Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier: Core Research (FW-HTF)

Funding Agency:

  • National Science Foundation
RFP# and Website: 
NSF 22-533
Description: 

The overarching vision of this program is to support multi-disciplinary research to sustain economic competitiveness, to promote worker well-being, lifelong and pervasive learning, and quality of life, and to illuminate the emerging social and economic context and drivers of innovations that are shaping the future of jobs and work. For the purposes of this solicitation, work is defined as mental or physical activity to achieve tangible benefit such as income, profit, or community welfare. A proposal for a research grant in this program must focus on advancing fundamental understanding of future work and work outcomes for workers and society.

The specific objectives of the Future of Work at the Human-Technology Frontier program are to (1) facilitate multi-disciplinary or convergent research that employs the joint perspectives, methods, and knowledge of behavioral science, computer science, economics, engineering, learning sciences, research on adult learning and workforce training, and the social sciences; (2) develop deeper understandings of how human needs can be met and values respected in regard to how new technologies, conditions, and work experiences are changing; (3) support deeper understanding of the societal infrastructure that accompanies and leads to new work technologies and new approaches to work and jobs, and that prepares people for the future world of work; (4) encourage the development of a research community dedicated to designing intelligent technologies and work organization and modes inspired by their positive impact on individual workers, the work at hand, the way people learn and adapt to technological change, creative and inclusive workplaces (including remote locations, homes, classrooms, or virtual spaces), and benefits for social, economic, educational, and environmental systems at different scales; (5) promote deeper basic understanding of the interdependent human-technology partnership to advance societal needs by advancing design of intelligent technologies that operate in harmony with human workers, including consideration of how adults learn the new skills needed to interact with these technologies in the workplace, and by enabling broad and diverse workforce participation, including improving accessibility for those challenged by physical or cognitive impairment; and (6) understand, anticipate, and explore ways of mitigating potential risks including inequity arising from future work at the human-technology frontier.

Proposals to this program should describe multi-disciplinary or convergent research that addresses technological, human, and societal dimensions of future work. Technological innovations should be integrated with advances in behavioral science, computer science, economic science, engineering, learning sciences, research on adult learning and workforce training, and the social sciences. Proposals that address the impact of large-scale disruptions such as the Covid-19 pandemic on the future of jobs and work are also of interest.

Awards: 

Standard Grant. 

Three classes of proposals will be considered through this solicitation:

  • FW-HTF Project Development Grants (FW-HTF-P) may be requested for a total budget not to exceed $150,000 and for a period of up to 1 year.
  • FW-HTF Research Grants (FW-HTF-R) may be requested for a total budget not to exceed $2,000,000 and for a period of up to 4 years.
  • FW-HTF Transition-to-Scale Grants (FW-HTF-T) may be requested for a total budget not to exceed $4,000,000 and for a period of up to 5 years.
Anticipated Funding Amount: 

$30,000,000

Letter of Intent: 
Not required
Full Proposal Submission Deadline: 

March 02, 2022

Contacts: