Transcript Strategic Research Development

Proposal – NSF Proposal Template*
Cover Sheet (Sec. II.C.2.a)
Project Summary (Sec. II.C.2.b)
Project Description (Sec. II.C.2.d)
References (Sec. II.C.2.e)
Biographical Sketch (Sec. II.C.2.f)
Budget and Justification (Sec. II.C.2.g)
Current and Pending Support (Sec. II.C.2.h)
Facilities/Equipment/Other Resources (Sec. II.C.2.i)
Supplementary Documentation (Sec. II.C.2.j)
Departmental Support Letter
Collaboration Letters
*See GPG, NSF 09-1, effective January 5, 2009
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf09_1/nsf091.pdf
Cover Sheet
• Solicitation Number: NSF 08-557
• Unit of consideration – disciplinary program
– Contacts:
http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/career/contacts.jsp
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Title – CAREER:…
Co-PIs – none!
PI Eligibility Certification –required
List Suggested Reviewers or Reviewers not
to include (optional)
Formatting – applies to all sections
• Font
– Arial, Courier New, Palatino Linotype – 10pt or larger
– Times New Roman, Computer Modern family – 11pt or larger
• Vertical Spacing
– no more than 6 lines of text per vertical inch
• Page Formatting
– at least 1 inch margins on all sides
– no double columns
• Pages Numbers
– You must do this, it will not be done automatically
– Number each section or number entire proposal consecutively
Project Summary
• 1 page
– this may be the only page a reviewer reads if it is not
impeccable
• Self-contained description of resulting integrated
research and education activities if funded (not an
abstract of the proposal)
• Include statement of objectives and methods
• Written in 3rd person; avoid use of “I” or “we”
• MUST address in separate statements:
– Intellectual Merit
– Broader Impacts
Project Summary - beginning
• Paragraph 1, sentence 1 –
– The research goal of this proposal is …
(25 words or less, include research and education)
• Then…
– The research approach is …
(2 or 3 sentence outline)
• Then use the headings:
– Intellectual Merit
– Broader Impacts
Research Objective
• This is what directs your proposal to the
appropriate program.
• Do not use words that mean “not research”,
such as Develop, Design, Optimize, Control,
Manage
• Clearly state the “new”:
– what problem are you trying to solve or
– what question are you answering or
– what hypothesis are you proving
Source: Hazelrigg et al., 2007 CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop, Univ. Hawaii
Research Objective
• Four Acceptable ways to do it right:
– The research objective of this proposal is to test
the hypothesis H.
– The research objective of this proposal is to
measure parameter P with accuracy A.
– The research objective of this proposal is to prove
conjecture C.
– The research objective of this proposal is to apply
method M from field Q to problem X in field R.
Source: Hazelrigg et al., 2007 CAREER Proposal Writing Workshop, Univ. Hawaii
Intellectual Merit
• What is the scientific research contribution you
will make to the knowledge base in your field?
Supported by:
• Qualifications of PI(s)
• Quality of prior work
• Extent of creative, original, or potentially
transformative concepts suggested and explored
• Level of organization and development
• Sufficient access to resources
Broader Impacts
• What are the broad reaching impacts of this
research if successful?
• Why should the general public care about this
project?
• Could include:
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Teaching, training, and learning
Broadening participation
Infrastructure impact
Broad dissemination
Benefits to society
• Specific examples:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf
Project Description
• Proposed research project
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Preliminary supporting data
Specific objectives
Methods and procedures
Expected significance of results
• Proposed educational activities and plans to
evaluate their impact
• How research and educational activities are
integrated
• Results for Prior NSF support
• 15 pages
Project Description
• Firm foundation for lifetime of contributions to
integrated research and educational activities
– All in the context of your organization
– In consultation with department head
• Research and Education Plan (5 years):
– Well-argued and specific proposal activities;
– Creative, effective and integrated plan;
– Research and education plan can be presented
together or separately;
– Activity of an intensity that leads to a Reasonable
workload is expected.
