Notes on Writing an NSF Grant

1. Notes on Writing an NSF Grant Carl Scarbnick, PhD Assistant Professor of Mathematics Southwestern College cscarbnick@swccd.edu

2. These slides are based on information presented at the MAA-AMS Joint Mathematics Meeting: San Diego, CA, January 6-9, 2008 MAA: Mathematical Association of America AMS: American Mathematical Society

3. Notes on Writing an NSF Grant • What is DUE (Division of Undergraduate Education)? • DUE Programs • Suggestions for a Successful Proposal • Critical Errors in a Proposal • Program Director Contact Information

4. What is DUE ? • DUE – Division of Undergraduate Education • Focal point for NSF’s undergraduate education efforts • Mission – “To promote excellence in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all students.” • URL - http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=DUE

5. Due Programs

6. Due Programs • Next set of slides provides more details on the individual programs • Followed by suggestions and guidelines for proposal writing

7. Due ProgramsCCLI • CCLI – Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement • Focus - new learning materials, teaching strategies, improve faculty expertise, assessing innovations • A Recent phase I award – “Lurch:Software for Teaching Mathematical Proofs “

8. Due ProgramsCCLI • Deadline for next phase I proposal: May 2008 • Program solicitation: nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07543 • Program information: nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5741

9. Due ProgramsATE • ATE – Advanced Technological Education • Focus – Strengthen the education of technicians in science and engineering related fields • Two-year colleges expected to have leadership role • Successful projects involve partnership with four-year colleges, secondary schools, industry, and government

10. Due Programs ATE • Deadline for next preliminary proposal (recommend but not required): 4/24/2008 • Deadline for next formal proposal: 10/18/2008 • Program solicitation: nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07530

11. NSF Grants ATE • A Recent award - Valencia Community College; Computer Engineering Technology (CET) Security Curriculum Expansion • Award Focus – developing and implementing a cybersecurity specialization within an AS degree program • Objectives: • increasing the number of full-time entering students declaring a major in CET by 5% each year, • increasing retention rates for targeted CET students by 5% by the end of the project period • increasing placement rates for targeted CET completers by 5% by the end of the project period.

12. Due ProgramsNSDL • NSDL – National Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Digital Library • Focus – Establish a national digital library for science, technology, and mathematics • A Recent Award - Online Psychology Laboratory, American Psychological Association:-deliverable psychology experiments and demonstrations, cumulative data archive, user-controlled data extraction and analysis tools

13. Due ProgramsNSDL • Next funding deadline: April 2008 • Program information: nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5487&org=DUE&from=home

14. Due ProgramsSFS • SFS – Federal Cyber Service: Scholarship for Service • Focus – Increase the number of qualified students in the field of computer security and increase capacity of U.S. higher enterprise to produce professionals in this field • Provides scholarships and funding to improve computer security programs • Scholarship students must work for the Federal government for two years

15. Due Programs SFS A Recent award - Stevens Institute of Technology; Cybersecurity Laboratory: Translating Theory into Practice Award Focus – building a laboratory to support computer security education

16. Due Programs SFS Next proposal deadline – March 20, 2008 Proposal information: www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08522/nsf08522

17. Due ProgramsSTEP • STEP – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program • Focus • Increase students receiving two-year or four-year degrees in STEM • Research on factors affecting degree attainment in STEM

18. Due ProgramsSTEP • A Recent award - SWC; Step Partnership of San Diego • Program information: nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5488

19. Due Programs Noyce Scholarship • Noyce Scholarship – Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program • Focus – encourages STEM majors to become K-12 mathematics and science teachers.

20. Due ProgramsNoyce Scholarship • A Recent Award – California Polytechnic State University Foundation. Provides scholarships to student for their senior year and then a one-year creditation program at California Polytechnic State University. • Next proposal deadline – April 9, 2008 • Program information: www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5733& org=NSF& sel_org=NSF&from=fund

21. Due ProgramsS-Stem • S-Stem – NSF Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics • Focus – provides grants to colleges to support scholarships for academically talent students who demonstrate financial need • Deadline for next proposal: 8/12/2008 • Program information: nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5257

22. Due ProgramsS-Stem • Recent Award - Montgomery County Community College - Supports a learning community approach involving over two-dozen faculty and administrators to improve the enrollment, retention, and graduation of STEM majors.

23. Due Programs EASE • EASE – Excellence Awards in Science and Engineering. • Focus – recognizes outstanding mentoring efforts in K -12 that support students underrepresented in STEM • Program Information http://www.nsf.gov/staff/sub_div.jsp? org=EHR&orgId=5123&from_org=EHR

24. Due Programs MSP • MSP – Math and Science Partnership • Focus – supports partnerships that improve K-12 achievements in science and mathematics • Deadline for next proposals: Late March 2008 • Program information: http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5756&org=NSF& sel_org=NSF&from=fund

25. Due Programs CSUSM • CSUSM – Computational Science Training for Undergraduates in the Mathematical Sciences • Focus – prepares undergraduate students for fields that integrate computation and the mathematical sciences; students are required to work on genuine research projects • Program information: nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13655& org=DUE&from=home

26. Due Programs UBM • UBM – Interdisciplinary Training for Undergraduates in Biological and Mathematical Sciences • Focus – prepares undergraduate students for fields that integrate biological and the mathematical sciences; students are required to work on genuine research projects • Program information: nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=12207 &org=DUE&from=home

27. Due Programs NUE • NUE – Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education in Engineering • Focus – supports the study of nanoscale science, engineering, and technology • Program Information - http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2008/nsf08544/nsf08544.htm

28. Suggestions for a Successful Proposal • Read Program Announcement • All information is in the announcement • Contact a program officer to make sure your proposal meets the program requirements • Work on Projects You Care About • Commitment should be apparent in the proposal • Proposal should make clear why the work is important to your institution and others

29. Suggestions for a Successful Proposal • Build on Previous Research • Read and cite current the relevant literature • Discuss how your project adds value • Discuss Project Impact on Institutions • How will your institution use your work? • How will other institutions use your work?

30. Suggestions for a Successful Proposal • Have Measurable Goals • Make sure goals can be measured • Clearly define project deliverables • Institutional Support • Discuss how your department and school administrators will support your project • Include internal and external advisors • Include an outside evaluator or evaluation team

31. Suggestions for a Successful Proposal • Management • Realistic timeline • Milestones that include specific deliverables • Evaluation • Discuss how your department and school administrators will support your project • Include internal and external advisors • Include an outside evaluator or evaluation team

32. Suggestions for a Successful Project • Publicize your Work • Assist other faculty use the results of your work • A website is a necessary but not sufficient dissemination tool. • Ask others who have used your work to discuss it • Cooperate with the NSF • Send reports on time • Acknowledge the NSF in all reports • Volunteer to be a reviewer

33. Critical Errors in a Proposal • Ignore deadlines • Ignore page limits and font size restrictions • Using rhetoric instead of good examples • Spelling and grammatical errors • Not reading the latest program solicitation

34. Critical Errors in a Proposal • Not including a detailed evaluation plan • Only including a website for dissemination • Omitting past accomplishments for the proposal • Using a template for letters of support • Inflating the budget to allow for negotiations

35. Program Director Contact Information • There are currently four program directors in mathematics in the Division of Undergraduate Education: