The NSF Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program supports rigorous, social science–driven studies that examine how ethics, values, culture, and organizational structures shape the conduct of scientific research. Unlike most NSF programs that fund STEM discovery or technological innovation, ER2 funds research about research—investigating how scientific integrity, accountability, equity, inclusivity, professional norms, and decision-making practices influence the research ecosystem. The program is designed to generate evidence-based insights that can improve the ethical climate of research institutions and strengthen the broader scientific enterprise. 

ER2 supports work in philosophy of science, sociology of science, organizational behavior, anthropology, psychology, communication studies, science and technology studies (STS), and interdisciplinary ethics frameworks. Projects may explore topics such as responsible authorship and mentoring, fairness in peer review, ethical implications of AI in research, implicit biases in scientific evaluation, team-science dynamics, research misconduct prevention, institutional accountability, and how cultural or organizational norms shape everyday scientific practice. Many ER2 projects result in practical tools—such as training modules, institutional guidelines, assessment frameworks, and policy recommendations—that support ethical decision-making across STEM fields. 

Proposals often involve qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches, including interviews, ethnography, surveys, case studies, experimental designs, or computational text analysis. ER2 strongly encourages interdisciplinary teams and partnerships with universities, professional societies, research offices, and organizations working to strengthen research integrity. 

Eligibility follows standard NSF rules: U.S. universities, nonprofit research institutions, Tribal organizations, and qualified small businesses may apply. For-profit entities may participate when their contributions advance fundamental social science research rather than compliance-oriented activities. Competitive proposals must clearly articulate theoretical grounding, methodological rigor, broader impacts, and relevance to improving ethical research practice at scale. 

Strong submissions integrate conceptual innovation with actionable outcomes—such as institutional interventions, researcher training strategies, assessment tools, or frameworks for fostering inclusive scientific cultures. Reviewers place significant emphasis on the project’s potential to advance scholarship and to produce meaningful, evidence-based improvements in scientific environments. 

ScienceDocs Can Help 

ScienceDocs supports ER2 applicants with social science framing, methodological design, evaluation structures, institutional partnership strategies, and complete proposal preparation. 
Begin at https://www.sciencedocs.com/quotes/.