Today's grand challenges will not be solved by one discipline working alone. Grand challenges require convergence. The goal of the NSF Convergence Accelerator is to accelerate solutions toward societal impact. Defining characteristics include the following: use-inspired research, multidisciplinary teams, larger national and societal scale and diverse partnerships between industry, nonprofits, and academia. The NSF Convergence Accelerator, launched in 2019, is now part of the new Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate. Our latest funding opportunity, traditional NSF grant solicitation (NSF 22-583) and a Broad Agency Announcement (NSFBAA-CA22-02), includes Track I: “Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges.” The objective of this Track is to converge advances in fundamental materials science with materials design and manufacturing methods in an effort to couple their end-use and full life-cycle considerations for environmentally- and economically-sustainable materials and products. The topic was inspired by Elhacham, E., Ben-Uri, L., Grozovski, J. et al. Global human-made mass exceeds all living biomass. Nature 588, 442–444 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-3010-5. We are simply on a trajectory that is not sustainable for human or planet health. Every material we make, and the process by which we manufacture it, must be considered carefully.
This convergent research track topic was further ideated on in NSF-funded community workshops, including “Design for Circular Economy- From Molecules to the Built Environment,” (Melissa Bilec, UPitt), “Accelerating Translational Materials R&D for Global Challenges,” (Jed Pitera, IBM) and “Socioresilient Infrastructure: Precision Materials, Assemblages, and Systems,” (Christine Ortiz, MIT). Topics include the following: (1) Materials research data-sharing principles and infrastructure (Materials Informatics), (2) making materials knowledge usable in design and manufacturing, and for all key stakeholders, (3) software and tools to enable decision making across the supply chain to support improvements in systems-level analysis packages, (4) Critical materials and manufacturing processes, such as microelectronics and their components, (5) solutions for sustainable polymers in areas of high unmet need such as healthcare and packaging; and (6) commercially-viable materials for sustainable clean energy (e.g., batteries, photovoltaics, wind turbines, hydrogen) and transport. Education (for and as) infrastructure, including scaling of innovative curricula and training for inclusive sustainable materials design and job creation is a critical component for all of these areas.
In addition, plastic pollution (and other material waste) are closely linked to climate change making this a way to proactively address and mitigate climate change rather than respond (Ford et al. Science of the Total Environment, Volume 806, Part 1, 1 February 2022, 150392, “The fundamental links between climate change and marine plastic pollution,” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150392). We are at a historic juncture to rethink our relationship with materials and turn the tide for the better. In Nairobi on March 2, 2022,  Heads of State, Ministers of environment and other representatives from UN Member States endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) to End Plastic Pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal. It is the hope of this author that programs such as the NSF Convergence Accelerator can help to accelerate the application of science and technology on a global scale to not only End Plastic Pollution but to address pollution from the making of all materials.

Today's grand challenges will not be solved by one discipline working alone. Grand challenges require convergence. The goal of the NSF Convergence Accelerator is to accelerate solutions toward societal impact. Defining characteristics include the following: use-inspired research, multidisciplinary teams, larger national and societal scale and diverse partnerships between industry, nonprofits, and academia. The NSF Convergence Accelerator, launched in 2019, is now part of the new Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (TIP) Directorate. Our latest funding opportunity, traditional NSF grant solicitation (**[NSF 22-583](https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nsf.gov%2Fpubs%2F2022%2Fnsf22583%2Fnsf22583.htm&data=05%7C01%7Charry.partridge%40nasa.gov%7Cb73732f833554c1af00a08da700f7d11%7C7005d45845be48ae8140d43da96dd17b%7C0%7C0%7C637945509081196222%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qzdDyYRuFmLCw2bhwBv6Aj1HsxJB6TYDWDMBANgdRHQ%3D&reserved=0)**) and a Broad Agency Announcement (**[NSFBAA-CA22-02](https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsam.gov%2Fopp%2Fcad229a574774c038559d0c9fc22d9b4%2Fview&data=05%7C01%7Charry.partridge%40nasa.gov%7Cb73732f833554c1af00a08da700f7d11%7C7005d45845be48ae8140d43da96dd17b%7C0%7C0%7C637945509081196222%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CoUi9T1z8wpNt6m6mbatQ8uvJ7YNEB1d674rfV4YxXI%3D&reserved=0)**), includes Track I: “Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges.” The objective of this Track is to converge advances in fundamental materials science with materials design and manufacturing methods in an effort to couple their end-use and full life-cycle considerations for environmentally- and economically-sustainable materials and products. The topic was inspired by Elhacham, E., Ben-Uri, L., Grozovski, J. _et al._ Global human-made mass exceeds all living biomass. _Nature_ **588**, 442–444 (2020), [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-3010-5](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-3010-5). We are simply on a trajectory that is not sustainable for human or planet health. Every material we make, and the process by which we manufacture it, must be considered carefully.
This convergent research track topic was further ideated on in NSF-funded community workshops, including “Design for Circular Economy- From Molecules to the Built Environment,” (Melissa Bilec, UPitt), “Accelerating Translational Materials R&D for Global Challenges,” (Jed Pitera, IBM) and “Socioresilient Infrastructure: Precision Materials, Assemblages, and Systems,” (Christine Ortiz, MIT). Topics include the following: (1) Materials research data-sharing principles and infrastructure (Materials Informatics), (2) making materials knowledge usable in design and manufacturing, and for all key stakeholders, (3) software and tools to enable decision making across the supply chain to support improvements in systems-level analysis packages, (4) Critical materials and manufacturing processes, such as microelectronics and their components, (5) solutions for sustainable polymers in areas of high unmet need such as healthcare and packaging; and (6) commercially-viable materials for sustainable clean energy (e.g., batteries, photovoltaics, wind turbines, hydrogen) and transport. Education (for and as) infrastructure, including scaling of innovative curricula and training for inclusive sustainable materials design and job creation is a critical component for all of these areas.
In addition, plastic pollution (and other material waste) are closely linked to climate change making this a way to proactively address and mitigate climate change rather than respond (Ford et al. Science of the Total Environment, Volume 806, Part 1, 1 February 2022, 150392, “The fundamental links between climate change and marine plastic pollution,” https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150392). We are at a historic juncture to rethink our relationship with materials and turn the tide for the better. In **Nairobi on March 2, 2022,**  Heads of State, Ministers of environment and other representatives from UN Member States endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) to [End Plastic Pollution](https://wedocs.unep.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39764/END%20PLASTIC%20POLLUTION%20-%20TOWARDS%20AN%20INTERNATIONAL%20LEGALLY%20BINDING%20INSTRUMENT%20-%20English.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y) and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal. It is the hope of this author that programs such as the NSF Convergence Accelerator can help to accelerate the application of science and technology on a global scale to not only End Plastic Pollution but to address pollution from the making of all materials.

"Be part of the solution: The NSF Convergence Accelerator"

Fall 2022 abstracts, posters, and presentations will launch in mid-September.

ACS Fall 2022

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.