NSF 05-510: Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
Program Solicitation
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Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MSPRF)
Program Solicitation
NSF
05-510
Replaces Document
NSF 01-126
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National Science Foundation |
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Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
Third Wednesday in October
Annually beginning in 2005
Summary Of Program Requirements
General Information
Program Title:
Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MSPRF)
Synopsis of Program:
The purpose of the Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MSPRF) is to support future leaders in the mathematical sciences by enabling them to participate in research environments that will have maximal impact on their future scientific development. There will be two options for awardees: Research Fellowship and Research Instructorship. Awards will be made for appropriate research in areas of the mathematical sciences, including applications to other disciplines.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
Lloyd E. Douglas, Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Mathematical Sciences, 1025 N, telephone: (703) 292-4862, fax: (703) 292-9032, email: ldouglas@nsf.gov
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
- 47.049 --- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Eligibility Information
- Organization Limit: The Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are awards to individuals, and applications are submitted directly by the applicant to the NSF. Fellows must affiliate with institutions or organizations (e.g., colleges and universities, government and national laboratories and facilities, privately sponsored nonprofit institutes and museums, and for-profit organizations under special conditions).
- PI Eligibility Limit: Applicants must be: U.S. citizens, nationals, or legally admitted permanent resident aliens; may not have held the doctoral degree more than two years as of January 1 of the year of the award; must propose research in the mathematical sciences; may not have previously received a Federal research grant; and may not submit a research plan duplicated in another NSF proposal.
- Limit on Number of Proposals: None Specified.
Award Information
- Anticipated Type of Award: Standard Grant
- Estimated Number of Awards: 30 to 35
- Anticipated Funding Amount: $3,800,000 subject to availability of funds
Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
- Full Proposal Preparation Instructions: This solicitation contains information that deviates from the standard 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.
- Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: Fellowships have an institutional allowance of $4,500 for partial reimbursement of indirect costs.
- Other Budgetary Limitations: Other budgetary limitations apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
C. Due Dates
- Full Proposal Deadline Date(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
- Third Wednesday in October
- Annually beginning in 2005
Proposal Review Information
- 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: Additional award conditions apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
- Reporting Requirements: Additional reporting requirements apply. Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.
I. Introduction
II. Program Description
The Fellows will have two options for the academic years' stipend:
The Research Fellowship option provides full-time support for any eighteen academic-year months in a three-year period, in intervals not shorter than three consecutive months.
The Research Instructorship option provides a combination of full-time and half-time support over a period of three academic years, usually one academic year full-time and two academic years half time.
Under both options, the award includes six summer months; however, no more than two summer months of support may be received in any calendar year.
Under both options, the stipend support for 24 months (18 academic-year months plus 6 summer months) will be provided within a 48-month period.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR FELLOWSHIP INSTITUTION AND SPONSORING SCIENTIST
- Location of Work
Research and training supported by the MSPRF may be conducted at any appropriate U.S. or foreign host institution. Appropriate institutions include colleges and universities, government and national laboratories and facilities, and privately sponsored nonprofit institutes and museums.
Because one of the objectives of the program is to broaden the perspectives and experiences of the Fellows, careful consideration should be given to the selection of the sponsoring scientists and host institutions.
Under certain circumstances it might be desirable for portions of the work to be done at foreign institutions. Approval to do so must be obtained in advance from both the sponsoring scientist and the cognizant NSF program officer.
- The Sponsoring Scientist
The Fellow must affiliate with a host institution during the entire tenure of the fellowship. The applicant is responsible for making prior arrangements with the host institution and sponsoring scientist. Regardless of the number of sponsors or locations, the fellowship application requires a single sponsoring scientist statement. If more than one sponsor is proposed, one must be named lead sponsor and information from all must be integrated into a single sponsoring scientist statement. Likewise, if more than one site is proposed, the sponsoring scientist statement must integrate all sponsors and locations in a single statement. An important basis for judging the suitability of the proposed host institution is the degree to which the sponsoring scientist statement describes and offers a research environment and mentoring opportunity that could be difficult to achieve without fellowship support.
Before completion of the first year of fellowship tenure, changes in the host institution will be approved only under very unusual circumstances. Since the likely impact of both the sponsoring scientist and the host institution on the professional development of the applicant is an important factor in the evaluation process, the selection of these, especially for the first year of fellowship tenure, will normally be viewed as a commitment on the part of the applicant to fulfill the plan for research as outlined in the application. Securing a position at an institution other than the proposed host institution is not considered a "very unusual circumstance."
