January 7, 2008 Newsletter

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Agency:        National Science Foundation
Deadlines:    April 10, 2008 for Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) proposals
                        April 11, 2008 for Regional Alliances for Persons with Disabilities in STEM
                        Education (RDE-RAD) proposals
                        April 11, 2008 for Demonstration, Enrichment, and Information Dissemination
                        (RDE-DEI) proposals
                        April 21, 2008 for Focused Research Initiatives (RDE-FRI) proposals

The National Science Foundation Research in Disabilities Education (RDE) program seeks to broaden the participation and achievement of people with disabilities in all fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and associated professional careers.  Particular emphasis is placed on increasing the number of students with disabilities successfully completing quality associate, undergraduate, and graduate degrees in STEM and increasing the number of students with disabilities entering the professional STEM workforce.  This goal is addressed by three RDE program tracks:  Regional Alliances for Persons with Disabilities in STEM Education (RDE-RAD); Focused Research Initiatives (RDE-FRI); and Demonstration, Enrichment, and Information Dissemination projects (RDE-DEI). 

Proposals for new projects in each of the three RDE program tracks are invited:

  • Regional Alliances for Persons with Disabilities in Stem (RDE-RAD).  RDE-RAD proposals represent comprehensive, multidisciplinary networks that employ proven practices to increase the quality and quantity of students with disabilities completing postsecondary STEM degrees and entering the nation’s workforce.  RDE-RAD projects are networks established by universities and colleges with linkages throughout academia and in partnership with industry, government, and national research laboratories.  Academic partnerships include 2-year and 4-year institutions as well as pre-college educational entities.  The primary goals of a RDE-RAD project are to increase the quantity and quality of students with disabilities receiving associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees in STEM disciplines and entering the STEM workforce.  To achieve these goals, RDE-RAD projects address the following objectives:
    • To successfully employ evidence-based practices to provide students with disabilities comprehensive STEM educational and research experiences;
    • To provide high quality support services for student recruitment and retention in STEM degree programs; and
    • To offer proven career-development activities and support for students to successfully manage critical academic junctures and transition to the STEM workforce.

RDE-RAD proposals may request up to a total of $3,000,000 for five years, pending availability of funds and satisfactory performance.  NSF expects to fund 1-2 RDE-RAD proposals.

  • Focused Research Initiatives (RDE-FRI).  The RDE-FRI track includes investigations that address the following track goals:
    • Developing, promoting, and evaluating the use of accessible and appropriate assistive technologies, instructional materials, and learning resources for students with disabilities in STEM and for STEM professionals; and
    • Creating and implementing new STEM learning methods and teaching pedagogy, that incorporate universal design learning approaches, to improve the engagement and performance of students with disabilities in STEM coursework and lead to student success in STEM.

RDE-FRI proposals may request up to $375,000 for up to three years pending availability of funds.  NSF anticipates funding 7-12 RDE-FRI proposals.

  • Demonstration, Enrichment, and Information Dissemination (RDE-DEI).  The RDE-DEI track includes projects that address the following track goals:
    • Increasing public awareness and recognition of the capabilities and strengths of people with disabilities in STEM fields by disseminating evidence-based information that demonstrates success;
    • Developing, promoting, evaluating, and disseminating the use of accessible and appropriate assistive technologies, and the use of instructional materials and learning resources, for students with disabilities in STEM and for STEM professionals;
    • Creating, implementing, and disseminating new STEM learning methods and teaching pedagogy, that incorporate universal design learning approaches, to improve the engagement and performance of students with disabilities in STEM coursework and lead to student success in STEM;
    • Employing and disseminating proven practices, such as mentoring, to support the success of students with disabilities in STEM academic courses, critical academic junctures, research and industry internships and externships, and transitions to the STEM workforce.

RDE-DEI project proposals may request up to $150,000 for up to two years pending availability of funds.  NSF expects to fund 2-6 RDE-DEI proposals.

