Title : NSF91134 - Funding Opportunities for Astronomers Type : General Publication NSF Org: MPS / AST Date : November 18, 1991 File : nsf91134 ****************************************************************************** This File has been updated 10/31/96 to reflect the proper address of the: National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22230 For more information call: (703)306-1234 ****************************************************************************** November 1991 +-----------------------------------------+ | | | FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASTRONOMERS | | | | NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION | | | +-----------------------------------------+ INDEX TOPIC PAGE Opportunities in the Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST) 3 General Research Awards.............................3 Listing of AST Staff................................4 Research/Instructional Equipment....................5 Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER)........5 Opportunities for Astronomical Sciences Research in Other NSF Research Divisions.........................................5 Opportunities for Astronomical Scientists in the Division of Human Resource Development.................................6 Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI)........6 Research Opportunity Awards (ROA)...................7 Visiting Professorships for Women (VPW).............7 Research Opportunities for Women (ROW)..............7 Minority Research Initiation (MRI)..................8 Research Careers for Minority Scholars (RCMS).......8 Alliances of Minority Participation (AMP)...........9 Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities.................................9 Astronomical Sciences Opportunities in the Division of International Programs.....................................9 Special Opportunities for Graduate Students, Postdoctoral Fellows, and New Faculty in Research Career Development...10 Graduate Fellowships...............................10 Minority Graduate Fellowships......................10 Graduate Traineeships..............................11 NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships......................11 Travel Grants to NATO Institutes...................11 Presidential Faculty Fellows Program (PFF).........11 NSF Young Investigator Awards (NYI)................12 Supercomputing Opportunities................................12 Opportunities for Astronomers in Undergraduate Activities...13 Curriculum Development Program.....................13 Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI)...13 Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Program (UFE)....13 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)......14 Astronomical Sciences Opportunities in Pre-college Activities.14 Young Scholars.....................................15 Informal Science Education.........................15 Division of Astronomical Sciences Organizational Chart......16 OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DIVISION OF ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES The principal focus of astronomical sciences research support within the National Science Foundation (NSF) is in the Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST). AST's object is to increase our knowledge of the Universe. Research is aimed at determining the composition, structure, and evolution of planets, stars, and galaxies, including our Sun, the Milky Way, and other related phenomena. The support for significant research in the astronomical sciences serves to ensure the continuing vitality and long-range scientific health of the discipline. AST supports research activities through awards to single investigators or teams of investigators following the merit review of research proposals submitted by these investigators. Awards are recommended and monitored by Program Directors of the disciplinary programs within AST. Taken together, AST disciplinary programs broadly cover research in ground-based astronomy, including theory and laboratory astrophysics. In addition to providing research grants, NSF supports the development and operation of three National Astronomy Centers, where radio, optical, infrared, and special telescopes are made available to the scientific community on a competitive basis. This section contains brief descriptions of these activities. General Research Awards General research proposals submitted to the research programs in AST are regarded as "unsolicited." An "unsolicited" proposal is prepared by a principal investigator and submitted by an institution on its own initiative. Contact with AST program personnel before proposal preparation is encouraged to help determine if preparation of a formal submission is appropriate. The NSF publication Grants for Research and Education in Science and Engineering (GRESE) (NSF 90-77, August 1990) contains guidelines and procedures for unsolicited research proposals. These important guidelines describe the types of proposals accepted, who may submit, when to submit, where to submit, and what to submit. These guidelines include information on proposal processing and evaluation, grant administration, and other items of interest. Two other publications which may be especially useful to researchers in astronomical sciences are the Guide to Programs (NSF 91-80) and a brochure entitled Publications of the National Science Foundation (NSF 91-61) which contains ordering information and lists all NSF publications. Most NSF publications are free of charge and may be obtained by writing to the National Science Foundation, Attn: Forms and Publications, 1800 G Street N.W., Room 232, Washington, DC 20550. Users of electronic mail may prefer to order publications electronically. Requests