EXPAND Grants seek to stimulate interdisciplinary research that broadens the scope of the current Interdisciplinary Research Groups within CAMM and incorporates the synergistic elements of the Center.
Examples of CAMM synergy may include shared facilities, neutron scattering techniques, theory and modeling in the design of new materials, and related approaches that strengthen the existing IRG themes.
EXPAND Grants support interdisciplinary projects that broaden the scope of CAMM’s current IRGs while maintaining a focus on the central IRG theme.
Proposers are invited to attend weekly IRG meetings and to communicate with IRG leads and deputy leads to identify competitive topics.
These grants support small interdisciplinary groups of one PI and two or more Co-PIs per team. Funded EXPAND Grant teams are expected to participate actively in further team building and CAMM activities.
Figure 1. Common threads and high-level activities braid expertise in CAMM for the exploration of next-generation materials and manufacturing techniques.
Funding
Funding and project structure
Award amount
Awards are up to $50,000 in direct costs per year.
Initial period
The initial funding period is one year.
Renewal possibility
A successful EXPAND Grant team may apply for renewal in next year’s open competition of the CAMM Seed Grant Program.
Eligibility
Who can apply
An applicant may serve as PI on only one proposal in response to this Call for Proposals.
The PI must hold a faculty-level appointment at UT.
EXPAND projects should broaden the scope of the current CAMM IRGs while maintaining a focus on the central IRG theme.
All proposed research must be clearly distinct from ongoing externally or internally funded research.
Currently funded PIs with unspent funds cannot apply to this call.
Proposal Submission
Submission deadline
Proposals for all funding tiers are due by Monday, August 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM EDT.
Submit your proposal as a single PDF file through the submission box below.
A proposal submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered.
Proposal Preparation
What to include in your proposal
Use a minimum 11-point font size, single line spacing, and 1-inch margins throughout.
Cover Page 1-page maximum
Identification of the funding tier: EXPAND, INCLUDE, or TRANSLATE
Proposal title
Names, titles, and departmental affiliations of PI, Co-PIs, and collaborators
Contact information for the PI only, including mailing address, email, phone, and fax numbers
Proposal abstract, 200 words maximum
Project Description 3-page maximum
Objectives of the proposed research project
Description and scope of research
Work plan and methodology
Expected outcomes
Research facilities that may be used to conduct the research
Management Plan 1-page maximum
Describe how the project will be executed as a team
Explain the expertise and synergy among team members that will enable the research
Additional Materials
References cited, no page limit
Budget information, 1-page maximum, including a detailed budget and brief budget justification
SciENcv for the PI, 2 pages
Quad Chart using the CAMM Seed Program template
Proposals longer than the stated page limits and/or missing the required information outlined above will not be accepted.
Budget Restrictions
Allowable and unallowable costs
These seed grants are intended primarily to support student and/or postdoctoral researcher salaries and benefits, tuition, materials and supplies, and instrument user fees.
EXPAND projects should plan budgets that support interdisciplinary team activity and the research needs of the proposed work.
Not allowed
The following expenses are not allowed for any funding tier: equipment, faculty salaries and benefits, computers, and food and entertainment.
Terms & Conditions
Award requirements
All selected proposals are subject to terms and conditions, including reporting requirements, that will be specified when the awards are made.
All publications that result from seed funding must appropriately acknowledge CAMM and NSF support.
PIs are required to submit reports consisting of one page of text and one highlight slide in the year following funding for inclusion in the annual report.
The exact report deadline and requirements will be communicated to the PIs of awarded seed grants.
All purchases, travel, and HR appointments will be conducted in the investigators’ home departments.
“This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center program through the UT Knoxville Center for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (DMR-2309083).”
Submit Proposal
Proposal submission form
Submit your EXPAND Grant proposal as a single PDF file using the form below.
