National Science Foundation Overview and Funding Opportunities

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1 National Science Foundation Overview and Funding Opportunities David Rockcliffe Program Director Molecular and Cellular Biosciences

2 Outline Overview of NSF Where we are What we do How we are organized Types of funding opportunities Submitting proposals Proposal review process

3 is the NSF? We are here

4 Where is the NSF? NIH NSF DC VA MD

5 NIH

6 Created in 1950 as an independent federal agency Budget $6.9 billion (2010) Supports ~20% of federally-funded basic research in colleges and universities

7 NSF Mission Strengthen connections between discovery and technological innovation Modernize U.S. research and education infrastructure Position U.S. to benefit from global science and engineering investments Broaden participation, diversity and inclusiveness

8 Subra Suresh Cora Marrett

9 Joann Roskoski Acting AD Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) Emerging Frontiers (EF) Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) Human Resources Research Resources Population and Community Ecology Ecosystem Science Behavioral Systems Developmental Systems Biomolecular Dynamics, Structure and Function Cellular Processes Evolutionary Processes Neural Systems Genetic Mechanisms Systematic Biology & Biodiversity Inventories Physiological & Structural Systems Networks and Regulation Effective Nov Plant Genome Research Program

10 Environmental Biology (DEB) Fundamental research on the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and evolutionary history of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems Ecosystems Science Evolutionary Processes Population and Community Ecology Systematic Biology and Biodiversity Inventories 10

11 Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) Research aimed at understanding the living organism plant, animal, microbe as a unit of biological organization Behavioral Systems Developmental Systems Neural Systems Physiological and Structural Systems 11

12 Biological Infrastructure (DBI) Research Resources Cluster Advances in Biological Informatics (ABI) Biological Research Collections (BRC) Improvements in Facilities, Communications, and Equipment at Biological Field Stations and Marine Labs (FSML) Instrument Development for Biological Research (IDBR) Living Stocks for Biological Research (LSBR) Human Resources Cluster Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in Biology (URM) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) 12

13 Molecular & Cellular Biosciences (MCB) Mission To support fundamental understanding of life processes at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular levels.

14 Biomolecular Dynamics, Structure and Function Cluster Structure and dynamics of biomolecules Biomolecular interactions and mechanisms Energy transduction: photosynthesis and biological electron transfer

15 Cellular Processes Cluster Membrane organization and function Organelle biogenesis, maintenance, and trafficking Cytoskeletal dynamics, cell division, and motility

16 Genetic Mechanisms Cluster Gene expression and epigenetics Chromosome dynamics, DNA replication, repair, recombination and inheritance Evolution of genes and genomes

17 Networks and Regulation Cluster Signaling and metabolic networks The minimal cell, synthetic biology, and the origins of life Environmental interactions and microbial communities

18 Related Programs Physics of Living Systems (MPS PHY PoLS) Chemistry of Life Processes (MPS CHE CLP) Biomaterials Program (MPS DMR BMAT) Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (ENG CBET)

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20 Funding Opportunities Regular research proposals Solicitations Supplements to active NSF awards

21 Regular Proposals Address questions pertinent to any research area in division Require substantial preliminary data Typical project duration: 3 5 years

22 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Awards For non-tenured faculty members who will become the next generation of academic leaders Support projects that effectively integrate research and education Require substantive preliminary data 5-year awards with minimum funding of $100,000 / year

23 Research in Undergraduate Institutions Supports research by faculty members of predominantly undergraduate institutions Single-Investigator and Collaborative Faculty Research Projects Shared Research Instrumentation and Tools

24 Research Coordination Networks (RCN) To advance a field or create new directions in research or education Two tracks Research focused on broad research question, specific group or organisms, or technical advances Undergraduate biology education focused on improving undergraduate biology curricula

25 BIO Supplementary Funding For researchers with active NSF awards Research Opportunity Awards Research Experiences for Teachers Research Experiences for Undergraduates Research Assistantships for High School Students

26 Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) Support faculty from predominantly undergraduates institutions to participate in ongoing, NSF funded research projects Goals are to enhance research at both participating institutions and to improve research and teaching at the undergraduate institution Duration: summer or semester

27 Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) For K 12 or community college teachers Provide opportunities for teachers to engage in research, with eventual aim of transferring new knowledge to the classroom Typical duration: summer or semester

28 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Provide undergraduates with research training through hands on participation in research, leading to presentations and publications Typical duration: 8 10 weeks in summer

29 Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHHS) To foster interest in pursuit of studies in biological sciences Targeted at high school students from underrepresented groups Typical duration: summer, semester, or academic year

30 International Collaborations Offer opportunities for collaborations of PI or students with international labs Coordinated by your program director and a program director in the Office of International Science and Engineering Program

31 The Proposal Cycle The IDEA Preliminary Results Proposal Preparation Merit Review A Decline An AWARD!

32 How to submit a proposal Discuss your idea with your program director Review submission guidelines (Grant Proposal Guide) Cover all the bases Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan Data Management Plan

33 Steps in Review Process Receipt Assignment to a program (or cluster) Administrative Review Checked for compliance Both review criteria addressed Post Doctoral Mentoring Plan Data Management Plan Formatting Appropriateness (Disease related?)

34 Steps in Review Process Scientific Review ad hoc reviews Panel review Decisions Award or decline recommendation by Program Director Concurrence by Division Director Award notifications by Division of Grants and Agreements

35 NSF Merit Review Criteria What is the intellectual merit and quality of the proposed activity? Creativity, originality, potentially transformative concepts Potential to advance knowledge and understanding within and across fields Conceptualization and organization Qualifications of investigators Access to resources

36 NSF Merit Review Criteria What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? Discovery while promoting teaching, training and learning Participation of underrepresented groups Enhancement of infrastructure for research and education Needs to be addressed in both project summary and project description

37 Opportunities for You to Get Involved in Review Become an ad hoc reviewer Become a panelist Become a rotating program director

38 Questions?