Project Description
• Typical Sections:
– Results from Prior NSF Support – if any
– Significance and Objectives (½ -1 page)
– Background/Statement of Need
(2 - 3 pages)
– Research and Education Plan (6-10 pages)
– Management Plan (½ - 2 pages)
– Evaluation/Assessment (1 page)
– Dissemination (½ page)
– Summary (½ -1 page)
Results from Prior NSF Support
• Describe RESULTS from these projects
– Up to 5 pages of 15 total allowed
– Conference proceedings
– Published papers
– Number/demographics students supported
– Patents
– Relate to current proposal -- how will this
previous work support proposed work?
Significance and Objectives
• Goals – big picture, long-term
• Objectives – measurable outcomes for
this project (research and education)
• Tasks (if needed) – how the objectives
will be accomplished
• ½-1 page
Background/Statement of Need
• Why should the agency fund?
– Global or national needs
– Local needs
• Literature Review
– What is currently being done?
– Where are the needs?
– What are the missing pieces?
– Why will your solution work?
• 2-3 pages
Research/Education Plan
• Visualize what it will look like when you
get the money
– What will be different?
– Who will be involved?
– What will they do?
• What happens first
• What happens next
– What is needed to get the job done?
Research/Education Plan
• Step-by-step details
• Be as specific as possible
• Methodology section
– Data collection
– Procedures
– Timeline
• 6-10 pages
Research/Education Plan
• Ability to Perform
– Experience of proposer
– Preliminary results
– Capacity of institution
– Ability to conduct selected
methodologies
Research/Education Plan
• Education Plan
– Either as a separate section or fully
integrated into Research Plan
– Broader Impacts discussion
– NSF examples of broader impact activities:
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf
– Do literature review on educational
research, too!
• Teaching and learning in your field of study
– Include plans to evaluate impact of
proposed educational activities
Management Plan
• For multiple PIs and Institutions
– Needed if you have multiple collaborators
– Who will make decisions?
– Who is responsible for each objective?
– Advisory/visiting committees
• ½-2 pages
Evaluation/Assessment
• How will you know you have
accomplished goals and objectives?
– Design a plan to evaluate education
activities
– Discuss data collection and analysis
– Show anticipated outcomes
• 1 page or less
Summary
• Re-cap:
– Broader impact
– Intellectual merit
– Integration of research and education
• Use this as a way to highlight the
integration of research and education –
the mission of the CAREER program,
don’t leave the reviewers wondering
• ½ - 1 page
References
• Be complete, include state-of-the-art in
your field (research and education!)
• Cite any references in the rfp
• Use a consistent style of citation
Biographical Sketch
• 2 pages only
• See guidelines (Sec. II.C.2.f)
 Professional Preparation
 Appointments
 Publications – only 10 allowed
• 5 closely related to proposal
• 5 other significant
 Synergistic Activities – broader impacts
 Collaborators and Other Affiliations
• To help in selecting/eliminating reviewers
• This will be reviewed, too! It must support
your proposed research
• Shows your capacity to do the work
Budget and Justification
• Start with a rough draft
• Roughly $80K per year
– 1-2 months your salary
– 1-2 graduate students
– No major equipment
• Contact your pre-award administrator
– http://rf-web.tamu.edu/preaward/proposaladm.html
– http://tees.tamu.edu/index.jsp?page=trs_people
– Justification – 3 pages, explain your
budget in words, provide complete
unambiguous information
• Budget should align with and support
research and education plans
Supplementary Documentation
• Departmental Letter
• Collaborator Letters
No reference letters allowed
These will need to be scanned and uploaded to
the Supplementary Documents section, not
the Single Copy Documents Section.
DO NOT SEND ORIGINALS TO NSF!
Departmental Letter
• Purpose
– Verify PI eligibility
– Demonstrate level of commitment of the
department to the career plan of junior
faculty member (e.g., value of and reward
for integrating research and education)
– Potential sustainability of CAREER
awardee’s efforts in the department
Departmental Letter
• Talk to your department head NOW!
