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NSF Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars (DTS)

Program Solicitation
NSF 03-591
Replaces Document 02-131

NSF Logo

National Science Foundation
Directorate for Education and Human Resources
      Division of Undergraduate Education


Letter of Intent Due Date(s) (optional):
    November 03, 2003
      Optional

Preliminary Proposal Due Date(s) (required):
    November 19, 2003
      Nominations due by 5 pm nominator's local time.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
    February 25, 2004

REVISIONS AND UPDATES

  1. The focus is expanded to encompass teaching-scholars affiliated with institutions of higher education whose educational activities have been and will be aimed at K-12 teachers and students, as well as undergraduate students and faculty.
  2. A greater emphasis is placed on recognizing those who integrate research and education, and approach both education and research in a scholarly manner.
  3. This solicitation introduces a two-step review process in which potential applicants are first nominated by presidents, chief academic officers, or independent researchers, as viable candidates for recognition as distinguished teaching scholars.  On the basis of these substantive nominations and letters of reference covering the nominee's research and educational accomplishments, a subset of individuals will be invited to submit proposals of the projects they intend to undertake.

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

General Information

Program Title:

NSF Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars (DTS)

Synopsis of Program:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) seeks to promote improvement in the education of those who study science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).  The NSF Director’s Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars (DTS) recognizes and rewards individuals who have contributed significantly to the scholarship of their discipline and to the education of students in STEM, and exemplify the ability to engage productively in both research and education.  DTS is part of NSF’s efforts to foster an academic culture that values a scholarly approach to both research and education.  The Director’s Award is the highest honor bestowed by the NSF for excellence in both teaching and research in STEM fields, or in educational research related to these disciplines.  The awards will be conferred at a special ceremony recognizing the awardees.

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

  • Herbert Levitan, Section Head, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4627, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: hlevitan@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

  • 47.076 --- Education and Human Resources

Eligibility Information

  • Organization Limit: None Specified.
  • PI Eligibility Limit: None Specified.
  • Limit on Number of Proposals: None Specified.

Award Information

  • Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant
  • Estimated Number of Awards: 6
  • Anticipated Funding Amount: $1,800,000 pending availability of funding.

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
  • Letters of Intent: Submission of Letters of Intent is optional. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
  • Preliminary Proposals: Submission of Preliminary Proposals is required. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
  • Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that supplements the standard Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
B. Budgetary Information
  • Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required.
  • Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable.
  • Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
C. Due Dates
  • Letters of Intent (optional):
      • November 03, 2003
        Optional
  • Preliminary Proposals (required) :
      • November 19, 2003
        Nominations due by 5 pm nominator's local time.
  • Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
      • February 25, 2004

Proposal Review Information

  • Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria apply.

Award Administration Information

  • Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.
  • Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Summary of Program Requirements

  1. Introduction

  2. Program Description

  3. Eligibility Information

  4. Award Information

  5. Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
    1. Proposal Preparation Instructions
    2. Budgetary Information
    3. Due Dates
    4. FastLane Requirements

  6. Proposal Review Information
    1. NSF Proposal Review Process
    2. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

  7. Award Administration Information
    1. Notification of the Award
    2. Award Conditions
    3. Reporting Requirements

  8. Contacts for Additional Information

  9. Other Programs of Interest

I. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the National Science Foundation Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars is to recognize and reward individuals who have contributed significantly to the scholarship of their discipline and the education of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and to enable the expansion of their efforts.  Awardees will be honored for their leadership in their respective fields as well as for their innovations and effectiveness in facilitating student learning in STEM disciplines. The National Science Foundation (NSF) will identify distinguished teaching scholars from among those faculty who are both meritorious scholars and exemplary educators, as evidenced by their ability to integrate their research and educational activities, and to approach research and education in a scholarly manner.

