TITLE:  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for SBE Postdoctoral Research 
        Fellowships SPRF) Program (nsf14109)
DATE:   8/15/2014


   NSF 14-109

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for SBE Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
(SPRF) Program

    1. I am a doctoral student at University X, and I am planning to work
       with Professor Y at University Z. Which university should submit
       my SPRF proposal?
	   
       The submitting university should be the one where you would be
       working as a Postdoctoral Fellow, which is University Z. Consult
       with your mentor (Professor Y) and the Sponsored Projects Office
       at that university to determine the details of the submission.
	   
    2. I received my Doctoral degree in 2011. Am I eligible to apply to
       the SPRF program?
	   
       It depends on the date of your official degree conferral. If that
       date is within 36 months of your SPRF application deadline date,
       then you are eligible.
	   
    3. Can I have more than one Mentor?
	
       Yes, but you need to choose one as the Lead Mentor and have your
       proposal submitted from his/her institution. The other Mentor(s)
       can be put as additional co-PIs on the proposal's Cover Sheet.
	   
    4. If I have more than one Mentor, then who should write the
       Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan?
	   
       The Postdoctoral Mentoring Plan should be written jointly by your
       Mentors and it should present the roles of each Mentor clearly.
	   
    5. Can I submit Letters of Recommendation?
	
       No. Letters of Recommendation will not be accepted.
	   
    6. I have collaboration with Laboratory X, which has agreed to allow
       me to use their resources and equipment. Should the Director of
       the Lab write a letter to show this commitment?
	   
       Yes. A Letter of Commitment, detailing what resources they are
       allowing you, should be submitted. However, it is very important
       that this letter NOT contain any recommendation for your project.
	   
    7. Can I submit the proposal as an Individual, not going through any
       university or institution?
	   
       No. Your SPRF proposal must be submitted by the institution where
       you will be performing your research.
	   
    8. Can I choose a foreign institution (and a mentor at that site) for
       my postdoctoral work?
	   
       Yes, but you must select a US institution to submit your proposal
       from, and your Lead Mentor (Sponsoring Scientist) must be from
       that US institution. Your work at the foreign institution can
       involve a co-Mentor from that institution, and this co-Mentor can
       be added to the proposal as co-PI, if desired.
	   
    9. My project is interdisciplinary, but it also fits in with the
       Broadening Participation Track because I have a lot of activities
       toward that goal. Which track should I choose to submit it to? Is
       one track better than the other in terms of success rate?
	   
       It is up to you to decide which track is best for you. Consult
       with your Mentor(s) and read the solicitation carefully to
       determine what suits you the best. The success rate for each track
       depends on multiple factors, and cannot be pre-estimated.
	   
   10. My project does not require any data collection or analysis. Do I
       still need the Data Management Plan?
	   
       Yes. NSF now requires that all proposals include a Data Management
       Plan in the form of a supplementary document that is no more than
       two pages. For more information, consult the [1]Data Management
       Plan for SBE Proposals web site.

References

  1. http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sbe_data_management_plan.jsp