

Website

The following link contains additional information on the program and specific application instructions:
https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2022/nsf22502/nsf22502.htm

Internal Competition Application Instructions

Applications for Internal Review

To submit your application, attach a single PDF to an email to: grants@research.wisc.edu

Please include the following information:

  • Cover Sheet including the project title, name and department of PI, list of project personnel and partner organizations, and which theme the project will focus on  (1 page)
  • CV of lead PI
  • Research project summary of no more than 5 pages of how the proposed project meets the goals of the solicitation

Sponsor Deadlines

Pre-proposals are due to NSF by January 14, 2022. Applications are due to NSF by May 13, 2022.

Questions?

Contact grants@research.wisc.edu.