The Director's Award embodies the high priority the NSF places on promoting the efforts of outstanding scientists, mathematicians, and engineers working at the frontiers of scientific knowledge who are also committed to advancing the frontiers of STEM education. The Award will foster innovative and far-reaching developments in STEM education, increase awareness of careers in science and engineering, give recognition to the scientific and educational missions of the NSF, enhance connections between fundamental research and education, and highlight the importance to the Nation's future of citizens who are informed about STEM.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Acknowledging the high value that academia places on scholarship through its recruiting and hiring practices, its promotion and tenure process, and the prestige it attaches to the recognition and reward of scholars, the DTS program seeks to influence the academic culture by:

  • recognizing and honoring faculty who have distinguished themselves as scholars in their research discipline and as educators of undergraduates;
  • recognizing and honoring faculty who have effectively generated university – kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) partnerships that apply higher education resources in serving K-12 needs;
  • encouraging scholars to explore ways of integrating education and research, as for example, by translating and incorporating their scholarship into successful instructional practices and further developing the scholarship of teaching;
  • disseminating exemplary experiences of scholars in education;
  • supporting scholars to serve as mentors for other faculty who are trying to balance and integrate their scholarly contributions to science and engineering and science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) education;
  • promoting the scholars' influence and prestige so that balanced efforts in teaching and research by other faculty will be recognized and rewarded; and
  • recognizing efforts of institutions of higher education that promote and commit resources to support faculty who have a scholarly approach to both research and education.

This program seeks to recognize those faculty who bring the excitement and richness of scientific discovery to a broad spectrum of students.  It is intended to promote the continued and expanded efforts of individuals with a history of substantial impact on: (a) the research in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) discipline or on STEM educational research;  (b) the STEM education of K-16 students who have diverse interests and aspirations, including future K-12 teachers of science and mathematics, and students who plan to pursue STEM careers, as well as those who need to understand science and mathematics as citizens in a society increasingly dependent on science and technology. 

This program is driven by the need to provide leadership at all institutions of higher learning for developing excellence in STEM education; promote to leadership positions those individuals who exemplify the ability to be involved in, and contribute creatively and significantly to, both teaching and scholarly activity in their discipline and in education; provide exemplary faculty role models; and lead efforts that apply the resources of higher education to pressing issue in K-12 STEM education.

The award will be given to those individuals who demonstrate a combination of past accomplishments and the potential for future contributions.  The selection of DTS awardees will involve a two-step process.  Nominations of candidates for recognition as distinguished teaching scholars will be peer reviewed, and, on the basis of supporting documentation, a subset of the nominees will be invited to submit a proposal for a project whose objectives are consistent with the goals of the DTS program.  Details of what should be included in the nomination documents and subsequent proposal are described in the section on Proposal Preparation and Submission.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

The categories of proposers identified in the Grant Proposal Guide are eligible to submit proposals under this program announcement/solicitation.

IV. AWARD INFORMATION

Under this solicitation, proposals from selected nominees may be submitted for any amount up to $300,000 for a four-year project.  NSF expects to fund approximately 6 awards depending on the quality of submissions and the availability of funds.  Approximately $1.8 million is anticipated to be available for this initiative in FY 2004.  The anticipated date of awards is April 2004.  Although there is no limit on the number of candidates nominated from an institution, no more than one award will be made to a single institution in this fiscal year's competition.

V. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Letters of Intent (optional):

A letter of intent is optional but encouraged before submitting a nomination.  It is intended to enhance the efficiency of the review process.  The letter of intent should briefly state the intention to nominate an individual for an NSF Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, and give the individual’s name, institutional affiliation, discipline, and whether the impact of the nominee’s work has been primarily on the undergraduate or K-12 sector.  Letters of intent should be sent by electronic mail to dts-prog@nsf.gov by November 3, 2003.

Preliminary Proposals (required):

Nomination: Nominating documents comprise the "preliminary proposal."

The nomination of an individual should consist of:

  1. a statement from the nominee’s President and/or key academic officer, or an individual not affiliated with the nominee's institution, such as an independent researcher,
  2. at least four letters of reference, and
  3. a resume or Biographical Sketch of the person being nominated. 