should be addressed to pubs@nsf.gov (internet) or pubs@nsf (bitnet) and include the NSF publication number and title, number of copies, your name, and a complete mailing address. It is VERY IMPORTANT that principal investigators recognize that proposal processing and review normally requires at least 6 months. A proposal with a requested start date of November (possibly optimistic) or later should arrive at NSF in March or April. In fact, the best "timing" for proposals is to submit them in the spring with a start date in the late fall or early winter. Every effort is made to reach a decision and inform applicants within 6 months; however, recommendations on proposals with requested start dates which do not allow for appropriate merit review and processing may be delayed beyond the requested start date or occasionally postponed until the next fiscal year. The Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics Program will have a deadline of May 15, 1992 for FY 1993 funding. Investigators are urged to call a Program Officer in advance of submitting a proposal. Division personnel would be happy to answer questions about budgets, formats, guidelines, or other matters relating to proposals and awards. New proposers often find it helpful to have colleagues read and make comments on proposals before submission. There are five disciplinary programs, two special programs, and three National Astronomy Center programs in AST. A brief description of the scientific focus of these programs is given below. These programs recommend awards for the support of research projects of high quality. A project budget may include salary support for principal investigators and postdoctoral associates, salary and tuition support for graduate research assistants, support for scientific equipment and computer access, travel support, research conference support, and other items necessary for the completion of the proposed research project. Investigators considering the submission of projects to research programs within AST should contact the appropriate program director before submission for information on program support. Besides the listed telephone numbers, the AST scientific staff may be reached via electronic mail by: first initial last name@nsf.gov [internet] Example: jsmith@nsf.gov first initial last name@nsf [bitnet] Example: jsmith@nsf or by postal mail at: National Science Foundation Division of Astronomical Sciences 1800 G Street, N.W., Room 615 Washington, DC 20550 The current programs and personnel in AST are: Division Director Julie H. Lutz 202/357-9488 Deputy Division Director Morris L. Aizenman 202/357-7643 Administrative Officer Barbara S. Harrison 202/357-9490 Planetary Astronomy Program and Galactic Astronomy Program Program Director Vernon L. Pankonin 202/357-7620 Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics Program Program Director Myron A. Smith 202/357-7622 Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology Program Program Director Kenneth C. Turner 202/357-7639 Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation Program Program Director G. Wayne van Citters 202/357-9793 Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs Program Director Penny D. Sackett 202/357-7304 National Optical Astronomy Observatories Program Manager Seth L. Tuttle 202/357-9484 National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center Program Manager Vacant (Seth Tuttle Acting) 202/357-9740 National Radio Astronomy Observatory Program Manager Ludwig F. Oster 202/357-9857 Electromagnetic Spectrum Management Program Program Manager Tomas E. Gergely 202/357-9696 Research/Instructional Equipment NSF currently provides grants for the purchase of undergraduate research and instructional equipment through two programs Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI) (NSF 91-84) and Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) (NSF 89-60). For information on the ILI program, contact the Division of Undergraduate Science Engineering and Mathematics Education or the Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs Director in AST. AST manages the astronomical sciences portion of the RUI program. These programs are discussed more fully later in the sections of this brochure describing opportunities for astronomical scientists in undergraduate activities and in research initiation and improvement. A new program, Academic Research Infrastructure (ARI), will begin in FY 1992. This program will support the acquisition and development of major research instrumentation across all scientific disciplines supported by the Foundation. Awards for instrumentation will range from $100,000 to $2,000,000 with at least 50% cost-sharing required. This program will also fund the repair, renovation, or in exceptional cases, replacement of obsolete science and engineering research facilities at eligible academic institutions. Other Activities The Program Director for Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs manages or participates in several Foundation-wide activities on behalf of AST, often in close collaboration with the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). Programs handled currently include the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) sites, Curriculum Development, Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement, Faculty Awards for Women Scientists and Engineers (FAW), Science and Technology Centers (STC), the Presidential Faculty Fellows (PFF) Program, and NSF Young Investigator Awards (NYI). Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) NSF invites proposals for small-scale, exploratory, high-risk research in all fields of science, engineering, and education normally supported by NSF. These are not sent out for merit review, but are funded at the discretion of the Program Officer. Award amounts will vary by program and are expected to be substantially less than a given program's average award amount. In any event, no SGER awards will exceed $50,000. SGER awards are nonrenewable and are normally made for 1 year but in no case to exceed 2 years. Continued support may be requested only through submittal of a complete non-SGER proposal that will be fully reviewed. More than one investigator may be supported on one SGER award. Investigators without prior NSF support are encouraged to apply. Announcement NSF 89-85. ********** OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH IN OTHER NSF RESEARCH DIVISIONS Several research directorates and divisions at NSF fully or partially support research projects in the astronomical sciences. For example, certain applied astronomical activities may be supported within divisions in the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) and within divisions in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS). History of science may be supported under the proposed new Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE); solar-terrestrial projects may be supported under GEO (in particular, the Division of Atmospheric Sciences (ATM), 202/357-7618); computer science projects may be supported in the Directorate of Computer and Information Science and Engineering(CISE); and some engineering related projects may find support in the Directorate of Engineering (ENG). Research projects may vary widely in focus and content; thus, all possible opportunities cannot be listed completely in this brochure. An investigator interested in the opportunities under divisions and directorates other than AST should consult the National Science Foundation's Guide to NSF Programs, FY 1992 (NSF 91-80) to determine a possible match of a research project to a program. Obtaining a copy of the NSF Organization Directory (which lists directorates and programs) may be useful in identifying an appropriate research program. Also, telephone conversations with program directors in AST will help to determine where a proposed project would find the best match with a current NSF program. ********** OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASTRONOMICAL SCIENTISTS IN THE DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT The Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) in EHR supports research and related activities that strengthen the Nation's human and institutional resource base for mathematics, science, and engineering. The objectives include, among other items, increasing research opportunities for women, minorities, persons with disabilities and faculty from predominantly undergraduate institutions. While some of these NSF-wide activities are coordinated by HRD, the actual proposals for projects in the astronomical sciences are generally reviewed and funded by the disciplinary program in AST. Further, if an award is recommended, this recommendation is often made by the appropriate AST program director. Consequently, applicants are urged to discuss the project with the appropriate AST program director in their research area before submitting a formal proposal to NSF. 1. Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) RUI provides support for astronomical sciences research and research equipment for faculty in nondoctoral departments in predominantly undergraduate institutions. "Predominantly undergraduate institutions" are 2- and 4-year institutions, master's level institutions, and doctoral-granting institutions, provided the number of doctorates awarded by the institution in the fields supported by NSF did not exceed a total of 20 in the 2 calendar years preceding the proposal submission date. In addition to the usual requirements for a research proposal, RUI proposals must describe the expected impact of the proposed research on the research and training environment of the department. Special emphasis is placed on the project's potential for better integrating the research and teaching functions and for enhancing the department's ability to prepare students for entry into graduate education and careers in science and engineering. RUI proposals for astronomical research should be submitted to the disciplinary program director in AST. Prospective applicants should request the brochure Research in Undergraduate Institutions (NSF 89-60) from the RUI Coordinator. General inquiries should be addressed to the RUI Coordinator 202/357-7456. The RUI Program provides support for purchasing or upgrading instrumentation and computer equipment needed for conducting research. For information on RUI equipment proposals, contact a disciplinary program director in AST. 2.Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) NSF provides opportunities for faculty at institutions with limited research opportunities to participate in astronomical sciences research projects under the aegis of supported NSF investigators at research institutions. Faculty members make their own arrangements with investigators at the research universities or laboratories that have been awarded or are currently applying for an NSF research project grant. In the case of ongoing grants in the astronomical sciences, grantees should contact the appropriate program director in AST and ask for the necessary changes in the project budget allocations or, if required, supplemental funds to permit participation by a visiting ROA researcher. Each case is judged on its own scientific merits and is recommended at the discretion of the AST program director. General inquiries should be made to the RUI Coordinator at 202/357- 7456. 