NSF Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting proposals for the Trailblazer Engineering Impact Award (TRAILBLAZER) program. This program aims to support individual investigators in pursuing novel research with the potential to drive innovation, advance national leadership in technology, and address significant national needs. Priority areas include artificial intelligence (AI), bioengineering, quantum engineering, robotics, and nuclear engineering. The TRAILBLAZER program is designed for engineers and scientists to explore new research directions distinct from their current work. Funded projects will form a cohort, with principal investigators expected to attend an annual meeting and potentially other NSF activities. An informational webinar is planned for early 2026 to discuss the solicitation and answer questions. Eligibility is restricted to non-profit, non-academic organizations and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the U.S. Principal Investigators (PIs) must hold a tenured or tenure-eligible faculty appointment at the Associate or Full Professor rank (or equivalent) within an engineering school or college, and possess an engineering doctorate. PIs at non-profit, non-academic organizations must have a continuing appointment with substantial research responsibilities. Prior or concurrent funding for overlapping projects will disqualify a PI. Only single-PI proposals are accepted; collaborative proposals and sub-awards are not permitted.