The U.S. National Science Foundation announces 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 U.S. Virgin Islands. The NSF program supports graduate students, educates the STEM leaders of tomorrow and strengthens the national research infrastructure, according to the organization. The awardees, including two from the newly added state of Missouri, will focus on research and development in artificial intelligence and quantum information science and engineering, both reportedly national priorities of utmost importance.
"NSF continues to invest in the future STEM workforce by preparing trainees to address challenges that increasingly require crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries," says Sylvia Butterfield, acting assistant director for NSF's Directorate for Education and Human Resources, in a press release. "Supporting innovative and evidence-based STEM graduate education with an emphasis on recruiting and retaining a diverse student population is critical to ensuring a robust and well-prepared STEM workforce."
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, according to the organization.
The NSF-sponsored projects will delve into machine learning, neuro-engineering, quantum computing and networks and robotics.
See the NSF Research Traineeship 2022 awards here.
