The NSF 2026 Idea Machine is your opportunity to help set the U.S. agenda for fundamental research in science and engineering. Participants are invited to tell us the pressing research questions that need to be answered in the coming decade, the next set of “Big Ideas” for future investment by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
It's a way for researchers, the public and other stakeholders to contribute to NSF's mission to support basic research and enable new discoveries that drive the U.S. economy, enhance national security and advance knowledge to sustain the country's global leadership in science and engineering.