[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 236 (Thursday, December 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76622-76625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-31159]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Office of Science; Continuation of Solicitation for the Office of
Science Financial Assistance Program--Notice 01-01
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Annual notice of continuation of availability of grants and
cooperative agreements.
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SUMMARY: The Office of Science of the Department of Energy hereby
announces its continuing interest in receiving grant applications for
support of work in the following program areas: Basic Energy Sciences,
High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, Advanced Scientific Computing,
Fusion Energy Sciences, Biological and Environmental Research, and
Energy Research Analyses. On September 3, 1992, (57 FR 40582), DOE
published in the Federal Register the Office of Energy Research
Financial Assistance Program (now called the Office of Science
Financial Assistance Program), 10 CFR part 605, Final Rule, which
contained a solicitation for this program. Information about submission
of applications, eligibility, limitations, evaluation and selection
processes and other policies and procedures are specified in 10 CFR
part 605.
DATES: Applications may be submitted at any time in response to this
Notice of Availability.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be sent to: Director, Grants and Contracts
Division, Office of Science, SC-64, U.S. Department of Energy, 19901
Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290. When preparing
applications, applicants should use the Office of Science Financial
Assistance Program Application Guide and Forms located on the World
Wide Web at http://www.science.doe.gov/production/grants/grants.html.
Applicants without Internet access may call 301-903-5212 for
information.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published annually and
remains in effect until it is succeeded by another issuance by the
Office of Science, usually published after the beginning of the fiscal
year. This annual Notice 01-01 succeeds Notice 00-01, which was
published November 5, 1999.
It is anticipated that approximately $400 million will be available
for grant and cooperative agreement awards in FY 2001. The DOE is under
no obligation to pay for any costs associated with the preparation or
submission of an application. DOE reserves the right to fund, in whole
or in part, any, all, or none of the applications submitted in response
to this Notice.
In addition, the following program descriptions are offered to
provide more in-depth information on scientific and technical areas of
interest to the Office of Science:
1. Basic Energy Sciences
The Basic Energy Sciences (BES) program supports fundamental
research
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in the natural sciences and engineering leading to new and improved
energy technologies and to understanding and mitigating the
environmental impacts of energy technologies. The science areas and
their objectives are as follows:
(a) Materials Sciences
The objective of this program is to increase the understanding of
phenomena and properties important to materials behavior that will
contribute to meeting the needs of present and future energy
technologies. It is comprised of the subfields metallurgy, ceramics,
condensed matter physics, materials chemistry, and related disciplines
where the emphasis is on the science of materials.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3427.
(b) Chemical Sciences
The objective of this program is to expand, through support of
basic research, knowledge of various areas of chemistry, chemical
engineering and atomic molecular and optical physics with a goal of
contributing to new or improved processes for developing and using
domestic energy resources in an efficient and environmentally sound
manner. Disciplinary areas where research is supported include atomic
molecular and optical physics; physical, inorganic and organic
chemistry; chemical physics; photochemistry; radiation chemistry;
analytical chemistry; separations science; actinide chemistry; and
chemical engineering sciences.
Program Contact: (301) 903-5804.
(c) Engineering Research
This program's objectives are: (1) To extend the body of knowledge
underlying current engineering practice in order to open new ways for
enhancing energy savings and production, prolonging useful equipment
life, and reducing costs while maintaining output performance, and
environmental quality; and (2) to broaden the technical and conceptual
base for solving future engineering problems in the energy
technologies. Long-term research topics of current interest include:
foundations of bioprocessing of fuels and energy related wastes, micro-
and nano-scale energy transport, fracture mechanics, fundamental
studies of multiphase flows and heat transfer, robotics and intelligent
machines, nanotechnology, and diagnostics and control for plasma
processing of materials.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3427.
(d) Geosciences
The goal of this program is to develop a quantitative and
predictive understanding of those geologic processes related to energy
and environmental quality. The emphasis is on disciplinary areas of
geophysics, geomechanics, hydrogeology and geochemistry with a focus on
the upper levels of the earth's crust. Particular emphasis is on rock-
fluid systems and interactions emphasizing processes taking place at
the atomic and molecular scale. Specific topical areas receiving
emphasis include: High resolution geophysical imaging; rock physics,
physics of fluid transport, and fundamental properties and interactions
of rocks, minerals, and fluids.
Program Contact: (301) 903-5804.
(e) Energy Biosciences
The primary objective of this program is to generate the
fundamental understanding of biological mechanisms in the areas of
botanical and microbiological sciences that will support technological
developments related to DOE's mission. The research serves as the basic
information foundation with respect to an environmentally responsible
renewable resource production for fuels and chemicals, microbial
conversions of renewable materials and biological systems for the
conservation of energy. This program has special requirements for the
submission of preapplications, when to submit, and the length of the
applications. Applicants are encouraged to contact the program
regarding these requirements.
Program Contact: (301) 903-2873.