The Nominator/Sponsoring Scientist must submit a Proposal using NSF’s FastLane website, www.fastlane.nsf.gov.  For instructions, click on “Postdoctoral Fellowships and Other Programs.” On the Who Are You? screen, click on “I am a Sponsoring Scientist.” Select the program “NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholar.” On the Program Information screen, click on “How to Apply.”

To prepare a proposal nominating an individual, access the FastLane website, www.fastlane.nsf.gov.   The nominator/sponsoring scientist must login with last name, social security number (SSN) and password and become the PI of the proposal.  On the PI Information screen, check the information and update if necessary.  On the Proposal Actions screen, click on Create Blank Proposal.

Cover Sheet:  The Cover Sheet must be created first. Select the program solicitation (NSF 03-591).  

Remainder of Cover Sheet:  The title of the proposal must have this format: “Nomination of (person being nominated) for a DTS Award”. 

Project Summary:  1 page limit.  The Project Summary must state who is being nominated, the nominee’s STEM discipline and/or departmental affiliation, and characterize those who have been primarily impacted by the nominee’s educational activities (e.g., undergraduates, or K-12 teachers and students).

Project Description:  No page limit.  This is the Nominating Document.  This document contains the nominator/sponsoring scientist’s support for the nominee.  The nomination should address how the individual has:

  • Influenced his or her research discipline;
  • Incorporated or integrated contemporary research questions, processes, and results into educational experiences for students and teachers;
  • Contributed to the literature on teaching and learning;
  • Mentored others to conduct research and educate undergraduates and/or K-12 students and teachers; or
  • Demonstrated leadership among colleagues in promoting the above.

Biographical Sketch:  No page limit.  The Biographical Sketch must be for the nominee.

Letters of Reference:  A minimum of 4 letters of reference are required.

  • At least two letters of reference from peers within or outside the nominee’s institution that address the impact of the work of the nominee on the discipline, and
  • At least two letters from individuals within or outside the nominee’s institution that describe and provide evidence of the impact of the nominee’s body of scholarly work on undergraduates, including non-science majors, or from leaders in the K-12 community (e.g., district superintendents, representatives of state education agencies, members of national professional organizations) that address the impact of the nominees work on K-12 education.

The nominator or nominee should solicit letters of reference in support of the nominee, and have them submitted using FastLane. Once a person has been identified in FastLane as a reference writer, an email can be sent to them with instructions on how to use FastLane to submit the letter. The status of letters of reference, but not their contents, can be monitored by the nominator/sponsoring scientist.

All nomination documents must be received by 5 pm local time, November 19, 2003.

Reviewers will be asked to comment specifically on the nominee’s qualifications as described above.

Full Proposal Instructions:

Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Website at: https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

Full Proposal: (Limit Project Description to 12 double-spaced pages)

On the basis of a peer review of the documents supporting the nomination, in mid-January 2004 a subset of the nominees will be invited to submit a proposal for a project with objectives that are consistent with the goals of the DTS program.  Such proposals should be submitted in response to this program solicitation (NSF 03-591) and prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG).   The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Web Site at: https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg .  Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.  The closing date for Full Proposals will be February 25, 2004.

No more than one individual will be named as NSF Distinguished Teaching Scholar for a given proposal.  If other personnel are essential participants or contributors to the proposed project, they may be listed on the budget form as personnel.  In the rare case that such collaborators/contributors are listed as Co-PIs, a justification should be provided.

On the Cover Sheet, when prompted to “Show related preliminary proposal No.,” provide the NSF proposal number assigned to the nominating document.

Project Summary: 1 page limit.  The Project Summary must include separate paragraphs addressing National Science Board approved criteria of intellectual merit and broader impact, or the proposal will be returned witout review.  These paragraphs are included in the 1-page limit.

