National Science Foundation Presentation at CLASP Conference Duncan McBride National Science Foundation November 11, 2010

National Science Foundation Who and what is NSF? Independent Federal agency that makes grants for research and education in the sciences, math, engineering, except the biomedical sciences Supported by congressional appropriation; budget about $7 billion per year Receives about 45,000 proposals a year and makes about 10,000 grants a year Scientific staff of about 600, including 200 rotators, and 800 other staff. Almost all scientific staff are current or former faculty Organized much like a university

National Science Foundation NSF Organizational Structure National Science Board (NSB) Director Deputy Director Biological Sciences (BIO) Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) Education & Human Resources (EHR) Engineering (ENG) Geosciences (GEO) Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MPS) Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences (SBE) Office of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI) Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) Office of International Science & Engineering (OISE) Office of Polar Programs (OPP)

National Science Foundation Divisions within EHR Four Divisions by level of education –Graduate Education (DGE) (Grad Fellowships) –Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) (Mostly K-12) –Undergraduate Education (DUE)* –Human Resource Development (HRD) (Minority programs) Other parts of NSF have similar (disciplinary) division structure

National Science Foundation Selected Programs in DUE and current publication number Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM (TUES): NSF [was Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI)] STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP): NSF Scholarships in STEM (S-STEM): NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program (Noyce): NSF *Research in Undergraduate Institutions: (RUI) *Research Experiences for Undergraduates: (REU)

National Science Foundation TUES: Transforming Undergraduate Education in STEM Our broadest, most innovative program Vision –Excellent STEM education for all undergraduate students. Goal –Stimulate, disseminate, and institutionalize innovative developments in STEM education through the production of knowledge and the improvement of practice.

National Science Foundation TUES: Project Types Type 1 (small) –Up to $200,000duration: 2 to 3 years + $50,000 with community college partner) Type 2 (medium) –Up to $600,000 duration: 2 to 4 years Type 3 (large) –up to $5,000,000 duration: 3 to 5 yrs Central Resource Projects –up to $3,000,000duration: negotiable

National Science Foundation TUES: Choice of Type Reflects Scale of the Project –Number of institutions, students and faculty Maturity of the Project (Stage) –Type 1 may lead to Type 2, etc. –But prior CCLI/TUES funding is not required Scope of the Project –Defined by the number of components, based on our view of the nature of educational innovation

National Science Foundation TUES projects focus on one or more of the following project components. - Creating Learning Materials and Strategies - Implementing New Instructional Strategies - Developing Faculty Expertise - Assessing and Evaluating Student Achievement - Conducting Research on Undergraduate STEM Education

National Science Foundation TUES: For Example, Type 1 reflects Scope and Scale: –One or two program components –Limited number of students & faculty at one institution Expected Results: –Contribute to understanding of effective STEM education, typically by exploring new ideas –Can serve as basis for Type 2 project –Transforms a lecture or laboratory course, a curriculum, or a department

National Science Foundation TUES: Types of projects that transform a course, a curriculum or a department Integrate new instrumentation or equipment into undergraduate laboratories or field work Creatively adapt best teaching materials and techniques from elsewhere into a new setting Develop materials that use a new instructional approach embodying current understanding of how students learn Introduce content from new research into an existing course Explore the practical aspects of using remote laboratories Develop an assessment of students’ knowledge that can be used widely Provide courses needed for efficient, seamless transfer from 2-yr to 4-yr colleges in partnership with other institutions Explore or pilot internet-based approaches for faculty professional development

National Science Foundation TUES: Over time, the program has increased emphasis on Building on and contributing to the literature on effective STEM education Building a community of scholars in STEM education reform Identifying project-specific measurable outcomes –Project management and evaluation

National Science Foundation TUES: Deadlines Deadline For Type 1 –May 26 & 27, 2011 Deadline For Type 2/3 and Central Resource Projects – January 14, 2011

National Science Foundation S-STEM: NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Goal: Enable students to pursue a degree in a STEM field; increase number of graduates in STEM Provides funds to institutions to award scholarships to academically talented, but financially needy, students Students can be pursuing associate, bachelor’s, or graduate degrees Scholarships can be up to $10,000/yr - up to 4 yrs within the limits of students’ official level of need. (They can be less than $10K and fewer than 4 yrs)

National Science Foundation S-STEM: Major features of program Natural science, math, engineering, CS disciplines are eligible Grant size: max $600,000 (mostly scholarships; up to 5% can be spent for administrative costs and up to 10% for student support services) One proposal per constituent school or college that awards STEM degrees (e.g., school of engineering, college of arts & sciences) Estimated $50 million available in FY 2011

National Science Foundation S-STEM: Program features PI must be member of STEM faculty; other faculty involved; perhaps other staff Scholarships to “natural” cohorts of students S-STEM students are full-time and are US citizens or permanent residents Project must describe clear plans for recruitment, retention, and graduation of students Institution must provide some student support structures; grant can pay for others Optional enhancements: research opportunities, tutoring, internships, etc. Students become science professionals or go on to further education

