Engineering (ENG): Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET)

The U.S. National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering (NSF ENG) supports foundational engineering research for chemical, bioengineering, energy, and transport systems through the following programs:  

• The Chemical Process Systems (CPS) program supports foundational engineering research in chemical and biochemical processes for chemicals, fuels, energy, and materials. 

• The Engineering Biological and Biomedical Systems (EBBS) program supports foundational engineering research on platforms, devices, organisms, tissues, and processes that advance knowledge and control of biological functions.  

• The Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering (EWRE) program supports foundational engineering research to manage energy, water, minerals, and material resources. 

• The Transport Phenomena (TP) program supports foundational engineering research to understand, model, and control the transport of mass, momentum, energy, and species across multiple scales. 

NSF ENG anticipates a portfolio of ENG: Chemical, Bioengineering, Energy, and Transport Systems (CBET) awards with a range of budgets and durations. Estimated program budget, number of awards, and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds. 

NSF ENG is particularly interested in intellectually ambitious and potentially transformative foundational research. Proposals need not promise a near-term product, deployment, or commercial outcome, nor need they address later-stage development to be competitive.