III. Eligibility Information
Organization Limit: The Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships are awards to individuals, and applications are submitted directly by the applicant to the NSF. Fellows must affiliate with institutions or organizations (e.g., colleges and universities, government and national laboratories and facilities, privately sponsored nonprofit institutes and museums, and for-profit organizations under certain conditions). (see Section II, "Location of Work")
PI Eligibility Limit: Applicants must be: U.S. citizens, nationals, or legally admitted permanent resident aliens; may not have held the doctoral degree more than two years as of January 1 of the year of the award; must propose research in the mathematical sciences; may not have previously received a Federal research grant; and may not submit a research plan duplicated in another NSF proposal.
"U.S. nationals" are citizens of the United States or native residents of a possession of the United States such as American Samoa. It does not refer to citizens of another country who have applied for U.S. citizenship.
- Limit on Number of Proposals: One application per person.
IV. Award Information
NSF expects to make approximately 30-35 Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Felllowships per year, from a budget of approximately $3.8 million per year, depending on the quality of submissions and the availability of funds. Fellowship awards are for a total of $108,000. The anticipated date of awards is April in the year following the application deadline. The stipend support for 24 months (18 academic-year months plus 6 summer months) will be provided within a 48-month period.
DURATION/TENURE AND STIPEND/ALLOWANCES
- Duration and Tenure
The Fellow may choose to exercise the Research Instructionship option either in the original application or any time before beginning tenure; however, the choice of institution and sponsoring scientist must be approved in advance by the cognizant NSF program officer.
Each applicant must apply for a total of either two academic years of full-time support, or one academic year of full-time and two academic years of half-time support. The tenure period also includes three two-month summer periods, which generally will immediately precede or immediately follow an academic years of support. Tenure must start between June 1 and October 1 of the year of the award. Fellowships may not be renewed.
- Stipend and Allowances
The total Fellowship amount is $108,000 and consists of three separate types of payments.
A monthly stipend of $4,000 for full-time support or $2,000 for half-time support is paid directly to the Fellow as an electronic funds transfer into a personal account at a financial institution.
A research allowance of $7,500 is paid as a lump sum to the Fellow in the same manner for expenses directly related to the conduct of the research, such as materials and supplies, subscription fees and recovery costs for databases, travel, and publication expenses.
An institutional allowance for a total of $4,500 is paid to the host institution for partial reimbursement of indirect costs such as fringe benefits, including health insurance payments for the Fellow, and for expenses incurred in support of the Fellow, such as space, equipment, and general-purpose supplies. There are no allowances for dependents.
V. Proposal Preparation And Submission Instructions
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Full Proposal Instructions:
Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained 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/cgi-bin/getpub?gpg. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
The following instructions deviate from the GPG guidelines.
Application Preparation Instructions for Fellowships
Mathematical Sciences Research Fellowship Program Application - Must be submitted electronically using the NSF FastLane system. Only one application is permitted per person. A complete submission requires coordination between the applicant, the sponsoring scientist(s), and the references; and includes all of the following items:
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An application package completed by the applicant consisting of:
- Project Summary;
- 3-5 page Project Description;
- Biographical Sketch (limited to 2 pages, see the NSF Grant Proposal Guide for more information); and
- Complete official transcripts of academic records.
Send official transcripts to:
NSF Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships
c/o American Mathematical Society
P. O. Box 6248
Providence, Rhode Island 02940
Street Address :
201 Charles Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02904
Telephone: (401) 455-4105
FAX: (401) 455-4004
E-mail: nsfpostdocs@ams.org
E-mail may be used for inquiries only. -
Three or four letters of reference (one from the doctoral advisor and others from scientists who know the applicant well). FastLane submission of the reference reports is required. (See below Section V.D. on FastLane Requirements)
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The sponsoring scientists' statement. The statement should indicate both expected availability for consultation during the requested tenure period and agreement to work with the Fellow. In particular, this statement should include a discussion of the role that the sponsoring scientist will play in the professional development of the applicant and of the opportunities for training and research at the host institution that will be of particular benefit to the applicant. This should also include the appropriateness to the match between the sponsoring scientist and the Fellow. FastLane submission of the sponsoring scientists' statement is required.
Additional Instructions for the Project Description
The Project Description addresses what the applicant hopes to accomplish during the fellowship period and how it relates to her/his career goals. Applicants are reminded to follow the PDF FastLane Hints and Pointers Document at http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/pdfcreat.htm.The research plan can be submitted as either a PDF file or a word processing document. When printed out, it must be 3 to 5 pages, including all figures, tables, pictures, etc., with 2.5-cm margins and a font no smaller than Courier New 10. The Project Description consists of:
- an introduction or background section;
- a statement of research objectives, methods, and significance;
- an explanation of how the fellowship activities will enhance the applicant's career development; and
- a justification of the choice of sponsoring scientists and host institutions.
