ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering (ECLIPSE)

Plasma science is a transdisciplinary field of research where fundamental studies in many disciplines, including plasma physics, plasma chemistry, materials science, and space science, come together to advance knowledge for discovery and technological innovation. The primary goal of the ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering (ECLIPSE) program is to identify and capitalize on opportunities for bringing fundamental plasma science investigations to bear on problems of societal and technological need within the scope of science and engineering supported by the participating NSF programs.

The ECLIPSE meta-program has been created to foster an inclusive community of scientists and engineers, an ecosystem spanning multiple NSF Directorates, in the pursuit of translational research at the interface of fundamental plasma science and technological innovation. The ECLIPSE program builds on the long history of NSF leadership in supporting multi-disciplinary research in plasma science and engineering, and is intended to enhance organizational unity within NSF, and potentially with other funding agencies, in considering proposals and supporting projects that may otherwise struggle to find a natural home within the existing hierarchy of Directorates, Divisions, and programs within the Foundation.

Examples of topical areas within the scope of the ECLIPSE program include but are not limited to:

• Plasma surface interactions, with applications to, e.g., advanced manufacturing, materials processing, and catalysis.
• Atmospheric pressure plasmas and microplasmas with applications to, e.g., microelectronics, plasma agriculture, environmental remediation, and other clean and decarbonized energy goals enabled by electrification of the chemical industry.

Trimmed here, the full scope, expected outcomes and award criteria are on the official topic page ↗.