NSF Research Traineeship program expands to include 43 states

NSF has announced 22 new awards through its NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program. The $58 million investment, including $6.9 million of support from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, expands the program to comprise 43 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands. This NSF program supports graduate students, educates the STEM leaders of tomorrow and strengthens the national research infrastructure. The awardees will focus on research and development in artificial intelligence and quantum information science and engineering – both national priorities of utmost importance.

The NRT program advances research by training graduate students in interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through a comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based and aligned with evolving workforce and research needs. The institutional support provided through the program creates opportunities for transformative research.

These ambitious NSF-sponsored projects will delve into machine learning, neuro-engineering, quantum computing and networks, and robotics. Awardees from NSF EPSCoR jurisdictions include the following:

• The University of ALABAMA, Water-R2O: Research to Operations in Data-driven Hydrologic Forecasting and Decision-making
• ARKANSAS State University, Understanding Invasion and Disease Ecology and Evolution through Computational Data Education
• IOWA State University, Dependable Data Driven Discovery
  
  
• NEW MEXICO State University, Artificial Intelligence for Arid Land Agriculture