2. High Energy and Nuclear Physics
This program supports about 90% of the U.S. efforts in high energy
and nuclear physics. The objectives of these programs are indicated
below:
(a) High Energy Physics
The primary objectives of this program are to understand the
ultimate structure of matter in terms of the properties and
interrelations of its basic constituents, and to understand the nature
and relationships among the fundamental forces of nature. The research
falls into three broad categories: Experimental research, theoretical
research, and technology R&D in support of the high energy physics
program.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3624.
(b) Nuclear Physics (Including Nuclear Data Program)
The primary objectives of this program are an understanding of the
interactions and structures of atomic nuclei and nuclear matter at the
most elementary level possible, and an understanding of the fundamental
forces of nature as manifested in nuclear matter.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3613.
3. Advanced Scientific Computing Research
This program fosters and supports fundamental research in advanced
computing research (applied mathematics, computer science and
networking), and operates supercomputer, networking, and related
facilities to enable the analysis, modeling, simulation, and prediction
of complex phenomena important to the Department of Energy.
Mathematical, Information, and Computational Sciences
This subprogram supports a spectrum of fundamental research in
applied mathematical sciences, computer science, and networking from
basic through prototype development. Results of these efforts are used
to form partnerships with users in scientific disciplines to validate
the usefulness of the ideas and to develop them into tools. Testbeds on
important applications for DOE are supported by this subprogram. Areas
of particular focus are:
Applied Mathematics: Research on the underlying mathematical
understanding and numerical algorithms to enable effective description
and prediction of physical systems such as fluids, magnetized plasmas,
or protein molecules. This includes, for example, methods for solving
large systems of partial differential equations on parallel computers,
techniques for choosing optimal values for parameters in large systems
with hundreds to hundreds of thousands of parameters, improving our
understanding of fluid turbulence, and developing techniques for
reliably estimating the errors in simulations of complex physical
phenomena.
Computer Science: Research in computer science to enable large
scientific applications through advances in massively parallel
computing such as very lightweight operating systems for parallel
computers, distributed computing such as development of the Parallel
Virtual Machine (PVM) software package which has become an industry
standard, and large scale data management and visualization. The
development of new computer and computational science techniques will
allow scientists to use the most advanced computers without being
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overwhelmed by the complexity of rewriting their codes every 18 months.
Networking: Research in high performance networks and information
surety required to support high performance applications--protocols for
high performance networks, methods for measuring the performance of
high performance networks, and software to enable high speed
connections between high performance computers and networks. The
development of high speed communications and collaboration technologies
will allow scientists to view, compare, and integrate data from
multiple sources remotely.
Program Contact: (301) 903-5800.
4. Fusion Energy Sciences
The mission of the Fusion Energy Sciences program is to advance
plasma science, fusion science, and fusion technology and, thereby the
knowledge base needed for an economically and environmentally
attractive fusion energy source. The Office of Fusion Energy Sciences
(OFES) supports basic and applied research, encourages technical
connectivity with the broader U.S. science community, and uses
international collaboration to accomplish this mission.
(a) Research Division
This Division seeks to develop the physics knowledge base needed to
advance the Fusion Energy Sciences program toward its goals. Research
into physics issues associated with medium to large-scale confinement
devices is essential to studying conditions relevant to the production
of fusion energy. Experiments on this scale of devices are used to
explore the limits of specific confinement concepts, as well as study
associated physical phenomena. Specific areas of interest include: (1)
Reducing plasma energy and particle transport at high densities and
temperatures, (2) understanding the physical laws governing confinement
of high pressure plasmas, (3) investigating plasma wave interactions,
and (4) studying and controlling impurity particle transport and
exhaust in plasmas.
Research is also carried out in the following areas: (1) Basic
plasma science research directed at furthering the understanding of
fundamental processes in plasmas; (2) theoretical research to provide
the understanding of fusion plasmas necessary for interpreting results
from present experiments, planning future experiments, and designing
future confinement devices; (3) critical data on plasma properties,
atomic physics and new diagnostic techniques for support of confinement
experiments; (4) supporting research on innovative confinement
concepts; and (5) research on issues that support the development of
Inertial Fusion Energy, for which target development is carried out by
the Office of Defense Programs in the Department of Energy's National
Nuclear Security Agency.
Program Contact: (301) 903-4095.
(b) Facilities and Enabling Technologies Division
This Division is responsible for overseeing the facility operations
and enabling research and development activity budgets within the OFES.
Grant program opportunities are in the enabling research and
development activity. (Grants for scientific use of the facilities
operated/maintained by this Division should be addressed to the
Research Division.) The enabling technologies program supports the
advancement of fusion science in the nearer-term by carrying out
research on technological topics that: (1) Enable domestic experiments
to achieve their full performance potential and scientific research
goals; (2) permit scientific exploitation of the performance gains
being sought from physics concept improvements; (3) allow the U.S. to
enter into international collaborations gaining access to experimental
conditions not available domestically; and (4) explore the science
underlying these technological advances.
The enabling technologies program supports pursuit of fusion energy
science for the longer-term by conducting research aimed at innovative
technologies, designs and materials to point toward an attractive
fusion energy vision and affordable pathways for optimized fusion
development.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3068.
