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Title: Dear Colleague Letter for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research 
        Related to the Gulf Oil Spill and Other Disasters
Date: 06/24/10

NSF 10-063

Dear Colleague Letter for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research Related
to the Gulf Oil Spill and Other Disasters

   The consequences of the Gulf oil spill seem likely to be broad and
   long-lasting. There are local, state, regional, national, and
   international aspects to the situation, and an unusual confluence of
   biological, geological, and human elements. This Gulf oil spill is the
   latest in a series of disasters that provide opportunities to examine
   the ways in which people and organizations anticipate, prepare for,
   respond to, and emerge from disasters.  Such explorations can
   contribute to the development of theory and tools underlying future
   policies aimed at maintaining or improving well being and long-term
   sustainability in the face of disasters. Events like these offer
   special opportunities to examine broad issues like resilience,
   adaptation, and vulnerability while conducting scientifically sound
   research that provides fundamental new knowledge.

   The Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE)
   encourages scholars to consider how the Gulf oil spill and other
   disasters may provide an opportunity to pursue research that will
   produce fundamental, theory-enhancing contributions to the social,
   behavioral, and economic sciences. SBE is particularly interested in
   projects that would build on existing data sets (including data sets
   not traditionally used by social and behavioral scientists) or that
   would identify high priority enhanced or new data sets to improve
   capacity to study issues in adaptation, resilience and vulnerability.
   Interdisciplinary work may be particularly appropriate.  While SBE has
   not specifically set aside funds for such research, the topic has
   strong connections with the wider NSF investment in Science,
   Engineering and Education for Sustainability as described in the FY
   2011 Budget Request.

   Scholars with research proposals for learning from the disasters
   should submit proposals to the most relevant standing programs of the
   Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate for the
   fall 2010 or spring 2011 competitions. The SBE division web sites
   provide information about these programs:
   [1]http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=SES and
   [2]http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=BCS.  For the fall
   competition, most of these programs have submission due dates in July
   or August. Successful research proposals will have scientifically
   sound research plans that are rooted in relevant theory and
   literature. SBE programs will evaluate these proposals in competition
   with other proposals submitted for these competitions.

   If a research problem involves ephemeral data so that data collection
   absolutely cannot wait to begin until December, then the PI should
   consider submitting a RAPID proposal.  SBE expects the research
   conducted under RAPID awards to be of the same high quality as for
   other awards, with scientifically sound research plans that are rooted
   in relevant theory and literature. The principal investigator must
   contact a program officer in the program to which the scientific
   contribution is strongest before submitting. Some programs will
   provide RAPID funding only for activities directly associated with the
   collection of ephemeral data. It is best to initiate contact with a
   brief (1-2 page) e-mail to the appropriate program officer, describing
   the proposed research question, the theory on which you are building,
   methods to be employed, and justification for a RAPID rather than a
   regular research proposal.  Complete guidance on submitting a RAPID
   proposal is contained in Part I of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies &
   Procedures Guide:
   [3]http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf10_1/gpg_2.jsp#IID1
   .

   Sincerely,
   Myron Gutmann
   Assistant Director
   Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences

References

   1. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=SES
   2. http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=BCS
   3. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf10_1/gpg_2.jsp#IID1