Project Description: The proposal Project Description (limited to 12 double-spaced pages) should include the following:

  • a clearly outlined plan for a four-year project in which the Principal Investigator describes the activities to be undertaken related to the scholarship of the research discipline and the education of undergraduates and/or K-12 teachers and students, and to exploring ways to integrate education and research.  Include a description of how the funds (up to $300,000 over a duration of 4 years) will be used to support these activities;
  • a plan to evaluate the effectiveness of the project's activities;
  • a plan to disseminate those activities/components that are found to be effective in increasing the learning of science, mathematics, engineering and technology, and the way in which these are taught.  Dissemination efforts should reach beyond the awardee's institution.

Educational activities may, for example, focus on:

  • improving student learning in STEM courses;
  • incorporating disciplinary research scholarship into classroom teaching;
  • developing educational materials that will have a national impact on STEM education;
  • creating interdisciplinary courses;
  • implementing a new pedagogy in STEM courses;
  • using technology more effectively in the STEM classroom;
  • creating innovative approaches for preparing K-12 teachers who teach science, mathematics, and technology education;
  • mentoring faculty and graduate students in their roles as teaching scholars;
  • disseminating insights and STEM education products to a wide faculty/teacher audience; and,
  • developing strategies to improve the scientific literacy of all students.

NSF is most interested in supporting projects that promote scholarly work in STEM education; enhance its value in the higher education community; have an impact beyond the Awardees’ institutions; and that maintain the prestige of the award.

A budget justification of up to three pages must accompany the budget forms and provide details about budget line items.  These pages are in addition to the Project Description.

Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (03-591) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing:

Cost sharing is not required in proposals submitted under this Program Solicitation.

Other Budgetary Limitations:

Award amounts up to $300,000. Duration for all awards is 4 years.

C. Due Dates

Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):

Letters of Intent (optional):

    November 03, 2003
      Optional

Preliminary Proposals (required):

    November 19, 2003
      Nominations due by 5 pm nominator's local time.

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

    February 25, 2004

D. FastLane Requirements

Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program announcement/solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this announcement/solicitation.

Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Proposers are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed Proposal Cover Sheet to NSF. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov

VI. PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

A. NSF Proposal Review Process

Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education project. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest, at the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.

The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions.

In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative.

Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects.

The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which he/she is qualified to make judgments.

    What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
    How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?
    What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
    How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:

    Integration of Research and Education
    One of the principal strategies in support of NSF's goals is to foster integration of research and education through the programs, projects, and activities it supports at academic and research institutions. These institutions provide abundant opportunities where individuals may concurrently assume responsibilities as researchers, educators, and students and where all can engage in joint efforts that infuse education with the excitement of discovery and enrich research through the diversity of learning perspectives.
    Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities
    Broadening opportunities and enabling the participation of all citizens -- women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities -- is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. NSF is committed to this principle of diversity and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.

B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular field represented by the proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by Ad Hoc and/or panel review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Director. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the date of receipt. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program Division administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See section VI.A. for additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (NSF-GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreement awards also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions (CA-1). Electronic mail notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF awards to organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/grants/grants_gac.htm. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpm. The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may be ordered through the GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period.

Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for the PI and all Co-PIs. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. This system permits electronic submission and updating of project reports, including information on project participants (individual and organizational), activities and findings, publications, and other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system.

VIII. CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:

  • Herbert Levitan, Section Head, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4627, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: hlevitan@nsf.gov

For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:

IX. OTHER PROGRAMS OF INTEREST

The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to Programs is available electronically at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.

Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated daily on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's Custom News Service (https://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/start.htm) to be notified of new funding opportunities that become available.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.

NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit eligibility.

Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.

The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.

To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov

  • Location:

4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22230
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    (NSF Information Center):

(703) 292-5111
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(703) 292-5090
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Send an e-mail to:

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PRIVACY ACT AND PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENTS

The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing information as part of the review process or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0058. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 120 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.

OMB control number: 3145-0058.