5. Biological and Environmental Research Program
For over 50 years the Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
Program has been investing to advance environmental and biomedical
knowledge connected to energy. The BER program provides fundamental
science to underpin the business thrusts of the Department's strategic
plan. Through its support of peer-reviewed research at national
laboratories, universities, and private institutions, the program
develops the knowledge needed to identify, understand, and anticipate
the long-term health and environmental consequences of energy
production, development, and use.
(a) Life Sciences Research
Research is focused on using DOE's unique resources and facilities
to develop fundamental biological information and advanced technologies
to understand and mitigate potential health effects of energy
development, energy use, and waste cleanup. The objectives are: (1) To
create and apply new technologies and resources in sequencing,
comparative genomics, and bioinformatics to characterize the human
genome; (2) to develop and support DOE national user facilities for use
in fundamental structural biology; (3) to use model organisms to
understand human genome organization, human gene function and control,
and the functional relationships between human genes and proteins; (4)
to characterize and exploit the genomes and diversity of microbes with
potential relevance for energy, bioremediation, or global climate; (5)
to understand and characterize the risks to human health from exposures
to low levels of radiation; and (6) to anticipate and address ethical,
legal, and social implications arising from genome research.
Program Contact: (301) 903-5468.
(b) Medical Applications and Measurement Science
The research is designed to develop beneficial applications of
nuclear and other energy-related technologies for medical diagnosis and
treatment. The research is directed at discovering new applications of
radiotracer agents for medical research as well as for clinical
diagnosis and therapy. A major emphasis is placed on application of the
latest concepts and developments in genomics, structural biology,
computational biology, and instrumentation. Much of the research seeks
breakthroughs in noninvasive imaging technologies such as positron
emission tomography. The measurement science activities focus on
research in the basic science of chemistry, physics and engineering as
applied to bioengineering.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3213.
(c) Environmental Remediation
The research is primarily focused on the fundamental biological,
chemical, geological, and physical processes that must be understood
for the development and advancement of new, effective, and efficient
processes for the remediation and restoration of the Nation's nuclear
weapons production sites. Priorities of this research are
bioremediation and operation of the William R. Wiley Environmental
Molecular Sciences
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Laboratory (EMSL). Bioremediation activities are centered on the
Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research (NABIR) program, a
basic research program focused on determining the conditions under
which bioremediation will be a reliable, efficient, and cost-effective
technique. This subprogram also includes basic research in support of
pollution prevention, sustainable technology development and other
fundamental research to address problems of environmental
contamination.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3281.
(d) Environmental Processes
The program seeks to understand the basic physical, chemical, and
biological processes of the Earth's atmosphere, land, and oceans and
how these processes may be affected by energy production and use. The
research is designed to provide data that will enable an objective
assessment of the potential for and consequences of global warming at
global and regional scales. The program is comprehensive with an
emphasis on understanding and simulating the radiation balance from the
surface of the Earth to the top of the atmosphere (including the effect
of clouds, water vapor, trace gases, and aerosols) and on enhancing the
quantitative models necessary to predict possible climate change at
global and regional scales.
The Climate Change Technology (CCT) research seeks the
understanding necessary to exploit the biosphere's natural carbon
sequestration processes to enhance the sequestration of carbon dioxide
in terrestrial systems and the ocean and to understand its potential
environmental implications. The CCT includes research that can lead to
the development of approaches to reduce or overcome the environmental
and biological factors or processes that limit the sequestration of
carbon in these systems to enhance the net sequestration of carbon in
terrestrial and ocean systems. The research includes studies on
terrestrial and ocean carbon sequestration and disposal, including
research to modify the carbon sequestration capacity and rate by marine
and terrestrial organisms and to understand the potential environmental
implications of purposeful policies intended to enhance the natural
sequestration of carbon in terrestrial and marine systems and/or
dispose of carbon by deep ocean injection.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3281.
6. Energy Research Analyses
This program supports energy research analyses of the Department's
basic and applied research activities. Specific objectives include
assessments to identify any duplication or gaps in scientific research
activities, and impartial and independent evaluations of scientific and
technical research efforts. Consistent with these overall objectives,
this program conducts numerous research studies to assess directions in
science and to identify and assess new and improved approaches to
science management.
Program Contact: (202) 586-9942.
7. Experimental Program To Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)
The objective of the EPSCoR program is to enhance the capabilities
of EPSCoR states to conduct nationally competitive energy-related
research and to develop science and engineering manpower to meet
current and future needs in energy-related fields. This program
addresses basic research needs across all of the Department of Energy
research interests. Research supported by the EPSCoR program is
concerned with the same broad research areas addressed by the Office of
Science programs that are described in this notice. The EPSCoR program
is restricted to applications, which originate in nineteen states
(Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South
Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming) and the
commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is anticipated that only a limited
number of new competitive research grants will be awarded under this
program subject to the availability of funds.
Program Contact: (301) 903-3427.
Issued in Washington, DC on: November 30, 2000.
John Rodney Clark,
Associate Director of Science for Resource Management.
[FR Doc. 00-31159 Filed 12-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-U