The Office of Naval Research Marine Meteorology and Space Program seeks to prioritize the efforts that foster growth of new talent, diverse perspectives and backgrounds, underserved and disadvantaged scientists, early career scientists, and students seeking advanced degrees and internship experiences. Prospective investigators are strongly encouraged to engage the program about unique interests and propose to our focus topics and special programs on our home page. In addition, below we provide some resources both internal to our program and within broader ONR and DoD initiatives to foster the best in science, technology, engineering and mathematics research and education.
Call for New Investigators
The Marine Meteorology and Space team aims to reserve some funding every year towards new investigators who wish to collaborate with ONR programs and projects. These awards, typically for modest projects facilitating some partial summer time and/or student support, are intended to provide new perspectives and interactions with members of the scientific community who have NOT previously received ONR funding. Lead proposers who have previously led or co-led an ONR project are not eligible under this opportunity. Topics should align with one of the enduring thrusts or special programs found on the Marine Meteorology and Space homepage. Please follow the guidance for planning letters found below.
Opportunities for Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
While investigators from minority institutions are welcome to submit to all the other open calls found through the Marine Meteorology and Space program, ONR also offers expanded opportunities for schools to successfully compete for science opportunities and collaborate with current and future investigators. ONR’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) program provides multiple opportunities for collaboration with the Marine Meteorology and Space program, including summer faculty research at a Naval laboratory or warfare center, the sabbatical leave program, the faculty startup program, and many student opportunities for internships and interaction with Naval research facilities. Please refer to the ONR funding announcements webpage for specific information on some HBCU/MI funding opportunities/deadlines and feel free to coordinate with the Marine Meteorology and Space team for collaboration logistics.
Early Career Grants
Investigators who are within seven years of their terminal degree are eligible to proposal to the Marine Meteorology and Space program for an Early Career project. These projects are intended to be small efforts that allow the investigator to work on a topic of Naval interest and interact with other projects. Funding is reserved each year for up to three candidates, with awards no greater than $100,000 per year for two years. Topics should align with one of the enduring thrusts or special programs found on the Marine Meteorology and Space homepage. Please follow the guidance for planning letters found below.
In addition, outstanding candidates may consider the ONR Young Investigator Program. Academic faculty who received their doctorate (or equivalent) within the past seven years and are in their first or second year of tenure track (or equivalent) academic appointment are eligible. Given the high competitiveness of this program and the fact that proposals are competed across all ONR disciplines, candidates are encouraged to contact our program below for topical alignment and guidance for proposal content.
Student Opportunities
- The Marine Meteorology and Space program offers graduate student funding similar to the Physical Oceanography Early Student Support (ESS) program. Graduate students that are admitted to a doctorate degree program may collaborate with their advisor to submit a planning letter following the guidance on the Physical Oceanography ESS website to the Marine Meteorology and Space team.
- The DoD National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Program (NDSEG) is a joint Army, Navy, and Air Force program that supports up to three years of graduate study for U.S. citizens whose research aligns with the Department of Defense’s Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs).
- The DoD Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Program (SMART) is a scholarship for service opportunity that provides funding for undergraduate and/or graduate study in return for post-graduate employment with the DoD.
- The Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program (NREIP) is a summer internship program to facilitate undergraduate and graduate student experience at Naval laboratories to work with a research mentor on current projects.
- The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) is a summer internship program to facilitate high school student experience ta Naval laboratories to work with a research mentor on current projects.
Request for Planning Letters
The first step in the proposal process is for prospective investigators to prepare planning, allowing investigators to submit a short (three pages maximum) summary of their ideas on this topic for ONR to evaluate, provide technical feedback and indicate whether a full proposal would have a reasonable chance of success.
Refer to the current Marine Meteorology Planning Letter guidelines and indicate your desire to be evaluated as a New PI or Early Career project. Please note "New PI Planning Letter ‘Your Last Name’" or “Early Career Planning Letter ‘Your Last Name’” as appropriate for your submission in your email subject line. If you do not receive acknowledged receipt within 10 days, please follow-up with a resend.