1. Biomedical Science and Engineering Funding Opportunities at NSF Semahat Demir Program Director Biomedical Engineering Program National Science Foundation March 19, 2009 Biomedical Science and Engineering Conference Oak Ridge National Labs, TN

2. Outline Vision Vision NSF-Wide Investment Areas (Priority Areas) NSF-Wide Investment Areas (Priority Areas) Funding mechanisms Funding mechanisms NSF Merit Review Criteria NSF Merit Review Criteria

3. NSF Vision NSF: Where Discovery Begins Enabling the Nation’s future through discovery, learning and innovation. Enabling the Nation’s future through discovery, learning and innovation.

4. Overview Founded in 1950 Founded in 1950 An independent federal agency An independent federal agency Responsible for advancing science and engineering Responsible for advancing science and engineering Makes merit-based grants and cooperative agreements Makes merit-based grants and cooperative agreements Individual researchers and groups Individual researchers and groups Colleges, universities, Colleges, universities, Other institutions: public, private, state, local and federal Other institutions: public, private, state, local and federal Does not operate laboratories Does not operate laboratories Peer-review and evaluation of proposals submitted by science and engineering research and education communities Peer-review and evaluation of proposals submitted by science and engineering research and education communities

5. NSF Support as a Percent of Total US Federal Support for Academic Basic Research in Selected Fields Physical Sciences: 40% Physical Sciences: 40% Engineering: 46% Engineering: 46% Social Sciences: 52% Social Sciences: 52% Environmental Sciences: 54% Environmental Sciences: 54% Biology (excluding NIH): 66% Biology (excluding NIH): 66% Mathematical Sciences: 77% Mathematical Sciences: 77% Computer Science: 86% Computer Science: 86%

6. People Involved in NSF Activities (FY05) 32,000 Senior Researchers 32,000 Senior Researchers 12,000 Other Professional 12,000 Other Professional 6,000 Postdoctoral Associates 6,000 Postdoctoral Associates 27,000 Graduate Students 27,000 Graduate Students 33,000 Undergraduate Students 33,000 Undergraduate Students 11,000 K-12 Students 11,000 K-12 Students 74,000 K-12 Teachers 74,000 K-12 Teachers

7. NSF Disciplines & Structure 1)Biological Sciences (BIO) 2)Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE) 3)Education and Human Resources (EHR) 4)Engineering (ENG) 5)Geosciences (GEO) 6)Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) 7)Social, Behavioral And Economic Sciences (SBE) 8)Polar Programs 9)Office of Cyberinfrastructure 10) Office of International Science and Engineering 11) Office of Integrative Affairs

8. NSF-Wide Investment Areas (FY 09) NSF Centers Programs and Funding NSF Centers Programs and Funding Climate Change Science Program Climate Change Science Program Cyber-enabled Discovery & Innovation Cyber-enabled Discovery & Innovation Cyberinfrastructure Cyberinfrastructure National Nanotechnology Initiative National Nanotechnology Initiative Networking Information Technology R&D Networking Information Technology R&D Selected Crosscutting Programs Selected Crosscutting Programs

9. Award (Grant) Types Individual Investigator Initiated Awards Individual Investigator Initiated Awards CAREER Awards CAREER Awards EAGER or RAPID Awards EAGER or RAPID Awards Supplements Supplements Workshops, conferences Workshops, conferences Center Awards (e.g. ERCs, STCs) Center Awards (e.g. ERCs, STCs) Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) awards Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) awards Cross-disciplinary or cross-directorate Cross-disciplinary or cross-directorate –GOALI (Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry) –IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship) –ADVANCE –MRI Specific Solicitation Awards Specific Solicitation Awards –NSF solicitations, Interagency solicitations

10. NSF Merit Review Criteria Criteria include: Criteria include: What is the intellectual merit and quality of the proposed activity? What is the intellectual merit and quality of the proposed activity? What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?

11. What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity? Potential Considerations: How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of prior work.) How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original or potentially transformative concepts? To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original or potentially transformative concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources? Is there sufficient access to resources?

12. What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity? Potential Considerations: How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning? How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning? How well does the activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? How well does the activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks and partnerships? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

13. Thanks for the invitation! www.nsf.gov

14. Tips for Successful Proposal Writing Determine if your project is relevant to the program Determine if your project is relevant to the program Get in touch with the Program Director Get in touch with the Program Director Program Director: Program Director: –Review Panels –Award/decline recommendation –Post management of the awards (progress report) Follow the instructions posted by the agency Follow the instructions posted by the agency Format, sections, project plan Format, sections, project plan Agency’s Review Criteria (NSF Merit Review Criteria) Agency’s Review Criteria (NSF Merit Review Criteria) Priority Areas for the agency Priority Areas for the agency Respond to a solicitation Respond to a solicitation Deadlines (preproposal, letter of intent, full proposal) Deadlines (preproposal, letter of intent, full proposal) Additional review criteria and requirements Additional review criteria and requirements Read “successful” proposals of your colleagues Read “successful” proposals of your colleagues Have your proposal reviewed by collaborators or colleagues before submitting Have your proposal reviewed by collaborators or colleagues before submitting Do not submit on the day of the deadline Do not submit on the day of the deadline Volunteer to serve on a review panel Volunteer to serve on a review panel

15. ENG and Cross-Directorate Activities at NSF Program Director, Biomedical Engineering (BME) 1. Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) 2. Multi-Scale Modeling in Biomedical, Biological, and Behavioral Systems (MSM) 3. Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) 4. Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) 5. Nanoscale Science and Engineering for Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER) Theme: "Multi-scale, Multi-phenomena Theory, Modeling and Simulation at the Nanoscale“ 6. Dynamic Data Driven Applications Systems (DDDAS) 7. Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems (ANN), Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT) Theme: Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture 8. NIH/NSF for Bioengineering Approaches to Energy Balance and Obesity (2005-) 9. Engineering Research Centers (ERC) Partnerships in Transforming Research, Education and Technology, Program Solicitation NSF 07-521 (2007- ) 10. Emerging Frontiers Research and Innovation (EFRI (2007-) Cognitive Optimization and Prediction: From Neural Systems to Neurotechnology (COPN) 11. Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) (2009- Representative of Engineering Directorate NSF Learning and Workforce Development (LWD) Cyber Infrastructure (CI) SWOT NSF Learning and Workforce Development (LWD) Cyber Infrastructure (CI) SWOT NSF initiative in Neuroscience and Cognition NSF initiative in Neuroscience and Cognition Chair, ENG Neurotech Working Group NSF Representative, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Subcommittee on Biometrics and Identity Management, (2006-) Co-Chair, NIH BECON Bridges Team