1. Division Director: NSF CISE CCF
Opportunities at the US National Science Foundation, CISE Directorate, CCF Division
Jack Snoeyink, Rahul Shah, Tracy Kimbrel Program Directors: NSF CISE CCF Algorithmic Foundations
Rao Kosaraju
Division Director: NSF CISE CCF
June 18, 2016

2. NSF CISE
Can describe CISE by the money… (FY16 request)

3. Snapshot of CISE FY 2015 Activities

4. Who is the CISE Community?
Or by the community it serves. CISE funds Pis in many disciplines

5. NSF Support of Academic Basic Research as % of US Federal Support:

6. Rao Kosaraju, Computing & Communication Foundations Division Director Tracy Kimbrel, Rahul Shah, Jack Snoeyink, Algorithmic Foundations Cluster

7. Computing & Communication Foundations (CCF)
Supports research and education projects that explore the foundations of computing and communication devices.
Algorithmic Foundations (AF): Innovative research characterized by algorithmic thinking and algorithm design, accompanied by rigorous mathematical analysis. Tracy Kimbrel, Rahul Shah and I work closely together
Communications and Information Foundations (CIF): Transformative research addressing the theoretical underpinnings and current and future enabling technologies for information acquisition, transmission, and processing in communication and information networks.
Software and Hardware Foundations (SHF): Foundational research essential to advance the capability of computing systems, including software and hardware components, systems, and other artifacts.
The AF cluster is where I sit: includes numerical methods and computational geometry.
Overlapping mandate with DMS computational mathematics, so we talk across the divisions.
Proposal evaluation: -Peer review by panels of experts.

8. For a comprehensive list of CISE funding opportunities, visit:
CISE Core Programs
Program Solicitations:
CCF: NSF
CNS: NSF
IIS: NSF
Project Types:
Large: up to $3,000,000; up to 5 years, collaborative teams
Medium: up to $1,200,000; up to 4 years, multi-investigator teams
Small: up to $500,000; up to 3 years, one or two investigators
CISE-wide Submission Windows:
Medium: Sept 16, 2016
Large: Sept 26, 2016
Small: Nov 18, 2016
DMS also earlier: November 16-December 1
PI Limit:
Participate in no more than 2 “core” proposals/year
Core Program as % of Funding
~65% ( > other divs)
Core Program Success Rate (4yrs)
24-26% ( > other divs)
Coordinated
Solicitations
Small: US - Israel joint projects NSF - BSF agreement
Projects reviewed at NSF and checked by BSF. (Diff from BSF’s travel program.)
Exploring possibility with DFG of similar program with Germany.
These deadlines just passed
For a comprehensive list of CISE funding opportunities, visit:

9. Sample of CISE Cross-Cutting Programs
For a comprehensive list of CISE funding opportunities, visit:
FY15: Funded 15 of 75 proposals FY16: In process – news in July
Cross-Division
Algorithms in the Field (AitF): Advancing algorithmic design & the application areas to which the algorithms are being deployed
Expeditions in Computing: new frontiers in computing and info science
Exploiting Parallelism and Scalability (XPS): Supporting groundbreaking research in parallel computing
Cross-Directorate/Cross-Agency
Smart & Connected Health: Advance health and healthcare technology through research in information science, technology, behavior, cognition, sensors, robotics, bioimaging and engineering.
BigData: Developing tools to manage and analyze data in order to extract knowledge from data
National Robotics Initiative (NRI): Developing the next generation of collaborative robots to enhance personal safety, health, and productivity.
Cross-cutting refers to any program managed by more than one division, directorate, or agency as indicated.

10. Algorithms in the Field (AitF)
Advancing algorithmic design together with the application areas in which algorithms are being deployed
Encourages closer collaboration between theoretical computer science and applied researchers.
Bridge gap between theory&practice in design, analysis, implementation, evaluation of algorithms.
NSF
Proposal Deadline: Mar 3, 2016
CCF rep: Tracy Kimbrel
New solicitation for FY16 just posted today.
This was a new program in FY 2015 that aimed to support groundbreaking research that bridges the gap between theory and practice in design, analysis, implementation, and evaluation of algorithms.
Encourages closer collaboration between theoretical computer science researchers and applied researchers including a combination of systems and domain experts
Research outcomes should be of interest to both theory and applied communities.
FY15: Funded 15 of 75 proposals
Images courtesy of Joseph Mitchell, SUNY at Stony Brook

11. NSF 16-517 Deadline: Mar 7, 2016 CCF rep: Jack Snoeyink
More agencies added, which is why we don’t know when the newest solicitation will be coming out, but it should be soon. (Dec 15). Deadline will be 90 days after solicitation.
See or prior solicitation

12. BigData
Critical Techniques, Technologies and Methodologies for Advancing Foundations and Applications of Big Data Sciences and Engineering NSF Deadline: Feb 9, 2016 CCF rep: Rahul Shah

13. GRFP: Graduate Research Fellowship Program
For Students to apply for:
GRFP: Graduate Research Fellowship Program
ugrad or beginning grad
US or permanent resident
NSF total 2000, CISE 103
(ENG ~ 500, BIO > 500)
Faculty: serve on GRFP panels:
For Faculty to apply for:
NSF Research Traineeship (NRT – replaced IGERT)
Traineeship: $3M up to 5 years. Innovations: $300K-500K, 2-3 yrs
Priority theme: Data-enabled science and engineering

14. National Initiatives INFEWS (March 2016) Smart Cities (September 2015)
National Strategic Computing Initiative (July 2015)
Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative (April 2013)
US Ignite Initiative (June 2012)
National Big Data Research and Development Initiative (March 2012)
National Robotics Initiative (June 2011)

16. Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP)
Five year award – $138,000 Three years of support
$ 34,000 Stipend per year $ 12,000 Educational allowance to institution
Who is eligible?
U.S. citizens and permanent residents
Undergrad & beginning grad students
Deadlines: Oct./Nov.
We want to emphasize the Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Here are the basics – students get a stipend of $34000 per year, and they get three years worth of support but have five years to use it. They need to still be enrolled, and find other support if they defer it for a year or two. Eligibility is restricted to citizens and permanent residents. The deadlines are in October or November.
Information: and

17. CISE and GRFP GRFP: 2000 awards/year
BIO: > 500
Engineering: ~ 500
~ 16,000 applications/year overall
CISE: ~
Encourage seniors and beginning grads to apply!
Volunteer to serve on panels:
Here are numbers on applications. The funding rate of 12.5% should be taken with a grain of salt, like the core programs. Good, qualified applicants have a much higher chance of getting an award. We’d really like to see more applicants not just in theory but in all of computer science, so please let your students know and spread the word about this program.

18. Other opportunities
CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop, Apr 4,
CRII: in first three years, student support only. NSF , deadline 10 Aug 2016
REU: supplements to support undergrad research
Student travel to conferences/workshops
International collaboration, software sustainability, ...

19. Opportunities for Community Engagement!
Talk to your Program Director
Volunteer to be a panelist
Suggest workshops in exciting new areas
Identify Research Highlights
Suggest improvements to NSF processes.
Join NSF to serve as a program director or division director.

20. Credits
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