3. Visiting Professorships for Women (VPW) This program provides support to experienced women astronomers who will serve as visiting faculty members at host institutions. In addition to research and teaching, the visiting professor undertakes counseling and other interactive activities to increase the visibility of women astronomers in the academic environment of the institution and to provide encouragement for other women to pursue careers in science and engineering. The VPW program has a proposal deadline of November 15 of each year. An annual program announcement provides more information on preparing proposals (NSF 91-87). For a copy, contact the Program Director, Visiting Professorships for Women, National Science Foundation, 202/357-7734. 4. Research Opportunities for Women NSF provides activities directed at increasing the number of women as full participants in independent research under the following activities: A. Research Planning Grants (RPG): These grants are designed to enable women who have not had prior independent Federal research support to develop a competitive research project. Tenure or tenure-track status is NOT an eligibility factor. Under this activity, an investigator applies for limited support for preliminary studies and other research activities related to an anticipated proposed research project. Planning grants are one- time awards limited to a maximum of $18,000 for a period of up to 12 months. The NSF-wide target date (not deadline) for planning grant proposals is January 15 of each year; proposals are to be submitted to the appropriate research program in AST. (NSF 90-121) B. Career Advancement Awards (CAA): The goal of the program is to support activities that advance the applicant's current research career. These awards are not a substitute for regular research grants. The projects should, for example, develop innovative research methods or be designed to provide experience in an area that will expand the applicant's current research program. It is expected (but not required) that the applicant is funded currently or has had prior research support. CAA grants are one- time awards limited to a maximum of $50,000 for a period of up to 12 months. Additionally, up to $10,000 for equipment may be awarded. Up to 10 percent of these funds may be used to defray administrative expenses in lieu of indirect costs. The NSF-wide target date (note deadline) for CAA proposals is January 15 of each year; the project should be submitted to the appropriate AST disciplinary program. (NSF 90-121) C. NSF Faculty Awards for Women Scientists and Engineers (FAW): This was a new effort in FY 1991 to recognize outstanding women faculty members. Nominations are made by the institution for tenured faculty women who are not yet full professors. Awards are for up to $50,000 per year for 5 years. Contact the Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs director, the appropriate disciplinary program director or the program coordinator, EHR, Room 1225, 202/357-7461. A competition for new FAW awards for FY 1993 is expected in the spring of 1992. 5. Minority Research Initiation (MRI) The MRI program is an integral part of NSF's overall effort to give greater access to scientific research to groups that are underrepresented in the science and engineering career pool. The MRI programmatic activities that provide research support directly to scholars in the sciences are: A. Minority Research Initiation Awards: These are one-time grants intended to provide opportunities for minorities to become actively engaged in research as independent investigators. Projects are normally supported for 3 years. They are not renewable, but they may be extended for up to 2 additional years of support. Applicants must hold full-time faculty or research- related positions at colleges or universities and cannot have previously received Federal research support. Proposals for MRI awards may be submitted at any time. Contact the Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs Director in AST at 202/357- 7304. (NSF 90-143) B. Minority Research Initiation Planning Grants: Individuals who are eligible for Minority Research Initiation support may apply for preliminary MRI Planning Grants. These grants are intended to strengthen the proposal planning and development capabilities of investigators who have not previously received Federal research support. Awards are typically for $12,000 with a maximum of $18,000 and are not renewable. The MRI Planning Grants have target (not deadline) dates of November 1 and February 1 of each year. Contact the discipline program director or MRI program director at 202/357-7350. (NSF 90-143) C. Career Advancement Awards (CAA): The eligibility for Career Advancement Awards is the same as for the MRI awards listed above. The award is to advance careers and is limited to $50,000 for usually 12 months. Additionally, up to $10,000 for equipment may be requested. The deadline date is February 15 of each year. Contact the discipline program director or MRI program director at 202/357-7350. (NSF 90-143) 6. Research Careers for Minority Scholars (RCMS) The RCMS program is designed to retain a significant number of minority students in the science and engineering realms. The program provides support to help universities and colleges implement comprehensive enrichment programs. It also provides stipends to qualified minority science or engineering students so they can pursue career paths in these fields. In addition, support may be provided for student tuition, research experiences, counseling, and other academic enrichment activities. Proposals may be submitted by institutions on behalf of five eligible students, and are particularly encouraged from institutions with significant minority enrollments and a tradition of training minority students. Grants may be awarded for periods of up to 5 years. The target date for the current fiscal year is January 13, 1992. (NSF 90-136) Other NSF programs concerned with minority participation in science include institutional activities (such as Minority Research Centers of Excellence (NSF 91-25) or Research Improvement in Minority Institutions (NSF 89-7)) and opportunities for students through Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students (NSF 89-39). Information on any of the above programs may be obtained by contacting the Division of Human Resource Development at the National Science Foundation at 202/357-7350. (See also the EHR program announcement, Career Access Opportunities in Science and Technology for Women, Minorities and the Disabled (NSF 90-126)). 