NSF Web Site: www'nsf'gov

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NSF the Physics Division
National Science Foundation

• NSF Web Site www.nsf.gov

Kathy McCloud Physics (PHY) kmccloud_at_nsf.gov
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NSF Strategic Goals

• Discovery
• Foster research that will advance the frontiers
  of knowledge, emphasizing areas of greatest
  opportunity and potential benefit and
  establishing the nation as a global leader in
  fundamental and transformational SE.
• Learning
• Cultivate a world-class, broadly inclusive SE
  workforce, and expand the scientific literacy of
  all citizens
• Research Infrastructure
• Build the nations research capability through
  critical investments in advanced instrumentation,
  facilities, cyberinfrastructure, and experimental
  tools.

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Directorate forMathematical and Physical Sciences
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PHY Web Site http//www.nsf.gov/physics Most
Have Target Date Sept. 24, 2009 PIF, Plasma
Target Date Oct. 22, 2009 Physics of Living
Systems DEADLINE July 31, 2009 CHECK
TARGET DATES/DEADLINES
Kathy McCloud kmcloud_at_nsf.gov
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Division of Materials Research

• Individual Investigator Programs
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Condensed Matter and Materials Theory
• Biomaterials
• Solid-State and Materials Chemistry
• Polymers
• Metallic Materials and Nanostructures
• Ceramics
• Electronic and Photonic Materials

• Include within IIP
• FRG
• RUI
• GOALI

National Science Foundation
Annual submission window Opens Third
Monday in September Closes First Friday in
November -gt HARD DEADLINE (Opens Sept. 21, 2009
Closes Nov. 6, 2009) check DMR
website STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT EARLY IN
WINDOW
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Division of Astronomical Sciences
The NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences is the
steward of ground-based astronomical research in
the United States The Division supports research
in all areas of astronomy and astrophysics and
related multidisciplinary studies.
National Science Foundation

• Modes of support include,
• single-investigator and collaborative awards,
• funding for acquisition and development of
  astronomical instrumentation,
• technology development for future ground-based
  facilities,
• educational projects that leverage the Division's
  research investments to build research and
  workforce capacity and to increase scientific
  literacy.

http//www.nsf.gov/astronomy
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Proposal WritingBefore You Place Pen to Paper
National Science Foundation

• Search the Award Database
• Investigate Program Websites
• Read Appropriate Solicitation
• Contact the Program Director
• One or two paragraph describing projects
• Possible phone call to talk about the project
• Possible co-review if inter/cross-disciplinary

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Finding Information
Award Search on http//www.nsf.gov
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Proposal WritingBefore You Place Pen to Paper II
In Program Announcement/Solicitation, look for
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• Goal of Program
• Eligibility
• Special proposal preparation and/or award
  requirements
• Deadlines/Target dates/ Submission windows
• Pre/Full proposal

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Things to consider

• Why do it?
• Why you and not someone else?
• Uniqueness of research, educational
  opportunities, available facilities...
• What are your strengths?
• Capture the reviewers attention in the summary
  and introduction. Make them want to read more.
• YOU must convince the reviewer you are worthy of
  funding
• Express yourself clearly
• Its not the reviewers job to figure out what
  you are trying to accomplish and why

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Proposal Preparation
Useful Publications

• Proposal Award Policies Procedures Guide
  (PAPP) NSF 08-1 (starting Jan. 2009 use NSF
  09-1) 
• Combination of the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) and
  the Award Administration Guide (AAG)
• Contains guidelines for all proposals (except
  when program solicitation stipulates otherwise)
• Provides guidance for Award process, from
  issuance and administration through closeout
• Describes NSF organizations and offices most
  relevant to grantees
• Provides a list of Statutes and Executive Orders
  referenced in PAPP

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Potential Pitfalls

• Formatting NEW FONTS SPECIFIED
• References
• See Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section C.2e
• All Authors, Titles of Articles
• Biographical Sketch
• See Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II, Section
  C.2f.
• Collaborators, Advisors, Advisees
• Intellectual Merit Broader Impact in Project
  Summary
• Project Description
• Results from Prior NSF support
• Post Doc Mentoring
• Human Subjects (Require IRB approval)

