Current Trends and Funding Opportunities in Biology and Related Sciences at NSF

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Current Trends and Funding Opportunities in
Biology and Related Sciences at NSF

• Matthew D. Kane
• Ecosystem Science Cluster
• Division of Environmental Biology
• National Science Foundation

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Science Advisor
Office of Management and Budget
Other boards, councils, etc.
Office of Science and Technology Policy
Science Advisor
Major Departments
Commerce
Health and Human Services
Agriculture
Interior
Transportation
Defense
Energy
Independent Agencies
National Aeronautic and Space Administration
Environmental Protection Agency
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Smithsonian Institution
Other agencies
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National Science Foundation Director
Deputy Director

• Directorates
• Biological Sciences
• Comp. Info. Science Engineering
• Education Human Resources
• Engineering
• Geosciences
• Mathematical Physical Sciences
• Social, Behaviorial Econ. Sciences
• Offices
• Budget, Finance Award Management
• Information Resource Management

• Directorates
• Biological Sciences
• Comp. Info. Science Engineering
• Education Human Resources
• Engineering
• Geosciences
• Mathematical Physical Sciences
• Social, Behaviorial Econ. Sciences
• Offices
• Budget, Finance Award Management
• Information Resource Management

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Distinctive Features of NSF

• Emphasis on integrating research and education
• Close interaction with universities
• Rotator system many program directors are on
  loan from universities, labs or industry
• Reviews are advisory program directors make
  funding decisions

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Agenda

• Budget and Funding Trends
• Opportunities at All Levels
• Core Programs Solicitations
• Proposal Preparation
• Merit Review Criteria
• Early career funding opportunities
• Colloboration

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Trends in Research by Agency, FY 1976-2009 in
billions of constant FY 2008 dollars
Source AAAS
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One Driver of science policy
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Academic RD as share of total RD,by
country/economy Most recent year
SOURCE National Science Board, Science and
Engineering Indicators 2006
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Share of U.S. articles among most-cited articles,
total SE 19922003
SOURCE National Science Board, Science and
Engineering Indicators 2006
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President's Plan for Science and Innovation
Total NSF FundingFY 2009-FY 2017 (dollars in
billions)
Over Previous FY
Fiscal Year (FY)
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Climate Change Science
Dimensions of Biodiversity
Metabolic Biochemistry
Environmental Engineering for Sustainability
Biological Oceanography
Ecology Ecosystems
Genes and Genome Systems
Office of Polar Programs
Plant Genome Research
Organism-Environment Interactions
Geobiology
Ecol. Infect. Disease
PEET
RIG
Biodiversity Surveys Inventories
RCN
Living Stocks
IGERT
Dissertation Improvement
Databases
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http//www.nsf.gov/
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http//www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?orgBIO
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Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) NSF 11-1

• Provides guidance for preparation of proposals
• Describes process -- and criteria --by which
  proposals will be reviewed
• Describes process for withdrawals, returns and
  declinations
• Describes the award process and procedures for
  requesting continued support
• Identifies significant grant administrative
  highlights

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Types of Proposal Submission
Solicited vs. Unsolicited

• Unsolicited proposals are associated with
• regular research programs

• Solicited proposals have a published
• Program Solicitation (Program Announcement)

• Target dates
• No deadlines
• (e.g. workshops, SGERs)
• Deadlines

• Submission Windows
• Letters of Intent
• Preliminary proposals

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• Unsolicited Proposals
• Next BIOLOGY Deadline
• July 9, 2011
• Next BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY Target Date
• August 15, 2011

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What to Look for in a Program Solicitation

• goal of program
• eligibility
• special requirements

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Some Current Solicitations
Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation
Dimensions of Biodiversity
Science and Technology Centers
Macro-scale Biology
Metabolomics for a Low Carbon Society
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Proposal Preparation

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The Proposal Cycle
Funded!
Declined
Revise
What next?
Write
Try again
Conceptualize
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Consider the Following

• Start early give yourself enough time
• Read the PA and follow rules in GPG
• Get feedback on your proposal from your
  colleagues
• Proposals should be cogent, appropriate, and
  justified
• Study reviews carefully (award or declination)
• Anticipate criticisms
• If declined - call your Program Director after
  reading your reviews
• If awarded - follow up on reporting and find out
  about supplemental funding

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The NSF Merit Review Process

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Merit Review Criteria
NSF invests in the best ideas from the most
capable people, determined by competitivemerit
review.

