Current Funding Opportunities

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(NSF Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) - ''Required'' Letter of Intent Due October 31, 2008 (Posted 10/17/08))
(NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC) - UM Internal Deadline: November 24, 2008 (Posted 8/18/08))
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For more information please see [http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08591/nsf08591.htm NSF Program Solicitation 08-591]
For more information please see [http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08591/nsf08591.htm NSF Program Solicitation 08-591]
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==== MICHR Pilot and Collaborative Grant Program - Deadline: December 1, 2008  ====
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Internal funding announcement -- forwarded on behalf of Carol VanHuysen.
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Announcing Round Five of the MICHR/CTSA Pilot and Collaborative Grant Program in Clinical and Translational Research - Request For Applications
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As part of the NIH Roadmap Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA), the Medical School, Faculty Group Practice, Health System, and many partnering University departments, schools, centers, and institutes, are announcing round five of the Pilot Grant Program. This program centralizes elements of administration and funding from many existing pilot programs, and is designed specifically to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration.
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The goal of this RFA is to facilitate, encourage, and support clinical translational research in its many forms.  Proposals are specifically sought from basic, clinical and social scientists for bench to bedside, bedside to practice, practice to interventions, and dissemination to policy research to promote development of transformative solutions for improving patient outcomes.
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All faculty (12 month and 9 month appointments) and post-doctoral trainees at the University of Michigan are eligible to apply as Principal Investigators.  Basic scientists are encouraged to submit 
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their application with a clinical scientist collaborator. 
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Collaborators that submit as Co-Principal Investigators may maximize the advantage of departmental cost sharing.
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Additional special Focus RFAs that support the CTSA vision are being requested for this round.  The areas of specific interest are Community-University Research Partnerships, Health Disparities Research and Research Ethics Pilot Projects.
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For more formation please visit the [http://www.michr.umich.edu/programs/pilot-grant.html MICHR Website]
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For questions please contact:
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Carol Van Huysen - MICHR Pilot Program Manager
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(734) 998-6885  cvanh@umich.edu
==== NSF Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) - Required Pre-Proposal Deadline: December 8, 2008 (Posted 9/9/08) ====
==== NSF Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) - Required Pre-Proposal Deadline: December 8, 2008 (Posted 9/9/08) ====

Revision as of 10:24, 27 October 2008

Thinking of applying to one of these opportunities? Please email si-ori@umich.edu.

Contents

NSF: CISE Coordinated Solicitation: Core Programs - Deadlines: Oct 31, Nov 26, Dec 17

As part of NSF CISE Coordinated Solicitation as described in the June 27th Dear Colleague Letter. Each Core Program has announced their upcoming solicitation cycle. See below for more details.

CISE’s Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS) announces its support for research and education projects that develop new knowledge in three core programs:

  • The Human-Centered Computing program;
  • The Information Integration and Informatics program; and
  • The Robust Intelligence program.
A more complete description of the three project classes can be found in section II. Program Description in the Program Solicitation

CISE’s Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) supports research and education projects that develop new knowledge in three core programs:

  • The Algorithmic Foundations program;
  • The Communications and Information Foundations program; and
  • The Software and Hardware Foundations program.
A more complete description of the three project classes can be found in section II. Program Description in the Program Solicitation

CISE’s Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS) announces its support for research and education projects that develop new knowledge in two core programs:

  • The Computer Systems Research (CSR) program; and
  • The Networking Technology and Systems (NeTS) program.
A more complete description of the three project classes can be found in section II. Program Description in the Program Solicitation

Proposers are invited to submit proposals in three project classes, which are defined as follows:

  • Small Projects: Deadline December 17, 2008: up to $500,000 total budget with durations up to three years; This budget is well suited for one or two investigators and one graduate student and/or postdoc.
  • Medium Projects: Deadline October 31, 2008: award range of $500,001 to $1,200,000 total budget with durations up to four years; This budget is well suited for one or more investigators and a few graduate students and/or postdoc.
  • Large Projects: Deadline November 26, 2008: award range - $1,200,001 to $3,000,000 total budget with durations up to five years. This budget is well suited for two or more investigators and a team of students and/or postdocs

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 2 In any contiguous August through December period, an individual may participate as PI, Co-PI or Senior Personnel in no more than two proposals submitted in response to the coordinated solicitation (where coordinated solicitation is defined to include the Computer and Network Systems (CNS): Core Programs, the Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS): Core Programs and the Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF): Core Programs solicitations). These eligibility constraints will be strictly enforced in order to treat everyone fairly and consistently. No exceptions will be made.

