Skip Navigation
Search
Office of the Vice President for Research
Office of Proposal Development
HomeFind FundingLimited CompetitionsCurrent Limited CompetitionsMaterials Innovation Platforms (MIP)

NSF Materials Innovation Platforms (MIP)

OVPR is actively accepting applications for this internal competition. If you are interested in applying to this program, you must submit a pre-application through the internal competitions submission portal. Pre-application requirements are listed in the announcement below.

The Office of the Vice President for Research invites applications to the NSF Materials Innovation Platforms (MIP) program. MIP is a mid-scale infrastructure program in the Division of Materials Research (DMR) designed to accelerate advances in materials research. MIPs respond to the increasing complexity of materials research that requires close collaboration of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary teams and access to cutting edge tools. These tools in a user facility benefit both a user program and in-house research, which focus on addressing grand challenges of fundamental science and meet national needs. The third MIP competition, in 2025, will accept proposals on alloys, amorphous, and composite materials. Stony Brook University can submit ONE application as the lead institution. 

Please see below for details. If you are interested in applying, you must submit the internal competitions form by Friday, February 7, 2025. Pre-applications for internal review and selection must be uploaded to the portal as a single PDF document. The competition code for this program is LC202482.

WHAT DOES IT FUND: The MIP Program will support acquisition and development of instruments, software and databases; service contracts on purchased equipment; professional staffing including support for the principal investigators, other senior/key personnel and technicians; and a limited number of students and postdoctoral researchers.

MIPs are expected to offer state-of-the-art materials synthesis/processing tools. Advancement in characterization methodologies and theory/modeling/simulation approaches that benefit the research endeavor is also expected. While all instruments needed for world-class research facilities will be considered, a high priority for the MIP Program is to support instruments with unique capabilities. Acquisition of instruments readily available at universities in the United States is a lower priority. In addition, MIPs are expected to be at the forefront of the intelligent deployment of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) techniques and the implementation of autonomous experimentation. Acquisition and development of fully or partially autonomous equipment, as well as developing autonomous workflow, is highly encouraged. However, this solicitation does not limit the requested equipment to autonomous ones.

APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS: Each proposed project must be directed by a team of at least three Senior/Key Personnel with complementary expertise on materials synthesis/processing, characterization, theory/modeling/simulation, etc.

AWARD: $18,000,000 to $30,000,000 over a six-year period

SPONSOR DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

A complete pre-application should comprise of the following:

  • Senior/Key Participant List (no more than one page): Provide a list of participating Senior/Key Personnel with a brief description of the team's expertise with respect to the proposed in-house research, tool development, user facility operation, knowledge sharing, and training;
  • Vision, Goals, and Rationale (two to three pages): Include a vision statement for the proposed entire Platform; the major goals of knowledge sharing, in-house research, tool development, and user facility operation; and discuss the critical needs of the proposed MIP.
  • Infrastructure (one to two pages): Include a description of the capabilities needed for the proposed MIP and a list of the major instruments (existing and new) that will be available to external users.
  • Broader Impacts (no more than one page): Include the impact on training, broadening participation, collaboration with industry, national laboratories, and others.
  • Management plan for the MIP (no more than one page): Include a management plan for maintenance and operation of the MIP. **Please note: reviewers will be looking for a sustainable management plan that will ensure operation of the MIP for at least 6 years. Proposers should consider how new user facilities will fit into a holistic plan for development and support of core facilities at Stony Brook.**
  • Strategy Summary for the Infrastructure Investment (no more than one page): Include a summary of how this MIP would broadly benefit Stony Brook University’s research infrastructure and discuss the user base's potential for bringing in future funding.
  • Budget and Budget Justification (no more than one page)