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
Jan 21, 2016
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
NationalAeronautic and Space
Administration
EnvironmentalProtection
Agency
Smithsonian Institution
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Other agencies
Commerce
Science Advisor
Other boards, councils, etc.
Independent Agencies
Major Departments
Science AdvisorOffice of Science and
Technology Policy
Office of Management and Budget
Agriculture Health and Human Services
Interior Transportation Defense Energy
U.S. President
National Science BoardNational Science Board Office of Office of Inspector Inspector GeneralGeneral
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 FoundationNational Science Foundation Director Deputy DirectorDirector Deputy Director
DirectoratesDirectorates• Biological SciencesBiological Sciences• Comp. & Info. Science & EngineeringComp. & Info. Science & Engineering• Education & Human ResourcesEducation & Human Resources• EngineeringEngineering• GeosciencesGeosciences• Mathematical & Physical SciencesMathematical & Physical Sciences• Social, Behaviorial & Econ. SciencesSocial, Behaviorial & Econ. Sciences
OfficesOffices• Budget, Finance & Award Budget, Finance & Award ManagementManagement• Information & Resource Information & Resource ManagementManagement
Office of the DirectorOffice of the Director
• Legislative & Public Legislative & Public Affairs Affairs
• Equal Opportunity Prog.Equal Opportunity Prog.
• General CounselGeneral Counsel
• Integrative actionsIntegrative actions
• Polar ProgramsPolar Programs
• CyberinfrastructureCyberinfrastructure
• International ProgramsInternational 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 1976-2009in billions of constant FY 2008 dollars
One Driverof sciencepolicy
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
6.5 6.97.4 7.8
8.38.9
9.510.2
10.9
8%
5%7% 7% 7% 7% 7%6% 6%
0
2
4
6
8
10
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 20170%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
Fiscal Year (FY)
% Over Previous FY
President's Plan for Science and Innovation
Total NSF Funding:FY 2009-FY 2017 (dollars in billions)
9.5
3.0 ARRA
10
Office of Polar Office of Polar ProgramsPrograms
PEETPEET
IGERTIGERT
Dissertation Dissertation ImprovementImprovement
RIGRIG
DatabasDatabaseses
Living Living StocksStocks
Plant Plant Genome Genome Research Research
Organism-EnvironmentOrganism-Environment InteractionsInteractions
Ecology & Ecology & EcosystemsEcosystems
Biological Biological OceanographyOceanography
Dimensions of Dimensions of BiodiversityBiodiversityMetabolic Metabolic
BiochemistBiochemistryry
Environmental Environmental Engineering for Engineering for SustainabilitySustainability
GeobiologyGeobiology
Biodiversity Biodiversity SurveysSurveys& Inventories& Inventories
Climate ChangeClimate Change ScienceScience
RCNRCN
Genes Genes and and Genome Genome SystemsSystems
Ecol. Infect.Ecol. Infect.DiseaseDisease
http://www.nsf.gov/
http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=BIO
NSF
Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) NSF 11-1Grant 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 SubmissionTypes 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 What to Look for in a Program SolicitationSolicitation
goal of program
eligibility
special requirements
Some Current SolicitationsSome Current Solicitations
Metabolomics for aLow Carbon Society
Dimensions of Biodiversity
Macro-scale Biology
Science and Technology
Centers
Cyber-Enabled Discovery and
Innovation
NSF
Proposal PreparationProposal Preparation
NSF
Funded!
Conceptualize
Declined
Try again
Wh
at n
ext?W
rite
The Proposal Cycle
& R
evis
e
NSF
Consider the Following: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 ProcessThe NSF Merit Review Process
Merit Review CriteriaMerit 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 competitivemerit review.
NSF
Proposal Review Criterion:Proposal Review Criterion: Intellectual MeritIntellectual 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:Proposal Review Criterion: Broader ImpactsBroader 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
GeneratingDocument
ProgramOfficer
Analysis&
Recom..
DivisionDirectorConcur
Award ViaDGA
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 Receiptat NSF
Proposal Processing
Unit
NSFProgramOfficer
Minimum of 3
ReviewsRequired
Panel
Both
Returned As Inappropriate/Withdrawn
Organization
NSF
What Makes a Proposal Competitive? What Makes a Proposal Competitive?
Likely high impactNew and original ideasCritical approach Sound scientific rationaleSuccinct, focused project planKnowledge of subject area or
published, relevant workExperience in essential methodologyRealistic amount of workSufficient detail
NSF
Something transformative . . .Something transformative . . .
NSF
NSF Sources of ReviewersNSF 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 FoundationNational Science Foundation
Funding OpportunitiesFunding Opportunities
Website: http://www.nsf.gov
Where’s the
treasure?
For Graduate Students
- Graduate Research Fellowship Program
- 3-year Fellowships, NSF 10-604
- BIO, Divisions of DEB and IOS
- Dissertation Improvement Grants
- NSF 08-564 (3rd Friday in November)
- International (OISE)
- Dissertation Enhancement Projects
- For research at a foreign site
- NSF 04-036
- Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB)- Broadening Participation of Under-
represented groups in Biology- Intersections of Biology and Math
and Physical Sciences- NSF 10-587
- Office of Polar Programs (OPP)- Check their web page for latest
Postdoctoral Opportunities
Postdoctoral Opportunities
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS)
- (http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu)
- National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent)
- (http://www.nescent.org)
- National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(http://www.nimbios.org)
Early-career Investigators
- Research Initiation Grants (RIG)
- To promote broader participation
- For new faculty
- NSF 09-501
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 08-557
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 $200,000
- 2-5 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 $300,000
- 5-8 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 email – we are here to help.
NSF Needs You!
Progra
m O
fficers
Ad hoc Reviewers Adviso
ry P
anel
ists
Division Directors