The U.S. National Science Foundation is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and secure the national defense.
The Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program focuses on advancing fundamental engineering research related to chemical reactions, systems engineering, and molecular thermodynamics. This encompasses the development of algorithms for chemical process optimization and control, molecular and multi-scale modeling of complex chemical systems, and fundamental studies on molecular thermodynamics. The program prioritizes the design and optimization of chemical reactors and the production of specialized materials with significant societal impacts. It supports sustainable chemical manufacturing, including the development of energy-efficient processes and environmentally-friendly chemical products, through concurrent chemical product/process design methods. Research that facilitates the electrification of chemical process industries, moving away from thermally-activated processes, is also encouraged to enhance sustainability.