Chemical Structure and Dynamics Program (CSD)

Chemical Structure and Dynamics Program (CSD) is sponsored by NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation. Supports experimental and applied computational physical chemistry research on the nature of chemical structure and bonding, electronic structure, and chemical dynamics.

Chemical Structure and Dynamics Program (CSD) | NSF - U.S. National Science Foundation Chemical Structure and Dynamics Program (CSD) Important information for proposers and award recipients All proposals must be submitted in accordance with the requirements specified in the funding opportunity and in the Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) and its supplements .

All NSF grants and cooperative agreements are subject to the applicable set of NSF award terms and conditions . NSF has updated its research security policies for NSF funded projects. Supports experimental and applied computational physical chemistry research on the nature of chemical structure and bonding, electronic structure and chemical dynamics.

Supports experimental and applied computational physical chemistry research on the nature of chemical structure and bonding, electronic structure and chemical dynamics. The Chemical Structure and Dynamics (CSD) program supports research projects that advance foundational knowledge on the nature of chemical structure and bonding, electronic structure, and chemical dynamics.

At coarse resolution, the CSD Program encompasses the sub-disciplines of experimental physical chemistry and applied computational physical chemistry, and it is interested in projects that enable physical phenomena to be viewed in a new light or in ways that challenge current paradigms.

To that end, projects of interest to CSD often rely heavily on the use and/or advancement of sophisticated experimental techniques (e.g., state-selective methods, time and frequency domain spectroscopies, microscopies, single-molecule methods, scattering and diffraction approaches, and surface characterization techniques) or the development of new analysis approaches to further physical understanding.

The chemical systems studied range in complexity and include isolated molecules and molecular ions, liquids, clusters, surfaces and interfaces, molecular assemblies and films, nanoscale systems, and biological structures. The CSD Program also supports applied computational chemistry that demonstrates strong synergy with experiment.

Investigators who plan to submit proposals on primarily computational projects are advised that their proposals will be reviewed by experimentalists and experts in computational chemistry.

The CSD program also encourages proposal submissions in the following topical areas: The CSD Program is interested in projects that would advance our understanding of key Quantum Information Science (QIS) concepts (e.g., coherence, quantum correlations, entanglement) in chemical systems or use QIS concepts to probe chemical structure and dynamics in new ways.

Proposals developing new ways of creating, observing , and quantifying these phenomena in electronic, vibrational, and/or rotational quantum states or exploring their role in chemical reactions are of interest. Proposals that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) methods in the design of experimental protocols, and/or the data analysis are welcomed.

Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) proposals, where such advances are connected directly to industrial considerations, are also encouraged. The CSD program encourages PIs to monitor current funding priorities identified by the Foundation and to highlight relevant synergies in their p roject s ummaries and p roject d escriptions.

Principal Investigators uncertain of the suitability of their proposals for the CSD Program and of their synergy with other funding priorities and/or programs are strongly encouraged to contact the CSD Program Officers Proposals to the CSD p rogram are welcome at any time, starting September 1, 2026.

All proposals submitted to this program (including individual and collaborative proposals, GOALIs) must be submitted to the CHE Disciplinary Research Programs solicitation ( NSF 22-606 ) , except for: RUI proposals must be submitted to the Facilitating Research at Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions: (RUI and ROA-PUI) program .

Proposals submitted in response to another solicitation should follow the solicitation guidelines (e.g. CAREER ). Early -concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) , Rapid Response Research (RAPID) , or Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE) proposals must be discussed with a program officer before submission and then should only be submitted as instructed.

MPS Chemistry occasionally supports forward-looking workshops to inform future research needs and directions relevant to chemical science. We are not generally able to support research symposia, including those at either special or recurring meetings and conferences. Workshop proposals must be discussed with a p rogram o fficer before submission.

For recent awards made by the program, search NSF award database with the Program Element Code 910100.

What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts) Map of Recent Awards Made Through This Program August 14, 2026 - MPS Chemistry Quarterly Office Hours November 13, 2026 - MPS Chemistry Quarterly Office Hours May 8, 2026 - MPS Chemistry Quarterly Office Hours December 8, 2025 - NSF-UKRI/EPSRC Lead Agency Opportunity on Understanding and… Awards made through this program Browse projects funded by this program Map of recent awards made through this program Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Division of Chemistry (MPS/CHE)