Transdisciplinary Research in Principles of Data Science Phase II | 19 604

Opportunity Information: Apply for 19 604

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funding opportunity titled "Transdisciplinary Research in Principles of Data Science (TRIPODS) Phase II" is a discretionary grant program designed to strengthen the theoretical and mathematical foundations of data science. The central goal is to bring together three core research communities that often work in parallel rather than in a fully integrated way: statistics, mathematics, and theoretical computer science. The program is explicitly focused on foundational, principles-driven work in data science, meaning it emphasizes theory, rigorous methods, and fundamental understanding over purely application-driven development. A key feature of the program is that research and training are intended to be integrated, so institutes supported under this opportunity are expected to build both intellectual advances and human capital through coordinated educational and workforce development activities.

This Phase II competition builds directly on the earlier TRIPODS Phase I activity (previously described under NSF solicitation 16-615). Phase I supported the creation and development of smaller collaborative institutes, essentially allowing teams to form, test collaborative structures, and begin establishing coherent research directions that span the three required disciplines. Phase II is structured as a second-stage, competitive down-selection from those earlier Phase I institutes, with the intent to fund a smaller number of larger, more ambitious institutes. In other words, Phase II is meant to scale up the most promising Phase I efforts into larger centers capable of sustained, high-impact foundational research and broader training activities.

A defining requirement of TRIPODS Phase II is genuine transdisciplinary integration. Each funded institute must demonstrate significant and integral participation from statistics, mathematics, and theoretical computer science, not as separate contributions stitched together, but as a cohesive effort where the disciplines jointly shape the research agenda, methods, and training plans. The expectation is that the institute structure will enable deep cross-fertilization across these areas, supporting advances in the principles that underlie modern data science, such as statistical inference, learning theory, optimization, algorithms, complexity, high-dimensional geometry, and other mathematically grounded areas that can provide durable foundations for data-driven discovery.

Administratively, this opportunity is offered by NSF under Funding Opportunity Number 19-604 and is categorized as a grant within the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area. The CFDA numbers associated with the program are 47.049 and 47.070. The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $15,000,000 and anticipated making about four awards, indicating a highly competitive, large-scale institute program. The original closing date for proposals was February 18, 2020, and the opportunity record indicates a creation date of September 20, 2019. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with clarification provided in the official eligibility text of the solicitation, which typically signals that eligibility may depend on specific NSF institute requirements and the Phase I to Phase II pathway.

In practical terms, the TRIPODS Phase II program is best understood as NSF support for a small number of major, theory-centered data science institutes that have already demonstrated promise in Phase I. The intent is to create durable institutional platforms where foundational research and training can be pursued at a scale large enough to shape the field, develop shared theoretical frameworks, and produce researchers fluent across statistics, mathematics, and theoretical computer science.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Transdisciplinary Research in Principles of Data Science Phase II" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.049, 47.070.
• This funding opportunity was created on Sep 20, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 18, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 19 604

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