The proposed start dates for RDE-RAD, RDE-FRI, and RDE-DEI proposals should be at least seven months from the full proposal deadline.

Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) projects enable institutions to think and act strategically about the creative integration of NSF-funded awards, with particular emphasis on awards managed through programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), but not limited to those awards.  For Fiscal Year 2008, proposals are being solicited in six EHR programs that advance I3 goals:  CREST, ITEST, MSP, Noyce, RDE, and TCUP.  Given the focus on institutional integration, an institution may submit only one proposal to the I3 competition in only one program.  Proposals that facilitate either inter-institutional or intra-institutional efforts are encouraged.  Proposals may be submitted by a single institution to address intra-institutional goals only or by an institution acting on behalf of an institutional partnership to address inter-institutional goals.  I3 awards will be made for durations of up to five years, in amounts of $200,000 per year, for a total of up to $1,000,000 over five years.  NSF expects to fund 10 I3 awards.

URL:      http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08527/nsf08527.htm

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    Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST)

Agency:        National Science Foundation
Deadlines:    February 15, 2008 for (required) letters of intent
                       April 10, 2008 for full “Innovation through Institutional Integration” (I3) Proposals
                       April 11, 2008 for full ITEST proposals

The National Science Foundation Information Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers program (ITEST) program responds to current concerns and projections about shortages of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals and information technology workers in the United States and seeks solutions to help ensure the breadth and depth of the STEM workforce.  ITEST supports the development, implementation, testing, and scale-up of models, as well as research studies to address these concerns and to find solutions. 

Three types of projects are invited under the current ITEST announcement:

  • Strategies projects will include the design, implementation, and evaluation of models for classroom, after-school, summer, virtual, and/or year-round learning experiences for students and/or teachers to encourage students’ readiness for, and their interest and participation in, the STEM, and especially STEM-related information and communication technology (ICT), workforce.  These projects are intended to address the questions, “What is necessary to interest and prepare students as participants in the STEM workforce of the future?  What are the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students need in order to participate productively in the changing workforce in STEM, and how do they acquire them?” NSF anticipates making 15-22 Strategies awards of up to three years in duration, with award sizes of at most $1.5 million.  The funding request should be appropriate to the duration and scope of the project.
  • Scale-up projects will implement and test models about preparing students for information technology or the STEM workforce in a large-scale setting such as a state or national level based on evidence of demonstrated success.  These projects will be based on evidence drawn from previous projects or related theoretical and empirical evidence and will provide new evidence of the feasibility or impact of implementing models on a broader scale.  These projects address the questions of whether models and programs that have proven to be effective locally can be extended to wider implementation.  NSF anticipates making 1-4 Scale-up awards, ranging in duration from three to five years with an award size of up to $2.5 million (at $500,000 per year maximum).  The funding request should be appropriate to the duration and scope of the project.
  • Studies projects are research projects to enrich understanding of issues related to enlarging the STEM workforce, including efficacy and effectiveness studies of intervention models, longitudinal studies of efforts to engage students in the STEM, or especially ICT, areas, development of instruments to reliably and validly assess engagement, persistence, and other relevant constructs, or studies to identify predictors of student inclination to pursue STEM and/or ICT career paths.  Studies projects are intended to address the questions, “What will ensure that the nation has the capacity it needs to participate in transformative, innovative STEM advances?  How can we assess and predict inclination to participate in the STEM fields, and how can we measure and study impact of various models to encourage that participation?”  NSF is especially interested in projects that target students who are underserved and underrepresented in STEM ICT-intensive careers, including those residing in rural and economically disadvantaged communities.  NSF anticipates making 4-10 studies awards of up to three years in duration with awards sizes of at most $1.5 million.  The funding request should be appropriate to the duration and scope of the project.

Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) projects enable institutions to think and act strategically about the creative integration of NSF-funded awards, with particular emphasis on awards managed through programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), but not limited to those awards.  For Fiscal Year 2008, proposals are being solicited in six EHR programs that advance I3 goals:  CREST, ITEST, MSP, Noyce, RDE, and TCUP.  The Principal Investigator (PI) for an I3 proposal must be the university provost or equivalent, unless the proposal is exclusively for I3 STEM educational or related research.  NSF anticipates making up to 10 awards in this cross-divisional effort.

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:  Please note that an individual may serve as the PI for no more than one proposal under this solicitation.

URL:   http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08526/nsf08526.htm

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    Math and Science Partnership (MSP)

Agency:        National Science Foundation
Deadlines:    February 18, 2008 for (optional but strongly encouraged) letters of intent for                         Targeted Partnerships, Institute Partnerships, MSP-Start Partnerships, Phase II                         Partnerships, and RETA Projects
                       March 25, 2008 for full Targeted Partnerships, Institute Partnerships, MSP-Start                         Partnerships, Phase II Partnerships, and RETA Projects full proposals
                       April 10, 2008 for Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) proposals

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program is a major research and development effort that supports innovative partnerships to improve K-12 student achievement in mathematics and science.  MSP projects are expected to raise the achievement levels of all students and significantly reduce achievement gaps in the mathematics and science performance of diverse student populations.  MSP projects contribute to the knowledge base for mathematics and science education and serve as models that have a sufficiently strong evidence base to be replicated in education practice.

NSF seeks to support six types of awards under this program:

  • Targeted Partnerships focus on studying and addressing issues within a specific grade range or at a critical juncture in education, and/or within a specific disciplinary focus in mathematics or the sciences.  Awards for Targeted Partnerships will be made for a duration of up to 5 years and for average annual budgets of up to $2.5 million.  Funds requested must directly correlate to with the scope and complexity of the budget as well as with the numbers of teachers and/or students engaged in or impacted by the project.  NSF anticipates making 6-8 Targeted Partnership awards, pending availability of funds.
  • Institute Partnerships – Teacher Institutes for the 21st Century are designed to meet national needs for teacher leaders/master teachers who have deep knowledge of disciplinary content and are school- or district-based intellectual leaders in mathematics and science.  Awards for Institute Partnerships will be made for a duration of up to 5 years and for average annual budgets of up to $1 million, commensurate with the geographic reach of the Institute (i.e., national or regional/local) and expected numbers of participants.  NSF anticipates making 8-10 Institute Partnership awards, pending availability of funds.
  • MSP-Start Partnerships are for awardees new to the MSP program, especially from minority-serving institutions, community colleges, and primarily undergraduate institutions, to support the necessary data analysis, project design, evaluation and team building activities needed to develop a full MSP Targeted or Institute Partnership.  Awards for MSP-Start Partnerships will be made for a duration of up to 2 years and for average annual budgets of up to $150,000.  The request for funding should be consistent with the scope and complexity of the proposed MSP-Start work.  NSF anticipates making 5-8 MSP-Start Partnership awards, pending availability of funds.
  • Phase II Partnerships for prior MSP Partnership awardees focus on specific innovative areas of their work where evidence of significant positive impact is clearly documented and where an investment of additional resources and time would produce more robust findings and results.  Awards for Phase II projects will be made for a duration of up to 3 years and for average annual budgets of up to $700,000.  NSF anticipates making 3-5 Phase II Partnership awards, pending availability of funds.
  • Research, Evaluation, and Technical Assistance (RETA) projects directly support the work of the Partnerships, especially by developing tools to assess teachers’ growth in the knowledge of mathematics or the sciences needed for teaching, conducting longitudinal studies of teachers and their students who participate in the MSP projects, or engaging the national disciplinary and professional societies in MSP work.  Awards for RETA projects will be made for a duration of up to 3 years and for average annual budgets of up to $500,000.  The request for funding should be consistent with the scope and complexity of the proposed work.  NSF anticipates making 3-5 RETA awards, pending availability of funds. 
  • Innovation through Institutional Integration (I3) projects enable institutions to think and act strategically about the creative integration of NSF-funded awards, with particular emphasis on awards managed through programs in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (HER), but not limited to those awards.  For fiscal year 2008, proposals are being solicited in six HER programs that advance I3 goals:  CREST, ITEST, MSP, Noyce, RDE, and TCUP.  Up to 10 awards for durations of up to 5 years in amounts of up to $200,000 per year will be made in this cross-divisional effort. 

Partners Definition and Eligibility for Partnerships: 
Targeted, Institute, MSP-Start, and Phase II Partnership proposals are developed by Partnerships that must include core partners and may also include supporting partners.  Each proposal to the MSP Program for a Targeted, Institute, MSP-Start, or Phase II Partnership should be a single submission that includes support for all partners that are requesting funding from NSF. 

Core partner organizations share responsibility and accountability for the MSP project.  Core partner organizations are required to provide evidence of their commitment to undergo the institutional change necessary to sustain the partnership effort beyond the funding period.  Core partner organizations in each Partnership MUST include:

  • At least one institution of higher education AND
  • At least one K-12 school district. 

Within core partnering institution(s) of higher education, the Partnership must include science, mathematics, and/or engineering departments.  Community colleges and minority-serving institutions are encouraged to participate as core partner organizations in MSP projects.  Core partner organizations may also include other stakeholder organizations in K-12 mathematics and science education, such as state education agencies, business and industry, science centers and museums, disciplinary and professional societies, research laboratories, district-level educational support centers, private foundations and other public and private organizations with interests in K-12 mathematics and science education.  The participation of scientists, mathematicians, and/or engineers from these core partner organizations is encouraged.

Supporting partners include important stakeholders and stakeholder organizations in K-12 mathematics and science education, including parents and families and the types of partner organizations described above.  The main distinction between core and supporting partners is that while supporting partners clearly add value to the proposed project, they are not required to commit to the institutional change necessary to sustain the project activities beyond the funding period.

The principal investigator (PI) of a proposal for any of the partnership categories – Targeted, Institute, MSP-Start, or Phase II – must be a faculty member in a mathematics, science, or engineering department in a higher education core partner.  One or more co-Principal Investigators must be representative(s) from the K-12 core partner organization(s).  A PI may submit only one proposal within any of the Partnership categories.  RETA proposers may submit one or more RETA proposals.  RETA proposers may also submit one proposal within any of the Partnership categories.  The PI for an I3 proposal must be the university provost or equivalent, unless the proposal is exclusively for I3 STEM educational or related research.

An institution of higher education, non-profit organization or consortia of such institutions or organizations may be the Lead partner in only one proposal among any of the Partnership categories – Targeted, Institute, MSP-Start, or Phase II.  Organizations may be a non-Lead partner on more than one proposal.  There are no limits on the number of RETA proposals that may be submitted by an organization. 

URL:   http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08525/nsf08525.htm

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    Environmental Literacy Grants for Formal K-12 Education

Agency:        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Deadlines:    February 20, 2008 for (required) preliminary proposals
                       June 25, 2008 for invited full proposals

The United States Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Education (OED) has issued a request for applications for environmental literacy projects in support of K-12 education.  Funded projects will be between one and five years in duration and will promote changes in K-12 education to expand the amount of Earth System Science taught in the classroom and improve student learning of that subject.  Successful projects will  catalyze change in K-12 education through development of new programs and materials and/or revision of existing programs and materials by supporting transformative methods:  those practices (which are not necessarily new) that are likely to increase the environmental literacy of K-12 teachers and their students by increasing the amount of Earth System Science taught in grades K-12.  Successful projects will not just increase knowledge of scientific phenomena but will also provide opportunities for the application of that knowledge to environmental issues relevant to the target audience.

Projects are encouraged to incorporate NOAA data, data visualizations, and resources and to further the use of Earth System Science concepts related to NOAA’s mission goals:

  • Protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through an ecosystem approach to management;
  • Understand climate variability and change to enhance society’s ability to plan and respond;
  • Serve society’s needs for weather and water information; and
  • Support the nation’s commerce with information for safe, efficient, and environmentally sound transportation..

