Current Trends and Funding Opportunities in Biology and Related Sciences at NSF Matthew D. Kane Ecosystem Science Cluster Division of Environmental Biology National Science Foundation

NSF National Aeronautic and Space Administration Environmental Protection Agency Smithsonian Institution Nuclear Regulatory Commission Other agencies Commerce Science Advisor Other boards, councils, etc. Independent Agencies Major Departments Science Advisor Office of Science and Technology Policy Office of Management and Budget Agriculture Health and Human Services InteriorTransportationDefenseEnergy U.S. President

National Science Board National Science Board Office of Inspector General Directorates Biological Sciences Comp. & Info. Science & Engineering Education & Human Resources Engineering Geosciences Mathematical & Physical Sciences Social, Behaviorial & Econ. Sciences Offices Budget, Finance & Award Management Information & Resource Management Office of the Director Legislative & Public Affairs Equal Opportunity Prog. General Counsel Integrative Activities Polar Programs Cyberinfrastructure International Programs National Science Foundation Director Deputy Director Director Deputy Director Directorates Biological Sciences Biological Sciences Comp. & Info. Science & Engineering Comp. & Info. Science & Engineering Education & Human Resources Education & Human Resources Engineering Engineering Geosciences Geosciences Mathematical & Physical Sciences Mathematical & Physical Sciences Social, Behaviorial & Econ. Sciences Social, Behaviorial & Econ. SciencesOffices Budget, Finance & Award Management Budget, Finance & Award Management Information & Resource Management Information & Resource Management Office of the Director Legislative & Public Affairs Legislative & Public Affairs Equal Opportunity Prog. Equal Opportunity Prog. General Counsel General Counsel Integrative actions Integrative actions Polar Programs Polar Programs Cyberinfrastructure Cyberinfrastructure International Programs International Programs

Distinctive Features of NSF -Emphasis on integrating research and education -Close interaction with universities -Rotator system: many program directors are on loan from universities, labs or industry -Reviews are advisory; program directors make funding decisions

Agenda -Budget and Funding Trends -Opportunities at All Levels -Core Programs & Solicitations -Proposal Preparation -Merit Review Criteria -Early career funding opportunities -Colloboration

Source: AAAS Trends in Research $ by Agency, FY in billions of constant FY 2008 dollars

One Driver of science policy

Academic R&D as share of total R&D, by country/economy: Most recent year SOURCE: National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2006

Share of U.S. articles among most-cited articles, total S&E: 1992–2003 SOURCE: National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2006

Fiscal Year (FY) % Over Previous FY President's Plan for Science and Innovation Total NSF Funding: FY 2009-FY 2017 (dollars in billions) 10

Office of Polar Programs PEET IGERT Dissertation Improvement RIG Databases Living Stocks Plant Genome Research Organism-Environment Interactions Interactions Ecology & Ecosystems Biological Oceanography Dimensions of Biodiversity Metabolic Biochemistry Environmental Engineering for Sustainability Geobiology Biodiversity Surveys & Inventories Climate Change Science RCN Genes and Genome Systems Ecol. Infect. Disease

NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) NSF 11-1  Provides guidance for preparation of proposals  Describes process -- and criteria --by which proposals will be reviewed  Describes process for withdrawals, returns and declinations  Describes the award process and procedures for requesting continued support  Identifies significant grant administrative highlights

NSF Types of Proposal Submission  Target dates  No deadlines (e.g. workshops, SGERs)  Deadlines  Submission Windows  Letters of Intent  Preliminary proposals Solicited vs. Unsolicited Solicited proposals have a published Program Solicitation (Program Announcement) Unsolicited proposals are associated with regular research programs

“Unsolicited” Proposals Next BIOLOGY Deadline: July 9, 2011 Next BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY Target Date: August 15, 2011

NSF What to Look for in a Program Solicitation  goal of program  eligibility  special requirements

Some Current Solicitations Metabolomics for a Low Carbon Society Dimensions of Biodiversity Macro-scale Biology Science and Technology Centers Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation

NSF Proposal Preparation

NSF Funded! Conceptualize Declined Try again What next? Write The Proposal Cycle & Revise

NSF Consider the Following:  Start early – give yourself enough time  Read the PA and follow rules in GPG  Get feedback on your proposal from your colleagues  Proposals should be cogent, appropriate, and justified  Study reviews carefully (award or declination)  Anticipate criticisms  If declined - call your Program Director after reading your reviews  If awarded - follow up on reporting and find out about supplemental funding

NSF The NSF Merit Review Process

Merit Review Criteria  What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?  What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? NSF invests in the best ideas from the most capable people, determined by competitive merit review.

NSF Proposal Review Criterion: Intellectual Merit  Potential to advancing knowledge and understanding within and across fields  Qualifications of investigators  Creativity and originality  Conceptualization and organization  Access to resources

NSF Proposal Review Criterion: Broader Impacts  Advancement of discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning  Participation of underrepresented groups  Enhancement of infrastructure for research and education  Dissemination of results to enhance scientific and technological understanding  Benefits to society Any proposal that does NOT address these criteria in the Project Summary – will be RETURNED WITHOUT REVIEW.

NSF Research & Education Communities NSF Proposal Generating Document Program Officer Analysis &. Recom. Division Director Concur Award Via DGA NSF Proposal & Award Process & Timeline Organization submits via: FastLane Decline DD Concur Proposal Receipt to Division Director Concurrence of Program Officer Recommendation 6 Months DGA Review & Processing of Award 30Days Award 90 Days Proposal Preparation Time Proposal Receipt at NSF Proposal Processing Unit NSF Program Officer Minimum of 3 Reviews Required Mail Panel Both Returned As Inappropriate/Withdrawn Organization

NSF What Makes a Proposal Competitive? Likely high impact New and original ideas Critical approach Sound scientific rationale Succinct, focused project plan Knowledge of subject area or published, relevant work Experience in essential methodology Realistic amount of work Sufficient detail

NSF Something transformative...

NSF NSF Sources of Reviewers  program officer’s knowledge of what is being done and who’s doing what in the research & education area  references listed in proposal  reviewer name on file  recent technical programs from professional societies  recent authors in Scientific and Engineering journals  S&E Abstracts by computer search  reviewer recommendations  investigator’s suggestions

NSF National Science Foundation Funding Opportunities Website: Where’s the treasure?

For Graduate Students -Graduate Research Fellowship Program -3-year Fellowships, NSF BIO, Divisions of DEB and IOS -Dissertation Improvement Grants -NSF (3 rd Friday in November) -International (OISE) -Dissertation Enhancement Projects -For research at a foreign site -NSF

-Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) -Broadening Participation of Under- represented groups in Biology -Intersections of Biology and Math and Physical Sciences -NSF Office of Polar Programs (OPP) -Check their web page for latest Postdoctoral Opportunities

-National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) -( -National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) -( -National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (

Early-career Investigators -Research Initiation Grants (RIG) -To promote broader participation -For new faculty -NSF

CAREER Awards -For pre-tenure teacher-scholars -Integration of research with education -NSF-wide -BIO minimum of $500,000 for 5 years -Check eligibility criteria -NSF

For Everyone -RAPID (Grants for Rapid Response Research) -Severe urgency with regard to availability of, or access to, data, facilities, etc. -One year, up to $200, pages, internal review

For Everyone -EAGER (EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research) -Testing novel ideas & approaches -Ventures into transformative areas -Important new methodology -1-2 years, up to $300, pages, internal review

Supplementary Funding -Research Assistantships for High School Students (RAHSS) -Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) -Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) -Research Opportunity Award (ROA)

1)Read the Solicitations and Manuals (GPG = NSF 11-1) 2)There are diverse funding opportunities at NSF. 3)Change happens. Seek current information. 4)Call or – we are here to help.

NSF Needs You! Program Officers Ad hoc Reviewers Advisory Panelists Division Directors