NSF call for proposals: Future of work at the human-technology frontier

Researchers across the social, behavioral and economic sciences are encouraged to submit proposals to the Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Core Research solicitation by March 23, 2021.

The U.S. National Science Foundation’s “Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier” is one of ten transformative “big ideas” supporting bold, long-term research at the frontiers of science and engineering. The effort takes a multidisciplinary approach by supporting research at the intersection of people, society and technology, while aiming to increase opportunities for workers and spur innovations that benefit the U.S. economy. It is a collaborative effort with NSF’s directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Education and Human Resources, Engineering, and the Office of Integrative Activities.

Proposals to the new solicitation should describe multidisciplinary research investigating the evolving technological, human and societal aspects of work. Researchers from the social, behavioral and economic sciences should collaborate with researchers in computer science, engineering and learning sciences to investigate the potential impacts of technological innovations and disruptions. The solicitation invites proposals for planning grants and research grants, as well as new and larger transition-to-scale awards that can create a novel and extended knowledge base applicable to future workplaces. Proposals must also address inclusion and equity in a meaningful way, including potential inequalities in future workplaces or occupations. Proposals should include methods to mitigate those inequalities, such as new approaches to learning or technologies that support accessibility and inclusion.

For full details and guidance on award types, amounts and other questions, see Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Core Research (FW-HTF).