The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded 44 multidisciplinary teams a combined total of more than $18 million under the NSF Responsible Design, Development and Deployment of Technologies, or ReDDDot, program.
NSF said Monday the inaugural investment aims to foster responsible and ethical development of emerging technologies, focusing on the public’s well-being, including legal, community and societal considerations.
For the Phase I funding, NSF awarded up to $300,000 to 21 teams to develop larger proposals. Another 9 teams will get $75,000 each to conduct workshops under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
The agency also selected 14 teams to receive up to $1.5 million for the Phase II funding. These teams demonstrated mature projects related to artificial intelligence, biotechnology or natural and anthropogenic disaster prevention.
The ReDDDot program was launched in partnership with Ford Foundation, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Siegel Family Endowment and other philanthropic organizations.
Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for technology, innovation and partnerships at NSF, emphasized the agency’s commitment to creating mutually beneficial research collaboration in line with the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.
“Through a robust public-private partnership with philanthropies, NSF’s investment in ReDDDoT aims to ensure that TIP advances the design, development and deployment of new technologies responsibly,” Gianchandani said.