Current Funding Opportunities
From SIResearchInnovationOffice
Thinking of applying to one of these opportunities? Please email si-ori@umich.edu.
Funding Agency Opportunity Alert Sign Up - In addition to the known opportunities by the SI Research Office you may want to sign up to receive notification of current funding opportunities from agencies specific to your own research interests. This page is a tutorial for other means for notification.
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 - Deadlines - MD: Oct 31, LG: Nov 30, SM: Dec 22 (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
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
DOD MURI FY09 Solicitation - Deadline: January 9, 2009 (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 International Research and Education (PIRE) - UM Internal Abstract Deadline: January 12, 2009 (Posted 11/17/08)
The Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) program seeks to catalyze a higher level of international engagement in the U.S. science and engineering community by supporting innovative, international research and education collaborations. The program will enable U.S. scientists and engineers to establish collaborative relationships with international colleagues in order to advance new knowledge and discoveries at the frontiers of science and engineering and to promote the development of a diverse, globally-engaged U.S. scientific and engineering workforce. International partnerships are, and will be, increasingly indispensable in addressing many critical science and engineering problems. As science and engineering discoveries result more and more from international collaboration, U.S. researchers and educators must be able to operate effectively in teams comprised of partners from different nations and cultural backgrounds. The PIRE program will support bold, forward-looking research whose successful outcome results from all partners—U.S. and foreign—providing unique contributions to the research endeavor. It is also intended to facilitate greater student preparation for and participation in international research collaboration, and to contribute to the development of a diverse, globally-engaged U.S. science and engineering workforce. The program aims to support partnerships that will strengthen the capacity of institutions, multi-institutional consortia, and networks to engage in and benefit from international research and education collaborations.
If you are interested in claiming one of the three Preliminary Proposal slots, please submit:
- A estimated cumulative budget:
- No more than a Five (5) page summary covering the following:
a) REVISED (12/10/08)--Explain how the proposed project will address the (3) Program Objectives , (Did Say- (6) Program Objectives ). of fostering a partnership for international research and education b) Who are the primary partners and what their roles? c) The expected outcomes of the project
3) Any peer review comments received on this application from any other submission
We will need to receive your project summary by close of business on Jan 12, 2009 (MON- 5:00 P.M.) The summary should be submitted by close of business on Jan 12, 2009 to the following email address: fastlane-admin@umich.edu with a copy to mgparnes@umich.edu Dave Plawchan; davedrda@umich.edu. We request that an electronic copy of each summary submitted for review be submitted to the appropriate Research Dean by the Project Director / Principal Investigator. The Office of the Vice -President for Research, in consultation with others, will decide which proposal should be developed for submission to NSF.
The finalists for this competition will be notified no later than January 23 ,2009
NSF Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required): February 26, 2009
For more information please see NSF Solicitation 09-505
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
Defense Science Study Group (DSSG) Program - Internal Deadline: January 23, 2008 (Posted 12/12/08)
Institute Deadling: February 1, 2009
(NOMINATION MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY IN A SINGLE FILE, PDF FORMAT.) The University of Michigan has been invited to nominate candidates to participate in the Defense Science Study Group (DSSG) Program. The DSSG is sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which introduces young professors primarily experienced in science, engineering, and mathematics to U.S. national security challenges, providing an opportunity to explore key issues in national security. The DSSG is trying to increase representation in alternative energy research, networking/communication systems, computer network security, human/social/cultural modeling, and encourages the nomination of qualified women and minorities.
The two-year program requires about 20 days per year devoted to DSSG activities, the majority of which are scheduled during the summer months. More information is available on the DSSG Web site.
Eligible candidates (criteria not absolute and other cases will be considered):
- Faculty member, preferably tenured, early in career, in the sciences, engineering or mathematics;
- Outstanding academic accomplishments and likely future leader in field;
- Able to acquire a security clearance (must be a U.S. citizen);
- Personality well-suited to DSSG interactions and activities; and
- Good chance that interest in national security issues would continue after completing the program.
For consideration as an institutional nominee, submit the following electronically in a single file, PDF format by January 23, 2009:
- Letter of interest
- Nominating letter from dean(s) or department chair(s)
- Current CV
Submit all internal applications electronically to: OVPRlimitedsubmissions@umich.edu Please direct any questions to Associate Vice President for Research Steven Ceccio: ceccio@umich.edu or 763-1290.
