How to Get NSF to Fund How to Get NSF to Fund Your Social Science Research Your Social Science Research Robert E. O’Connor, Director Robert E. O’Connor, Director Program in Decision, Risk Program in Decision, Risk and Management Sciences and Management Sciences Division of Social and Economic Sciences Division of Social and Economic Sciences Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Economic Sciences National Science Foundation National Science Foundation Penn State 2013 Penn State 2013
How to Get NSF to Fund Your Social Science Research Robert E. O’Connor, Director Program in Decision, Risk and Management Sciences Division of Social and Economic Sciences Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences National Science Foundation Penn State 2013. Workshop Outline. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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How to Get NSF to Fund How to Get NSF to Fund Your Social Science ResearchYour Social Science Research
Robert E. O’Connor, DirectorRobert E. O’Connor, DirectorProgram in Decision, Risk Program in Decision, Risk and Management Sciences and Management Sciences
Division of Social and Economic SciencesDivision of Social and Economic SciencesDirectorate for Social, Behavioral, and Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and
Economic SciencesEconomic SciencesNational Science FoundationNational Science Foundation
Penn State 2013Penn State 2013
Workshop OutlineWorkshop Outline
• Background on the National Science Foundation
• Social Science Research Opportunities
• Submission Procedures• Separating Awards from
Declinations
NSF in a NutshellNSF in a Nutshell
• Independent Agency
• Supports basic research
• Uses grant mechanism
• Low overhead; highly automated
• Discipline-based structure
• Cross-disciplinary mechanisms
• Use of Rotators/IPAs
• 2014 budget request: $7.626 billion
National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation
Inspector General
National Science Board
Director Deputy Director
Staff Offices
Computer & Information
Science&
Engineering
Engineering Geosciences
Mathematics & Physical
Sciences
Social, Behavioral
& Economic Sciences
Education & Human Resources
Budget, Finance & Award
Management
Information Resource
Managemen
t
Biological
Sciences
Social and Economic Social and Economic SciencesSciences
Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral and Cognitive SciencesSciences
• Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences• Economics (Big Dog) • Science of Organizations • Law and Social Science• Methodology, Measurement & Statistics• Political Science • Science, Technology and Society• Sociology
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
SES Target DatesSES Target DatesJanuary 15 & August 15
Law and Social Science
Political Science
Sociology
January 16 & August 16Methods, Measures, and Statistics
January 18 & August 18Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences
Economics
February 1 & August 1Science and Society
February 2 & September 3Science of Organizations
Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences (BCS)(BCS)
January 15 & July 15Developmental & Learning SciencesLinguistics Social Psychology
January 15 & August 15Cultural AnthropologyGeography & Regional Science
January 20 & August 20Biological Anthropology
February 1 & August 1Perception, Cognition and Action
July 1 & December 1Archaeology
BCS Target Dates
Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Awards
• Archaeology• Cultural Anthropology• Decision, Risk, &
Management Science• Economics• Geography &
Regional Science
• Law and Social Science• Linguistics• Biological
Anthropology• Political Science • Science and Society• Sociology
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Faculty Early Career Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) ProgramDevelopment (CAREER) Program
• Untenured faculty (or comparable)• Single scholar award• $400,000, 5-years minimum award• Three proposals lifetime limit• July 1 deadline• “Walk on Water” expectation
Rapid Response Research Rapid Response Research (RAPID)(RAPID)
• Research when data are ephemeral
• $200,000 maximum; 1 year• 5-page project description• Internal review only• Contact program officer first
Early-concept grants for Early-concept grants for exploratory research exploratory research
(EAGER)(EAGER)
• Exploratory work on untested, potentially transformative ideas
• High-risk, high-potential payoff• $300,000 maximum; 2 years• 8-page descriptive• Internal review only• Contact program officer first
Dear Colleague Letter Dear Colleague Letter
Example: Stimulating Research Example: Stimulating Research Related to the Science of Related to the Science of Broadening ParticipationBroadening Participation
knowledge through developing and examining basic theories or methods
Broader ImpactsBroader Impacts
The Project Description must contain, as a separate section within the narrative, a discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed activities. Broader impacts may be accomplished through the research itself, through the activities that are directly related to specific research projects, or through activities that are supported by, but are complementary to the project. NSF values the advancement of scientific knowledge and activities that contribute to the achievement of societally relevant outcomes. Such outcomes include, but are not limited to: full participation of women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); improved STEM education and educator development at any level; increased public scientific literacy and public engagement with science and technology; improved well-being of individuals in society; development of a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce; increased partnerships between academia, industry, and others; improved national security; increased economic competitiveness of the United States; and enhanced infrastructure for research and education.
Budget Tips
• Amounts– Reasonable for work -- Realistic– Well justified -- Need established– In-line with program guidelines
• Eligible costs– Personnel– Equipment– Travel– Other Direct Costs, Subawards– Facilities & Administrative Costs
Myths about NSFMyths about NSF
• Only funds scholars at elite graduate institutions
• Only funds “famous” academics• Once declined, you are likely always to
be declined• Only funds “normal science”• Advisory committees make funding
decisions
Reasons for DeclinationsReasons for Declinations
• “Trust-me” proposal• Not feasible
– Expertise gaps– Insufficient funding– Too ambitious
• Incremental contribution• Bad luck
How to Put Together an How to Put Together an Interdisciplinary TeamInterdisciplinary Team
• Commit for the long haul– Be wary if untenured– Expect a long development period
• Find a wise and strong leader– Proposals need coherence– Leaders need to listen and then decide
• Meet for intellectual as well as task-related purposes
NSF vs. NIHNSF vs. NIH
• NSF tends to be smaller• NSF is more open to risky, exploratory,
paradigm-challenging work• NSF stresses basic research• NSF has no scoring system, percentile