National Science Foundation STEP: STEM Talent Expansion Program Basic Goals: Increase the number of students (US Citizens or permanent residents) in STEM Increase associate’s / bachelor’s degrees in e stablished or emerging STEM fields

National Science Foundation STEP: Successful projects might provide Bridge programs that enable additional preparation for students from HS or community colleges Programs to improve the quality of student learning –Peer tutoring, learning communities –new pedagogical approaches (e.g. mastery learning, active learning, SENCER courses) Programs to encourage undergraduate research Student support mechanisms to encourage retention and graduation

National Science Foundation STEP: Outcomes expected Activities that will be institutionalized from the project Plan for continuing efforts to increase number of STEM students & graduates Formative assessment of progress towards goals Dissemination of project results to broader community

National Science Foundation STEP Maximum Support Levels – Enrollment based –$500 K for 5 years for 1- 5,000 undergrads –$1.0 M for 5 years for 5,001-15,000 undergrads –$2.0 M for 5 years for >15,000 undergrads One proposal per institution (can be a partner on only one proposal) STEP Budget –$28-30 million expected for FY 2011 –20-24 awards expected

National Science Foundation 4. NOYCE: Program tracks Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Track –Scholarships for undergraduate STEM majors preparing to become K-12 Teachers –Internships for freshmen and sophomores –Stipends for STEM professionals seeking to become K-12 teachers NSF Teaching Fellowships & Master Teaching Fellowships (TF/MTF) Track –Fellowships for STEM professionals receiving teacher certification through a master’s degree program –Fellowships for science and math teachers preparing to become Master Teachers

National Science Foundation NOYCE: Scholarship Track At least $10K per student per year (but not to exceed the cost of education) Max period: 2-3 years for UGs; 1 year for Post-bacc students Phase 1 awards: up to $1.2M up to 5 years. (addtl $250K possible for collaborating with a community college) Grants may ask up to 20% for program support costs Noyce scholars have up to 6 years to serve their two years/year of scholarship in a high need district. Noyce scholars must serve 2 years in high-need school for each 1 year of support.

National Science Foundation NOYCE: TF/MTF Track support features Teaching Fellows receive at least $10K (not to exceed cost of attendance) while enrolled in Master’s program While teaching in a high-need school district the TF and MTF recipients receive an annual $10K salary supplement (4 years for TF and 5 years for MTF) Grants may ask up to 20% for program costs TF/MTF projects may request up to $3M for 5 to 6 years. (addtl $250K possible for collaborating with a community college)

National Science Foundation Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) NSF Activity (no separate budget) Research proposals from undergrad institutions Proposals compete in regular research programs 2010: 109 awards for $25.6 million –Mostly bio (28%), physical & math sci (55%), geo (10%) –Many institutions, few awards to each (mostly 1-4 in 3 years)

National Science Foundation Research Opportunity Awards Part of RUI Supplement to existing NSF award For faculty at less research-active institutions 2005: 52 awards for $3.5 million Under-utilized

National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program of sites and supplements for undergrad research Supplements to NSF research grants Sites are free-standing grants 2010: 241 awards for $50.9 m. (includes some conferences, special studies, non- traditional activities) Most costs are for students

National Science Foundation Summary: some suggestions. 1. Faculty may become a reviewer. 2. Obtain copies of successful proposals. Public record –Go to NSF homepage (nsf.gov) –Select “Education Directorate” or another directorate. –Select “Division of Undergraduate Education” or another –Select a program –Link to “recent awards in this program” –Contact the PI. PIs are usually eager to discuss a project and willing to provide a copy of the proposal

National Science Foundation NSF web site

National Science Foundation Who in DUE? *=> rotator Biology –Terry Woodin –Celeste Carter –Deborah Allen* –Mary Lee Ledbetter* Chemistry –Susan Hixson –Bert Holmes* –Eun-Woo Chang* –Hal Richtol Computer Science –Victor Piotrowski –Scott Grissom* –Sue Fitzgerald* Social Sci/Ed Research: Engineering –Russ Pimmel –Don Millard –Ning Fang* –Janis Terpenny* –Susan Finger* Geosciences –Dave Matty* Mathematics –Lee Zia –Dennis Davenport* –Richard Alo* Physics/Astronomy –Duncan McBride –Richard Peterson* Myles Boylan, Connie Della-Piana

National Science Foundation Contacts NSF home page: nsf.gov DUE web site : nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DUE Other research and education programs similarly from NSF home page. NSF staff directory available from home page or on individual program pages Publications about NSF and about submitting proposals available from NSF web site. All proposals and reviews done through the electronic NSF Fastlane system fastlane.nsf.gov

National Science Foundation NSF: the place

National Science Foundation Duncan McBride contacts Feel free to contact me with questions about NSF, who else to contact, or questions about programs. If I don’t know, I can probably refer you to another person. Best contact is by , with a followup telephone conversation if necessary by appointment. Duncan McBride Division of Undergraduate Education National Science Foundation