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Non-conforming proposals may be returned without
review!!!
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Merit Review Criteria

• 1. What is the intellectual merit of the
  proposed activity?
• How important is the proposed activity to
  advancing knowledge and understanding within its
  own field or across different fields? How well
  qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to
  conduct the project? (If appropriate, please
  comment on the quality of prior work.) To what
  extent does the proposed activity suggest and
  explore creative, original, or potentially
  transformative concepts? How well conceived and
  organized is the proposed activity? Is there
  sufficient access to the necessary resources?
• 2. What are the broader impacts of the proposed
  activity?
• How well does the activity advance discovery and
  understanding while promoting teaching, training,
  and learning? How well does the proposed activity
  broaden the participation of underrepresented
  groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability,
  geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance
  the infrastructure for research and education,
  such as facilities, instrumentation, networks,
  and partnerships? Will the results be
  disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and
  technological understanding? What may be the
  benefits of the proposed activity to society?

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Last suggestions

• Dont wait until the deadline to submit
• Download and Print the PDF file after finishing
  and double-check the font size, diagrams, etc
• Different Program Officers may handle things
  differently but you are always safer if you
  follow GPG and solicitation guidelines
• Get someone else (with experience) to read the
  proposal, and leave your ego behind

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Funding Decisions Review Criteria

• 1. What is the intellectual merit of the
  proposed activity?
• How important is the proposed activity to
  advancing knowledge and understanding within its
  own field or across different fields? How well
  qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to
  conduct the project? (If appropriate, please
  comment on the quality of prior work.) To what
  extent does the proposed activity suggest and
  explore creative, original, or potentially
  transformative concepts? How well conceived and
  organized is the proposed activity? Is there
  sufficient access to the necessary resources?
• 2. What are the broader impacts of the proposed
  activity?
• How well does the activity advance discovery and
  understanding while promoting teaching, training,
  and learning? How well does the proposed activity
  broaden the participation of underrepresented
  groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability,
  geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance
  the infrastructure for research and education,
  such as facilities, instrumentation, networks,
  and partnerships? Will the results be
  disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and
  technological understanding? What may be the
  benefits of the proposed activity to society?

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Funding Decisions
Along with the advice provided by
reviewers/panels, NSF staff will give careful
consideration to the following in making funding
decisions Integration of Research and
Education One of the principal strategies
in support of NSF's goals is to foster
integration of research and education through the
programs, projects and activities it supports at
academic and research institutions.
Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs,
Projects, and Activities Broadening
opportunities and enabling the participation of
all citizens, women and men, underrepresented
minorities, and persons with disabilities, are
essential to the health and vitality of science
and engineering. NSF is committed to this
principle of diversity and deems it central to
the programs, projects, and activities it
considers and supports.
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If Declined

• Dont lose heart but try again
• Common Reasons for Declination
• Trust-me proposal,
• Incremental contribution,
• Weak educational component,
• Expertise gaps, Insufficient fund / time
  request,
• Not a good fit in the program,
• Bad luck Funding limitations, timing, program
  balance
• Read Reviews and Panel Summary
• consider comments ( and -), suggestions
• Talk to the Program Director
• Revise proposal and submit again
• Try to express yourself more clearly the next
  time
• Dont assume same set of reviewers

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Award and Reports

• Award management PI and SRO ( NSF)
• Acknowledge NSF support
• (presentations, publication, press
  releases)
• 2. Communicate significant accomplishments to PD
  
• (e.g. Nature/Science articles, press
  releases, etc.)
• 3. Submit reports on time (Annual Report 90
  days prior to anniversary date Final Report 90
  days after award expiration)
• An overdue report will delay the processing of
  pending recommendations and increments. (PIs and
  co-PIs)
• Pay attention to special reporting requirements
  REU, CAREER, Post-Doc Mentoring (new)
• Deliver highlights of work as requested/needed
• (DMR requests 2 page power-point slides
  annually)

