Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future | 25 508

DMREF (NSF 25-508) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What is DMREF (NSF 25-508)?

Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF, NSF Funding Opportunity 25-508) is a National Science Foundation grant program designed to speed up the timeline from early materials discovery to real-world use. It supports research that modernizes how materials are designed and developed by tightly linking experiments, computation, and theory, and by using shared digital data resources throughout the materials development process.

2) What is the main goal of the DMREF program?

The core goal is to accelerate the discovery-to-deployment pipeline for new materials. DMREF expects projects to build fundamental knowledge and capabilities that enable materials to be designed, developed, and improved for manufacturability and eventual adoption, with targeted properties or functions.

3) Is DMREF limited to certain materials topics or application areas?

DMREF is deliberately broad on topic area and is open to all materials research topics. The program is not narrowly defined by a specific material class or application area; instead, it is specific about the approach projects must take to accelerate the discovery-to-deployment timeline.

4) What approach does DMREF expect proposals to use?

DMREF is specific about an integrated approach that tightly links theory, computational modeling, and experimental work, supported by strong use of shared digital data resources. Projects are expected to demonstrate how their approach will speed up progress from discovery to use.

5) What does "closed-loop" and "iterative" workflow mean in DMREF?

DMREF expects an iterative, collaborative "closed-loop" workflow where theory informs computational modeling, computational results guide experiments, and experimental observations feed back to refine theory, models, and next-step predictions. The program emphasizes continuous integration and iteration across the full materials development continuum rather than a simple linear handoff among sub-teams.

6) Does DMREF require both computational and experimental components?

Based on the solicitation description, DMREF expects proposals to show tight integration of experiments, computation, and theory in an iterative loop. Proposals should clearly demonstrate how these elements work together to accelerate materials development.

7) How important are data, data science, and machine learning to DMREF?

DMREF strongly emphasizes leveraging data-centric methods, including data science and machine learning, and ensuring materials data are accessible and usable. The intent is to support faster and more reproducible progress by using shared digital data resources across the materials development process.

8) What is the connection between DMREF and the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI)?

DMREF sits within the national Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) framework and is NSF's main program responding to the federal MGI effort. The solicitation aligns DMREF with the 2021 MGI Strategic Plan, including goals related to unifying the materials innovation infrastructure, harnessing materials data, and educating/training/connecting a world-class materials R&D workforce.

9) How does DMREF relate to national priorities and federal coordination?

The opportunity frames DMREF as part of broader national priorities to strengthen US leadership in critical future technologies tied to health, economic prosperity, national security, and the scientific enterprise. The solicitation also anticipates coordination with other federal agencies, and notes that proposals may be shared with one or more listed federal partners.

10) Which NSF directorates are involved in DMREF?

DMREF is described as crosscutting across multiple NSF directorates, specifically Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), Engineering (ENG), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), and Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP).

11) Which other federal agencies or organizations may be involved or receive shared proposals?

The solicitation indicates proposals may be shared with one or more listed federal partners, including AFRL, DOE EERE, ONR, NIST, and multiple DEVCOM centers (including GVSC and ARL).

12) Are international collaborations mentioned for DMREF?

Yes. The opportunity highlights potential international collaboration pathways involving the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation, India's DST, Canada's NSERC, and Germany's DFG.

13) Who is eligible to submit a DMREF proposal?

Eligibility is limited to US-based Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs), including accredited two-year and four-year institutions (community colleges included), with a campus located in the United States, submitting on behalf of faculty.

14) Can community colleges apply under DMREF?

Yes. The eligibility description explicitly includes accredited two-year institutions, and notes that community colleges are included, as long as the institution has a campus located in the United States.

15) Are there requirements for the project team structure?

Yes. Team structure and interdisciplinarity are central. Each proposal must be led by a team with at least two Senior/Key Personnel who bring complementary expertise. The intent is to connect roles such as theorists, computational researchers, data scientists, mathematicians/statisticians, and experimentalists.

16) Does DMREF encourage collaboration beyond academia?

Yes. DMREF encourages engagement across sectors, including academia, industry, and government.

17) How does DMREF address diversity and broad participation?

The solicitation explicitly encourages participation from the full spectrum of diverse talent, including underrepresented and underserved communities.

18) Is workforce development required, or just encouraged?

Workforce development is presented as a core emphasis, not an optional add-on. DMREF highlights education and training aimed at producing the next generation of materials R&D professionals who can communicate and collaborate across the continuum from fundamental science through manufacturing and deployment.

19) What are the typical award size and duration for DMREF?

Awards are expected to run four years and typically total about $1.5 million to $2.0 million, with an award ceiling of $2,000,000.

20) How many awards does NSF expect to make under this DMREF competition?

NSF anticipates making around 25 awards, subject to available funds.

21) Is DMREF a recurring opportunity?

Yes. The solicitation signals an ongoing cadence, stating that DMREF competitions are expected to continue biennially in odd-numbered years, depending on available funding.

22) What is the submission deadline listed for this opportunity?

The listed original closing date for submission is 2025-02-04.

23) What types of positions qualify someone to be PI/co-PI or Senior/Key Personnel?

For PI/co-PI and other Senior/Key Personnel roles, individuals must hold a tenured or tenure-track position, or a primary full-time paid research or teaching appointment. The description also notes limited exceptions such as approved family or medical leave, as determined by the institution.

24) Is there any restriction related to prior DMREF award leaders?

Yes. Anyone who is a PI or co-PI on a DMREF award from the immediately previous DMREF solicitation (NSF 23-530) cannot serve as PI or co-PI on this competition. However, they may participate as Senior/Key Personnel.

25) What happens if a proposal includes an ineligible PI/co-PI due to the prior-award restriction?

The solicitation states that proposals violating the restriction (PI/co-PI on a DMREF award from NSF 23-530 serving again as PI/co-PI) will be returned without review.

26) Can a proposal include funding for an international branch campus of a US IHE?

Yes, but with conditions. If a proposal includes funding for an international branch campus of a US IHE (including through subawards or consultants), the proposal must clearly justify why the activities must occur at that branch campus and what benefits that location provides that cannot be achieved at the US campus.

27) What kind of grant is DMREF described as administratively?

It is described as a discretionary grant opportunity from the National Science Foundation, categorized under science and technology and other research and development.

28) What CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity lists CFDA numbers including 12.800, 47.041, 47.049, 47.070, and 47.084.

29) What makes a DMREF proposal competitive according to the description provided?

The description emphasizes competitiveness through: (a) an integrated, iterative closed-loop workflow across theory, computation, and experiment; (b) strong data-centric practices and usable, accessible materials data; (c) interdisciplinary teams with complementary expertise; and (d) meaningful education/training elements that develop a workforce capable of collaborating across the full materials development continuum.

30) Does DMREF focus only on fundamental science, or also on manufacturability and deployment?

DMREF expects projects to build fundamental knowledge needed to design and develop materials, improve manufacturability, and ultimately enable use of materials with targeted properties or functions. The emphasis is on accelerating the path toward real-world use, not stopping at early discovery.