7. Alliances of Minority Participation (AMP) The AMP initiative supports the establishment of comprehensive, systematic approaches to increasing the number of high-ability minority students selecting and successfully completing undergraduate studies in natural science and engineering (excluding social, economic, and behavioral sciences) through cooperative efforts between colleges and universities, industry, state and local governments, school systems, private foundations, professional organizations, and other groups, as appropriate. Contact the AMP Director, Room 1225, 202/357-7350. (NSF 90-44) 8. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities The purposes of this program are (1) to reduce or remove barriers to participation in research and training in the astronomical sciences encountered by physically-disabled individuals through special equipment and assistance under NSF awards, and (2) to encourage physically-disabled individuals to pursue careers in science or engineering by stimulating the development and demonstration of special equipment that facilitates work performance. Requests for support may be included in regular research proposals submitted to any NSF program or in requests for supplements to existing awards. A brochure (NSF 91-54) describing this program is available from the Program Coordinator, Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities, the National Science Foundation, 202/357-7461. ********* ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS The Division of International Programs (INT) at the NSF provides opportunities for U.S. astronomers to cooperate with scientists of other countries in joint research, education, engineering, and related activities. The programs under INT management are developed through bilateral agreements between the U.S. and the participating country. Consequently, the program activities are implemented under a country- by-country format. In general, there are four types of activities for which an astronomical scientist may be supported: (1) cooperative research projects designed and conducted jointly between astronomical scientists in the U.S. and the foreign country; (2) long- and medium- term research visits for younger investigators at foreign centers of excellence; (3) research-oriented seminars, conferences, or workshops; and (4) short-term scientific visits for planning cooperative research activities. The last category is not supported in some programs, particularly for activities with industrial countries. Astronomers seeking detailed information, application requirements, and brochures describing opportunities for the above cooperative activities should contact the program directors of the appropriate country or regional program or contact the Division of International Programs at NSF. Please be aware that program support modes, deadlines, or target dates may change. NSF has a Memorandum of Understanding initiating a U.S./U.S.S.R. Cooperative Science Program. This program supports cooperative research, joint seminars/workshops, and individual scientific visits. Only proposals in selected research areas in the astronomical sciences are eligible. Seminars/workshops and individual visits are considered solely for the purpose of developing concrete proposals for long-term cooperative research. Proposals for developmental activities (indivi- dual visits and workshops) may be submitted at any time. The proposals for joint research projects in the astronomical sciences will be evaluated through AST's merit-review process. Investigators should consult the appropriate AST disciplinary program before submission of a project. (NSF 89-100) NSF's Japan Program encourages U.S. scientists and engineers to submit proposals to compete for support for long-term (6-24 months) and short- term (up to 6 months) research visits in Japan, U.S.-Japan bilateral seminars, state-of-the-art reviews of Japanese research, Japanese language study, curriculum development for teaching the Japanese language to scientists and engineers, and participation in summer institutes in Japan for graduate students. Support from the Japan program is supplemental in nature; individuals seeking salary and research support from NSF, in addition to Japan-related expenses, should submit a regular proposal to the appropriate disciplinary research program and also send a copy to the Japan Program. The appropriate disciplinary program director and the Japan Program Announcement (NSF 90-144) should be consulted before proposal submission. ********* SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS, POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS, AND NEW FACULTY IN RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT 1. Graduate Fellowships The Graduate Fellowship Program offers 3 years of support for graduate study to approximately 950 outstanding graduate students in the mathematical sciences and in science and engineering. The deadline for application is in mid-November, and a detailed program description and guidelines for application are in the brochure Graduate Fellowships Announcement (NSF 91-72). For this brochure and other information, contact the Fellowship