NSF Research NSF Research OpportunitiesOpportunities

For Social ScientistsFor Social ScientistsHarold Clarke

Ashbel Smith ProfessorUniversity of Texas at Dallas and

University of EssexFormer NSF Division Director, Social and Economic Sciences

NSF in a NutshellNSF in a Nutshell• Independent Agency

• Supports basic research

• Natural & Social Sciences

• Uses grant mechanism

• Discipline-based structure

• Cross-disciplinary mechanisms

• Mix of Permanent & Visiting Staff

Why You Might Want NSF Why You Might Want NSF FundingFunding

• Funds basic research• Funds both theory development &

data collection• Funds infrastructure development –

everything from submarines to software

• Provides summer salary support• Funds doctoral dissertation research• Program Development Opportunities

Social and Economic Social and Economic SciencesSciences

Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral and Cognitive SciencesSciences

Office of the DirectorOffice of the Director

Science Resources StatisticsScience Resources Statistics

Directorate for Social, Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Behavioral & Economic

SciencesSciences

OpportunitiesOpportunities

• Unsolicited competitions• Special initiatives (e.g., Democratization)• Rapid response research (RAPID)• Early concept grants for exploratory

research (EAGER)• CAREER grants• Doctoral dissertation improvement

grants

Social and Economic Sciences FY09 Program Allocations (~millions of dollars)

• Cross-Directorate Activities $3.8• Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences $7.5• Economics $25.8• Innovation and Organizational Sciences $3.4• Law and Social Science $5.1• Methodology, Measurement & Statistics $4.0• Political Science $9.9• Science and Society $8.9• Sociology $9.5

Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences

Where to Start?Where to Start?

• www.nsf.gov• Check awards by program, keyword,

etc. www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/• Read solicitation carefully (if not

unsolicited competition)• Download Grant Proposal Guide• Contact Program Officer once you

have formed and organized your ideas

SES Target DatesSES Target Dates

January 15 & August 15Law and Social Science

Political Science

Sociology

January 16 & August 16Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics

January 18 & August 18Decision, Risk, & Management Sciences

Economics

February 1 & August 1Science and Society

February 2 & September 3Innovation and Organizational Sciences

Faculty Early Career Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Development (CAREER)

ProgramProgram• Untenured faculty (or comparable)• Single scholar award• $400,000, 5-years minimum award• Three proposals lifetime limit• July 1 deadline• High expectations

Rapid Response Research Rapid Response Research (RAPID)(RAPID)

• Research when data are ephemeral, e.g. study impact of stimulus package

• $200,000 maximum; 1 year• 5 page project description• Internal review only• Contact program officer first

Early Concept Grants for Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research Exploratory Research

(EAGER)(EAGER)• Exploratory work on untested,

potentially transformative ideas• High-risk, high-potential payoff• $300,000 maximum; 2 years• Eight page description• Internal review only• Contact program officer first

Dear Colleague Letter Dear Colleague Letter Example: Integrating HSD Example: Integrating HSD

Goals into Core SBE Goals into Core SBE ProgramsPrograms

• Complexity Science • Large-scale Interdisciplinary

Research

• Infrastructure

Research & Education Communities

NSF Proposal

GeneratingDocument

ProgramOfficer

Analysis&

Recom-mendation

Proposal Process

DivisionDirectorConcur

Organization submits

viaFastLane

Minimum of 3

ReviewsRequired

Ad hoc

Panel

Both

Proposal Processing

Unit

NSF Program Officer

Returned as Inappropriate/Withdrawn

Organization

Award via DGA

Decline

4 months 30 days

Proposal Preparation Time

Proposal received by NSF Div. Dir. Concur Award

Review of Proposal P.O. Recommend

DGA Review & Processing of Award

Finding ReviewersFinding Reviewers

• Program Officer’s knowledge

• References listed in the proposal

• Google & online data bases

• Reviewer’s recommendations

• Investigator’s suggestions

Human Subjects

• No award for a project involving human subjects can be made without prior Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval of the research activity.

• IRB approval is not needed at the time of proposal submission.

Funding Decision ProcessFunding Decision Process

• Program Officer decision

• Feedback to PI

• If Your Proposal is Recommended…

• Scope of Work & Budget Discussions

• Division Director Concur (typically yes)

• Formal notification of Recommendation

Two Funding CriteriaTwo Funding Criteria

•Intellectual merit•Broader impacts•Both are Important –

intellectual merit is necessary but not sufficient

Intellectual MeritIntellectual Merit

• NSF funds basic research• NSF funds basic research• Intellectual merit means increasing

knowledge through developing and testing theories, gathering data relevant to theory testing, developing methods relevant to theory testing

• Leading-edge science

Broader ImpactsBroader Impacts

• Promote teaching, training and learning

• Broaden participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geography)

• Enhance infrastructure for research and education, e.g., facilities, instrumentation

• Disseminate results broadly to bolster scientific and technological understanding

• Benefit society

Budget Tips

• Amounts– Reasonable for work – Realistic – Don’t

be greedy!– Well Justified -- Need established (Do

You Really Need 9 Trips to Paris?)– In-line with program guidelines

• Eligible costs– Personnel– Equipment – Travel– Other Direct Costs, Subawards– Facilities & Administrative Costs

Some Urban Legends Some Urban Legends about the NSFabout the NSF

• Only funds scholars at elite graduate institutions

• Only funds “famous” academics• Once declined, you are likely always to

be declined• Only funds “normal science”• Only funds American topics• Panels make funding decisions

Reasons for DeclinationsReasons for Declinations

• “Trust-me” proposal (I’m a bright person!)

• Expertise gaps• Too Expensive (Program budgets are

small!)• Incremental contribution• Competition, Competition….• Bad luck• Unhappy with Decision? You are not

alone!

NSF and the ARRA (Stimulus NSF and the ARRA (Stimulus Package)Package)

• NSF - Total Stimulus Package ~$3 billion

• SES - Total Stimulus Package ~$41 million

• Very closely monitored (priorities - CAREERS, 1st time investigators, review very well)

• ARRA ONE-SHOT! • Back to regular business in 2010

How SES Spent the ARRAHow SES Spent the ARRA $$

• SES initially given $27 million• Clarke-Scioli Experiment -

8 + 1 shares (DD strategic reserve)

• Can Small Programs Do More 1st Rate Science?

• Yes!• Additional Competitions as $

became available• e.g., Political Science - $4.5 million

AdviceAdvice

• Study Important Topics• Study Interesting Topics (Don't be

boring!)• Team up with smart people• Team up with creative people• Being interdisciplinary helps• Critically review your own proposal –

before you hit the ‘send’ button!

Questions?Questions?

National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation

Inspector General

National Science Board

Director Deputy Director

Staff Offices

Computer & Information

Science&

Engineering

Engineering Geosciences

Mathematics & Physical

Sciences

Social, Behavioral

& Economic Sciences

Education & Human Resources

Budget, Finance & Award

Management

Information Resource

Managemen

t

Biological

Sciences

Restrictions, MonitoringRestrictions, Monitoring• In-House Proposals From Fall 2008 &

Spring 2009 Rounds• Priorities ->• CAREERS• First-Time Investigators• RAPIDS & EAGERS• Dissertations• Closely Monitored