NSF's Role in Aeronautics Research and Workforce Development

National Science Foundation (NSF)

NSF invests in research across the breadth of core sciences, including fundamental and translational research and education in all fields of science, engineering, technology, and mathematics and the development of the workforce to help advance aeronautics. Some of these topics include Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; advanced materials and structures; future manufacturing; embedded sensors and algorithms; innovations in battery and energy storage technologies; innovations that make hydrogen a viable fuel; fundamental advances in SAFs; increased understanding of thermal aerodynamics and noise through experiments; lifecycle environmental assessment; understanding of equity impacts on underserved communities; tool development; and the development of new measurement techniques. Through the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships, NSF also offers programs for translation to practice, moving core science and engineering research to the market place, and capitalizing on the ability of startups and small business to bridge current gaps and quickly develop new entrepreneurial approaches to solving the challenges of sustainability, speed and scale in the aeronautics industry.

NSF will continue to focus on a skilled, interdisciplinary technical workforce through engagements with secondary school settings, community colleges, and other institutions of higher education including Minority-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, and Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to broaden participation in aeronautics. In addition, NSF does and will continue to provide fellowships, scholarships, traineeships, and grants to reach the “Missing Millions” to generate opportunities for bright prospective students to achieve their dreams in the STEM workforce, of which aeronautics is one part of STEM.