WASHINGTON — NASA is seeking proposals from accredited U.S. universities on behalf of outstanding early career faculty beginning their independent careers. This inaugural Space Technology Research Opportunities for Early Career Faculty solicitation seeks to sponsor research in specific, high priority technology areas of interest to NASA.

Specific topic areas were selected because they can best benefit from early stage innovative approaches provided by U.S. academic institutions. The research will investigate unique, disruptive or transformational space technologies or concepts.

“NASA is committed to ensuring our nation’s intellectual capital pipeline remains the best in the world, and that we bring the brightest minds together with the best ideas to meet the challenges of NASA’s future missions,” said Michael Gazarik, director of NASA’s Space Technology Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These grants offer a means for NASA to capitalize on the tremendous creativity and innovation that these brilliant individuals have to offer.”

NASA expects to award approximately ten grants this fall, funded up to $200,000 each per year, based on the merit of proposals received. Notices of intent to submit proposals are due March 30. The deadline for submitting final proposals is May 3. For information on the solicitation, including specific technology areas of interest and how to submit notices of intent and proposals, visit:

http://go.usa.gov/P31

The Space Technology Research Opportunities for Early Career Faculty is a part of NASA’s Space Technology Program, managed by the Office of the Chief Technologist. For more information about the Space Technology Program and the crosscutting space technology areas of interest to NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/oct