Projects are also encouraged to collaborate with NOAA entities as partners or to connect to projects previously funded by NOAA’s Environmental Literacy Grants.

Projects might focus on the education of pre-service teachers or the professional development of in-service teachers where it supports the creation and retention of highly qualified teachers, e.g. creation of an Earth System Science certification program; and/or the development of new, or modification of existing K-12 curricula and related instructional materials.  Projects focusing on pre-service education of teachers should involve colleges of education or other entities that provide pre-service teacher education.  Projects focusing on in-service teacher professional development should involve state departments of education and/or school districts as appropriate.  Projects focusing on the development of new, or modification of existing, curricula and related instructional materials should be able to demonstrate how they will address the relevant state standards, support state or national assessments, and be disseminated at the state or multi-state level.  All projects shall employ the relevant strategies and address at least one of the goals articulated in the NOAA Education plan (http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/NOAA_ED_Plan.pdf).  All projects should be implemented at a state or multi-state level and have evaluations that fully assess the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed project.

NOAA anticipates making approximately 5 to 7 awards with durations of one to five years.  The total Federal amount for all years that may be requested from NOAA (direct and indirect costs) shall not exceed $750,000.  The minimum Federal amount that must be requested from NOAA for all years (direct and indirect costs) is $200,000.  Applications requesting Federal support from NOAA of less than $200,000 total or more than $750,000 total for the duration of the project will not be considered for funding.

Cost sharing is not required.

URL:   http://grants.gov/search/announce.do;jsessionid=H2hHr7zbJ0jm5s7D4SGLK6QtRybG
kMHhJCMnQTHhzzf8mmLNJCT1!-224073299

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    2008 Grant Program

Agency:        W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Deadlines:    February 1, 2008 for 3-page summary applications for Research Grants
                        April 11, 2008  Mini-Grant proposals and full proposals from invited
                        Research Grant finalists

Under its 2008 Grant Program, the W. E. Upjohn Institute is inviting submissions of proposals to conduct policy-relevant research on employment issues.  The Institute awards both Research Grants and Mini-Grants.  For Research Grants the maximum funding amount is $75,000.  Applicants first must submit a 3-page summary outlining their proposed research.  A selection committee then will evaluate the summaries and invite a subset of applicants to submit full proposals to meet the April 11 deadline. Grants made under this program are expected to result in research of a rigorous nature that is accessible and of interest to practitioners and policymakers.  Awardees are expected to produce a book-length manuscript publishable by the Institute. For Mini-Grants the maximum award is $5,000. These grants are reserved for untenured junior faculty within six years of earning the PhD degree. Under this program a book-length manuscript is not required; instead, the recipient should submit a paper to a reputable journal, prepare a synopsis of the research for consideration in the Institute’s newsletter, and enter the paper in the Institute’s working paper series. Please note, unlike prior years, the above listed deadlines constitute the Institute’s only grant cycle in 2008. 

Following are suggested topics of interest to the Institute; however, applicants should feel free to pursue any topic that fits the general area of employment-related research:

  • Social Insurance – The institute maintains an active interest in social insurance programs and empirical evaluation of their design and performance.
  • Employment Relationships – Research is encouraged on employment relationships between workers and firms, how they are changing, and the policy implications of these changes.
  • Low Wages and Public Policy – The Institute supports research on policy responses to the problems of low earning of the poor and to the sluggish wage growth of the middle class.
  • Workforce and Economic Development Programs – Studies are encouraged that address the efficacy of government programs that promote workforce and economic development.

URL:   http://www.upjohninstitute.org

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    Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service (SFS), Scholarship Track

Agency:        National Science Foundation
Deadline:      March 20, 2008

The primary objective of the SFS program is to build information assurance capacity and to provide an educated cadre of information technology professionals who can help ensure the protection of the United States Government information infrastructure. In order to increase information security expertise and capacity at institutions serving underrepresented populations, application by and partnerships with minority institutions, as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education's list is encouraged. 

