In brief
In a Materials Research office hour on Oct. 23, NSF program directors described Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) as an ongoing, biannual program (last competed in 2025) and indicated that they anticipate:
- A new DMREF solicitation will be released soon.
- Target deadlines are tentatively early 2027.
- The solicitation will maintain two types of partners (federal/international, TBA—stated that NSF is in active discussion with continuing and new partners).
Although timing could slip due to agency and partner processes, this is an early-planning window to review recent DMREF and related awards to identify portfolio gaps, begin ideating a menu of interests/collaborators to help expedite decision making and subscribe to NSF email updates for direct receipt of the new solicitation.
What we’re watching
Based on current agency and federal priorities, U-M’s Office of Research Development projects:
- Components of DoW and DoE will continue as program partners.
- Within NSF, there will be multi-directorate participation.
- Institutional submission limits may continue. If needed, internal competition details will be announced via InfoReady and U-M newsletters (Blueprint, Skim).
- Alignment with national priorities could be a competitive factor.
- Insight on general priority areas (e.g., quantum, semiconductors, extreme environments, nuclear, critical materials, biomaterials) can be found in a federal budget memo for FY28 and a recent National Security Science and Technology Strategy document.
- Prospective applicants may want to consider the landscape of NSF-supported Programmable Cloud Labs and DOE-supported Genesis Mission awards (using Advanced Search Parameters in award search, enter Solicitation Number DE-FOA-0003612 and under Organization, select SC-32.2).
Additional Context
- In recent solicitations, requests of $1.5-2M/4y have been accepted.
- While some solicitation revision is likely, the DMREF website provides examples of software development, broader impacts and features of compelling proposals.
- For those attending the upcoming Materials Research Society meeting in Boston, it may be worth watching for NSF program officers, as the agency will be participating in a Materials Innovation Platforms event and speaking about the CAREER program.