[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 117 (Friday, June 20, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26330-26331]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11374]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Request for Information on Key Technology Focus Areas for the
National Science Foundation's Directorate for Technology, Innovation
and Partnerships
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
ACTION: Request for information.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. National Science Foundation seeks input from
academia, non-profits, philanthropy, state and local government,
venture capital, the private sector and any other interested parties to
inform the agency's assessment and potential update of the Key
Technology Focus Areas as described in Public Law 117-167 (Research and
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act.)
DATES: Interested persons or organizations are invited to submit
comments on or before 11:59 p.m. (EST) on July 21, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in response to this notice may be sent by
the following methods:
Web: Responses can be submitted via https://airtable.com/appKnHdp08MhNZPyb/pagb14TC1ya9x4V2t/form.
Email: [email protected]. Email submissions should be
machine-readable and not be copy-protected. Submissions should include
``RFI Response: Key Technology Areas for TIP'' in the subject line of
the message.
Respondents may answer one or more questions included in this RFI,
noting the corresponding number of the question(s) to which the
response pertains. Responders are asked to limit each question response
to no more than four sentences. If submitting via email instead of
webform, the entire submission must not exceed two pages (exclusive of
cover page) in 11-point or larger font. Responses should include the
name of the person(s) or organization(s) filing the comment, as well as
the type of respondent (e.g., academic institution, non-profit,
philanthropy, state and local government, venture capital, private
sector). Respondent's role in the organization may also be provided
(e.g., researcher, administrator, student, program manager,
journalist).
No machine-generated responses, business proprietary information,
copyrighted information, or personally identifiable information (aside
from that requested above) should be submitted in response to this RFI.
Comments submitted in response to this RFI may be posted online or
otherwise released publicly.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information, please
direct questions to Tess deBlanc-Knowles at [email protected], 2415
Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 292-5111.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 117-167 (Research and
Development, Competition, and Innovation Act) authorized the creation
of a Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (TIP) at
NSF with the purpose of (i) supporting use-inspired and translational
research and accelerating the development and use of federally funded
research, (ii) strengthening United States competitiveness by
accelerating the development of key technologies, and (iii) growing the
domestic workforce in key technology focus areas and expanding the
participation of United States students and researchers in areas of
societal, national, and geostrategic importance, at all levels of
education.
In authorizing this new directorate, Congress identified 10 initial
key technology focus areas upon which TIP investments should focus in
order to advance U.S. competitiveness, as listed below.
Key Technology Focus Areas
(1) Artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomy, and
related advances.
(2) High performance computing, semiconductors, and advanced
computer hardware and software.
(3) Quantum information science and technology.
(4) Robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing.
[[Page 26331]]
(5) Natural and anthropogenic disaster prevention or mitigation.
(6) Advanced communications technology and immersive technology.
(7) Biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic
biology.
(8) Data storage, data management, distributed ledger technologies,
and cybersecurity, including biometrics.
(9) Advanced energy and industrial efficiency technologies, such as
batteries and advanced nuclear technologies, including but not limited
to for the purposes of electric generation
(10) Advanced materials science, including composites 2D materials,
other next-generation materials, and related manufacturing
technologies.
The legislation tasked the TIP directorate to annually review and,
as appropriate, update the list of key technology focus areas.
Information Requested. Respondents may provide responses to one or
as many questions below as they choose, keeping the response to each
question (i.e. 1.a., 1.c.) to four sentences or fewer. Through this
RFI, NSF seeks information to inform an assessment and potential update
of the list of 10 key technology focus areas for the TIP directorate.
1. Considering how each of the key technology focus areas listed
above contributes to America's global technological leadership and
drive economic growth and national security:
a. Which, if any, technology areas currently included in the list
should be revised or refined to better reflect the scope of a
technology area critical to U.S. competitiveness? Please include the
rationale and suggested revision.
b. Which, if any, technology areas currently included in the list
are no longer critical for U.S. technological competitiveness and why?
c. What, if any, technology areas not currently included in the
list are critical for U.S. technological competitiveness and should be
added to the list? Why?
2. Among the 10 key technology focus areas listed above and any
proposed additional areas pursuant to 1.c., what are the three most
important based on each of the following considerations? Please list
three technology areas for each category and include a short rationale.
a. Geopolitical technology competition.
b. Potential to power significant economic growth.
c. Ability to advance national security capabilities.
d. Likelihood to experience significant talent gaps or workforce
availability risks.
e. The need for use-inspired and translational research to mature
the technology.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1861, et seq.)
Dated: June 17, 2025.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2025-11374 Filed 6-18-25; 8:45 am]
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