Announcement
of Opportunity
The Most Recent
BE Solicitation is:
NSF 03-597 |
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Materials Use: Science, Engineering,
and Society (MUSES)
Physical and biological environmental systems are ultimate sources of the materials required for
the great variety of manufactured goods produced by modern societies. Understanding the supply,
treatment, use, and reuse of the resources provided by natural systems as well as the
environmental effects of introducing alternative materials or new processes are complex problems
that challenge many disciplines. Both technological issues, such as process and product redesign
and manufacturing, as well as behavioral factors, such as economic and other social forces that
affect consumption and adoption of new technologies and materials, must be addressed. Studies in
the Materials Use: Science, Engineering, and Society (MUSES) topical area are aimed at reducing
adverse human impact on the total, interactive system of resource use, as well as maximizing the
efficient use of individual materials throughout their life cycles. MUSES includes fundamental
research on:
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Global budgets and cycles of key materials; |
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Means and methods for carefully assessing a material's
impact at every stage of its entire life cycle; |
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Design of alternative materials and intermediates,
processes, systems, and social structures that optimize the use of materials throughout their
life cycles; and |
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Modeling the effect of changes in a material's use
on related materials and processes. |
Research in this topical area must stress the fundamental understanding of comprehensive materials
flows that extend from natural resource (physical and biota) materials extraction; through processing
and manufacturing, assembly, and distribution and consumer use; and on through recycling, disposal,
and reuse. In some cases, the synthesis and characterization of new classes of materials with desired
properties may be involved. Models should include relationships among constructed, natural, and social
systems and consider continuous materials use in addition to life cycle practice. Energy consumption
during life cycle is relevant. Materials use at widely ranging scales is within the scope of MUSES,
from niche specialty markets to major construction projects -- highways, bridges, large buildings, etc.
Also within the scope of MUSES is consideration of materials "escape" during transportation, processing
or storage (leaks, accidents or intentional destructive actions). Illustrative examples of advanced
materials that may be considered as part of this activity include, but are not limited to: the synthesis
of new materials with value-added functional performance for applications such as biodegradable food
containers, electronic materials for sensing in hazardous or extreme environments, disposable hospital
products; materials modifications through processing that extend the life or ease the remanufacturability
such as hybrid coatings that can be readily removed or upgraded through bioprocessing; and materials
substitutions that lead to low emission and fuel efficient engines, or alloys and composites for
lightweight aircraft and automobiles.
Deadlines for the "Biocomplexity in the Environment" program are listed in the solicitation link
at the top of the left column on this page.
MUSES Grants:
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| 2003
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The MUSES Program Coordinator is:
Delcie Durham, PhD, PE
ddurham@nsf.gov
DMII - Design, Manufacturing, and Industrial Innovation Division
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Page Last Modified: 24 February 2004
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