CUSP Research Seminar with Jonathan Sprinkle, National Science Foundation

Abstract: This talk will explore the NSF programs of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and Smart and Connected Communities (S&CC) and their respective visions, details of the solicitations regarding submissions of proposals, and some brief exploration of projects that highlight the contributions of the programs. CPS and S&CC both address a broad set of application domains including: transportation and mobility; water management such as storm water, flooding, and water quality; architecting the digital city; urban and rural planning; energy delivery and consumption; disaster response and public safety; healthcare; and digital interfaces to provide other public services. The CPS Program supports research in engineered systems that are built from, and depend upon, the seamless integration of computation and physical components. Advances in CPS will enable capability, adaptability, scalability, resiliency, safety, security, and usability that will expand the horizons of these critical systems. CPS technologies are transforming the way people interact with engineered systems, just as the Internet has transformed the way people interact with information. Moreover, the integration of artificial intelligence with CPS offers major societal implications. The S&CC Program supports research that integrates social and technical dimensions, through support for scientists and engineers across a range of disciplines, in order to ensure their innovations shape cities and communities in the most productive and effective means possible. In particular, the program focuses not just on technological innovation, but also an understanding of how that technology will be utilized by residents. Furthermore, the S&CC program requires scientists to engage in meaningful ways with the community in this pursuit—building collaborations with municipal and civic leaders, community organizations, and anchor institutions.