Dr. Sohi Rastegar

Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research & Innovation,
National Science Foundation

Dr. Sohi Rastegar is the Director of Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Directorate for Engineering. He joined NSF in a permanent position in November 2003 after over fifteen years of academic service at Texas A&M University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the Johns Hopkins University, and invite professorship at the Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne. He has had over 100 scientific publications and presentations and is a co-founder of BioTex, Inc., a medical device company in Houston, Texas. During his service at NSF, Dr. Rastegar has directed projects and Centers in bioengineering and has worked on interdisciplinary trans-NSF and interagency activities.

Dr. Rastegar holds a BS with highest honors, an MS in Aerospace Engineering, and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Texas. He has served as a faculty at Texas A&M University where he developed a nationally recognized research and academic program in biomedical lasers and optics. He is professionally active in several professional societies including American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) where he is a member of the Bioengineering Executive Committee, the Optical Society of America (OSA), and the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE). He is a fellow of the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery.

The Office of Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) has been established as a result of strategic planning and reorganization of NSF Engineering Directorate (ENG). Motivated by the vision of ENG to be the global leader in advancing the frontiers of fundamental engineering research, EFRI serves a critical role in helping ENG focus on important emerging areas in a timely manner. Each year, EFRI will recommend, prioritize, and fund interdisciplinary initiatives at the emerging frontier of engineering research and education. These investments represent transformative opportunities, potentially leading to: new research areas for NSF, ENG, and other agencies; new industries or capabilities that result in a leadership position for the country; and/or significant progress on a recognized national need or grand challenge.

Emerging Frontier topics launched through EFRI have included Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructures (RESIN) and Science in Environmental and Energy Design: Engineering Sustainable Buildings (SEED), and Renewable Energy Storage (RESTOR). The three EFRI 2012 topics include: Flexible Bioelectronics Systems (BioFlex), Origami Design for Integration of Self-assembling Systems for Engineering Innovation (ODISSEI), and Photosynthetic Biorefineries (PSBR).

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