• What is the intellectual merit of the proposed
  activity?
• What are the broader impacts of the proposed
  activity?

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Proposal Review Criterion Intellectual Merit

• Potential to advancing knowledge and
  understanding within and across fields
• Qualifications of investigators
• Creativity and originality
• Conceptualization and organization
• Access to resources

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Proposal Review Criterion Broader Impacts

• Advancement of discovery and understanding while
  promoting teaching, training and learning
• Participation of underrepresented groups
• Enhancement of infrastructure for research and
  education
• Dissemination of results to enhance scientific
  and technological understanding
• Benefits to society

• Any proposal that does NOT address these criteria
  in the Project Summary will be RETURNED WITHOUT
  REVIEW.

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NSF Proposal Award Process Timeline
Proposal Processing Unit
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What Makes a Proposal Competitive?

• Likely high impact
• New and original ideas
• Critical approach
• Sound scientific rationale
• Succinct, focused project plan
• Knowledge of subject area or published, relevant
  work
• Experience in essential methodology
• Realistic amount of work
• Sufficient detail

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Something transformative . . .
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NSF Sources of Reviewers

• program officers knowledge of what is being done
  and whos doing what in the research education
  area
• references listed in proposal
• reviewer name on file
• recent technical programs from professional
  societies
• recent authors in Scientific and Engineering
  journals
• SE Abstracts by computer search
• reviewer recommendations
• investigators suggestions

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National Science Foundation Funding Opportunities
Wheres the treasure?
Website http//www.nsf.gov
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For Graduate Students

• Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• 3-year Fellowships, NSF 10-604
• BIO, Divisions of DEB and IOS
• Dissertation Improvement Grants
• NSF 08-564 (3rd Friday in November)
• International (OISE)
• Dissertation Enhancement Projects
• For research at a foreign site
• NSF 04-036

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Postdoctoral Opportunities

• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology
  (PRFB)
• Broadening Participation of Under-represented
  groups in Biology
• Intersections of Biology and Math and Physical
  Sciences
• NSF 10-587
• Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
• Check their web page for latest

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Postdoctoral Opportunities

• National Center for Ecological Analysis and
  Synthesis (NCEAS)
• (http//www.nceas.ucsb.edu)
• National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)
• (http//www.nescent.org)
• National Institute for Mathematical and
  Biological Synthesis
• (http//www.nimbios.org)

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Early-career Investigators

• Research Initiation Grants (RIG)
• To promote broader participation
• For new faculty
• NSF 09-501

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CAREER Awards

• For pre-tenure teacher-scholars
• Integration of research with education
• NSF-wide
• BIO minimum of 500,000 for 5 years
• Check eligibility criteria
• NSF 08-557

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For Everyone

• RAPID (Grants for Rapid Response Research)
• Severe urgency with regard to availability of, or
  access to, data, facilities, etc.
• One year, up to 200,000
• 2-5 pages, internal review

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For Everyone

• EAGER (EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory
  Research)
• Testing novel ideas approaches
• Ventures into transformative areas
• Important new methodology
• 1-2 years, up to 300,000
• 5-8 pages, internal review

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Supplementary Funding

• Research Assistantships for High School Students
  (RAHSS)
• Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)
• Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)
• Research Opportunity Award (ROA)

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1. Read the Solicitations and Manuals (GPG NSF
   11-1)
2. There are diverse funding opportunities at NSF.
3. Change happens. Seek current information.
4. Call or email we are here to help.

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NSF Needs You!
Program Officers
Division Directors
Ad hoc Reviewers
Advisory Panelists