The National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (NSSEFF) program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering (DDR&E). The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) manages the NSSEFF program for DDR&E. The NSSEFF program provides extensive, long-term financial support to distinguished university faculty and staff to conduct unclassified, basic scientific research on topics of interest to DoD. An additional program goal is to foster long-term relationships between the NSSEFF Fellows and the DoD. NSSEFF ensures that our nation has an active, long-term, well informed, and aggressive research portfolio that attracts creative and energetic researchers and their students.

Accredited, U.S. doctoral degree-granting academic institutions may nominate distinguished faculty and staff to receive a NSSEFF award. The Fellows will be selected based on competitive evaluations of the scientific merit of the nominees' white papers and proposals. It is anticipated that approximately 10 fellowships will be awarded each fiscal year.

Each Fellow may receive up to $4,250,000 in long-term financial support (up to $850,000 per year for up to 5 consecutive years) to conduct unclassified basic research on topics of interest to DoD. Fellows are expected to produce quantifiable research results over the five-year period of the grant. Fellows are also expected to participate in informational meetings that will include opportunities for discussions with DoD technical personnel.

Grants will be made to the Fellows' universities in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Fellows will be required to be full and active participants in all NSSEFF activities, provide annual reports of research progress and financial management to DoD, and brief DoD leadership in person at least once each year on their research progress and results.

Full details of application and submission information for the next National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship Competition are expected to be released during the summer. The broad agency announcement will be published on Grants.gov.