NSF: CISE Cross-Cutting Programs - FY '09 - Deadline: Varies (POSTED: 7/2/08)

This solicitation seeks proposals in cross-cutting areas that are scientifically timely, and that benefit from the intellectual contributions of researchers with expertise in a number of computing fields and/or sub-fields. The cross-cutting programs for FY 2009 are:

  • Data-intensive Computing
    • seeks to increase our understanding of the capabilities and limitations of data-intensive computing
    • The program will fund projects in all areas of computer and information science and engineering that increase our ability to build and use data-intensive computing systems and applications, help us understand their limitations, and create a knowledgeable workforce capable of operating and using these systems as they increasingly become a major force in our economy and society
  • Network Science and Engineering
    • seeks proposals focused on developing new theoretical foundations, principles and methodologies to understand and reason about the dynamics and behavior of current and future large-scale networks, the interdependence among the physical, informational and social networks they embody, and the tradeoffs among communication, computation and storage
    • seeks broad, interdisciplinary advances in network science and engineering, and thus anticipates that successful projects with multiple investigators will typically need to bring together a team of people with different, complementary expertise, and single-investigator proposals will need to show that the investigator has expertise in two or more CISE-related areas, appropriate for the projects proposed
  • Trustworthy Computing
    • program will support projects that strengthen the scientific foundations of trustworthiness, in order to inform the creation of new trustworthy technologies
    • especially seek new models, logics, algorithms, and theories for analyzing and reasoning about all aspects of trustworthiness-- reliability, security, privacy, and usability-- about all components and their composition
    • seeks proposals focused on usability

Proposers are invited to submit proposals in three project classes, which are defined as follows:

  • Small Projects - Deadline: December 1, 2008 - December 22, 2008
    • up to $500,000 total budget with durations up to three years
    • well suited to one or two investigators (PI and one co-PI or other Senior Personnel) and at least one student and/or postdoc
  • Medium Projects - Deadline: October 1, 2008 - October 31, 2008
    • $500,001 to $1,200,000 total budget with durations up to four years
    • suited to one or more investigators (PI, co-PI and/or other Senior Personnel) and several students and/or postdocs
  • Large Projects - November 1, 2008 - November 30, 2008
    • $1,200,001 to $3,000,000 total budget with durations up to five years
    • suited to two or more investigators (PI, co-PI(s), or other Senior Personnel), and a team of students and/or postdocs

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 2

For additional information please see NSF Solicitation 08-578

Army Research Laboratory - Basic and Applied Research - Deadline: Open through FY11

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) solicits proposals for basic and scientific research in chemistry, electronics, environmental sciences, life sciences, materials science, mathematical and computer sciences, mechanical sciences, physics, computational and information sciences, sensors and electron devices, survivability/lethality analysis, and weapons and materials research.

In order to conserve valuable offeror and Government resources and to facilitate determining whether a proposed research idea meets the guidelines described herein, prospective offerors contemplating submission of a white paper or proposal are strongly encouraged to contact the appropriate technical point of contact (TPOC) before submission. The TPOCs’ names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses are listed immediately after each research area of interest.

Some areas of Interest for SI (see the BAA for details, page numbers listed below):

1.2 Information Science and Technology (pages 7-8)

d. Information and data fusion/visualization
e. Data mining/Social network analysis

1.7 Database Technology (page 11)

Air Force Office of Scientific Research FY08 BAA - Deadline: Open through FY08

Some specific areas of interest to the school of information are found in section c of the BAA - Mathematics, Information and Life Sciences. See specifically section 2) Complex Networks, 4) Distributed Intelligence and Information Fusion, 6) Mathematical Modeling of Cognition and Decision, 9) Sensory Information Systems, and 10) Collective Behavior and Socio-Cultural Modeling.

For more information please go to AFOSR FY08 General BAA

New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan - Deadline: Open

New Economy Initiative grants support the efforts of nonprofit organizations, charities, and government agencies to transform the economy of southeast Michigan and return prosperity to the region. Grants are available for a variety of activities, but proposed activities must be focused on helping to achieve the goal of the New Economy Initiative and its objectives focused on talent, innovation and culture change.

For more information please go to New Economy Initiative Program Description

Google Research Awards - Deadline: Open

Awards through this program are typically either monetary awards (in the range from $5K-$150K) and/or potential access to anonymized data for research purposes. The awards are intended to help promote and support academic research aimed at improving information access defined broadly. Areas that are of particular interest are included in the RFP.

Participants in the award program are expected to have a primary contact at Google through which they can discuss research directions, provide updates on progress, engage in knowledge transfer, etc. Google maintains an academic environment that we would like award recipients to participate in by giving talks on their work and engaging in discussions with our research group.

By sharing new ideas and key insights, we hope that both Google and award recipients can mutually benefit from the program. Generally, we will invite the writers of promising award proposals to come to our Mountain View offices to discuss their research further with researchers here. After the research is completed, we will once again invite the award recipient to Google to discuss the results of their work. The purpose of this program is both to facilitate more interaction between Google and academia and also develop a strong relationship and partnership with universities.

For more information please see the RFP

DOD MURI FY09 Solicitation - White Paper [strongly encouraged] (4pp) Deadline: October 31, 2008 (POSTED: 09/10/08)

The Office of Naval Research has released the DOD MURI solicitation for 2009, ONR-BAA-08-019.The Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is a multi-agency DoD program that supports research teams whose efforts intersect more than one traditional science and engineering discipline. Multidisciplinary team effort can accelerate research progress in areas particularly suited to this approach. Multidisciplinary research also can help to hasten the transition of research findings to practical application. The program will make awards to interdisciplinary teams in 32 topic areas. Topics most likely to interest SI researchers are listed below:

AIR FORCE TOPICS

  • (17) Information Dynamics In Networks
  • (21) Application Software and Data Protection for Untrusted Platforms

ARMY TOPICS

  • (23) Network-based Hard/Soft Information Fusion
  • (32) Cyber Situation Awareness

Proposals may be submitted only by univerisites. National labs, industry, and foreign institutions may collaborate, but they may not receive any MURI funds.

White papers (4pp) are strongly encouraged and are due October 31. Full proposals are due January 9, 2009.

It is common for MURI proposals to involve multiple institutions. Considering that the full proposal deadline is so soon after New Year’s, it would be best to nail down your team and your budgets well before the holidays.

The solicitation is available at https://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/3t/corporate/muri.asp

NSF Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) - Required Letter of Intent Due October 31, 2008 (Posted 10/17/08)

The goals of the Partnerships for Innovation Program are to: 1) stimulate the transformation of knowledge created by the research and education enterprise into innovations that create new wealth; build strong local, regional and national economies; and improve the national well-being; 2) broaden the participation of all types of academic institutions and all citizens in activities to meet the diverse workforce needs of the national innovation enterprise; and 3) catalyze or enhance enabling infrastructure that is necessary to foster and sustain innovation in the long-term. To develop a set of ideas for pursuing these goals, this competition will support 12-15 promising partnerships among academe, the private sector, and state/local/ federal government that will explore new approaches to support and sustain innovation.

Full Proposal Deadline: December 31,2008

For further information please seeNSF Program Solcitation 08-583

Knight News Challenge: Deadline - October 31, 2008 (Posted 10/23/08)

The News Challenge is giving away around $5 million in 2009 for the development and distribution of neighborhood and community-focused projects, services, and programs.

If you have a great idea that will improve local online news, deepen community engagement, bring Web 2.0 tools to local neighborhoods, develop publishing platforms and standards to support local conversations or innovate how we visualize, experience or interact with information, we’d like to see it! You have the opportunity to win funding for your project and support within a vibrant community of media, tech, and community-oriented people who want to improve the world.

There are three rules to follow to apply to the 2008-09 Knight News Challenge:

  • Use or create digital, open-source technology as the code base.
  • Serve the public interest.
  • Benefit one or more specific geographic communities.

Applications for the 2008-09 cycle will be taken starting September 2, 2008 and close on November 1, 2008

For more informatin please visit the News Challenge Website

NSF Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) - UM Internal Abstract Deadline: November 3, 2008 (Posted 8/18/08)

The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) is designed to increase access to scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in our Nation's organizations of higher education, research museums, and non-profit research organizations. This program seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, and to foster the integration of research and education by providing instrumentation for research-intensive learning environments. The MRI program encourages the development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- and/or intra-organizational use and in concert with private sector partners.

The MRI program assists in the acquisition or development of major research instrumentation that is, in general, too costly for support through other NSF programs. For proposals over $2 million, requests must be for the acquisition of a single instrument. For proposals requesting $2 million or less, investigators may seek support for instrument development or for acquisition of a single instrument, a large system of instruments, or multiple instruments that share a common or specific research focus.

For more information please see NSF Program Solicitation 08-503

For internal abstract instructions please e-mail jwebbe@umich.edu.

Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) - Deadline: November 3 or 5, 2008 (Posted 8/4/08)

Application Deadlines:

  • November 03, 2008 - Interdisciplinary Fields of Study
  • November 05, 2008 - Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering

The National Science Foundation aims to ensure the vitality of the human resource base of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States and to reinforce its diversity by offering approximately 900-1,600 graduate fellowships in this competition pending availability of funds. The Graduate Research Fellowship provides three years of support for graduate study leading to research-based master’s or doctoral degrees and is intended for students who are in the early stages of their graduate study. The Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) invests in graduate education for a cadre of diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the National Science Foundation.

For more information please see NSF Program Solicitation 08-593

NSF TeraGrid Phase III: eXtreme Digital Resources for Science and Engineering - Deadline: November 4, 2008 (POSTED: 6/30/08)

  • (Required) Deadline for preliminary proposals for Integrating Services: November 04, 2008
  • Deadline for full proposals for High-Performance Remote Visualization and Data Analysis Services: November 04, 2008

In many areas of research, a key to making advances is the ability of scientists and engineers to manipulate extremely large quantities of information. Examples include: numerical simulation and modeling; the analysis of very large datasets, whether generated by new generations of scientific instrumentation or by numerical models; and the mining of a wide range of collections of digital artifacts. At the largest scales, the resources needed to work with huge volumes of digital information are expensive and scarce. In recent years, the research community, with support from NSF, has developed the TeraGrid as a way of providing wide access to these scarce, expensive resources. The need for such widely shared, national resources continues to grow and as the currently funded phase of TeraGrid operations approaches its close, NSF is inviting innovative proposals for a new infrastructure to deliver the next generation of high-end digital services, as national resources, that will provide researchers and educators with the capability to work with extremely large amounts of digitally represented information.

For more information please see NSF Program Solicitation 08-571

- - Please note the limit on number of proposals per organization - -

NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers Program (I/UCRC) - UM Internal Deadline: November 24, 2008 (Posted 8/18/08)

The Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) program develops long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government. The centers are catalyzed by a small investment from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and are primarily supported by industry center members, with NSF taking a supporting role in their development and evolution. Each center is established to conduct research that is of interest to both the industry and the center. An I/UCRC not only contributes to the Nation's research infrastructure base and enhances the intellectual capacity of the engineering and science workforce through the integration of research and education, but also encourages and fosters international cooperation and collaborative projects. Grantee institutions that have an active single university I/UCRC award are not eligible to apply for another single university center; however, they may apply for a multi-university center.

Any institution may submit multiple multi-university center proposals provided that the proposed research topics involve different disciplines and support different industries.

