Incorporating Human Behavior in Epidemiological Models | 25 538

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Incorporating Human Behavior in Epidemiological Models (IHBEM) program?

IHBEM is a U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity focused on improving epidemiological modeling by explicitly incorporating human behavior into mathematical models of disease spread.

What problem is IHBEM trying to address?

The program is built around the idea that real-world disease dynamics are shaped not only by biology and contact patterns, but also by how people perceive risk and respond. This includes behavior changes such as mobility shifts, changes in social mixing, adopting or rejecting interventions, and decisions influenced by social norms, incentives, misinformation, trust, and policy.

What kinds of research does IHBEM support?

IHBEM supports research that integrates social, behavioral, and economic processes directly into mathematical epidemiological models to better reflect real-world dynamics and improve the usefulness of models for public health planning and response.

What does "incorporating human behavior into epidemiological models" mean in this solicitation?

It means representing behavioral processes as part of the model itself rather than treating behavior as a minor adjustment or a single fixed parameter. Examples described in the opportunity include linking survey or observational data to model structure, representing feedback loops between epidemic trends and protective behaviors, and modeling how policy and communication strategies influence decisions over time.

How important is interdisciplinary integration for IHBEM proposals?

Interdisciplinary integration is a defining feature of the program. Competitive projects are expected to show genuine integration across disciplines, with coordinated participation from mathematical scientists and researchers in the social, behavioral, and economic sciences.

Does IHBEM expect human behavior to be treated as more than an "add-on"?

Yes. The solicitation emphasizes that human behavior should not be an afterthought or a simple parameter tweak. Proposals should demonstrate how behavioral theory, empirical measurement, and model design will be developed together.

Who is eligible to submit a proposal to IHBEM?

Eligibility to submit proposals is limited to U.S.-based Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs). The proposing organization must have a campus located in the United States and must submit on behalf of its faculty members.

Are two-year institutions or community colleges eligible?

Yes. Both two-year and four-year accredited colleges and universities, including community colleges, may apply as the proposing organization, as long as they are U.S.-based and submit on behalf of their faculty members.

Are there any special restrictions on who can serve as Principal Investigator (PI)?

No. The program states there are no restrictions or limits on who may serve as PI beyond the standard requirement that proposals be submitted through an eligible U.S. IHE.

Can a proposal include funding for work at an international branch campus of a U.S. IHE?

Yes, but if a proposal includes funding that would go to an international branch campus of a U.S. IHE (either directly or via subawards or consultants), the submission must clearly explain why the international branch campus benefits the project and why the planned activities cannot reasonably be carried out at the U.S. campus instead.

What type of grant is IHBEM classified as?

The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary, science and technology research and development grant.

What is the funding opportunity number for IHBEM?

The funding opportunity number is 25-538.

When is the proposal deadline?

The original closing date listed for this opportunity is July 14, 2025.

How many awards does NSF expect to make under this solicitation?

NSF anticipates making about 15 awards under this solicitation.

Is the maximum award amount (award ceiling) provided?

No. The award ceiling is not specified in the provided source data.

When was the opportunity record created?

The opportunity record was created on April 16, 2025.

Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?

The listing includes CFDA numbers 47.049, 47.074, 47.075, 93.279, and 93.322, reflecting the program's placement within broader federal research assistance categories.

What kinds of behavioral factors does the program explicitly call out as relevant?

The program description points to factors such as risk perception, responses to guidance, changes in mobility and social mixing, adoption or rejection of interventions, and decision-making shaped by social norms, incentives, misinformation, trust, and policy.

What kinds of model features does the program suggest as examples of strong integration?

Examples mentioned include (1) linking survey or observational data to model structure, (2) representing feedback loops between epidemic trends and protective behaviors, and (3) modeling how policy and communication strategies influence individual and collective decisions over time.

What is the overarching goal of IHBEM-funded work?

The goal is to produce epidemiological models that better reflect real-world dynamics and can more reliably inform public health planning and response by integrating human behavior as a central driver of disease spread.