This document has been archived and replaced by NSF 09-030
(http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf09030).


Title: Emerging Topics in Biogeochemical Cycles (ETBC)
Date: 09/19/07




                               
 National Science Foundation
 4201 Wilson Boulevard
 Arlington, VA 22230

                     Directorate for Geosciences
                            NSF 07-049

September 19, 2007


 Subject:  Emerging Topics in Biogeochemical Cycles (ETBC)

 Dear Colleague:

 The Geosciences Directorate (GEO) is substantially augmenting our
 past funding sources to explicitly support emerging areas of
 interdisciplinary research.  We seek to foster transformational
 advances in our quantitative or mechanistic understanding of
 biogeochemical cycles that integrate physical-chemical-biological
 processes over the range of temporal and/or spatial scales in
 Earth's environments. We encourage submission of proposals
 that address emerging topics in biogeochemical cycles, the water
 cycle or their coupling, across the interfaces of atmosphere, land,
 and oceans.  Proposals must cross the disciplinary boundaries of
 two or more divisions in Geosciences (e.g. ATM, EAR, OCE) or of at
 least one division in Geosciences and a division in another NSF
 directorate.

 Although funding programmatic disciplines continues to provide a
 robust and adaptable framework to build our understanding of the
 geosciences and the earth as a system, there are classes of
 emerging and challenging problems that require integration of
 concepts and observations across diverse fields.   Our goal is to
 enhance such integration. Successful proposals need to develop
 intellectual excitement in the participating disciplinary
 communities.  Also encouraged are proposals that have broader
 educational, diversity, societal, or infrastructure impacts that
 capitalize on this interdisciplinary opportunity.

 This is not a special competition or new program.  Relevant
 proposals are to be submitted to an existing GEO program according
 to the program's regular target or deadline dates.  A GEO
 program must be identified as the lead program.  Facilities
 requests should be included following standard GEO practice. Target
 and deadline dates for applicable programs may be found at
 http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=geo.  For full proposals
 submitted via FastLane, standard Grant Proposal Guidelines apply.
 For full proposals submitted via Grants.gov, seeNSF Grants.gov
 Application Guide; A Guide for the Preparation and Submission of
 NSF Applications via Grants.gov (Note:  The NSF Grants.gov
 Application Guide is available on the Grants.gov website and on the
 NSF website at:
 http://www.nsf.gov/bfa/dias/policy/docs/grantsgovguide.pdf)

 Titles of proposals emphasizing Emerging Topics in Biogeochemical
 Cycles (ETBC) should be prefaced with "ETBC:".  The review process
 will follow standard practices of the GEO program to which the
 proposal was submitted.  Investigators are strongly encouraged to
 contact one of the GEO program officers listed at
 http://www.nsf.gov/geo/etbc_contacts.jsp  to determine if their
 proposed ideas respond to the ETBC goals, discuss relevant topics
 of interest, and gain advice on how best to prepare a proposal for
 this activity.  Information on making a facilities request is
 available on the NSF GEO website at
 http://www.nsf.gov/geo/atm/ulafos/laof/ for lower atmospheric
 facilities and at
 http://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/IPS_Guidelines.pdf for
 oceanographic resources.

 We look forward to discussing your ideas.

 Sincerely

 Jarvis Moyers
 Acting Assistant Director for Geosciences
 National Science Foundation