National Science Foundation Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) Programs & Activities

1. National Science FoundationOffice of Integrative Activities (OIA) Programs & Activities Dr. Joan M. Frye Senior Staff Associate Jfrye@nsf.gov 703-292-8040 www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=OIA

2. "The Office of Integrative Activities has a key role in working across organizational boundaries as well as providing policy support to the Director's Office. Developing effective ways to transcend traditional boundaries, and bring very different scientific cultures together for the benefit of science and society, without compromising excellence, is a critically important challenge for the Foundation." - NSF Director Arden Bement (December, 2007)

3. OIA Programs • Science and Technology Centers: Integrative Partnerships (STC) • Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) • Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) • Cyber-Enabled Discovery & Innovation (CDI)

4. STC Vision The STC Program supports innovation in the integrative conduct of research, education and knowledge transfer through partnerships. Dr. Joan M. Frye www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5541&org=OIA

5. STC History • First Competition - 1987 • Currently - 17 STCs operational • NSB approved STC Program for competitions every 2-3 years • 2008/2009 competition for $25M currently underway

6. STC Objectives • Support research & education of the highest quality; • Exploit opportunities in science, engineering & technology where the complexity of the research agenda requires the advantages of scope, scale, flexibility, duration, equipment & facilities that a Center can provide; • Support innovative frontier investigations at the interfaces of disciplines, and/or investigations that will lead to fresh approaches within disciplines; • Engage the Nation's intellectual talent, including underrepresented groups, in the conduct of research & education activities;

7. STC Objectives • Promote organizational connections & linkages within & between campuses, schools and/or the world beyond, capitalizing upon cyberinfra-structure to facilitate linkages; • Focus on integrative learning & discovery and the preparation of U.S. students for a broad set of career paths; and • Foster science & engineering in service to society especially with respect to new research areas, promising new instrumentation & potential new technologies.

8. STC Evaluation Criteria • NSB-approved merit review criteria • Intellectual merit of the proposal activity • Broader impacts of the proposed activities, including • Integration of Research and Education • Integrating Diversity into NSF Programs, Projects, and Activities • Program-specific criteria • Value-added of funding the activity as a Center • Proposed Leadership and Management Plan • Integrative nature of the Proposed Center

9. STC Profiles in Team Science: http:/depts.washington.edu/teamsci/welcome.html

10. Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Randy Phelps, Ph.D.Staff Associate703-292-8040rphelps@nsf.gov www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5260&org=OIA

11. MRI: Purpose • Increase access to scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in U.S. academic institutions. • Improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, and to foster the integration of research and education by providing instrumentation for research-intensive learning environments. • Encourage the development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared use across academic departments, among research institutions, and in concert with private sector partners.

12. MRI Overview • Instrumentation Acquisition or Development • Two proposals for acquisition or development; a third for development. Award size--$100,000 to $4 Million • exceptions for non-Ph.D. granting institutions or for mathematical and social, behavioral and economic sciences • Cost sharing--None required for non-Ph.D. granting institutions; otherwise 30% • Deadline for proposal submission: 4th Thursday in January

13. MRI: Eligible Institutions • Ph.D. granting institutions • academic institutions that have produced more than 20 Ph.D.s or D. Sci.’s in all NSF supported disciplines during the previous two academic years • Non-Ph.D. granting institutions • two and four year colleges and universities that have produced fewer than 20 Ph.D.s or D.Sci.’s in all NSF supported disciplines during the previous two academic years • Non-degree granting institutions • independent non-profit research institutions, research museums, and legally incorporated consortia of eligible institutions

14. MRI: Evaluation Criteria • NSB Approved Merit Review Criteria: • Intellectual merit of the proposed activity • Broader impacts of the proposed activity, including • integration of research and education • integrating diversity into the proposed activities • Program-specific criteria: • Plans for using the new or enhanced research capability in teaching, training or learning.

15. MRI: Evaluation Criteria • Acquisition: reviewers will evaluate whether the management plan • includes sufficient infrastructure and technical expertise to allow effective usage of the instrument • provides institutional commitments for operations and maintenance. • Development: reviewers will evaluate • whether the management plan has a realistic schedule and mechanisms to deal with potential risks • the availability of appropriate technical expertise to design and construct the instrument • the cost of the new technology • the rationale for development of a new instrument.

