Signals in the Soil | 19 556

Opportunity Information: Apply for 19 556

Signals in the Soil is a research grant opportunity led by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that targets one big problem: soils are foundational to food systems, ecosystems, infrastructure, water quality, and climate processes, yet they are still poorly observed and modeled at the scales and speeds needed to manage them well. The opportunity frames soil as a living, dynamic system that can take thousands of years to form but can be severely degraded quickly. It emphasizes that soil is not just dirt; it is an ecosystem packed with microorganisms and complex interactions that drive nutrient cycling, carbon storage and release, contaminant filtering, and water movement. Because soils also influence atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, and because they underpin most terrestrial life and agriculture, the program argues that improving how we measure and predict soil processes is directly tied to human health, economic stability, and long-term sustainability.

The core purpose of the program is to push “convergent research,” meaning tightly integrated, cross-disciplinary projects rather than work done in isolated fields. The solicitation is built around advancing sensor systems and modeling for dynamic, near-surface soil processes. In practice, that means teams are expected to combine expertise from engineering, geosciences, biology, and computer/network systems to create new tools that can detect, interpret, and communicate signals from soils in ways that are more capable than current approaches. A key focus is on developing novel sensors or complete sensing systems that use multiple sensing modalities and can be deployed in different environments. These systems are expected to collect and report a broad set of soil parameters across chemical, biological, and physical domains, rather than focusing narrowly on one measurement type.

Beyond sensing hardware, the opportunity highlights the need for next-generation soil models that can actually make use of rich, high-frequency, multi-parameter data streams. That includes improved computational approaches and cyberinfrastructure, as well as wireless communications and networked systems that can reliably move data from field deployments to researchers and decision-makers. The emphasis on communications and “cyber systems capabilities” signals that the program is not only about better probes in the ground, but also about end-to-end systems: sensing, data transmission, data management, and model integration, all working together to produce usable understanding and prediction of soil behavior.

A major structural feature of Signals in the Soil is its partnership model. NSF is the lead agency, drawing involvement from several NSF units: the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Geosciences (GEO), the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems within Biological Sciences (BIO/IOS), and the Division of Computer and Network Systems within Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE/CNS). The program is also conducted in collaboration with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) and multiple United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) councils, including NERC, EPSRC, BBSRC, and STFC. The intent is to combine resources across agencies and nations to support the most innovative, high-impact projects that align with these partners’ missions, and to encourage collaborations that bring together the different technical and scientific strengths needed to tackle soil as a complex system.

The solicitation also places value on building the broader community needed to sustain this kind of work. It explicitly notes the importance of education and outreach as part of growing a scientific workforce capable of addressing complex soil challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration. In other words, proposals are expected not only to produce new instruments and models, but also to contribute to a longer-term foundation: shared methods, trained researchers, and collaborative networks that can keep advancing soil sensing and prediction after the specific awards end.

From the funding opportunity record, this is a discretionary grant program in the science and technology/research and development category. It was posted under Funding Opportunity Number 19-556, created February 13, 2019, with an original closing date of May 15, 2019. The listing anticipated around 10 awards. The award ceiling is shown as 0, which typically indicates the ceiling is not specified in the summary record and applicants must rely on the full solicitation for budget expectations and limits. Eligibility is summarized broadly as “Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification),” meaning applicants would need to consult the full program announcement for the precise institutional eligibility rules and any special requirements, especially given the multi-agency and international collaboration context.

In short, Signals in the Soil is designed to accelerate a step change in how soils are measured and understood by funding teams that can unify sensor innovation, wireless and cyber systems, and advanced modeling into deployable, multi-parameter platforms. The program’s larger aim is to turn soil from something that is intermittently sampled into something that can be continuously observed and predicted, improving our ability to manage agriculture, protect water and ecosystems, understand climate-relevant gas fluxes, and safeguard the natural asset that soil represents.

• The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Signals in the Soil" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310, 47.041, 47.050, 47.070, 47.074.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 13, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 15, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for 19 556

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