Grants Awarded


In 2016 the ACS Petroleum Research Fund committed to new grants totaling $20.2 million. As a result more than 600 active research grants were supported at colleges and universities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Israel, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

Download a list of ACS PRF grants awarded in 2016

Grant Types Awarded in 2016

New Directions (ND)

This ACS PRF grant program usually funds proposals from doctoral departments. The fundamental research proposed must be a new direction for the principal investigator. Seventy eight ND grants were awarded for $110,000 each over two years.

Undergraduate Research (UR)

UR grants are exclusively for faculty in departments that do not offer a doctoral degree. The fundamental research proposed must include support for undergraduate students, and M.S. students may also be supported. Twenty UR grants were awarded for $70,000 each over a three-year period.

Doctoral New Investigator (DNI)

DNI grants are for new faculty members in Ph.D.-granting departments in the United States who are within the first three years of a regular appointment as an Assistant Professor or the equivalent. Eighty two DNI grants were awarded for $110,000 each over a two-year period.

Undergraduate New Investigator (UNI)

UNI grants are for new faculty members at primarily undergraduate institutions in the United States who are within the first three years of a regular appointment as an Assistant Professor or the equivalent. Twenty three UNI grants were awarded for $55,000 each over a two-year period.

Historical information on other grant types can be found in previous ACS PRF Annual Report editions. Access to the 2007-2015 editions is available via the “All E-Annual Reports” option on the menu at the top of this web page

PRF Advisory Board Committees and Disciplines/Proposal Areas

 # Discipline
1. Synthetic Organic Chemistry
2. Geochemistry
3. Inorganic Chemistry
4. Physical Organic Chemistry
5. Surface Science
6. Chemical Physics/Physical Chemistry
7. Polymer Science
8. Geology and Geophysics
9. Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
10. Materials Science

Read more detailed information on 'Research Areas Supported.'