NSF merit review criteria get “subtle” revisions

The National Science Foundation has been directed by its governing board to revise its criteria for evaluating the “broader impacts” of proposals.  A report from the National Science Board explains it.  It’s 310 pages, so feel free to download it and jump right in.  But, first, here are a couple of shorter background pieces.

Science magazine from the AAAS: “The National Science Board has made two subtle but potentially important changes in how grant applications are reviewed at the National Science Foundation (NSF). And while those procedural changes may seem relevant only to those hoping to win NSF funding, they also add to the never-ending debate about how best to measure the results of federally funded research. “

A report from the Principal Investigators Association (PDF, 14 pages): “In many respects, the new revisions will be helpful for PIs and institutions, particularly with better clarity and guidance. … The Board formed a Task Force on Merit Review, finding at its basis that the two Merit Review criteria — Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts — are truly on-target for meeting the NSF’s goals.

“The Task Force also found, however, that significant revisions were necessary to better define the meaning of the Merit Review criteria and clarify how you should apply them to your research projects. The NSB’s report also addresses many of the hot-button questions that institutions and PIs have had about Merit Review.”

NSF Day workshop at N.C. State on February 28

An invitation from Dr. Terri Lomax, vice chancellor for research, innovation and economic development at N.C. State:

“We are pleased to announce that N.C. State University will host NSF Day on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.  The one-day workshop targets ‘researchers and educators less experienced in proposing to the NSF and others starting or restarting a research career,’ as well as experienced researchers and NSF grantees interested in receiving information from NSF directorate representatives.  We also look forward to networking with our colleagues from across North Carolina at the networking session following the formal presentations.

“Representatives from seven NSF directorates, the Office of International Science and Engineering, and the Office of Integrative Activities will make presentations on their programs and also be available in breakout sessions for discussions of potential research proposals.”

To see the agenda and to register, go to the N.C. State NSF Day website. Registration is $40 and ends on February 17.  For questions, contact Barbara Smith, besmith@ncsu.edu, 919 515-3639, or Sherry Bailey sbbailey@ncsu.edu, 919 515-1897.

ERC gets another $4 million and five more years

The National Science Foundation has informed the Engineering Research Center that it will fully fund the ERC’s $4 million request for fiscal 2012.  On top of that, the agency’s rave review of the ERC’s first three years has resulted in the likely extension of the project for at least three years beyond the ERC’s original five-year horizon.

The Business Journal has all the details at the top of the front page of this week’s edition (available in print and to subscribers on the newspaper’s website).  A news release from the university also has the details.

Science and engineering visualization challenge: NSF and Science say, “Don’t tell me, show me”

The National Science Foundation and Science magazine have a message for you: Words alone aren’t enough any more.  If you want to reach people in our science-challenged society, you need images — still or moving, photos or illustrations … something more than just words.

That’s the point of the annual NSF/Science International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge.  Winners will be featured on the NSF website and in one of the February 2012 issues of Science.  One will be featured on the cover. (The nano-level photo above is one of the 2010 winners, Rough Waters, from the Argonne National Lab and University of Chicago.)  The rationale:

“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 spirit of the competition is for communicating science, engineering and technology for education and journalistic purposes.”

There are five categories: Photography, Illustrations, Informational Posters and Graphics, Interactive Games, and Videos.  The deadline is September 30.  For details and previous winning entries, click here for the website.

NSF multi-directorate program announcement: Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation

The NSF has announced a major new cyberinfrastructure initiative.  Details are here.  Proposal deadline is July 18. Background:

“Computation is accepted as the third pillar supporting innovation and discovery in science and engineering and is central to NSF’s vision of a Cyberinfrastructure Framework for 21^st Century Science and Engineering (CIF21) as described in http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2010/nsf10015/nsf10015.jsp). …

“In order to nurture, accelerate and sustain this critical mode of scientific progress, NSF has established the Software Infrastructure for Sustained Innovation (SI²) program, with the overarching goal of transforming innovations in research and education into sustained software resources that are an integral part of the cyberinfrastructure. SI² is a long-term investment focused on catalyzing new thinking, paradigms, and practices in developing and using software to understand natural, human, and engineered systems. SI²‘s intent is to foster a pervasive cyberinfrastructure to help researchers address problems of unprecedented scale, complexity, resolution, and accuracy by integrating computation, data, networking, observations and experiments in novel ways. It is NSF’s expectation that SI² investment will result in robust, reliable, usable and sustainable software infrastructure that is critical to achieving the CIF21 vision and will transform science and engineering while contributing to the education of next generation researchers and creators of future cyberinfrastructure.”

NSF, DOE launch photovoltaic cell initiative

The National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy will jointly provide up to $39 million for research to improve photovoltaic cell performance and reduce module cost for grid-scale commercial applications. The agencies released a joint Funding Opportunity Announcement for the “Foundational Program to Advance Cell Efficiency” last week to identify and fund solar device physics and PV technology research and development. Details are available here.

NSF information regarding federal shutdown

The National Science Foundation has put out some information regarding its operations during a possible shutdown of the federal government.  If the government shuts down:

• As of midnight, the NSF website, FastLane, Research.gov, any NSF e-mail address and all telephones will be unavailable.

• NSF grants will not be obligated or disbursed during the funding hiatus.

• Current awardees may continue their operations with NSF funds that are already obligated.

The official NSF policy for shutdown procedures is available here: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/shutdown11001/shutdown11001.pdf.

News coverage of A&T’s role in BEACON

The BEACON project has gotten some good coverage in U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology. The magazine devotes three-plus pages to the piece, which includes interviews with Dr. Gerry Dozier (Computer Science) and Dr. Joseph Graves (now of the JSNN).  The article can be found on the magazine’s website.

The BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action brings together biologists, computer scientists, and engineers to study evolution as it happens and apply this knowledge to solve real-world problems. BEACON is an NSF Science and Technology Center, headquartered at Michigan State University.  North Carolina A&T is a partner, along with the University of Idaho, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Washington.  More on BEACON can be found on the project’s website.

Workshop on NSF & NIH literature reviews

The Office of Research Services is offering a workshop next week on how to review published, scholarly works and search the NIH and NSF sites for funded, published research. The program will include a real-life example of how to conduct a literature search for a NIH proposal.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, March 3, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., in the Fort IRC, room 410.  To register, go to the Research Services training website.  Presentations and presenters:

• Reviewing the published, scholarly works — Nina Exner, F.D. Bluford Library;

• Reviewing the NIH and NSF Sites — Nora Shively, Office of Research Services;

• Putting It All Together: A Real-Life Example — Dr. Jenora Waterman, Department of Animal Sciences.

Sponsored Programs lunch-and-learn session

The Office of Sponsored Programs will hold a lunchtime meeting for researchers interested in knowing more about policies and procedures for grants.gov, NIH and NSF proposals.  The session will be held Thursday, February 24, noon to 1 p.m., in the Fort IRC Building, Room 410.  Feel free to bring your lunch.

Topics to be covered include:

• New NSF proposal requirements,
• NSF’s data management plan,
• Grants.gov electronic proposal submission system, and
• NIH Responsible Code of Conduct.

To register, go to http://research.ncat.edu/services/training.php.