16. MRI 2008 Award Snapshot - Overall Data omit 1 MRI award that was made but not using MRI funds

17. MRI 2008 Award Snapshot by Institution Type

18. MRI 2008 Award Snapshot - EPSCoR

19. MRI 1998-2008 Award Snapshot1 1includes only awards submitted directly to MRI program *includes MRI funds and contributions from Directorates and Offices

20. Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) Thomas Russell, Ph.D. Senior Staff Associate http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/cdi Themes: From Data to Knowledge Understanding Complexity in Natural, Built and Social Systems Building Virtual Organizations

21. Knowledge Theory Simulation Experiment CDI Features: Multidisciplinary, transformative research; not business as usual Innovation in, or innovative use of, computational thinking Five-year initiative; $48M in FY08; requested $100M in FY09; projected $250M in FY12

22. Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Denise Barnes, Ph.D. Program Director dbarnes@nsf.gov http://www.nsf.gov/od/oia/programs/epscor/about.jsp

23. EPSCoR’s Origins • Have historically received little federal research and development funding; and • Have demonstrated a commitment to develop their research bases and improve science and engineering research and education programs at their universities and colleges.

24. EPSCoR Objectives • To catalyze key research themes and related activities within EPSCoR jurisdictions that empower knowledge generation, dissemination, and application. • To activate effective jurisdictional and regional collaborations among academic, government, and private sector stakeholders that advance scientific research, promote innovation, and provide multiple societal benefits.

25. EPSCoR’s Objectives • To broaden participation in science & engineering by institutions, organizations, and people within EPSCoR jurisdictions. • To use EPSCoR for development, implementation, and evaluation of future programmatic experiments that motivate positive change and progression.

26. FY 1980 FY 2000 NSF EPSCoR Cohorts Arkansas Maine Montana South Carolina West Virginia Alaska FY 2001 Hawaii New Mexico FY 1985 FY 2002 Alabama Kentucky Nevada North Dakota Oklahoma Puerto Rico Vermont Wyoming U.S. Virgin Islands FY 2003 Delaware FY 2004 New Hampshire Rhode Island Tennessee FY 1987 Idaho Louisiana Mississippi South Dakota FY 1992 Kansas Nebraska

27. Investment Strategies • Research Infrastructure Improvement Awards • Track-1:Up to 5 years and $20M to jurisdictions to improve physical and human infrastructure critical to R&D competitiveness in priority research areas. • Track-2: Up to 3 years and $6M to consortia • of jurisdictions to support innovation- • enabling cyberinfrastructure of regional, • thematic, or technological importance.

28. Investment Strategies • Co-funding – Joint support of proposals submitted by EPSCoR researchers to NSF’s regular grant programs • Outreach/Workshops - Supportof outreach visits by NSF program and professional staff and the conduct of workshops to acquaint EPSCoR researchers with NSF programs, priorities and policies

29. EPSCoR States’ Percentage of NSF Research Support Funding

30. OIA Activities Summer Scholars Internship Program Developing undergraduate & graduate student potential through exposure to science & engineering policy, issues & programs: www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/interns/about_ext_only.jsp American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows Providing opportunities for learning, & input on issues relating to NSF's mission to support fundamental science & engineering research & education. Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) Encouraging full participation of women, underrepresented minorities, & persons with disabilities in scientific, engineering, & professional fields: www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/ceose/ Committee of Visitors (COV) Advising the Foundation to ensure improvement of NSF performance, & openness to the research & education community: www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/cov/

31. OIA Activities • Waterman Award • Recognizing outstanding young researchers in any field of science or engineering supported by the NSF.www.nsf.gov/od/waterman/waterman.jsp National Medal of Science For individuals "deserving of special recognition by reason of their outstanding contributions to knowledge in the physical, biological, mathematical, or engineering sciences.” www.nsf.gov/od/nms/medal.jsp Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Providing the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government for early career scientists and engineers www.nsf.gov/od/oia/activities/pecase/