NSF 09-572: CreativeIT

Program Solicitation

Document Information

Document History

Posted: July 9, 2009
Replaces: NSF 08-572

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Program Solicitation NSF 09-572

Replaces Document(s):
NSF 08-572

National Science Foundation

Directorate for Computer & Information Science & Engineering
     Division of Information & Intelligent Systems
     Division of Computer and Network Systems

Directorate for Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences
     Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

Revision Notes

There are no significant revisions between NSF 08-572 and this one.

Please be advised that the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) includes revised guidelines to implement the mentoring provisions of the America COMPETES Act (ACA) (Pub. L. No. 110-69, Aug. 9, 2007.) As specified in the ACA, each proposal that requests funding to support postdoctoral researchers must include a description of the mentoring activities that will be provided for such individuals. Proposals that do not comply with this requirement will be returned without review (see the PAPP Guide Part I: Grant Proposal Guide Chapter II for further information about the implementation of this new requirement).

Summary Of Program Requirements

General Information

Program Title:

Synopsis of Program:

Cognizant Program Officer(s):

Pamela L. Jennings, telephone: (703) 292-8491, email: pajennin@nsf.gov

Mary Lou Maher, telephone: (703) 292-8930, email: mmaher@nsf.gov

Betty K. Tuller, Program Director, Perception, Action & Cognition, telephone: (703) 292-7238, email: btuller@nsf.gov

Joan Peckham, Program Director, Education and Workforce in Computing, telephone: (703) 292-8950, email: jpeckham@nsf.gov

Christina L. Bloebaum, Program Director, Engineering Design and Innovation, telephone: (703) 292-8611, email: cbloebau@nsf.gov

Arlene M. de Strulle, Program Director, Learning in Formal and Informal Settings, telephone: (703) 292-5117, email: adestrul@nsf.gov

Alphonse T. Desena, Program Director, Learning in Formal and Informal Settings, telephone: (703) 292-5106, email: adesena@nsf.gov

Errol Arkilic, Program Director, Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer, telephone: (703) 292-8095, email: earkilic@nsf.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):

47.070 --- Computer and Information Science and Engineering
47.075 --- Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 15 to 20

Anticipated Funding Amount: $7,000,000 pending availability of funds.

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:

PI Limit:

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Letters of Intent: Not Applicable

Preliminary Proposal Submission: Not Applicable

Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that supplements the standard NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, Part I: Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) proposal preparation guidelines. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost Sharing is not required under this solicitation.

Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Not Applicable

Other Budgetary Limitations: Not Applicable

C. Due Dates

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

October 13, 2009

Proposal Review Information Criteria

Merit Review Criteria: National Science Board approved criteria. Additional merit review considerations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions: Standard NSF award conditions apply.

Reporting Requirements: Standard NSF reporting requirements apply.

Agency Contacts

Other Information

I. Introduction

Creativity, design, and research all contribute new knowledge and artifacts. The CreativeIT program focuses on the commonality of these three processes and solicits proposals that bring creative practice and creativity research to play a role in transformative research in specific contexts of computer science, cognitive science, information technology, education, engineering design and science. The program considers design as a type of research in which the definition of the problem may change in response to the exploration and development of alternative solutions, leading to creative solutions and innovation. The program's objective is to bring together different disciplines associated with creative and scientific advances in a way that is mutually beneficial. This program encourages new ways of thinking about one discipline in terms of another, so that the interdisciplinary nature of the project is a means to an end rather than an end in itself.

II. Program Description

Information technology is playing an increasing role in extending the capability of human creative thinking and problem solving, and conversely, creative uses of information technology are leading to new areas of research and innovation. Creativity is often the result of a design process in which the exploration of possible designs changes our perspective on what the design can or should achieve. A designer develops new artifacts in the context of a perceived need or problem specification. In creative design, the reflection on problem finding becomes as important as problem solving. The combination of creativity and design thinking in information technology, science, and engineering has the potential to define new areas and lead to increased successful innovation. Advances: CreativeIT seeks proposals for projects whose objectives are new models of creativity, new models for research and education, or creativity enhancing tools developed in the context of a specific discipline. A project may respond to one or more of the following types of advances.

