2017 NSF DMR Young Investigator Workshop June 8-9, 2017 Funding Mechanisms 2017 NSF DMR Young Investigator Workshop June 8-9, 2017 1

NSF The NSF Mission is The NSF strategic goals are related to: To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense (NSF Act of 1950) The NSF strategic goals are related to: Discovery – advance frontiers of knowledge Learning – cultivate an inclusive S&E workforce Research infrastructure – investment in advanced instrumentation, cyberinfrastructure, tools, etc. Stewardship – support excellence in S&E research and education NSF funds fundamental research and education in most areas of science, mathematics and engineering 2

NSF We look for research proposals that Are innovative and push the frontiers of knowledge Contribute to national needs and priorities Go beyond marginalia Integrate well with educational goals Involve research We do not support (except as incidental to the research goals of the research) Developmental efforts Computer programming Design of… Commercialization 2

Types of Proposals IIA and supplements Exploratory Research EAGER, RAPID Initiatives (Solicitations) CAREER, SUSCHEM, DMREF Equipment MRI’s Centers and Institutes MRSEC, STC, PREM Facilities NHMFL, CHESS, NIST, ...

Individual Investigator Programs and Supplements

Individual Investigator Programs Funding for individual research projects DMR invests heavily in these activities ~$150M/yr (half the DMR funding) Funding administered by programs Discipline Specific Programs Condensed Matter Physics, Condensed Matter and Materials Theory, Solid State and Materials Chemistry Materials Specific Programs Electronic and Photonic Materials, Metals and Metalic Nanostructures, Ceramics, Polymers and Biomaterials

Individual Investigator Programs Single investigator awards are the norm >95% of awards are single PI Funding level $80-200K/yr Check with individual programs for values Typical Budget 1 month Summer Salary (2 for PUI’s) 1-2 grad students (depending on tuition) Travel to meetings Equipment ($10-20K typical, ~$100K max) M&S (gases, samples, LHe and LN2, …) Tuition Indirect costs (~50-60%) Funding rate ~15-25% (depending on program)

Individual Investigator Programs Programs also support small (2-3 PI’s) group projects Faculty can be at same/different institutions Subcontracts or collaborative grants Funding level depends on project Typically less per PI than single investigator awards Funding rate ~5-10% Program must demonstrate synergy. Packing more science into same 15 pages 1/2 to 1/4 of space per PI Need to justify why collaboration is a benefit Many good single-PI efforts fail as collaborative proposals

Supplements Once you have funding you can apply for supplements Standard supplement – provides help in dealing with unexpected occurrences Broken equipment, hike in LHe costs, … Not for expanding scope of project. Typically no more than 20% of award REU Supplement Support for UG’s participating in research Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) AGEP Supplement Research Opportunity Awards (ROA’s) focused activities (i.e. research in UG inst.) Unexpected doesn’t mean “I didn’t expect to run out of money so fast” or “I didn’t expect samples to cost so much”.

Other Methods

Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID) RAPID is for proposals having a severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment, including quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters, or similar unanticipated events. Budget consistent with project scope and existing programmatic activities (up to $200K) Require internal review with optional external input Grants for Rapid Response Research (RAPID): Rapid release of funds and expedited merit review Replace part of SGER: having a severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to data, facilities or specialized equipment, including quick-response research on natural or anthropogenic disasters and similar unanticipated events - Deepwater horizon Budget consistent with project scope and existing programmatic activities (up to $200K) Require internal review with optional external input

EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) Exploratory work in its early stages on untested, but potentially transformative, research ideas or approaches. Work may be considered “high-risk, high payoff” in the sense that it, for example, involves radically different approaches, applies new expertise or engages in novel disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives Budget consistent with project scope and existing programmatic activities (up to $300K for 2 years) Program Officer approval needed Requires internal review with optional external input EArly-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER): Exploratory work in its early stages on untested, but potentially transformative, research ideas or approaches.  Replace part of SGER - “High Risk-High Payoff“: Radically different approaches, new expertise, or novel disciplinary or interdisciplinary perspectives Budget consistent with project scope and existing programmatic activities (up to $300K for 2 years) Program Officer approval needed: PI needs to convince appropriateness for EAGER submission Vs “regular” NSF proposals Requires internal review with optional external input

EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) The EAGER mechanism should not be used for projects that are appropriate for submission as “regular” (i.e., non-EAGER) NSF proposals. PI needs to convince appropriateness for EAGER submission vs “regular” NSF proposals Important Note You can simply submit an EAGER You shouldn’t do this Contact the program officer first It will save them and you a lot of time

Initiatives

Initiatives Foundation wide priorities Faculty Early Carrer Development Program (CAREER/PECASE) Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering and Materials (SusChEM) Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer the Future (DMREF) Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN)

CAREER Program “A Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.”

CAREER Award Funds the academic career development of new faculty (it is not a research award) Is based on a development plan –”well argued specific proposal for activities that will build a firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions to research and education” Duration: 5 years CMP $400,000-$720,000 Average ~$610K Deadline: July each year

Equipment Equipment up to $100K can be requested on IIA proposals Typically $10-30K Larger equipment can be requested through the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) program. Equipment in the range $100K-$4M Two types of grants Acquisition (multi-user instrumentation) Development More on this in the afternoon

Center and Institutes Large (~$3-5M) multi-investigator interdisciplinary grants Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers Partnership for Research and Education in Materials Science and Technology Centers More on these in the afternoon For new faculty Source of Seed funding Extensive facilities

Facilities NSF supports several user facilities National High Magnetic Field Lab Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Center for High Resolution Neutron Scattering at NIST ChemMat CARS at the Advanced Photon Source Access to advanced characterization facilities Open to all Simple proposal process More on this in the afternoon.

Questions?

Initiatives Foundation wide priorities Faculty Early Carrer Development Program (CAREER/PECASE) Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering and Materials (SusChEM) Provides partial funding for IIA proposals that address sustainability. Proposals are evaluated in IIA programs Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer the Future (DMREF) Supports collaborative proposals addressing the Materials Genome Initiative (MGI).