Office, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC 20418, 202/334-2872. To be eligible for this competition, candidates must be citizens or nationals of the U.S. and at or near the beginning of their graduate career. In FY 1992, the stipend for each graduate fellow will be $14,000 for a 12-month period. An annual cost-of-education allowance of $7,500 is made available to the awardee's institution for each year of tenure, in lieu of tuition and fees. 2. Minority Graduate Fellowships This program is identical to the Graduate Fellowship Program except that only members of ethnic minority groups who are underrepresented in the Nation's science pool are eligible. The program will offer approximately 150 Minority Graduate Fellowships, including approximately 10 awards under the Women in Engineering component. Competition in this program is open to underrepresented minority citizens or nationals of the U.S. who are American Indian, Black, Eskimo or Aleutian, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic, and who are in the early stages of their graduate study. The deadline for application is mid-November, and a detailed brochure entitled Minority Graduate Fellowships Announcement (NSF 91-73) is available by contacting the Fellowship Office, National Research Council, 2101 Constitution Avenue, Washington, DC 20418, 202/334-2872. 3. Graduate Traineeships A new Graduate Traineeship program will begin in FY 1992; guidelines for the program are expected to be available in the Federal Register in early December. For more information, contact the Division of Research Career Development at 202/357-7536. 4. NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships An opportunity for postdoctoral research support in the astronomical sciences lies in the NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships program. Approximately 50 awards will be made each year to outstanding individuals in science and engineering. The purpose is to promote a closer collaboration between scientists and engineers of the member NATO nations. The application deadline is November 2, 1992. Eligibility involves both U.S. citizenship and receipt of a doctorate within the last 5 years. This program provides for a 12- month fellowship with a monthly stipend of $2,600, plus dependency and travel allowances, for tenures of 6-12 months. A detailed program description and guidelines for applications are in the brochure NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science and Engineering (NSF 91-88). Contact the Division of Research Career Development at 202/357-7536. 5. Travel Grants to NATO Institutes Each year there are several NATO Advanced Study Institutes in the astronomical sciences. NSF awards travel grants, normally covering the round-trip air fare involved, to enable young U.S. scientists to attend these study institutes. The meetings are usually held during the summer and last 2 to 3 weeks. The director of a NATO Advanced Study Institute may nominate U.S. citizens for support who are graduate science students or have received a Ph.D. within the past 3 years and have been accepted at the NATO institute. Lists of institutes appear in the final January editions of Nature, New Scientist, Science, and La Recherche. In September of 1991, the National Science Foundation inaugurated two new programs: the Presidential Faculty Fellows (PFF) program and the NSF Young Investigator Awards (NYI) program. Together, these two activities replace the Presidential Young Investigator (PYI) program that operated from 1984 to 1991. The two new programs operate independently and separate nominations are required. 6. Presidential Faculty Fellows Program (PFF) At the request of the President of the United States, the newly initiated PFF program will recognize and support the scholarly activities of some of the Nation's most outstanding young science and engineering faculty members. Awards will carry a grant from NSF of $100,000 per year for five years and are intended to allow Fellows to undertake self-designed, innovative research and teaching projects, to establish research and teaching programs, and to pursue other activities appropriate for outstanding young faculty. Thirty PFF awards are planned for FY 1992, of which fifteen will be in engineering and fifteen in science. Institutions in the U.S. that offer baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees in a field supported by NSF may nominate two candidates per year. Nominees for the current competition must: be U.S. citizens or permanent residents as of December 2, 1991; hold a Ph.D. degree, or equivalent, awarded between January 1, 1984 and December 2, 1991; and have begun their first tenure-track or equivalent position at any four-year or graduate-level college or university after December 1, 1988. The deadline for nominations is December 2, 1991. The complete Presidential Faculty Fellows Program Announcement (NSF 91-103) should be consulted before nominations are submitted. Awards will be announced in the spring of 1992. Further information on the PFF program may be obtained by telephoning NSF at 202/357-7536. 