  • PI Eligibility

The PI at each institution must be a tenured faculty member. The center or site director must be the PI.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI: 1

PIs with an active award for an NSF research center are not eligible to apply. An exception to this requirement is made for I/UCRC PIs who apply for their second phase of support covering years six to ten.

PIs can only submit one proposal per submission period. Co-PIs can only participate in one proposal per submission period.

  • Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is required. See the section on Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: University recovery of indirect cost for F&A on the expenditure of industry center membership fees shall be limited to a maximum of 10 percent of the total costs.

For more information please see NSF Program Solicitation 08-591

MICHR Pilot and Collaborative Grant Program - Deadline: December 1, 2008

Internal funding announcement -- forwarded on behalf of Carol VanHuysen.

Announcing Round Five of the MICHR/CTSA Pilot and Collaborative Grant Program in Clinical and Translational Research - Request For Applications

As part of the NIH Roadmap Clinical and Translational Sciences Award (CTSA), the Medical School, Faculty Group Practice, Health System, and many partnering University departments, schools, centers, and institutes, are announcing round five of the Pilot Grant Program. This program centralizes elements of administration and funding from many existing pilot programs, and is designed specifically to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration.

The goal of this RFA is to facilitate, encourage, and support clinical translational research in its many forms. Proposals are specifically sought from basic, clinical and social scientists for bench to bedside, bedside to practice, practice to interventions, and dissemination to policy research to promote development of transformative solutions for improving patient outcomes.

All faculty (12 month and 9 month appointments) and post-doctoral trainees at the University of Michigan are eligible to apply as Principal Investigators. Basic scientists are encouraged to submit their application with a clinical scientist collaborator. Collaborators that submit as Co-Principal Investigators may maximize the advantage of departmental cost sharing.

Additional special Focus RFAs that support the CTSA vision are being requested for this round. The areas of specific interest are Community-University Research Partnerships, Health Disparities Research and Research Ethics Pilot Projects.

For more formation please visit the MICHR Website

For questions please contact:

Carol Van Huysen - MICHR Pilot Program Manager (734) 998-6885 cvanh@umich.edu

NSF Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) - Required Pre-Proposal Deadline: December 8, 2008 (Posted 9/9/08)

  • Deadlines:
    • November 08, 2008 - December 08, 2008 for Type I Preliminary Proposals
    • November 09, 2008 - December 09, 2008 for Type II Preliminary Proposals

Full Proposal Submission Window Date(s):

Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) is NSF’s bold five-year initiative to create revolutionary science and engineering research outcomes made possible by innovations and advances in computational thinking. Computational thinking is defined comprehensively to encompass computational concepts, methods, models, algorithms, and tools. Applied in challenging science and engineering research and education contexts, computational thinking promises a profound impact on the Nation’s ability to generate and apply new knowledge. Collectively, CDI research outcomes are expected to produce paradigm shifts in our understanding of a wide range of science and engineering phenomena and socio-technical innovations that create new wealth and enhance the national quality of life.

CDI seeks ambitious, transformative, multidisciplinary research proposals within or across the following three thematic areas:

  • From Data to Knowledge: enhancing human cognition and generating new knowledge from a wealth of heterogeneous digital data;
  • Understanding Complexity in Natural, Built, and Social Systems: deriving fundamental insights on systems comprising multiple interacting elements;
  • Building Virtual Organizations: enhancing discovery and innovation by bringing people and resources together across institutional, geographical and cultural boundaries.

Two types of CDI awards will be supported as a result of the FY 2009 CDI competition:

  • Type I awards will require efforts up to a level roughly comparable to: summer support for two investigators with complementary expertise; two graduate students; and their collective research needs (e.g. materials, supplies, travel) for three years.
  • Type II awards will require larger (than Type I) efforts up to a level roughly comparable to: summer support for three investigators with complementary expertise; three graduate students; one or two senior personnel (including post-doctoral researchers and staff); and their collective research needs (e.g. materials, supplies, travel) for four years. The integrative contributions of the Type II team should clearly be greater than the sum of the contributions of each individual member of the team.

