June 21, 2022

Dear Colleagues:

Introduction

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have shared interests in a variety of basic and applied scientific and engineering fields. This Dear Colleague Letter calls attention to opportunities for researchers supported by NSF to collaborate with researchers in the NIST Laboratories and User Facilities.

Principal Investigators (PIs) with current active NSF awards are eligible to submit NSF supplemental funding requests for travel expenses and per diem associated with work on-site at NIST to collaborate on research with NIST staff and access specialized research instrumentation.

Preparation and Submission of Supplemental Funding Requests

Before submitting a supplemental funding request, PIs are strongly encouraged to consult the NSF Program Director for their current award. Details of a proposed collaboration must be discussed in advance with the NIST collaborator and documented in the submitted NSF supplemental funding request. These requests must include a description of the proposed work, including a brief scientific or engineering justification. Note that NSF grantees must establish a plan to collaborate with a NIST employee on their own based on mutual interests and consistent with NIST’s mission. The supplemental funding request budget may include only travel and per diem costs associated with collaborative work at NIST. Support may be requested for any NSF-supported project participants (PIs, co-PIs, post-doctoral scholar, undergraduate and graduate students, and other personnel) associated with the joint NSF-NIST activity, but NSF funds will not be provided for NIST employees. Indirect costs may be charged in accordance with the organization's indirect cost rate agreement.

The participating NIST laboratories and user facilities are:

• Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) https://www.nist.gov/ctl
• Engineering Laboratory (EL) https://www.nist.gov/el
• Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) https://www.nist.gov/itl
• Materials Measurement Laboratory (MML) https://www.nist.gov/mml
• Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) https://www.nist.gov/pml
• Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) https://www.nist.gov/ncnr
• Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology (CNST) https://www.nist.gov/cnst

For detailed information and more about participating NIST laboratories and user facilities, see:

NSF-NIST Interaction in Basic and Applied Scientific Research

Sincerely,

Joanne S. Tornow, Assistant Director
Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)

Margaret Martonosi, Assistant Director
Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE)

Sylvia M. Butterfield, Acting Assistant Director
Directorate for Education & Human Resources (EHR)

Susan S. Margulies, Assistant Director
Directorate for Engineering (ENG)

Alexandra R. Isern, Assistant Director
Directorate for Geosciences (GEO)

Alicia J. Knoedler, Office Head
Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)

Sean L. Jones, Assistant Director
Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences (MPS)

Kellina M. Craig-Henderson, Deputy Assistant Director
Directorate for Social, Behavioral, & Economic Sciences (SBE)