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Other Funding Opportunities

• Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER)
• Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI)
• Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)
• Research Experience for Undergraduates Sites and
  Supplements (REU)
• Research Opportunity Awards (ROA)
• Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with
  Industry (GOALI)
• Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) gt
• Grants for Rapid Response research (RAPID)
• Early-concept Grants for Exploratory Research
  (EAGER)

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CAREER

Faculty Early Career Development Program NSF
08-557
National Science Foundation
Find Link on Crosscutting Programs Page

• NSFs most prestigious awards in support of
  junior faculty exemplifying the role of
  teacher-scholar
• Enhances and emphasizes the importance of
  balanced academic careers
• Career development plan to integrate research and
  education

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CAREER

• ELIGIBILTY
• As of Directorate Deadline
• Hold doctorate in field supported by NSF
• Be untenured
• Not previously received an NSF PECASE or CAREER
  award
• Have not competed more than two times in NSF
  CAREER Program
• As of October 1 of submission year be employed
• In a tenure-track (or equivalent) position at US
  academic institution or US non-profit, non-degree
  granting organization
• As an Assistant Professor (or equivalent)
• ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS WITH or WITHOUT TENURE ARE
  NOT ELIGIBLE

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CAREER

• SIZE
• Lower Limit 400K (total)
• Upper Limit - non specified
• BIO Directorate 500K (total) minimum
• DURATION
• 5 Years
• SUPPLEMENTS
• Standard NSF supplements (see GPG)
• PECASE
• HONORARY ONLY

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CAREER


National Science Foundation

• DEPARTMENTAL ENDORSEMENT LETTER
• (About One Page)
• Returned without Review if Missing
• LETTERS OF COMMITMENT/COLLABORATION
• (if needed)
• Short
• Describe collaborative efforts
• Not recommendation/endorsement

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CAREER

• DEADLINES
• July 23, 2009 for MPS, GEO, SBE, OPP
• July 22, 2009 for ENG
• July 21, 2009 for BIO, CISE, EHR
• FASTLANE Submission
• Help desk 1-800-673-6188
• GRANTS.GOV Submission
• Grants.gov User Support 1-800-518-4826

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Education and Interdisciplinary Research Physics
Division

• Physics Education Research and Curriculum
  Development
• Research Experience for Undergraduates
• Research Experience for Teachers
• Interdisciplinary Research with a strong Physics
  component
• Projects focused on Physics and Education
  QuarkNet, CHEPRIO, PhysTEC, and others
• Programs aimed at increasing participation in
  physics by women, under-represented minorities,
  and persons with disabilities

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Physics Education Research and Curriculum
Development

• Target date September 26
• Supports activities that seek to improve the
  education and
• training of physics students (both
  undergraduate and
• graduate), such as curriculum development for
  upper-level
• physics courses

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Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) -
sites and supplements

• Undergraduates spend from 6 10 weeks at a
  university (usually not their home institution
  for REU sites)
• Research with a faculty mentor
• Students receive stipend (450 per week)
• Most have graduate school prep (sites)

National Science Foundation
90 of students involved in an SRI study of
undergraduate research stated that undergraduate
research experiences had a role in career
decisions (67 increased interest in a career in
research, 21 decreased)
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RET supplements and sites

• K-12 Teachers spend 6-8 weeks at a university
• Research with a faculty mentor
• Guidance in introducing research topic into
  classroom

National Science Foundation
The 5 QuarkNet teachers participating in the
University of Michigan Quarknet-CERN Research
Experience for Teachers Program in 2007. From
left to right Peter Grach, Stacy McCormack, Jack
Willis, Shane Wood, and Marla Glover. 
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Physics and Education Projects

• QuarkNet Large Hadron Collider (LHC) physics
  and teachers
• CHEPREO - Center for High-Energy Physics Research
  and Educational Outreach
• PhysTEC initiative from APS, AAPT, and AIP to
  improve physics teacher preparation
• LIGO Science Education Center (Livingston,
  Louisiana) in conjunction with Southern
  University of Baton Rouge. Searching for
  gravitational waves

National Science Foundation
FIU (CHEPREO) graduate students (Luis Lebolo)
shown installing temperature and humidity sensors
for CMS at CERN.
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announcements of INTEREST to YOU.
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