7. National Science Foundation Young Investigator Program (NYI) The recently-announced NYI program has as its goals: the recognition of outstanding young faculty in science and engineering; the enhancement of the academic careers of recent Ph.D. recipients through the flexible support of research and teaching; and fostering contact and cooperation between academia and industry. Each NYI award will consist of an annual base grant of $25,000 from NSF plus up to $37,500 of additional funds per year on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis from industrial and not-for-profit sources, resulting in a possible total annual award of up to $100,000. Institutions in the U.S. that award a baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degree in a field supported by the Foundation may nominate faculty or prospective faculty for the NYI program. Nominees for the current competition: must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents as of January 31, 1992; must have a Ph.D. degree or equivalent, awarded or to be awarded on or after January 1, 1986, but no later than October 1, 1992; must not have entered on a tenure-track position at any college or university prior to January 1, 1988,; and must have a tenure-track or tenured faculty position or equivalent at their nominating institution or receive an appointment to such a position to begin on or before October 1, 1992. The deadline for nominations is January 31, 1992. The complete NSF Young Investigator Awards Program Announcement (NSF 91-112) should be consulted before nominations are submitted. The FY 1992 NYI awardees will be announced approximately June 1992. For further information on the NYI program, contact NSF at (202) 357-7536. ********* SUPERCOMPUTING OPPORTUNITIES Astronomers have become increasingly in need of large-scale scientific computation. The Division of Advanced Scientific Computing provides individuals or teams of researchers access to supercomputers at four NSF Supercomputer Centers. These facilities are dedicated to serving long-term needs, including training in the use of advanced computing. Facilities are continually updated. A brochure describing the NSF National Supercomputer Centers, their equipment, and their application guidelines can be obtained from the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing at the National Science Foundation, 202/357-9776. Software capitalization is an effort to promote the re-use and sharing of research software among investigators and thereby enhance the research software base. It is an objective of NSF's CISE Directorate to encourage the sharing of research results, including software, among the widest possible community of researchers. The program announcement (NSF 90-30) sets guidelines whereby NSF investigators can obtain software capitalization supplements to existing NSF grants. Funds designated for software capitalization will be used exclusively for distributing and supporting research software that has demonstrated its utility but which cannot be obtained commercially. Software capitalization proposals will be accepted in any area relevant to an existing CISE program. For inquiries, call 202/357-5902. ********* OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASTRONOMERS IN UNDERGRADUATE ACTIVITIES NSF's undergraduate programs seek to achieve a permanent, high-quality presence in U.S. undergraduate education that will help to ensure the long-term health and vitality of the Nation's science, astronomical, and engineering enterprise. The Division of Undergraduate Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education (USEME) (a division within EHR), 202/357-9644, serves as the focal point for the NSF-wide mission at the undergraduate level. 1. Curriculum Development Program Curriculum and course development projects should describe a well- formulated underlying philosophy and a well-defined plan for development. Proposals should contain complete details on which to base a multi-year award. The project's description should cover planning, development, implementation, testing, evaluation, and dissemination stages. Teacher training, methodology and related issues should be addressed as appropriate. The deadline for proposals is June 15, 1992. For more information on the Curriculum Development Program, contact the Division of Undergraduate Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Education at 202/357-7051. (NSF 91-50) 2. Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (ILI) Through matching grants for the purchase of undergraduate computing equipment and other instructional apparatus in the astronomical sciences, this program supports instrumentation-based projects to generate more effective and efficient approaches to laboratory- and computer-based instruction. Proposals should be limited to less than $100,000 NSF-requested support and require matching funds in an amount equal to or greater than the funds requested from NSF. The current deadline for proposals is November 15, 1991. A detailed brochure entitled Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement (NSF 91-84) describing the proposal guidelines and submission requirements is available from USEME, 202/357-7051. 3. Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Program (UFE) This program offers grants for undergraduate faculty seminars and conferences to provide opportunities for groups of faculty to learn about new techniques and new developments in their fields. Proposal guidelines and submission dates are described in the program announcement Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Program (NSF 90-112). The target date for submission of proposals beginning in the summer of 1992 was April 15, 1991. Awards are made to conduct seminars, workshops, short courses, or similar activities for groups of faculty members. For further information, contact the Undergraduate Faculty Enhancement Program at 202/357-7051. 