Please see NSF Solicitation 08-604 for further information

IMLS Calls for Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant Applications - Deadline: December 15, 2008 (Posted 9/16/08)

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) invites proposals from libraries, archives, and library agencies, associations, and consortia for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program.

Grant Amount: $50,000–$1,000,000
Grant Period: Up to three years, except for doctoral program projects, which may be up to four years
Matching Requirement: 50% of total project costs. Funds requested for student support and for research projects are not subject to matching requirements.

Categories of funding for the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian program are as follows:

  • Doctoral programs in library and information science
  • Master’s programs in library and information science
  • Research about library and information science as a profession, establishment of ongoing research capacity in graduate schools of library and information science, and research conducted by untenured, tenure-track faculty in graduate schools of library and information science in their field of research (Early Career Development program)
  • Pre-professional programs to interest future professionals in library and information science as a career
  • Programs to build institutional capacity in graduate schools of library and information science by developing or enhancing programs
  • Continuing education for library and archives staff

In 2003, with a shortage of professional librarians on the horizon, First Lady Laura Bush called on the Institute of Museum and Library Services to help recruit “a new generation of librarians.” Since then, the Institute has funded 3,220 master’s degree students, 186 doctoral students, 1,256 pre-professional students, and 26,186 continuing education students.

IMLS staff will be hosting two audio conference calls to provide an opportunity for prospective applicants to learn more about the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian grant program. The calls will be held on the following dates and times:

  • Tuesday, October 21 at 2:00pm ET
  • Thursday, November 6 at 2:00pm ET

Grant Information and 2009 Program Guidelines

NSF Science of Science and Innovation Policy(SciSIP)- Deadline: December 16, 2008 (POSTED 7/30/08)

The Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) aims to foster the development of the knowledge, theories, data, tools, and human capital needed to cultivate a new Science of Science and Innovation Policy (SciSIP). The SciSIP program underwrites fundamental research that creates new explanatory models, analytic tools and datasets designed to inform the nation’s public and private sectors about the processes through which investments in science and engineering (S&E) research are transformed into social and economic outcomes. SciSIP’s goals are to understand the contexts, structures and processes of S&E research, to evaluate reliably the tangible and intangible returns from investments in research and development (R&D), and to predict the likely returns from future R&D investments within tolerable margins of error and with attention to the full spectrum of potential consequences. Specifically, the research, data collection and community development components of SciSIP’s activities will: (1) develop usable knowledge and theories of creative processes and their transformation into social and economic outcomes; (2) develop, improve and expand models and analytical tools that can be applied in the science policy decision making process; (3) improve and expand science metrics, datasets and analytical tools; and (4) develop a community of experts across academic institutions and disciplines focused on SciSIP. For purposes of this solicitation, the term “science metrics” refers to quantitative measures or indicators that provide summary information on the size, scope, quality, and impact of science and engineering activities, with particular focus on inputs and outputs of the science, technology and innovation system. Characterizing the dynamics of discovery and innovation is important for developing valid metrics, for predicting future returns on investments, for constructing fruitful policies, and for developing new forms of workforce education and training.

The FY 2009 competition includes three emphasis areas: Analytical Tools, Model Building, and Data Development and Augmentation. The emergent body of research will develop and utilize techniques for retrospective and prospective analyses. In addition, research will provide insight into factors that propagate new ideas at levels from the molecular functioning of the human brain to the organizational, state, national and international levels as well as advances the analysis and visualization of datasets describing complex social relationships and networks.

