Center for Emergent Materials

2026-2032 call for IRG proposals

Center for Emergent Materials call for IRG proposals for MRSEC recompetition.

Overview

The CEM, an NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), invites proposals for new Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) for its 2026-2032 funding cycle. Current IRGs will not continue - all IRGs in the recompetition proposal will be selected through this process. Successful proposals will receive $100,000 in Proto-IRG seed funding and be included in CEM's June 2025 NSF white paper.

Key Dates

  • Poster Session 1: September 30th, 4-6pm, PRB 4138 (3+ person teams)
  • Poster Session 2: November 1st, 2-4pm, PRB 4138 (5+ person teams)
  • Letter of Intent Due: December 16th, 2024
  • Full Proposal Due: January 21st, 2025, 12:00 noon

Requirements and Eligibility

  • Team Size: 7-12 faculty members for full IRGs
  • Leadership: IRG leaders must be from Ohio State
  • External Members: Maximum two members from outside institutions
  • All members must hold faculty-level appointments

Research Priorities

  • High-risk/high-impact proposals exploring new frontiers in materials research
  • Strong integration of experimental and theoretical components
  • Research scope requiring center-level collaboration
  • Alignment with DMR priorities (see MRSEC.org)
  • Commitment to increasing participation of underrepresented groups

Additional Information

For technical assistance, contact: