Dynamics in Many Dimensions - GT IGERT '04 Proposal
CNS Proposal Internal Due Date
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October 15, 2004
LaTeX Last modified Compiled Description
project.zip 10-Sep-2004 -- (SIMPLEST: download all source files)
project.tex 10-Sep-2004 pdf ps LaTeX this one to compile the preproposal
Synopsis of Program
The IGERT program has been developed to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers who will pursue careers in research and education, with the interdisciplinary backgrounds, deep knowledge in chosen disciplines, and technical, professional, and personal skills to become, in their own careers, leaders and creative agents for change. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education, for students, faculty, and institutions, by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. It is also intended to facilitate diversity in student participation and preparation, and to contribute to the development of a diverse, globally-engaged, science and engineering workforce.
Award Information
- Anticipated Funding Amount: $30,800,000 Up to $3.0 M per award over 5 years, plus, for new awards, up to $200K additional in the first year for appropriate purposes, and up to $200K total per award for projects that include strongly integrated international research activities in years 2 - 5.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
IGERT projects are expected to incorporate and integrate the following features:
A comprehensive interdisciplinary theme, appropriate for doctoral-level research, that serves as the foundation for traineeship activities;
Integration of the interdisciplinary research with innovative graduate education and training mechanisms, curricula enhancement, and other educational features that foster strong interactions among participating students and faculty;
An environment that exposes students to a broad base of state-of-the-art research instruments and equipment and educational tools and methodologies;
Career development opportunities, provision for developing professional and personal skills, fostering an international perspective, and instruction in ethics and the responsible conduct of research;
Program strategy and plan for recruitment, mentoring, retention, and graduation of U.S. graduate students, including efforts aimed at members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering;
Strategy and methodology for formative assessments of the project’s effectiveness by individuals internal and external to the institution and program improvements based on these assessments;
Administrative plan and organizational structure that ensures effective management of the project resources;
Plan for dissemination of innovative graduate education activities both within and outside the institution; and
Institutional commitment to facilitating and furthering the plans and goals of the IGERT project, to creating a supportive environment for integrative research and education, and to institutionalizing the successful elements of the project after NSF funding ends.
FULL PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
No additional information may be provided by links to web pages.
e. Organization, Management, and Institutional Commitment: Describe plans and procedures for the organization and management of the IGERT project. The plans should be specific and include use of a formal mechanism that assures the fair and effective allocation of IGERT resources and enables faculty members, students, and others to interact effectively in furthering project goals. Plans should include provision for an external advisory body. Consider the institutional or departmental obstacles you foresee in implementing your project, and how you plan to address them. Describe the commitment of the institution at all appropriate administrative levels to facilitating and furthering the plans and goals of the IGERT project and to creating a supportive environment for integrative research and education. A supporting letter of commitment from the senior administration of the submitting institution must accompany this proposal. Should a multi-institution project be proposed, then provide a careful justification that considers the administrative complexity and the expected benefits to student experiences. Discuss the role of any other academic institutions or organizations such as industry, government, non-U.S. institutions, or private foundations that are expected to participate in the IGERT project. Describe the nature and extent of connections with existing NSF multidisciplinary and industry-related programs such as the Science and Technology Centers (www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/stc/about.htm), Engineering Research Centers (www.eng.nsf.gov/eec/erc.htm), Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (www.nsf.gov/mps/divisions/dmr/aboutic_current_res.htm), and Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/goali/start.htm ). Discuss plans for sustaining the key features of the IGERT project after NSF funding is completed. For renewal proposals, discuss the plan for how successful elements of the project will be sustained after NSF funding ceases.
f. Performance Assessment: Describe a performance plan and methodology that relates the goals of the IGERT project, as it impacts students, faculty, and institution, to indicators and specific measurements for formative assessment of progress towards goal achievement. The assessment should involve evaluators internal and external to the institution who can render an objective evaluation and whose expertise spans the education and research objectives of the IGERT project. Describe how the results of the assessment will be applied to modify the project.
g. Recruitment, Mentoring, and Retention: Describe plans for recruitment, mentoring, and retention of U.S. graduate students, including specific provisions, beyond the norm, aimed at members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering. Discuss how new students will be staged into the program, the duration and level of their support with IGERT funds, and provisions for continued support through the completion of degree. IGERT support for two years (24 months) of full participation is strongly recommended. Alternative plans for student support must be justified in the proposal. Describe the diversity makeup of faculty participating in the IGERT project. If applicable, discuss how undergraduate student participation will be used to further the goals of attracting and graduating members of underrepresented groups. Describe the nature and extent of connections with recruitment, retention, and professional development programs available at the institution, particularly those supported by NSF, such as Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professional (www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/HRD/agep.asp), Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/HRD/amp.asp), Tribal Colleges and Universities Program (www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/HRD/tcup.asp), Historically Black Colleges and Universities - Undergraduate Program (www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/HRD/hbcu.asp), and the Centers for Research Excellence in Science and Technology (www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/HRD/crest.asp ). Specify the Ph.D. programs in which the IGERT graduate students may enroll.
h. Recent Traineeship Experience and Results from Prior NSF Support (if applicable; up to 5 pages, within the 25-page limit for project description): Describe your experience with and outcomes of any related graduate traineeship project, including IGERT projects, during the past five years. In this description, address in a comparative manner not only the outcomes of the prior project, including failures and proposed remedies, but also the differences and value-added aspects of the proposed IGERT project. Value-added aspects may include: new areas of research; new educational paradigms for students, faculty, and institution; sustainable vertical and lateral impact on faculty, institution, and even outside your institution; and recruitment, mentoring, retention, and career paths of U.S. graduate students, with special emphasis on those from underrepresented groups.
i. International Collaboration (for applicants requesting additional funds of up to a total of $200,000 per award; 2-page limit): Describe the procedures and arrangements for selecting, preparing, and sending IGERT students to foreign sites for research and education collaboration, including how their activities abroad will be integrated into and benefit the overall IGERT program. Discuss how specific projects will be determined for individual students and how effective mentoring will be ensured in the foreign host institutions. Address the practical aspects of sending U.S. students abroad, including logistical arrangements, language and cultural issues, supervision abroad to ensure the student’s welfare, and administrative requirements.
(G) Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources (1-page limit): Provide a description of facilities and major instruments that are available to the project and require no additional support from NSF.
(H) Supplementary Documentation: Up to eight supporting letters, including one that must be from the senior administration of the submitting institution, may be provided as part of the proposal, with up to four additional letters when international activities are proposed. Letters of endorsement from foreign counterparts should discuss the benefits and foreign commitment to the project.
Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (04-550) 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.
Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:
8% of total direct cost, excluding equipment and cost-of-education allowances, but not excluding participant support. This is in variance with Chapter II.C.2.g.v. of the Grant Proposal Guide.
Other Budgetary Limitations:
The NSF contribution to graduate student stipends is currently $30,000 per year per IGERT trainee for a 12 month appointment and budgeting for stipends should be made on this basis for each year of the award. All IGERT-supported students are expected to be full-time IGERT trainees. IGERT support for 2 years (24 months per student) is strongly recommended. Alternative plans for graduate student support must be justified in the proposal. If there is an increase in the approved stipend amount beyond $30,000, requests for additional project funding during the five-year period may be granted, depending on funds available. All graduate and other stipend recipients must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., its territories or possessions.
NSF PROPOSAL 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.
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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?
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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:
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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.
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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.
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Additional Review Criteria:
In responding to the standard NSF review criteria, reviewers will be asked to place emphasis on the following additional criteria in furthering IGERT program objectives:
Integration and coherence of the interdisciplinary theme in its effectiveness as an intellectual focus for all participating scientists, engineers, and educators;
Quality of the proposed research efforts, and their appropriateness to the interdisciplinary theme;
Quality and innovation in the planned graduate education and training mechanisms, and in their integration with the research;
Quality of outcomes of prior IGERT project, value-added aspects of new IGERT project, and potential for adding to the knowledge base in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduate education, if applicable;
Effectiveness of career development opportunities, provision for developing professional and personal skills, fostering an international perspective and ability to work in diverse teams, and instruction in ethics and the responsible conduct of research;
Effectiveness of the strategy for recruitment, mentoring, retention, degree completion, and career progression of U.S. graduate students, including those from groups underrepresented in science and engineering;
Quality of the international collaborative activities and benefits to the U.S. participants, if proposed;
Appropriateness of the plans for assessment of project performance in meeting objectives and expanding the knowledge base in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduate education and disseminating results to appropriate professional communities;
Appropriateness of the administrative plan and organizational structure in assuring effective allocation of project resources and participation by project members;
Appropriateness of the budget; and
Commitment of the institution to facilitating and furthering the plans and goals of the IGERT project, to creating a supportive environment for integrative research and education, and to sustaining the successful elements of the project after NSF funding ceases.
Sep 18 2004 - Predrag Cvitanovic