For its Scholarship Track, the SFS program provides funds to colleges and universities for student scholarships in support of education in information technology areas relevant to information assurance and computer security. In return for their scholarship and stipend, scholarship recipients must agree to work after graduation for two years as an information assurance specialist in the Federal Government. A limited number of students may be placed in National Laboratories and Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs). During the scholarship period, the students participate in internships in the Federal Government. A limited number of students may be placed in FFRDCs. Students also participate in other SFS activities such as conferences, workshops, and seminars. Grantee institutions will provide scholarship support to students who compete successfully in a selection process developed by the institution, who meet the SFS eligibility criteria, and who are confirmed as qualified for employment in the Federal Cyber Service by U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). It is expected that scholarship participants will receive their degree (undergraduate, master's, or Ph.D.) within two years of the beginning of their scholarships. Each proposing institution must provide a description of its selection criteria and process, and explain and justify the proposed distribution of scholarship recipients. In particular, institutions must ensure that groups underrepresented in Information Technology have fair access to scholarships. To be eligible for consideration for an SFS scholarship, a student must be

  • a United States citizen and
  • a full-time student within two years of graduation in a coherent formal program that is focused on computer security or information assurance at an awardee institution.

The SFS Scholarship Track supports a university- or college-based scholarship program that supports two years of tuition, room and board, and stipends for students in the general area of information assurance and security. The scholarships provide academic year stipends of $8,000 per year for undergraduate students and $12,000 per year for graduate students. A typical award might be approximately $2.5 million for four years supporting three cohort classes of 10 first-year students (year 1), 10 first-year and 10 second-year students (year 2), 10 first-year and 10 second-year students (year 3), and 10 second-year students (year 4). The total award sizes will depend upon the tuition and room and board costs and on the cost of management and development. NSF anticipates that approximately $5.7 million will be available for new standard and continuing awards under this program solicitation in FY 2008, pending availability of funds. Scholarship awards are usually funded as continuing grants over a four-year period. The program expects to make 3-4 awards in the Scholarship Track. An organization may submit no more than one proposal per track per round of competition.

URL:   http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08522/nsf08522.htm

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    Cyber Trust (CT)

Agency:        National Science Foundation
Deadline:      March 24, 2008

NSF’s Cyber Trust (CT) program supports research and education activities that will lead to trustworthy computing systems.  The CT program promotes a vision of a society where trust enables technologies to support individual and societal needs without violating confidences and exacerbating public risks. The program goal is to develop new insights and fundamental scientific principles that lead to software and hardware technologies on which people can rely.  CT covers all aspects of trust in computing and communication, including the social, legal, organization, and economic factors. Research that is highly innovative and promises to set new directions for the security field is strongly encouraged.  All CT projects must include educational components that develop, maintain, and enhance the cybersecurity educational infrastructure and should be natural extensions of the research activity and fully engage CT investigators.  Particularly encouraged are innovative classes or activities that transition research into educational material that is made available to a broad education community and which has the potential to interest new students in security and privacy.

The CT program will support four types of projects, subject to the availability of funds:

  • Exploratory Research for projects that explore new and untested ideas.  Projects are for up to two years with budgets of up to $200,000. NSF expects to makes up to 10 awards for this type of project.
  • Single Investigator and Small Group Projects that typically involve one-two PIs and their students.  Projects are for up to three years with budgets of up to $500,000. NSF anticipates making up to 60 awards in this category.
  • Medium Projects for active collaboration that brings together two or more PIs with complementary expertise to explore a common research problem.  Project budgets are up to $1.5 million total with durations of up to three years. Up to 15 grants will be made.
  • Large Projects which focus on achieving a common goal or set of goals and articulate an effective collaboration and management plan.  Projects are for up to three years with budgets of up to $3 million total.  NSF will make up to two large project awards.

 URL:  http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08521/nsf08521.htm

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