The U.S. Science Support Program sponsors workshops to promote the development of new ideas related to the study of the Earth’s processes and history via scientific ocean drilling. The primary goal is to identify promising new scientific objectives and research opportunities. The workshop program encourages wide scientific community involvement to bring a broader and multidisciplinary approach to standing hypotheses and to explore new directions for IODP research and communication. Workshop topics should be related to objectives outlined in the IODP Science Plan, Illuminating Earth’s Past, Present, and Future. Workshops may focus on a specific scientific theme or topic, or they may focus on a geographic region, integrating multiple topics. Regionally-focused workshops offer opportunities to develop drilling proposals for future target areas based on projected ship tracks, or to synthesize scientific results from past expeditions. Workshop proposals must be submitted by researchers affiliated with a U.S. institution. Funding may be requested for U.S.-based workshops or to support U.S. participants at large, international workshops. Proposals are accepted biannually and evaluated competitively by an independent review panel. The next proposal deadline is December 1, 2020.