New theoretical models: The synergy of research in creativity and computing can lead to new computational and/or cognitive models of creativity as ways of searching for problems and solutions. The formal models developed in this kind of project can be the basis for new computing devices and environments, new approaches to education, and new ways of doing research.
New modes of research: A focus on understanding the role of creative processes or creative professionals in research in computer science and information systems can lead to new modes of research. This understanding can be developed empirically through doing, observing, and studying innovative modes of research.
Innovative educational approaches: Creativity can be a focus for learning environments, such as studio learning, problem-based learning, and informal learning environments, that reward creative thinking. The development and evaluation of learning that uses innovative computational environments to encourage creativity can lead to new ways of teaching knowledge and skills-based subjects.
Creativity enhancing tools: Innovation in information technology tools and infrastructure can support and enhance creativity in problem finding as well as problem solving. The design and evaluation of creativity enhancing tools can lead to improved methods for understanding the current and potential role of IT in the creative process.

Research Areas: The following research areas elaborate on these potential types of advances as guidelines for describing how the objectives of the project contribute to CreativeIT.

Understanding Creative Cognition and Computation. Research in this area develops or applies cognitive models that serve as inspiration for computational models of creativity, support for human creativity, or approaches for educating people to be more creative. This research is typically done by adopting or adapting a model of cognition and evaluating its creative performance in different contexts, or developing a new model of creativity based on empirical or ethnographic studies. The emphasis in this area is the development of new models of cognition and computation that explain or simulate creativity and how these models open up new research areas in computing and cognitive science.
Creativity to Stimulate Breakthroughs in Science and Engineering. This area considers the role and performance of creative professionals in developing new technologies, discovering new patterns in information, and in finding new ways of seeing, knowing, and doing computing, science and engineering. This area seeks to foster research that is conducted with groups of people from different backgrounds in which the creative synergy is focused on a specific context, problem, or perceived need. The result of this research is a new product, new model, or new area of research. The evaluation of the results of this kind of research does not follow directly from existing metrics or performance criteria and therefore may need to redefine relevant performance criteria.
Educational Approaches that Encourage Creativity. This area considers a broad range of approaches to learning that encourages creativity: multi-disciplinary teaching and learning, design studio environments, skills development through making and doing, serious games, and open-ended problem-based learning. This area includes the development and evaluation of innovative computational environments for learning that reward creativity leading to transformative changes in curriculum objectives and structure.
Supporting Creativity with Information Technology. This area develops new software and interaction design to support people in being more creative and evaluates their performance through user studies either in controlled environments with empirical studies or in the context of a complex problem or situation with ethnographic studies. The emphasis in this area is the development of new computing environments where the environment itself may be a creative product, and the environment is intended to support people in their creative activities.

Categories of Proposals: There are two types of projects: Pilot and Major. To indicate the type of proposal, include "Pilot:" or "Major:" as the first word in the title of the proposal.

Pilot Projects typically have a single PI and a single undergraduate or graduate student for a duration of one to three years. A pilot project identifies a synergy from understanding creativity in a specific context in which a computing environment has the potential to lead to innovative and creative advances in one or more disciplines. These projects will start with a set of objectives that are consistent with the CreativeIT program and will pursue a methodology, including a plan for evaluation, that is consistent with the claims or objectives in the proposal. The outcomes of a Pilot Project may be an innovative solution, model, or area of research that will benefit from further development.
Major Projects have one or more PIs and multiple undergraduate and graduate students for a duration of three years with a maximum budget of $800,000. A Major project brings together a group of people to develop a synergistic effect that can transform our understanding of models, computing environments or education relevant to CreativeIT. While the research may use a design approach in which the specifics of the problem and solution may change during the life of the project, the overall objectives and methods are well defined. This type of project is well founded on previous research in the individual or combined disciplines involved in the project.

Opportunities for Synergies with other NSF Programs. Synergies with other programs at NSF are encouraged and provide opportunities for additional funding or co-review.

Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences: The Creative IT program encourages PIs to consider synergies with research focused on advancing neural, developmental, cognitive, and social theories of human creativity, particularly with respect to how scientists and engineers produce new discoveries and innovations. Creativity is a primary driver of progress and transformation in our nation's science and engineering disciplines. Thus a better understanding of human creativity, using both empirical and computational research methods, promises to inform tool development as well as policy development aimed at supporting transformative progress in science and engineering. The cognizant program manager in Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences is Betty Tuller, btuller@nsf.gov.

Science of Science and Innovation Policy: The Creative IT program encourages PIs to consider synergies with research focused on developing usable knowledge and theories of creative processes and their transformation into social and economic outcomes. Characterizing the dynamics of discovery and innovation is important for developing valid metrics, for predicting future returns on investments, for constructing fruitful policies, and for developing new forms of workforce education and training. The cognizant program manager in the Science of Science and Innovation Policy program is Julia Lane, jlane@nsf.gov.

