The NSF Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) supports enabling and transformative research at the nano, micro, and macro scales that fuels progress in engineering system applications with high societal impacts.

ECCS program clusters encompass novel electronic, photonic, and magnetic devices - and the integration of these devices into circuit and system environments, intelligent systems, control, and networks - for applications spanning semiconductor and quantum information technologies, microelectronics, advanced manufacturing, communications, wireless spectrum, cyber technologies, clean energy and power, healthcare, environment and climate change, transportation, and other systems-related areas.

ECCS programs address the emerging national priorities in both semiconductor and quantum technologies through several research activities:

• Future of Semiconductors (FuSe), a cross-agency program supporting the co-design of semiconductor materials, devices, and systems;
• SemiSynBio-III, a program addressing technological challenges associated with the integration of synthetic biology with semiconductor technology;
• Quantum Manufacturing, with emphasis on quantum device fabrication;
• Access to semiconductor fabrication;
• Access to AIM Photonics, with all aspects of integrated photonics that utilize its current silicon photonics capabilities; and
• Fundamental and translational research on 'lab-to-fab' semiconductor technologies.

ECCS also makes important contributions to the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) through its core programs and special activities. ECCS provides lead support for the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI), a network of 16 university-based user facilities that provides students and researchers from academia, industry, and government with access to tools, instruments and expertise across nanoscale science and engineering disciplines.

ECCS strongly emphasizes the integration of education into its research programs to ensure the preparation of a diverse and professionally skilled workforce. ECCS supports REU, RET, and INTERN supplements. ECCS further strengthens its programs through strategic partnerships with other areas of engineering, science, industry, government, and international collaborations.

Division Programs

The Division has three program clusters, managed by teams of program directors, that reflect the increasing convergence of traditional disciplinary topics and the need for interdisciplinary approaches to emerging technological challenges.

• Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices (EPMD)
• Communications, Circuits, and Sensing-Systems (CCSS)
• Energy, Power, Control and Networks (EPCN)

The Division supports people through Foundation-wide programs such as Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER), Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experiences for Teachers (RET).

ECCS also encourages international collaborations, industry collaborations through the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison (GOALI) program, and cross-disciplinary research and education through other NSF programs. See a list of ECCS-supported programs and solicitations.

In Fiscal Year 2020, ECCS created a new program, Addressing Systems Challenges through Engineering Teams (ASCENT), to address research issues and answer engineering challenges associated with complex systems and networks that are not achievable by a single principal investigator or by short-term projects and can only be achieved by interdisciplinary research teams. Learn more about the latest iteration of ASCENT.

For more information about ECCS funding, please read the ECCS proposal submission information.

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