4. Research Experiences For Undergraduates (REU) Awards typically fall into two categories: A. REU Sites. These are grants to initiate and support undergraduate research participation sites, usually involving 8 to 10 students. Student participants should include significant fractions from outside the host institution, and proposals should describe what effort will be made to attract members from underrepresented groups. These projects may be carried out during the summer months, during the academic year, or both. Student participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and its possessions and must be enrolled in a program leading to a bachelor's degree. Proposals for REU Sites must be received by NSF no later than October 1 annually. B. REU Supplements. These are supplements to ongoing NSF research awards to provide research training experiences for undergraduate students. Normally, funds will be available for up to two students, but exceptions will be considered for training additional minority, disabled, or female students. Proposals for REU supplements will be accepted at any time, but they should be submitted as early in the fiscal year as possible. REU Supplements require 2 to 3 months processing time after receipt by NSF. Detailed information with regard to submission, deadline dates, proposal format and content, etc. is available in the announcement Research Experiences For Undergraduates (NSF 91- 78). This announcement can be obtained from the NSF Forms and Publications Unit or from the Divisional Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs Director. ********** ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES OPPORTUNITIES IN PRE-COLLEGE ACTIVITIES The last few years have witnessed a substantial investment of the Federal Government in science education and, in particular, in NSF's EHR directorate. As a consequence of this investment, new opportunities are being created and earlier programs being revised. Scholars in the astronomical sciences who are interested in these opportunities to contribute to these exciting challenges in science education should contact program officers in EHR to obtain up-to-date information on available programs. In addition to the undergraduate activities noted in the above section, EHR has extensive pre-college programs. Several programs of note are Teacher Preparation and Enhancement (NSF 91-105), Materials Development, Research and Informal Science Education (NSF 88-29), and Career Access Opportunities in Science and Technology (NSF 88-102). For further information on EHR programs contact 202/357-7557. The previous sections, "Opportunities for Student and Postdoctoral Fellowships in Research Career Development" and "Opportunities for Astronomers in the Division of Research Initiation and Improvement" detail information on career opportunities such as the Young Scholars Program and the Research Careers for Minority Scholars activity. Additional activities supported under the Career Access Program include comprehensive regional centers for minorities and model projects for women, minorities, and the disabled. 1. Young Scholars This program offers funding for enrichment activities in science and engineering for high-potential or high-ability secondary-school students. Proposals may be submitted by colleges or universities, their associations or consortia, scientific or professional societies whose members are primarily university faculty or researchers, and for-profit industries or other organizations which are engaged in significant advanced research efforts and have experience in interacting with students. The deadline to submit proposals for FY 1993 funds is May 1, 1992. A program description and guidelines for application are in the brochure Young Scholars Program Announcement (NSF 91-37). Contact the Division of Research Career Development at 202/357-7538. 2. Informal Science Education This program provides support for projects that strengthen and enhance the scientific and technical understanding of the public outside of the formal education environment. Activities could include radio or television programs, museum and planetarium activities, recreational learning activities, and work with organizations and clubs (such as amateur astronomers). A program description and guidelines for application are in the brochure Materials Development, Research and Informal Science Education (NSF 88-29). The contact number is 202/357-7076. Most of the publications of the National Science Foundation, including this one, are available electronically through STIS (Science and Technology Information System), NSF's online publishing system, described in NSF 91-10, the "STIS flyer." To get a paper copy of the flyer, call NSF publications section at 202/357-7861. For an electronic copy, send an e-mail message to stisinfo@nsf.gov (Internet) or stisinfo@nsf (BITNET). The Foundation provides awards for research in the sciences and engineering. The awardee is wholly responsible for the conduct of such research and preparation of the results for publication. The Foundation, therefore, does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation. The Foundation welcomes proposals on behalf of all qualified scientists and engineers, and strongly encourages women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to compete fully in any of the research and research- related programs described in this document. Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on an NSF project. See the program announcement, or contact the program coordinator in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources. In accordance with Federal statutes and regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin, or disability shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under, any program or activity receiving financial assistance from the National Science Foundation. The National Science Foundation has TDD (Telephonic Device for the Deaf) capability, which enables individuals with hearing impairment to communicate with the Division of Personnel and Management about NSF programs, employment, or general information. This number is 202/357- 7492. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance #47-049, Mathematical and Physical Sciences OMB 3145-0058, 3145-0023 PT 34, 18, 22, DD, FF, II KW 1013002, 0502031, 0502023 NSF 91-134 (new)