Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-06-08. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If your lab studies solid-Earth dynamics, crustal processes, or earthquake physics through experiments or modeling, NSF's SPSE program directly funds this research at scale.
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What this is
This NSF program funds basic research into how Earth's internal processes shape its structure and cause natural hazards. Research spans all scales from the core to crust, using laboratory experiments, field observations, computational modeling, and theory. Work can address earthquakes, mass movements, magnetic field generation, and planetary formation. Typical applicants are university researchers and research institutions with geology or geophysics expertise.
Who can apply
NSF specifies eligible applicant types in the 'Additional Information on Eligibility' field; text provided does not detail restrictions, but typically NSF research grants require a U.S.-based institution or university with research capacity. Individual researchers must be affiliated with an eligible organization.
Eligible applicant types
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Full description — from the agency
The Structure and Physics of the Solid Earth Program (SPSE) aims to advance fundamental knowledge about the ongoing dynamical processes over the age of the Earth that evolve the structure of planet Earth and underpin geohazards. SPSE supports research at all temporal and spatial scales, from the Earth's core to its crust. Through laboratory, field, theoretical, and computational studies, the program encompasses a wide range of disciplines including structural geology, tectonics, and geophysics. Research in these areas can help improve our understanding of natural hazards including earthquakes and mass flows, as well as Earth’s formation and its magnetic field.
Topics: earth structure · geophysics · earthquake science · tectonics · geohazards · computational geology · seismology
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.