• Discuss your research and education
plan
• Usually about 1 page
Letter of Collaboration
• Short letters
• Commitment from collaborators
• Support activities described in proposal
• No recommendation or reference letters
allowed!
NSF General Review Criteria
• What is the INTELLECTUAL MERIT of
the proposed activity?
• What are the BROADER IMPACTS of
the proposed activity?
Intellectual Merit
• Importance of the proposed activity to
advancing knowledge and understanding
in it’s field
• Qualifications of PI
• Quality of prior work
• Extent of creative, original, and
transformative concepts suggested and
explored
• Level of organization and development
• Sufficient access to resources
Broader Impacts
• Advancing discovery and understanding while
promoting teaching, training, and learning
• Broadening the participation of under-represented
groups (gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic,
etc.)
• Potential impact on infrastructure for research and
education (facilities, instrumentation, networks,
partnerships, etc.)
• Plans for broad dissemination
• Benefits to society
See http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf
Other Review Considerations
• Integration of Research and
Education
• Integrating Diversity into NSF
Programs, Projects, and Activities
Other Young Investigator Programs
• ONR Young Investigator’s Program (YIP)
– http://www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/docs/BAA%2008-002_FINAL-YIP-BAA.pdf
– Last Due January 12, 2009
– $170K/year, 3 years
• Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards
– http://www.orau.org/consortium/programs/powe/powe-awards.htm
– Due February 6, 2009
– $5K/1 year
• Texas Space Grants Consortium New Investigations Program
– http://www.tsgc.utexas.edu/nip/index.html
– Last Due February 8, 2008 (Look for it this month)
– $10K/2 years
More Young Investigator Programs
• Health Effects Institute, Walter A. Rosenblith New
Investigator Award
– http://www.healtheffects.org/funding.htm
– Due February 10, 2009
– $300K/3 yr.
• Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grants in
Engineering (BRIGE)
– http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08606/nsf08606.htm
– Due February 13, 2009
– $175K/2 years
• AFOSR YIP
– http://www.wpafb.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=9332
– Last Due: July 22, 2008 (Look for it in Spring 2009)
– $300K/3 years
More Young Investigator Programs
• Beckman Young Investigator Program
– http://www.beckman-foundation.com/byi.html
– Last Due October 1, 2008 (Look for this again Summer 2009)
– $300K/3 years
• NIH Outstanding New Environmental Scientist Award
(ONES)
– http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-ES-08-003.html
– Last Due October 31, 2008 (Look for it in September 2009)
– $1.625M/5 years
• ACS Petroleum Research Fund Grant Programs –
Doctoral New Investigator Grants (DNI)
– http://portal.acs.org/portal/PublicWebSite/funding/grants/prf/progra
ms/dni/index.htm
– Due November 21, 2008 (Look for it again in Fall 2009)
– $100K/2 years
– Within 3 years of Ph.D.
More Young Investigator Programs
• OPD has a comprehensive list of
opportunities targeting new investigators:
–
http://opd.tamu.edu/funding-opportunities/fundingopportunities-by-category/junior-facultyprograms.html
Other Opportunities
• NSF CAREER Proposal Writing
Workshop – sponsored by NSF
– http://www.k-state.edu/career/2009/09_CAREER.htm
– Competitive acceptance
– you submit your proposal and serve as a
mock reviewer
– November 10 deadline for March sessions
– Look for this again next fall if you are
interested
Resources
Some successful CAREER proposals on-line:
• 2007 proposal (GEO – ATM)
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/earlyca
reer/research/NSFgrants.html
• 2003 education plan (MPS - DMS)
http://www.math.uic.edu/~bshipley/career.educati
on.pdf
• 2002 proposal (CISE - CCF)
• http://valis.cs.uiuc.edu/~sariel/papers/01/career/c
areer.pdf