National Science Foundation: Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace – Frontier Projects

The Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program’s goals are are aligned with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan (RDSP) and the National Privacy Research Strategy (NPRS) to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy. The RDSP identified six areas critical to successful cybersecurity R&D: (1) scientific foundations; (2) risk management; (3) human aspects; (4) transitioning successful research into practice; (5) workforce development; and (6) enhancing the research infrastructure. The NPRS, which complements the RDSP, identifies a framework for privacy research, anchored in characterizing privacy expectations, understanding privacy violations, engineering privacy-protecting systems, and recovering from privacy violations. In alignment with the objectives in both strategic plans, the SaTC program takes an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and holistic approach to cybersecurity research, development, and education, and encourages the transition of promising research ideas into practice.

The SaTC program welcomes proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and draw on expertise in one or more of these areas: computing, communication, and information sciences; engineering; economics; education; mathematics; statistics; and social and behavioral sciences. Proposals that advance the field of cybersecurity and privacy within a single discipline or interdisciplinary efforts that span multiple disciplines are both encouraged.

Proposals may be submitted in one of the following three project size classes: small projects, medium projects, and frontier projects, and for cybersecurity education projects. Frontier projects are detailed in this summary (see note below for more information regarding other project types). Frontier projects are well suited to multiple investigators (PI, co-PI, and/or other senior personnel), and a team of students and/or postdocs.

• CORE: This designation is the main focus of the SaTC research program, spanning the interests of NSF’s Directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Engineering (ENG), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE). Interdisciplinary proposals are welcomed to CORE.

Amount: A total of $68,000,000 is available across all project sizes. Approximately 1-2 frontier project awards will be made. Frontier project grants range from $5,000,000-$10,000,000 in total budget, with durations of up to five years.

Eligibility: Proposals may only be submitted by the following:

• Universities and Colleges: Universities and two- and four-year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in, the U.S. acting on behalf of their faculty members. Such organizations also are referred to as academic institutions.
• Nonprofit, non-academic organizations: Independent museums, observatories, research labs, professional societies, and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities.

PIs, co-PIs, or other senior project personnel must hold primary and full-time paid appointments in research or teaching positions at US-based campuses/offices of eligible organizations.

Link: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504709

Note: In additional to frontier projects, proposals may also be submitted in one of the following three project size classes:

• Small projects: Up to $500,000 in total budget, with durations of up to three years; Deadline: November 15, 2017
• Medium projects: $500,001 to $1,200,000 in total budget, with durations of up to four years; Deadline: October 10, 2017
• Cybersecurity education projects: Up to $300,000 in total budget, with durations up to two years; Deadline: December 13, 2017

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