The National Science Foundation will hold a webinar on April 29, 2020 at 1 p.m. E.T. to review proposal preparation for the Generation-4 Engineering Research Centers (ERC) program. For registration see: Guidance for NSF Engineering Research Center Gen-4 Proposal Preparation (NSF 20-553)
NSF Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) are highly competitive, flagship centers of research excellence. According to the NSF, ERC’s “promote partnerships among researchers in different disciplines and between industry and universities. They focus their research programs on transformational engineered systems and produce technological innovations that strengthen the competitive position of industry.”
ERC’s also play an important educational role linking high school learning to world-class research. ERCs. form pre-college partnerships to bring engineering knowledge to the classroom and stimulate interest in engineering careers. This integration of research and education creates an innovation ecosystem to produce ERC graduates who become leaders in technological innovation, and the ability to assume leadership roles in industry, academe, and government. ERC’s have produced a steady stream of advances in technology, enhanced the translation of technology to marketable products with tens of billions of dollars in market value, according to the NSF.