NSF Flashcards
2 distinguishing characteristics of NSF
1) the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering (except medical sciences)
2) funding source for approximately 25% of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities
NSF’s Strategic Plan FY18-22
Building the Future: Investing in Discovery and Innovation
GOALS:
> Expand knowledge in science, engineering and learning
> Advance the capability of the Nation to meet current and future challenges
> Enhance NSF’s performance of its mission
NSF Organization - What are the 7 Directorates?
1) Biological Sciences
2) Computer and Information Sciences & Engineering
3) Engineering
4) Geosciences
5) Mathematical and Physical Sciences
6) Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences
7) Education and Human Resources
Transformative Research
It’s through transformative research that NSF hopes to accomplish the goals laid out in its strategic plan.
Transformative research involves ideas, discoveries or tools that radically change our understanding of an important existing scientific or engineering concept or educational practice or leads to the creation of a new paradigm or field of science, engineering, or education.
NSF Review & Award Cycle - What are the 3 Phases?
> Phase 1 - Proposal preparation and submission (90 days)
> Phase 2 - Proposal review and processing (6 months)
> Phase 3 - Award processing (30 days)
Top 4 reasons a NSF proposal is returned without review
1) duplicate of, or substantially similar to, a proposal already under consideration or already funded
2) does not meet NSF proposal prep requirements
3) missed deadline
4) does not contain each of the required sections of the proposal
What are the 4 steps of NSF’s Phase 2 (Proposal Review & Processing)?
1) Reviewers selected
2) Peer Review
3) Program Officer Review and Recommendation
4) Division Director Review
NSF Merit Review Criteria (x2)
Intellectual Merit - to what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative, original and potentially transformative concepts?
Broader Impact - to what extend does the proposal have potential to benefit society and contribute to specific and desired outcomes?
Mechanisms for announcing NSF Funding Opps
Program Description (PD) - encourages submission to a specific program of interest, posted to directorate/division website.
Program Announcement (PA) - describes the NSF program of interest.
Program Solicitation (PS) - more formal version of PA, usually allows submission for a limited time
Dear Colleague Letters (DCL) - notice of special competitions or supplemental funding opps
NSF Proposal Sections
- Cover Sheet
- Project Summary
- Table of Contents
- Project Description
- References Cited
- Biographical Sketches
- Budget and Budget Justification
- Current and Pending Support
- Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources
- Special Information and Supplementary Documents
- Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan (if applicable)
- Data Management Plan
- Single Copy Documents
* Collaborators & Other Affiliations
NSF Project Summary Requirements
- Limited to 1 page
-
Must include:
1) Overview - activity, objectives, methods
2) Intellectual Merit - potential to advance knowledge
3) Broader Impacts - potential to benefit society and contribute to specific societal outcomes
NSF Project Description Requirements
- Limited to 15 pages
- Clear SOW, workplan, relationship or work to present knowledge in field, relationship to work in progress by the PI, description of work to be completed by subs
-
Must include 2 sections -
1) Broader impacts
2) Results from prior NSF support (for all PIs and Co-Is)
NSF Biosketch
- limited to 2 pages
- fillable form or SciENcv only
- Includes: professional preparation, appointments, products, synergistic activities
NSF Budget Requirements
> Budget just no more than 5 pages
> 2-month salary rule: salary compensation for senior personnel limited to no more than 2 months of their regular salary in any one year, across all NSF funded awards.
- Organization defines the year, includes in budget just.
- If anticipated greater than 2 months required, budget just. used to explain
NSF Proposal Types
- Standard
- Rapid Response Research Proposal
- Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)
- Research Advanced by Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering (RAISE)
- Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI)
- Ideas Lab
- Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED)
- Conference Proposals
- Equipment Proposals
- Travel Proposals
- Center Proposals
- Research Infrastructure Proposals
Rapid Response Research Proposal
NSF
Used when there is a severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to, data, facilities or special equipment, or for quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters or similar unanticipated events.
$200k up to 1 year
Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER)
Used to support exploratory work in its early stages on untested, but potentially transformative, research ideas or approaches. This work may be considered especially “high risk – high payoff.”