An Excellent Proposal is a Good Idea, Well Expressed, With A Clear

Indication of Methods for Pursuing the Idea, Evaluating the Findings, and

Making Them Known to All Who Need to Know.

PRO

PROGRAM GOALS

•Acquire instrumentation for research, training, and research/education by purchase, upgrade, or development.•Improve access and meet increased use needs.•Create well-equipped learning areas.•Develop new instrumentation.•Promote partnerships.

REVIEW CRITERIA

Intellectual MeritResearch Research Training Integrated Research/Education

Broader ImpactsFaculty recruitmentStudent recruitmentInterdisciplinary useNew coursesDiversity

Criterion 1: What is the intellectual merit of the activity?

Potential Considerations:• How important is the proposed activity to

advancing knowledge and understanding within the field?

• How well qualified are the team members to conduct the project? Is it well organized?

• To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts?

• Is there sufficient access to resources?

Criterion 2: What are the broader

impacts of the proposed activity?

Potential Considerations:

•How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning?•How does the activity include participation of underrepresented minority groups?•To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure?•Will the results be disseminated broadly?•What may be the benefits of the activity to society?

PROPOSAL REVIEWPrincipal investigators should address the

following elements in their proposal.• Integration of Research and EducationOne of the principal strategies in support of NSF

goals is to foster integration of research and education in funded projects through the programs, projects, and activities at academic and research institutions.

• Integrating Diversity into NSF ProjectsBroadening opportunities and enabling the

participation of all citizens is essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering.

WILL THE PROGRAM REACH THE OBJECTIVE?

PEOPLE

• Describe the organization of the project staff and methods of assessing performance.

• For each member of the team include a description of the responsibilities

• Explain why a given position is necessary for the design, construction, and utilization of the new instrument.

Successful Proposals

• Innovative and important research

• Wide instrument use

• Demonstrated need for research problem solution

• Preliminary results/measurements

• Primary use is research

• Equipment, including bells and whistles, is essential

The MRI program goals are:

• Support the acquisition, through purchase, upgrade, or development, of major state-of-the-art instrumentation for research, research training, and integrated research/educational activities at organizations; • * Improve access to and increase use of modern research and research training instrumentation by scientists, engineers, and graduate and undergraduate students; • * Enable academic departments or cross-departmental units to create well-equipped learning environments that integrate research with education; •* Foster the development of the next generation of instrumentation for research and research training; •* Promote partnerships between academic researchers and private sector instrument developers.

BUILDING A STRONG CASE•Key Reasons Why This Is the Best Team For the Task.

•Are You Collaborating With Excellent People in Your Field?

• How Does This Project Tie Into Other NSF Initiatives such as MRSEC’s, STC’s, AMP’s?

•How Do Students and Minorities Fit Into The Plan?

•Make Certain Letters of Support Show Real Commitment and, if possible, Past Cooperation.

Budgetary GuidelinesAmounts• Reasonable for work---Realistic• Well justified---Need established• In line with program requests

Eligible Costs• Personnel• Equipment• Travel• Other direct costs---Sub-awards• Indirect Costs

PROJECT DEVELOPMENTPROPOSAL PLAN•Reason for the project. What is the need?•Project Design•Methodology -Innovations -Limitations

-Difficulties (Alternative Approaches)MANAGEMENT PLAN•Sequence of Activities (Time Line)

OUTCOME AND ASSESSMENT•Evaluation of Success

CONTINUATION•Life after NSF funding

PROPOSAL TIPS• How does this work differ from others in the

field?• Where will the discipline be when this work

ends? How will we know--- Longitudinal databases?

• What are the specific advantages of this work?• When in doubt leave it out, but always mention

other NSF funded projects that have relevance.• Touch base with the program director.• If there are collaborators what is the track

record in work and publications?

PROPOSAL PREPARATIONPROJECT SUMMARYThis project is designed to assist the professional development of high school teachers. Most of our teachers are not certified to teach algebra or calculus. Also, State Government has passed a Standards Based Curriculum that teachers are not ready to implement. This will benefit our minority students and teachers. The intellectual merit of the project is that it will build on the Standards activity and will have more students taking calculus. The broader impact will be that teachers will share more information through teachers meetings and students will take more mathematics and become scientists in the work force.

BUDGETPersonnel (Five Senior and on Clerical $136,555

Equipment (new computer) $ 45,000 Travel $ 5,000Participant Support (8 Teachers) $ 10,000Other (Supplies $1000; Consultants $20,000)$ 21,000Indirect Cost Waived

Undergraduate EnrollmentTOTAL 187,245MINORITY 47,750

Four-Year EnrollmentTOTAL 114,090

Two-Year EnrollmentTOTAL 73,155 Bachelor’s Degrees

TOTAL 17,424(15% of all four-year students)MINORITY 3,566S&E BS Degrees 2,829 (16% of all bachelor degrees)MINORITY 608

S&E Graduate Enrollment

TOTAL 4,274MINORITY 547

S&E MS DegreesTOTAL 893MINORITY 58

S&E PhD DegreesTOTAL 135MINORITY 11

Transition to the Ph.D. 2006 OKLAHOMA

Undergraduate EnrollmentTOTAL 14,948,149MINORITY 4,437,587

Four-Year EnrollmentTOTAL 8,275,596

Two-Year EnrollmentTOTAL 6,672,553 Bachelor’s Degrees

TOTAL 1,402,195(17% of all four-year students)MINORITY 309,318 S&E BS Degrees 246,002 (18% of all bachelor degrees)MINORITY 59,446

S&E Graduate Enrollment

TOTAL 478,782MINORITY 81,803

S&E MS DegreesTOTAL 76,385MINORITY 29,990

S&E PhD DegreesTOTAL 17,980MINORITY 7,748

Transition to the Ph.D. 2006 UNITED STATES

University--Business Cooperation

Large CapBusinesses

RegionalUniversitie

sTwo Year

Institutions

Small CapBusiness/Start-Ups

Universities

Business/University/

Service GroupTeam Effort

SBIR/STTR

Interns

GraduateStudents

Strategic Support Areas Such As:Nanostructure Sensors/Detectors Green Manufacturing/ProcessingInformation NetworksBiotechnology/MedicineEnvironment

MERIT REVIEW CRITERIA

Criterion 1: What is the intellectual merit and quality of the proposed activity?

Criterion 2: What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?

PROPOSAL REVIEW Principal Investigators should address the following elements in their proposals. NSF staff will give these elements careful consideration in making funding decisions.

Integration of Research and Education A principal strategy 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. 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.

CONVENTIONAL EMERGING

o Department-based o Topic-based

o Campus-centric o Global reach

o Building-block o Holistic curriculum

courses

o Minor industry links o Vibrant industry

partnerships

o Teaching & Research o Integrated research and education

21st Century GraduateEducation

The Knowledge RevolutionCooperation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

BUSINESS SUCCESS

PEOPLE

IDEAS TOOLS

SCIENCE

ENGINEERING

TECHNOLOGY

ECONOMICS

Composition of Federal Outlays $2 Trillion (Percent of Total)

0

20

40

60

80

100

40 46 52 58 64 70 76 82 88 94 00 6

Defense Individuals All Other Net Interest

GPRA VOCABULARY

INPUTS-OUTPUTS-OUTCOMES-IMPACTS• INPUTS: raw materials and human and

physical capital required for the process.• OUTPUTS: immediate, observable products of

the research activity.• OUTCOMES: longer-term results to which

the program contributes.• IMPACTS: total consequences of the program.