Education and Workforce in Computing: The CreativeIT program encourages PIs to consider new approaches that encourage creativity in learning computing subjects at all levels: K-12, undergraduate, graduate and workforce development. Research related to creative learning environments that increase the diversity of the workforce and broaden participation in all levels of computing education are encouraged. The cognizant program managers in Education and Workforce in Computing are Joan Peckham: jpeckham@nsf.gov and Anita La Salle: alasalle@nsf.gov.

Engineering Design: The Creative IT program encourages PIs to consider synergies with research focused on advancing understanding of the engineering design process. Research in information technology, visualization, human-computer-interaction and learning technologies as related to the engineering design process positively impacts our ability to perform effective engineering design. Looking beyond the traditional engineering design boundaries holds promise for breakthrough solutions to solve the most pressing engineering challenges of the 21^st century. The cognizant program manager in Engineering Design is Christina Bloebaum: cbloebau@nsf.gov.

Design of Informal STEM Education Tools and Methods: The Creative IT program encourages PIs to consider interdisciplinary R&D focused on the design and evaluation of new tools and methods that enhance the creativity of design professionals in the informal STEM education field, such as exhibit designers. The objective is to produce design tools and methods whose application can potentially improve the impact on the public's engagement with and understanding of STEM. The cognizant program manager is Arlene de Strulle (adestrul@nsf.gov).

Small Business Innovation Research: The CreativeIT program encourages PIs to consider the potential commercial applications of projects early in the project lifecycle and include participation of the small business community when appropriate. Through the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, NSF can provide support for transition to industry of knowledge developed in the CreativeIT program. A small business applying knowledge gained through basic research to market-driven needs increases the probability that the research will lead to significant commercially-viable innovations. For more information see: https://www.nsf.gov/eng/iip/sbir/ . The cognizant program manager in SBIR is Errol Arkilic: earkilic@nsf.gov.

III. Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant or Continuing Grant

Estimated Number of Awards: 15 to 20

Anticipated Funding Amount: $7,000,000

Estimated program budget, number of awards and average award size/duration are subject to the availability of funds.

IV. Eligibility Information

The categories of proposers eligible to submit proposals to the National Science Foundation are identified in the Grant Proposal Guide, Chapter I, Section E.

Organization Limit:

PI Limit:

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization:

Limit on Number of Proposals per PI:

V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions

A. Proposal Preparation Instructions

Full Proposal Instructions: Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the guidelines specified in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-PUBS (7827) or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov.

There are two types of projects: Pilot and Major. To indicate the type of proposal, include "Pilot:" or "Major:" as the first word in the title of the proposal.

The project will be assessed on whether it responds to one or more of the following questions. Please indicate in the Project Summary which question(s) the research addresses, or the proposal may be returned without review.

Will this research improve our understanding of creative processes in the context of a specific problem in computer science, information technology, science or engineering?
Will the research lead to the development of new technologies to support human creativity?
Will the research lead to transformational research in computer science, information technology, science or engineering through the use of creative practitioners?
Will the research lead to innovative educational approaches in computer science, science, or engineering that reward creativity?

Proposers are reminded to identify the program solicitation number (NSF 09-572) in the program solicitation block on the NSF Cover Sheet For Proposal to the National Science Foundation. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.

B. Budgetary Information

Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is not required under this solicitation.

Budget Preparation Instructions: The budget should include funds to travel to an annual CreativeIT Principal Investigator's meeting.

C. Due Dates

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):

October 13, 2009

D. FastLane Requirements

Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this program solicitation through use of the NSF FastLane system. Detailed instructions regarding the technical aspects of proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system. Specific questions related to this program solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this funding opportunity.

Submission of Electronically Signed Cover Sheets. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must electronically sign the proposal Cover Sheet to submit the required proposal certifications (see Chapter II, Section C of the Grant Proposal Guide for a listing of the certifications). The AOR must provide the required electronic certifications within five working days following the electronic submission of the proposal. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/fastlane.jsp.

VI. NSF Proposal Processing And Review Procedures

Proposals received by NSF are assigned to the appropriate NSF program where they will be reviewed if they meet NSF proposal preparation requirements. All proposals are carefully reviewed by a scientist, engineer, or educator serving as an NSF Program Officer, and usually by three to ten other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular fields represented by the proposal. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. Proposers are invited to suggest names of persons they believe are especially well qualified to review the proposal and/or persons they would prefer not review the proposal. These suggestions may serve as one source in the reviewer selection process at the Program Officer's discretion. Submission of such names, however, is optional. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts of interest with the proposal.

