NSF Transport Phenomena Funding Supports AI, Energy Research

Synopsis

The Transport Phenomena (TP) program supports fundamental research to understand, model, and control the transport of mass, momentum, energy, and species across multiple scales. Innovative TP research supports advances in artificial intelligence; manufacturing; biotechnology; micro electronics; energy generation, extraction, and utilization; nuclear energy; quantum science and engineering; and other national priorities.

TP projects involve experiments, theory, and/or computational modeling. They aim to improve understanding and to create novel analytical techniques. While projects focus on fundamental principles, they also have a clear vision of how research outcomes will benefit applications in engineering.

TP supports research on the dynamics of single- and multiphase systems. S pecial interests include flow separation, transition to turbulence, drag reduction, cavitation, instabilities, and reactive flows. The program encourages research on the connection between dynamics at the microscale and material and flow properties at the macroscale. Fluids of interest include liquids, gases, suspensions, emulsions, granular materials, active fluids, biological fluids, colloids, aerosols, bubbles and drops, and fluids with surfactants.

TP supports research on physicochemical phenomena at the interfaces between fluids and between fluids and solids. These phenomena include adsorption and desorption of nanoparticles and surfactants; bulk and interfacial rheology; wetting and capillarity phenomena; e lectrokinetic s; flow in porous media; and directed and self- assembly of particles.

TP supports research on thermodynamics and thermal transport involving conduction, diffusion, convection, phase transition, and radiation. Research may be across scales, in complex structures and at interfaces, in microelectronic devices, and in biological systems. P rojects involving phonon transport and quantum thermal phenomena are welcome.

TP encourages proposals focused on combustion of gas, liquid and solid fuels. Combustion topics of interest includ e chemical kinetic modeling, turbulence-chemistry interactions, detonations, plasma assisted reacting flows, sustainable fuels, mechanisms for pollutant control, and in-situ diagnostic methods. The program also supports r esearch on wildland fire behavior that aims to prevent wildfire spread, inhibit its growth, and /or predict and mitigat e fires at the wildland-urban interface.

Partnerships: To speed discovery and innovation, NSF partners with federal agencies, industry, international groups, and others. Current opportunities are at NSF ENG Partnerships.

Program contacts

Awards made through this program

Browse projects funded by this program

Map of recent awards made through this program

Organization(s)

• Directorate for Engineering (ENG)
• Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (ENG/CBET)

Upcoming due dates

Full proposal accepted anytime

Program guidelines

Apply to PD 26-366Y as follows:

Full proposals submitted via Research.gov: NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide proposal preparation guidelines apply.

Full proposals submitted via Grants.gov: NSF Grants.gov Application Guide guidelines apply. See Grants.gov Proposal Processing in Research.gov for more information.

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Published:

April 24, 2026