In addition to these three emphasis areas, the FY 2009 competition particularly encourages the submission of proposals that demonstrate the viability of collecting and analyzing data on knowledge generation and innovation in organizations. In addition to providing innovative and scientifically based ways of describing and analyzing knowledge generation and innovation in organizations, these demonstration projects should address three specific aspects of the data collection approach:

  • scalability and sustainability;
  • protection of the confidentiality of respondents in computerized, widely accessible databases
  • evaluation and assessment of the project's progress towards its scientific goals

For more information please see NSF Solicitation 08-586

NSF Discover Research K-12 (DR-K12) - Deadline: January 8, 2009 (Posted: 10/17/08)

The Discovery Research K-12 (DR-K12) program seeks to enable significant advances in preK-12 student and teacher learning of the STEM disciplines through the development, implementation, and study of resources, models, and technologies for use by students, teachers, and policymakers. Activities funded under this solicitation begin with a research question or hypothesis about effective preK-12 STEM learning and teaching; develop, adapt, or study innovative resources, models, or technologies; and demonstrate if, how, for whom, and why their implementation affects learning.

DR-K12 invites projects that meet a variety of educational needs, from those that address immediate and pressing challenges facing preK-12 STEM education to those that anticipate opportunities for the future. DR-K12 encourages proposals that challenge existing assumptions about learning and teaching within or across STEM fields, envision needs of learners in 10-15 years, and consider new and innovative ways to reach students and teachers. All projects should be informed by current research and broaden the boundaries of schools and disciplines. DR-K12 accepts research and development, exploratory, and synthesis projects, as well as conferences and workshops related to the mission of the DR-K12 program.

For additional information please see NSF Program Solicitation 08-609

Call for Proposals for Michigan Meetings - Deadline: January 16, 2008 (Posted 10/17/08)

The Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies is pleased to announce the launch of The Michigan Meetings, a series of annual interdisciplinary meetings of national and international scope on topics of broad interest and contemporary importance to both the public and the academic community. University of Michigan faculty are invited to submit proposals for the meetings. Rackham will provide both financial and logistical support. Up to two meetings per year each May will receive support, beginning in 2010.

Meeting proposals will be selected on a competitive basis by faculty panels representing academic units from across the UM campus. Applications for up to two meetings for the first year (May, 2010) will be accepted until January 16, 2009. The selection criteria will be:

Breadth of interest Questions to be addressed should be of broad interest to multiple sectors of the academic community, while being sufficiently topical to attract public interest. At least one session of the meeting should be planned to be open to the public.

Interdisciplinary collaboration The Michigan Meetings should bring together participants from different academic disciplines and, if possible, involve experts from the public and private sectors.

Participation by UM faculty, students, and postdoctoral scholars The Michigan Meetings should be of interest to significant segments of the UM and regional communities as well as participants from around the nation and the world. They should be a catalyst to begin, continue, or culminate ongoing discussions. We especially welcome proposals that include a plan for engaging graduate students through a graduate seminar in preparation for The Michigan Meetings or to follow up on issues arising from the meetings. Plans for recruiting participants (including students) from within and outside the university will be considered as a selection criterion in the evaluation of proposals.

To continue please visit the Call for Proposals

NSF Science and Visualization Challenge - Deadline: Dates Coming Soon (Posted 10/17/08)

Some of science’s most powerful statements are not made in words. From the diagrams of DaVinci to Rosalind Franklin’s x-rays, visualization of research has a long and literally illustrious history. To illustrate is to enlighten.

How many people would have heard of fractal geometry or the double helix or solar flares if they had been described solely in words? In a world where science literacy is dismayingly rare, illustrations provide the most immediate and influential connection between scientists and other citizens, and the best hope for nurturing popular interest. Indeed, they are now a necessity for public understanding of research developments.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and Science created the International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge to celebrate that grand tradition—and to encourage its continued growth. The spirit of the competition is for communicating science, engineering and technology for education and journalistic purposes.

Judges appointed by the National Science Foundation and the journal Science will select winners in each of five categories: photographs, illustrations, informational graphics, interactive media and non-interactive media. The winners will be published in a special section of the journal Science and Science Online and on the NSF Web site. One of the winning entries will be on the front cover of Science. In addition, each finalist will receive a free, one-year print and on-line subscription to the journal Science and a certificate of appreciation.

We urge you and your colleagues to contribute to the next competition.

Coming soon...date changes to future Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge competitions!

More at http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/scivis/index.jsp?govDel=USNSF_51

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