NIH Utilizing Health Information Technology to Improve Health Care Quality - Deadline: January 25, 2009 (Posted 10/27/08)
- Purpose - The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support health information technology (IT) demonstration projects that evaluate factors associated with successful implementation and utilization of health IT in order to improve the quality, safety, effectiveness and efficiency of health care in ambulatory settings and in the transitions between care settings. The use of health IT has been demonstrated to improve health care in various large health care delivery systems. Yet, there has been limited diffusion and evaluation of the implementation and utility of health IT in ambulatory care settings and in transitions between care settings. This FOA supports real world demonstration projects that evaluate factors (facilitators and barriers) associated with successful health IT implementation and use and ultimately improve health care outcomes. As appropriate, facilitators and barriers to health IT implementation may include adequacy of engagement and training of health care staff, patients, and family in the use of health IT; characteristics of the health care setting; organizational processes and practices; workflow; adequacy of health IT implementation plan; nature of technical support of health IT; integration of new health IT with pre-existing health IT, and other factors. Applications responding to this FOA must seek to evaluate and demonstrate how to optimize functionality of existing health IT; implement health IT in new settings or with new providers and patient populations; or, demonstrate sustainability of health IT.
- Budget and Project Period - The total project period for an application submitted in response to this FOA must not exceed three years. The total amount requested need not be the same in each year of a multi-year budget. Total costs (direct costs and associated indirect costs) are limited to $1.2 million over three years and no more than $500,000 total costs in a given year. An application with a budget that exceeds any of these limits will not be reviewed.
NIH Program Announcement PAR-08-270
2009 Research Partnership Program - Deadline: February 2, 2009 (Posted 12/17/08)
NIH Small Research Grant to Improve Health Care Quality through Information Technology - Deadline: February 16, 2009 (Posted 10/27/08)
- The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support a wide variety of research designs in order to improve the quality, safety, effectiveness, and efficiency of health care through the implementation and use of health IT. These designs include: small pilot and feasibility or self-contained health IT research projects; secondary data analysis of health IT research; and economic (prospective or retrospective) analyses of health IT implementation and use. Through economic analyses estimates of health IT implementation and use costs and benefits will be generated.
- This FOA is focused on three research areas of interest:
- Health IT to improve the quality and safety of medication management via the integration and utilization of medication management systems and technologies
- Health IT to support patient-centered care, the coordination of care across transitions in care settings, and the use of electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of care
- Health IT to improve health care decision making through the use of integrated data and knowledge management.
- Budget and Project Period - Total costs (direct costs and associated indirect costs) are limited to $100,000 over a maximum project period of two years. An application with a budget that exceeds any of these limits will be not be reviewed.
NIH Program Announcement PAR-08-268
NIH Exploratory and Developmental Grant to Improve Health Care Quality through Health Information Technology - Deadline: February 16, 2008 (Posted 10/27/08)
- Purpose - The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to support short-term preparatory, pilot or feasibility studies that will inform larger scale real world health IT implementation and use or the conduct of more comprehensive health IT implementation research.
- Research Areas - This FOA is focused on three research areas of interest
- Health IT to improve the quality and safety of medication management via the integration and utilization of medication management systems and technologies
- Health IT to support patient-centered care, the coordination of care across transitions in care settings, and the use of electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of care; and,
- Health IT to improve health care decision making through the use of integrated data and knowledge management.
- Budget and Project Period - Total costs (direct costs and associated indirect costs) are limited to $300,000 for a project period that may be up to two years. A maximum of $200,000 in total costs may be budgeted in a given year. An application with a budget that exceeds any of these limits will not be reviewed.
NIH Program Announcement PAR-08-269
Dept of the Air Force: Modeling and Simulation for Information Systems - Deadline: June 1, 2009 (Posted 12/16/08)
Air Force Research Laboratory Rome Research Site (AFRL RRS) is soliciting white papers for various scientific studies and experiments to increase AFRLs knowledge and understanding of the broad range of capabilities required in support of Modeling and Simulation (M&S) of warfighting techniques, equipment and capabilities. Solutions to basic research and engineering using innovative approaches, as well as applied research capabilities, will be sought. The scope of this effort primarily concerns the area of the Modeling and Simulation science, as applied to C4ISR, to investigate techniques and develop models and simulation scenarios that support experimentation in, but not limited to, improved real-time decision-making, dynamic situation assessment, dynamic prediction, predictive assessments, operationally focused/embedded simulation, theoretical foundations of decision science, and course of action analyses. AFRL RRS requires solutions sufficient to meet the needs of the Air Force and the national modeling community. Areas of interest include information visualization/animation. Emphasis is placed on the insertion of technology into ongoing and planned simulation infrastructures and activities.
Offerors are required to submit 3 copies of a 3 to 5 page white paper summarizing their proposed approach/solution. NO FORMAL PROPOSALS ST THIS TIME.
For more information please see Solicitation Reference Number BAA-06-03-IFKA
NSF Science and Visualization Challenge - Deadline: 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