A. NSF Merit Review Criteria

All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two National Science Board (NSB)-approved merit review criteria: intellectual merit and the broader impacts of the proposed effort. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.

The two NSB-approved merit review criteria are listed below. The criteria include considerations that help define them. These considerations are suggestions and not all will apply to any given proposal. While proposers must address both merit review criteria, reviewers will be asked to address only those considerations that are relevant to the proposal being considered and for which the reviewer is qualified to make judgements.

Examples illustrating activities likely to demonstrate broader impacts are available electronically on the NSF website at: https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf.

Mentoring activities provided to postdoctoral researchers supported on the project, as described in a one-page supplementary document, will be evaluated under the Broader Impacts criterion.

NSF staff also will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:

Additional Review Criteria:

As indicated in Section V, the project will be assessed on whether it responds to one or more of the following questions.

Will this research improve our understanding of creative processes in the context of a specific problem in computer science, information technology, science or engineering?
Will the research lead to the development of new technologies to support human creativity?
Will the research lead to transformational research in computer science, information technology, science or engineering through the use of creative practitioners?
Will the research lead to innovative educational approaches in computer science, science, or engineering that reward creativity?

B. Review and Selection Process

Proposals submitted in response to this program solicitation will be reviewed by Ad hoc Review and/or Panel Review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

After scientific, technical and programmatic review and consideration of appropriate factors, the NSF Program Officer recommends to the cognizant Division Director whether the proposal should be declined or recommended for award. NSF is striving to be able to tell applicants whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the deadline or target date, or receipt date, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. Verbatim copies of reviews, excluding the names of the reviewers, are sent to the Principal Investigator/Project Director by the Program Officer. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.

In all cases, after programmatic approval has been obtained, the proposals recommended for funding will be forwarded to the Division of Grants and Agreements for review of business, financial, and policy implications and the processing and issuance of a grant or other agreement. Proposers are cautioned that only a Grants and Agreements Officer may make commitments, obligations or awards on behalf of NSF or authorize the expenditure of funds. No commitment on the part of NSF should be inferred from technical or budgetary discussions with a NSF Program Officer. A Principal Investigator or organization that makes financial or personnel commitments in the absence of a grant or cooperative agreement signed by the NSF Grants and Agreements Officer does so at their own risk.

VII. Award Administration Information

A. Notification of the Award

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by a Grants Officer in the Division of Grants and Agreements. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible by the cognizant NSF Program administering the program. Verbatim copies of reviews, not including the identity of the reviewer, will be provided automatically to the Principal Investigator. (See Section VI.B. for additional information on the review process.)

B. Award Conditions

An NSF award consists of: (1) the award letter, which includes any special provisions applicable to the award and any numbered amendments thereto; (2) the budget, which indicates the amounts, by categories of expense, on which NSF has based its support (or otherwise communicates any specific approvals or disapprovals of proposed expenditures); (3) the proposal referenced in the award letter; (4) the applicable award conditions, such as Grant General Conditions (GC-1); * or Research Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreements also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Financial and Administrative Terms and Conditions (CA-FATC) and the applicable Programmatic Terms and Conditions. NSF awards are electronically signed by an NSF Grants and Agreements Officer and transmitted electronically to the organization via e-mail.

*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at
https://www.nsf.gov/awards/managing/award_conditions.jsp?org=NSF. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from nsfpubs@nsf.gov.

More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions and other important information on the administration of NSF awards is contained in the NSF Award & Administration Guide (AAG) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at
https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=aag.

C. Reporting Requirements

For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the Principal Investigator must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period. (Some programs or awards require more frequent project reports). Within 90 days after expiration of a grant, the PI also is required to submit a final project report.

Failure to provide the required annual or final project reports will delay NSF review and processing of any future funding increments as well as any pending proposals for that PI. PIs should examine the formats of the required reports in advance to assure availability of required data.

PIs are required to use NSF's electronic project-reporting system, available through FastLane, for preparation and submission of annual and final project reports. Such reports provide information on activities and findings, project participants (individual and organizational) publications; and, other specific products and contributions. PIs will not be required to re-enter information previously provided, either with a proposal or in earlier updates using the electronic system. Submission of the report via FastLane constitutes certification by the PI that the contents of the report are accurate and complete.

VIII. Agency Contacts

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to: