Convergence Accelerator Portfolio: Active Tracks

The Convergence Accelerator is composed of a variety of topics designed to accelerate technologies and solutions toward real-world impact. 

The program funds convergence research and innovation to solve complex challenges and strengthen the nation and American communities.

2022 Track: Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities

The Enhancing Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Track is focused on developing new technologies and tools that enhance the quality of life and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The funded research projects through this track specifically aim to drive innovation in assistive technologies, AI-driven accessibility tools and other technology-driven solutions that improve daily living and workforce participation for individuals with disabilities. The initiative prioritizes scientific and engineering advancements that address accessibility challenges through research, development, prototyping and deployment. 

2022 Track: Food & Nutrition Security

By 2050, the world's population is anticipated to increase to an estimated 9.7 billion people, with a corresponding increase in food demands by 60%, water demands by 55% and energy needs by 80%. The Food & Nutrition Security Track's goal is to accelerate convergence across food and nutrition sectors to combat challenges related to population health, nutrition and agriculture. 

2022 Track: Securely Operating Through 5G Infrastructure

5G wireless networks are crucial components of modern communication systems and have become essential to national security. The Securely Operating Through 5G Infrastructure Track seeks to develop enhancements to end devices and augmentations to 5G infrastructure to enable military, government and critical infrastructure operators to have the capability to operate through public 5G networks while meeting security and resilience requirements.

The track is in partnership with the Department of Defense Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, or DOD OUSD(R&E).

2022 Track: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges

The world is dependent on critical materials for every aspect of life and work. These materials are integral to energy, infrastructure, health care, economic development and national security. Approaches that consider a "circular economy" for materials are essential for the sustainable design of these materials and are intended to capture the full life cycle through their use in applications such as the built environment, semiconductors, polymers and textiles. The goal of the Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges Track is to develop use-inspired solutions to advance fundamental materials science, including materials design and manufacturing processes; and circular design to create environmental and economically sustainable materials and products.

The track is in partnership with Australia's national science agency, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. (link is external)  CSIRO is funding the Australian researchers on one of the U.S.-led teams.


2023 Track: Bio-Inspired Design Innovations

Bio-inspired solutions are needed to mitigate complex challenges, including infrastructure monitoring and resilience, food production and human health. This track leverages the understanding of living systems and utilizes expertise from scientists, engineers and practitioners to inspire the creation of innovative concepts, approaches and technologies that mitigate challenges related to infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and food production, and more.

2023 Track: Future Water Systems

The Future Water Systems Track addresses the urgent need to develop real-world solutions to the significant challenges facing freshwater systems in the United States — recognizing the crucial impact fresh water has on future ecosystems, human health, and national security. The track combines existing knowledge with advancements in areas such as environmental sciences, geosciences, computing, AI, engineering and social and behavioral sciences to create new technologies and solutions to address challenges related to freshwater supply and management; hydrologic systems and infrastructure; and resiliency against drought and more.

2023 Track: Real-World Chemical Sensing Applications

Society is faced with challenges related to environmental quality and monitoring, food safety, agriculture, disease diagnostics, security and terrorism. This track builds on foundational knowledge and recent advances to transform scientific discoveries into practice for societal and economic benefits to the nation. Scientific advances include olfaction and chemical sensing, sensor technologies, digital olfaction, AI, neuromorphic systems, computational modeling, biomanufacturing and robotics.

This track constitutes the first cooperative research activity between the U.S. National Science Foundation and two Swedish government agencies advancing research and innovation — the Swedish Research Council (link is external) (or Vetenskapsrådet, in Swedish (link is external) ) and Vinnova — following memoranda of understanding that the agencies signed in May 2023.