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Our Directorates and Offices
NSF announces organizational realignment
To keep America at the forefront of science, engineering and technology, the U.S. National Science Foundation has made some changes in how the agency is structured to increase our efficiency and effectiveness. This new structure empowers our staff and the scientific and research community to be more responsive in a rapidly evolving science and technology environment. These changes reduce the number of layers in the organization, which allows the agency to more effectively interface with our staff, while achieving faster response times for review and making awards.
NSF plays a critical role in America's innovation ecosystem, which is built on a unique partnership among government, academia, industry and nonprofit research institutions. We are committed to focusing our research investments to catalyze this ecosystem to make deep and meaningful impacts to the lives of the American people.
View the NSF organizational chart（https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/files/NSF-Org-Chart.pdf）.
About NSF（https://www.nsf.gov/about）
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The U.S. National Science Foundation's directorates and offices support research and education across all fields of science and engineering.
Click the links below to learn more about the organization.
On this page
Office of the Director
National Science Board（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#nsb）
Directorate for Biological Sciences（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#bio）
Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#cise）
Directorate for Engineering（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#eng）
Directorate for Geosciences（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#geo）
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#mps）
Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#sbe）
Directorate for STEM Education（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#edu）
Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#tip）
Office of Award Management（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#oam）
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Office of Information and Resource Management（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#oirm）
Office of Inspector General（https://www.nsf.gov/about/directorates-offices#oig）
Office of the Director (OD)（https://www.nsf.gov/od）
Supports the NSF director, chief operating officer and other senior officials who are responsible for agency management, operations and strategic planning in support of NSF's mission to advance innovation anywhere and opportunities everywhere.
Offices within the Office of the Director:
Executive Office of the Director (EOD)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/eod）: Works across NSF and with external partners to implement and manage the science, policy, strategic direction and operations for the agency.
Office of Civil Rights (OCR):（https://www.nsf.gov/od/ocr） Works across the NSF-supported community to eliminate harassment and promote equal opportunity and access.
Office of the General Counsel (OGC):（https://www.nsf.gov/od/ogc） Provides legal advice and assistance for NSF's programs, policies and operations, as well as areas affecting science and technology and the federal government more broadly.
Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/oia）: Advances interdisciplinary science and engineering for societal benefit.
Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/oise）: Promotes the U.S. research community's access to international knowledge, infrastructure and capabilities.
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs (OLPA)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/olpa）: Communicates NSF's activities, programs, research results and policies.
Office of Metascience (OMS)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/oms）: Applies the scientific method to how science and engineering are funded, organized, and evaluated.
Office of Polar Programs (OPP)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/opp）: Supports world-class Arctic and Antarctic science through grants, polar facilities and operational support.
Office of Research Infrastructure (ORI)（https://www.nsf.gov/od/ori）: Oversees major facilities and mid-scale research infrastructure funded by NSF.
National Science Board (NSB)（https://www.nsf.gov/nsb/）
As NSF's governing board, identifies issues critical to NSF's future and establishes its policies. Serves as an independent advisor to Congress and the president on policy matters related to STEM.
Biological Sciences (BIO)（https://www.nsf.gov/bio）
Supports research and education on the principles and mechanisms governing life — from cells to ecosystems and across space and time.
What BIO supports:
Core biological sciences research（https://www.nsf.gov/bio/core-biological-sciences-research）: Advancing fundamental understanding of biological systems at all scales of organization, ranging from molecules to organisms to ecosystems.
Workforce development（https://www.nsf.gov/bio/workforce-development）: Funding development of the biological sciences workforce through education and training at multiple career stages.
Additional initiatives and infrastructure（https://www.nsf.gov/bio/initiatives-infrastructure）: Supporting research and partnerships to advance biological discovery and infrastructure capacity.
Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE)（https://www.nsf.gov/cise）
Supports research and education on the principles and uses of advanced computing, communications, information systems and advanced cyberinfrastructure across science and engineering.
What CISE supports:
Center-scale and testbeds（https://www.nsf.gov/cise/center-scale-testbeds）: Supports large-scale, center-level and testbed investments that bring together research communities, infrastructure and partnerships to accelerate discovery and transition.
Computing and AI foundations（https://www.nsf.gov/cise/computing-ai-foundations）: Supports foundational research in AI, machine learning, data, algorithms, communications and intelligent systems.
Cyber, physical and intelligent systems（https://www.nsf.gov/cise/cyber-physical-intelligent-systems） : Supports foundational research that enables intelligent technologies to operate safely and reliably across physical, digital and human environments.
Human-centered computing and education（https://www.nsf.gov/cise/human-centered-computing-education）: Supports research and education at the intersection of people, computing and learning.
Software and systems foundations（https://www.nsf.gov/cise/software-systems-foundations）: Supports unconventional, potentially paradigm-shifting research that explores new models, technologies and foundations of computing.
Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure（https://www.nsf.gov/cise/office-advanced-cyberinfrastructure）: Supports the design, deployment and operation of advanced research cyberinfrastructure for the national science and engineering community.
Engineering (ENG)（https://www.nsf.gov/eng）
Invests in engineering research and education and the development of innovations to benefit society.
What ENG supports:
Chemical, bioengineering, energy and transport systems（https://www.nsf.gov/eng/chemical-bioengineering-energy-transport-systems）: Supports discoveries in chemical and biochemical systems; bioengineering and engineering healthcare; managing energy, water, minerals and material resources; and fundamental transport, thermal and fluid phenomena.
Civil, mechanical and manufacturing innovation（https://www.nsf.gov/eng/civil-mechanical-manufacturing-innovation）: Advances the future of manufacturing, the design of innovative materials and building technologies, infrastructure resilience and sustainability, and tools and systems for decision-making, robotics and controls.
Electrical, communications and computing systems（https://www.nsf.gov/eng/electrical-communications-computing-systems）: Promotes fundamental research in device and component technologies, power, controls, computation, networking, communications and quantum technologies to support integration and networking of intelligent systems.