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Dear Colleague,

During the past nine years the NSF Divisions of Chemistry, Earth Sciences and Atmospheric Sciences, Geosciences Directorate, have supported a cross-disciplinary program called Environmental Molecular Science Institutes (EMSI). Many researchers have submitted proposals to the EMSI competitions and the resulting research has significantly improved our understanding of the molecular processes underlying environmental transformations. The EMSI Program has also effectively developed academic/national laboratory partnerships. The solicitation for proposals under which the EMSI competition has recently been run (04-509) has expired. NSF and DOE staff have discussed how this program might evolve in the coming years, guided by community input. At the present time, we have decided not to announce the targeted EMSI funding opportunity again.

Environmental molecular science remains an exciting and stimulating area of chemistry. Challenges and opportunities in environmental molecular science were discussed in two recent workshops addressing basic chemistry research related to Sustainability. The workshop reports provide background and context as well as some new scientific challenges.

We will still accept proposals for research programs in environmental molecular science in FY2007 and future years. Principal investigators are strongly encouraged to contact Program Directors to discuss plans for future submissions.  Proposals should be submitted to the disciplinary program in the appropriate Division that is closest to the main research thrust of the proposed work. These programs include (among others) Analytical and Surface Chemistry, Geobiology and Low Temperature Geochemistry, and Atmospheric Chemistry. Collaborative proposals are still encouraged and can be accommodated within existing programs.

Additional information on all of these programs, including submission deadlines, can be found on the web sites of the three Divisions (see below). Contact information for NSF program staff can also be found on the websites.

 

Sincerely,

Luis Echegoyen
Director, Division of Chemistry, NSF

Arthur Goldstein
Acting Director, Division of Earth Sciences, NSF

Jarvis Moyers
Director, Division of Atmospheric Sciences, NSF

 

NSF website: http://www.nsf.gov

DIVISIONAL WEBSITES

Chemistry   http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=CHE

Atmospheric Sciences    http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=ATM

Earth Sciences   http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=EAR

 

REPORTS FROM SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOPS

November 2005  http://www.chem.cornell.edu/gc39/nsf/

June 2006  http://www.chem.uiowa.edu/research/sustainability