Open (posted) · Grant
PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF)
U.S. National Science Foundation
Key facts
Copied from the official Grants.gov record. Last verified October 29, 2026.
- Program name
- PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF)
- Issuing agency
- U.S. National Science Foundation
- Opportunity number
- 20-558
- Funding type
- Grant
- Funding purpose
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Status
- Open (posted)
- Application deadline
- Closes November 10, 2026(11 days left)
- Published award range
- From $200,000
- Estimated total program funding
- $3,000,000
- Cost sharing or match required
- No
- Eligible applicants (official categories)
- Others (see Additional Information on Eligibility)
- Relevant to
- Neither businesses nor nonprofits are listed
- Geographic restrictions
- None stated in structured data (federal opportunities are often nationwide). Check the eligibility details and full announcement for any limits.
- Assistance Listing (CFDA)
- 47.041
- Official source
- View on Grants.gov ↗ · Agency information link ↗
- Application URL
- www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/363764 ↗Apply through Grants.gov (Workspace) using the application package on the official listing, unless the full announcement names a different submission system.
- Source identifier
- Grants.gov opportunity ID 363764 · Funding opportunity number 20-558
- Posted
- September 1, 2026 · Source last updated October 5, 2026
- Last verified
- October 29, 2026 (against Grants.gov)
- Data completeness
- 100% of key fields published by the source
- Record confidence
- highVerified against the official source; key fields present; no open issues.
Eligibility details (from the agency)
*Who May Serve as PI: The PFE: RIEF program is designed to expand the community of engineering faculty equipped to conduct research in professional formation of engineers. At least one (co) PI must be a member of an engineering department AND not have received engineering education or professional formation funding through EEC in the last three years. Submissions from faculty with active disciplinary research programs, or faculty seeking a shift in their research focus, are especially encouraged. The program is not intended to create an additional funding channel for researchers with expertise in social science or education research; such researchers should apply to the Research in the Formation of Engineers program (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rfe-research-formation-engineers), or other related NSF opportunities.
Description (from the official listing)
The PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) program has two goals: 1) Support research in the Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE), and 2) Increase the community of researchers conducting PFE research. PIs are expected to have little or no experience conducting social science or education research. PFE: RIEF is not intended for established researchers in engineering education or other social science fields to initiate new projects. Those researchers should consider the Research in the Formation of Engineers program (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rfe-research-formation-engineers). The NSF Engineering (ENG) Directorate has launched a multi-year initiative, the Professional Formation of Engineers, to create and support an innovative and inclusive engineering profession for the 21st Century. Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) refers to the formal and informal education and value systems by which people become engineers. It also includes the ethical responsibility of practicing engineers to sustain and grow the profession. The engineering profession must be responsive to national priorities, grand challenges, and dynamic workforce needs; it must be equally open and accessible to all Americans. Engineering faculty possess both deep technical expertise in their engineering discipline and the primary responsibility for the process of professional formation of future engineers. As such, engineering faculty are in a unique position to help address critical challenges in engineering formation. The Professional Formation of Engineers:…
Read the full description
The PFE: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) program has two goals: 1) Support research in the Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE), and 2) Increase the community of researchers conducting PFE research. PIs are expected to have little or no experience conducting social science or education research. PFE: RIEF is not intended for established researchers in engineering education or other social science fields to initiate new projects. Those researchers should consider the Research in the Formation of Engineers program (https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/rfe-research-formation-engineers). The NSF Engineering (ENG) Directorate has launched a multi-year initiative, the Professional Formation of Engineers, to create and support an innovative and inclusive engineering profession for the 21st Century. Professional Formation of Engineers (PFE) refers to the formal and informal education and value systems by which people become engineers. It also includes the ethical responsibility of practicing engineers to sustain and grow the profession. The engineering profession must be responsive to national priorities, grand challenges, and dynamic workforce needs; it must be equally open and accessible to all Americans. Engineering faculty possess both deep technical expertise in their engineering discipline and the primary responsibility for the process of professional formation of future engineers. As such, engineering faculty are in a unique position to help address critical challenges in engineering formation. The Professional Formation of Engineers: Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (PFE: RIEF) program enables engineering faculty who are renowned for teaching, mentoring, or leading educational reform efforts on their campus to develop expertise in conducting engineering education research.
Agency contact
NSF grants.gov support
grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov
grantsgovsupport@nsf.gov