FY2018 VANNEVAR BUSH FACULTY FELLOWSHIP | N00014 17 S F015

FY2018 Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) - Frequently Asked Questions

What is the FY2018 Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF)?

The FY2018 Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship (VBFF) is a competitive Department of Defense (DoD) basic research grant program that supports distinguished academic researchers pursuing bold, high-risk, high-payoff "blue sky" basic research ideas. The program is sponsored by the Basic Research Office under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) administers the solicitation.

Who sponsors and administers this opportunity?

The program is sponsored by the DoD Basic Research Office within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) administers the solicitation.

What is the main purpose of VBFF?

VBFF is designed to push the frontiers of unclassified basic science and engineering by seeding foundational breakthroughs that can reshape fields, create new research directions, or overturn accepted assumptions, while also building durable ties between leading university research labs and the DoD science and technology community.

How does the FOA define "basic research" for VBFF?

The solicitation emphasizes DoD's definition of basic research as work aimed at expanding knowledge of fundamental phenomena, where a specific end product or near-term application is not the primary driver. Proposals should focus on deepening fundamental scientific understanding rather than building a particular device or near-term system.

What are the stated objectives of the program?

The stated objectives include: (1) supporting foundational research that could eventually lead to game-changing DoD capabilities, (2) educating and training graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who may later join or support the defense workforce, and (3) building long-term relationships and ongoing awareness between university researchers and DoD needs and challenges.

What makes VBFF a "fellowship" and not just a research grant?

Awardees receive the title of VBFF Fellow and are expected to engage in program activities throughout the year. These activities can include orientation sessions, visits to DoD labs, technical workshops, and annual meetings where research progress is shared. Fellows may also be encouraged to contribute to DoD advisory boards or similar panels.

Are proposals required to be unclassified?

The program is described as pushing the frontiers of unclassified basic science and engineering.

What type of proposals does the FOA invite?

The FOA invites single-investigator proposals. Collaborations are welcomed, but the application must follow a single-PI structure (no co-PIs), and the lead investigator must clearly show how the broader team operates under that model.

What technical areas are highlighted in the solicitation?

The solicitation highlights several areas viewed as strategically important to DoD, including: Engineering Biology; Quantum Information Science; Cognitive Neuroscience; Novel Engineered Materials; Applied Mathematics and Statistics; and Manufacturing Science.

Can applicants submit proposals outside the highlighted technical areas?

Yes. The FOA allows submissions in other transformative basic research topics as well, as long as the proposal is truly basic research, centers on fundamental understanding, and targets a transformative science problem with clear DoD relevance rather than treating device-building or system integration as the end goal.

What is included under the Engineering Biology area?

Engineering Biology focuses on fundamental advances that could make biology more like an engineered discipline. Examples mentioned include new approaches to biological sensing, new biological production routes for complex molecules and materials, and expanding beyond standard lab organisms into wild organisms, consortia, or deployable biological systems.

What is included under the Quantum Information Science (QIS) area?

Quantum Information Science includes ambitious work on creating and controlling non-classical states of light and matter for computing, sensing, communications, simulation, and metrology. The FOA explicitly encourages disruptive directions, new algorithms that deliver real quantum advantage, and exploration of the limits of QIS.

What is included under the Cognitive Neuroscience area?

Cognitive Neuroscience focuses on understanding mechanisms behind human cognitive skills and resilience. The FOA mentions theoretical, computational, neuronal, and molecular neuroscience; large-scale cortical modeling; cognitive architectures; and knowledge that could inform neural interfaces, brain-machine interfaces, and neuromorphic systems.

What is included under the Novel Engineered Materials area?

Novel Engineered Materials supports curiosity-driven discovery of materials whose unusual behavior arises from designed structure (such as metamaterials). The FOA notes interest in understanding and controlling material evolution and irreversible, far-from-equilibrium behavior under extreme environments like high temperature, high strain rates, or radiation.

What is included under Applied Mathematics and Statistics?

This area seeks foundational mathematical advances that could enable future DoD capabilities. Examples listed include rigorous underpinnings for machine learning and AI, massive data analysis, sociotechnical networks, systemic risk, cybersecurity, encryption and authentication, compressive sensing, and improved computational modeling of physical phenomena (including fluid and solid mechanics or electromagnetics).

What is included under Manufacturing Science?

Manufacturing Science is defined broadly around improving understanding and control of materials systems and processing across scales. The FOA references modeling, simulation, and characterization tools, and stresses new science enabling scalable, precise fabrication of complex hierarchical structures and multi-material architectures, potentially beyond current additive manufacturing and self-assembly limits.

What organizations are eligible to apply as the prime applicant?

Eligibility is centered on U.S. doctoral-granting universities. Accredited U.S. institutions of higher education with PhD-granting programs may apply. DoD institutions are not eligible to apply as applicants.

Can nonprofits or for-profit companies participate?

Yes, nonprofits and for-profits may participate as collaborators via subawards or subcontracts. However, the university must perform the majority of the work and receive the majority of the funding.

Can government agencies, DoD labs, FFRDCs, or other universities collaborate? Can they receive funds?

Government agencies, DoD labs, universities, and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) may collaborate scientifically. However, they cannot receive VBFF funds directly or indirectly through subawards.

Are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions encouraged?

Yes. HBCUs and Minority Institutions are encouraged to participate, but the FOA does not reserve funds specifically for them.

Who is eligible to serve as the Principal Investigator (PI)?

The PI must be a tenured faculty member or full-time research staff with a strong record of impactful scientific contributions, and must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Is the program limited to a single PI? Are co-PIs allowed?

Yes, the structure is strictly single-PI. Only one PI can be listed on an application and co-PIs are not allowed. Collaborations may be included, but they must be managed under the single-PI model.

How many applications can a PI submit?

Only one application per PI is permitted.

What happens if the PI leaves the university during the award?

The FOA notes that, because the award is tied closely to the PI's role at the host university, the grant can be terminated if the PI leaves the university or cannot continue active participation, or if the university ends its relationship with the PI.

Are there special resubmission requirements related to recommendation letters?

Yes. For those invited to submit full proposals after prior-year participation, recommendation letters must be newly obtained and submitted. Older letters dated before the FOA posting date will not be accepted.

What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA number for this solicitation?

The opportunity is managed under funding opportunity number N00014-17-S-F015 and is listed as a discretionary grant under CFDA 12.300.

What was the original closing date and creation date for this FOA?

The FOA lists an original closing date of January 8, 2018, and a creation date of June 14, 2017.

What kind of research vision is VBFF aiming to support?

The program targets a small set of top-tier investigators with unusually ambitious research visions, emphasizing foundational breakthroughs and transformative basic research that could eventually underpin revolutionary new defense capabilities.

Does the FOA emphasize building devices and systems?

The FOA emphasizes basic research focused on fundamental understanding. It notes that proposals should target transformative science problems rather than making device-building or system integration the end goal.

What are examples of DoD engagement activities Fellows may be expected to participate in?

Examples listed include orientation sessions, visits to DoD labs, technical workshops, and annual meetings where research progress is shared. Fellows may also be encouraged to serve on DoD advisory boards or similar panels.