EPSCoR Outreach Mississippi State University 18 April 2011 STS Funding Opportunities The National Science Foundation Fred Kronz, Program Director Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

Outline Basics of the National Science Foundation STS Research Opportunities Procedures, Guidelines, and Advice Separating Awards from Declinations

NSF in a Nutshell Independent Agency Supports basic research Uses grant mechanism Low overhead; highly automated Discipline-based structure Cross-disciplinary mechanisms Use of Rotators/IPAs National Science Board

Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences Budget, Finance & Award Management Budget, Finance & Award Management Information Resource Management Information Resource Management Director, and Deputy Director Engineering Geosciences Mathematical & Physical Sciences Education & Human Resources Biological Sciences Computer, Information Science & Engineering National Science Foundation

Division of Social and Economic Sciences (SES) Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) Division of Science Resources Statistics (SRS) Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) The Science, Technology, and Society Program (STS) is in SES, which is in turn in SBE SES supports research on the intellectual and social contexts governing the development and use of science and technology SES also supports research to advance scientific knowledge by focusing on economic, legal, political and social systems, organizations, and institutions Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

Cross-Directorate Activities$3.1M Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences$7.2M Economics $25.0M Innovation & Organizational Change$3.2M Law & Social Science$5.0M Methodology, Measurement & Statistics$3.9M Political Science$9.3M Science, Technology, & Society (STS)$8.9M Sociology$8.8M FY 2011 Allocations Have Not Yet Been Set Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences SES Division FY 2010 Allocations by Program

The Science, Technology, and Society Program Examines broader questions involving science, engineering or technology, and their impacts on society STS has four core areas:  Ethics and Values in Science (EVS)  History and Philosophy of Science (HPS)  Social Studies of Science (SSS)  Studies of Policy in Science (SPS) These areas are distinguished by the scientific and scholarly orientations they take to the subject and the different focuses within each subject. Collaborative hybrid projects involving two or more areas are strongly encouraged. Division of Social and Economic Sciences

Science, Technology and Society Program STS has eight modes of support  Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grants  Post-doctoral Fellowships  Professional Development Fellowships  Scholars Awards  Standard Research Grants (Collaborative)  Small Grants for Training and Research  Conference and Workshop Awards  Other Grant Opportunities Associated with STS For more information, please see the STS Program Solicitation, NSF Document The program has two deadlines per year, February 1 st and August 1 st Division of Social and Economic Sciences

Other Opportunities Cross-Cutting Solicitations (CAREER, IGERT) EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) RAPID response research (RAPID) Dear Colleague Letters (DCL) Science, Technology and Society Program

CAREER: Faculty Early Career Development Program Recognizes and supports the early career-development activities of those educator-scholars who are most likely to become the academic leaders of the 21 st century. Awardees are selected on the basis of creative career- development plans that effectively integrate research and education in the context of the mission of their institution. NSF (Program Solicitation) National Science Foundation

CAREER: Faculty Early Career Development Program Untenured faculty (or comparable) Single scholar award $400,000 minimum award, 5-year duration Three proposals lifetime limit Deadline: 27 July 2011 (25 July 2012) “ Walk on Water ” expectation National Science Foundation

IGERT: Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program Innovative research-based graduate education Organized around an interdisciplinary research theme Provides a framework for integrating research and education and promoting collaborations across departments and institutions Involves a diverse group of faculty members Students gain breadth of skills and understanding to work in an interdisciplinary environments while grounded in some disciplinary field NSF (Program Solicitation) National Science Foundation

EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) Exploratory work on untested, potentially transformative ideas High-risk, high-potential payoff $300,000 maximum; 2 years Eight page descriptive Internal review only Contact program officer first National Science Foundation

Rapid Response Research (RAPID) Research when data are ephemeral $200,000 maximum; 1 year 5 page project description Internal review only Contact program officer first National Science Foundation

Impacts of Biology on Society DCL IBS initiative spans across the SBE and BIO Directorates It is intended to foster research that specifically addresses the interactions of the biological sciences with society IBS projects should address one or more components of the STS program in the context of biological questions Partnerships between biologists and philosophers or historians or social scientists to address current issues relevant to the impacts of biology on society and vice versa are particularly encouraged NSF (Dear Colleague Letter—archived) Division of Social and Economic Sciences

Research at the Interface of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Society DCL RIMPSS initiative spans across the SBE and MPS Directorates Intended to foster research that specifically addresses the interactions of the mathematical/physical sciences with society RIMPSS projects should address one or more STS components in the context of mathematical of physical science questions Partnerships between math/physical scientists and philosophers or historians or social scientists to address current issues relevant to the RIMPSS are particularly encouraged NSF (Dear Colleague Letter—soon to be archived) Division of Social and Economic Sciences

Why You Want NSF Funding Funds curiosity-driven research Pays full overhead (no match) Provides summer salary support Uses the grant mechanism

Where to Start? STS Program Solicitation: NSF Award Search: NSF Grant Proposal Guide:

NSF Sources of Reviewers Program Officer ’ s knowledge References listed in the proposal Google Community of Science and other databases Reviewer ’ s recommendations Investigator ’ s suggestions

Funding Decisions Program Officer decision Feedback to PI Informal and formal notification Scope of work and budget discussions

Two Funding Criteria Intellectual Merit Potential Broader Impacts

Intellectual Merit How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding in its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? 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 resources?

Potential Broader Impacts Promotes teaching, training and learning Broadens the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.) Enhances the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, partnerships Disseminates results broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding Benefits society, by enhancing public understanding of science, for example

Data Management Plans All proposals must describe plans for data management and sharing of the products of research, or assert the absence of the need for such plans DMPs must be placed in the Special Information and Supplementary Documentation section FastLane prevents submission of proposals that are missing DMPs The DMP will be reviewed as part of the intellectual merit or broader impacts of the proposal or both. For more information on DMPs, see secion ii.C.d.j of the PAPPG For SBE guidelines on DMPs:

Budget Tips Amounts –Reasonable, Realistic for work –Well-justified, Need-established –In-line with Program Guidelines Eligible costs –Personnel –Equipment –Travel –Other Direct Costs, Subawards –Facilities & Administrative Costs

Myths about NSF Only funds scholars at elite graduate institutions Only funds “ famous ” academics Once declined, you are likely always to be declined Only funds “ normal science ” Advisory committees make funding decisions

Reasons for Declinations “ Trust-me ” proposal Not feasible –Expertise gaps –Insufficient funding –Too ambitious Incremental contribution Bad luck

NSF vs. NIH NSF tends to be smaller NSF is more open to risky, exploratory, paradigm- challenging work NSF stresses basic research NSF has no scoring system, percentile system NSF program officers make funding decisions NSF uses “ revision encouragement ” loosely

It is useful to submit, even if declined… Revise and resubmit Discover other funding sources Forces thinking Builds relationships Receive reviews from experts

Final Advice Learn to love rejection Team up or call Program Officer with specific questions Encourage dissertation improvement grant proposals

Additional Questions? Fred Mike Kelly Where Discoveries Begin