NOTE: The Temporary Proposal Number is used to provide secure access to the FastLane application for preparing and submitting the reference reports. Access is limited to only those to whom the applicant gives the Temporary Proposal Number. This number links the reference to the application.
FastLane Instructions for Fellowship Applicants
To access FastLane, go to the NSF Web site at https://www.nsf.gov then select "FastLane," or go directly to the FastLane home page at https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/. Detailed preparation and submission instructions are available by clicking on Postdoctoral Fellowships. Then under Who Are You?, click on Applicant. Select "Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships." Click on "How to Apply." The applicant must obtain the sponsoring scientists' statement and upload it into Supplementary Docs.
FastLane Instructions for Sponsoring Scientists
The applicant will upload both the sponsoring scientist statement and the Information Sheet into the application. Either mail, e-mail or FAX the documents to the applicant. A copy of the Information Sheet can be found on FastLane https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov under Postdoctoral Fellowships. Under Who Are You? Click on Sponsoring Scientist. Select "Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships." Click on "How to Prepare Statement."
FastLane Instructions for Authors of Reference Reports
To prepare and submit the reference reports (i.e., letters of reference), the applicant must give the authors the applicant's Temporary Proposal Number and a password. Access FastLane (https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov). Click on Postdoctoral Fellowships hyperlink. Under Who Are You?, click on "Letter of Reference Writer." Click the "GO" button for Letter of Reference Preparation/Submission. Click on the Prepare New Letter of Reference hyperlink. Enter the applicant's Temporary Proposal Number, your last name, and your password, then provide the requested Reference Report.
More detailed information about the FastLane Application Package Preparation and Submission is available on FastLane https://www.fastlane.nsf.gov. Click on Postdoctoral Fellowships. Questions may also be directed by e-mail to dmsfl@nsf.gov or fastlane@nsf.gov.
Proposers are reminded to identify the program announcement/solicitation number (05-510) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet. 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 in proposals submitted under this Program Solicitation.
Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations:
Other Budgetary Limitations:
C. Due Dates
Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. proposer's local time):
Third Wednesday in October
Annually beginning in 2005
D. FastLane Requirements
Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this announcement/solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: https://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 announcement/solicitation should be referred to the NSF program staff contact(s) listed in Section VIII of this announcement/solicitation.
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. Proposers are no longer required to provide a paper copy of the signed Proposal Cover Sheet to NSF. Further instructions regarding this process are available on the FastLane Website at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov
VI. Proposal Review Information
A. NSF Proposal Review Process
Reviews of proposals submitted to NSF are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed research or education project. These reviewers are selected by Program Officers charged with the oversight of the review process. NSF invites the proposer to suggest, at the time of submission, the names of appropriate or inappropriate reviewers. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.
The National Science Board approved revised criteria for evaluating proposals at its meeting on March 28, 1997 (NSB 97-72). All NSF proposals are evaluated through use of the two merit review criteria. In some instances, however, NSF will employ additional criteria as required to highlight the specific objectives of certain programs and activities.
On July 8, 2002, the NSF Director issued Important Notice 127, Implementation of new Grant Proposal Guide Requirements Related to the Broader Impacts Criterion. This Important Notice reinforces the importance of addressing both criteria in the preparation and review of all proposals submitted to NSF. NSF continues to strengthen its internal processes to ensure that both of the merit review criteria are addressed when making funding decisions.
In an effort to increase compliance with these requirements, the January 2002 issuance of the GPG incorporated revised proposal preparation guidelines relating to the development of the Project Summary and Project Description. Chapter II of the GPG specifies that Principal Investigators (PIs) must address both merit review criteria in separate statements within the one-page Project Summary. This chapter also reiterates that broader impacts resulting from the proposed project must be addressed in the Project Description and described as an integral part of the narrative.
Effective October 1, 2002, NSF will return without review proposals that do not separately address both merit review criteria within the Project Summary. It is believed that these changes to NSF proposal preparation and processing guidelines will more clearly articulate the importance of broader impacts to NSF-funded projects.
The two National Science Board approved merit review criteria are listed below (see the Grant Proposal Guide Chapter III.A for further information). 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 he/she is qualified to make judgments.
- What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?
How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of the prior work.) To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original concepts? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? Is there sufficient access to resources?
- What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training, and learning? How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and partnerships? Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?
NSF staff will give careful consideration to the following in making funding decisions:
- Integration of Research and Education
One of the principal strategies 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 and deems it central to the programs, projects, and activities it considers and supports.
- Additional Review Criteria:
Additional Evaluation and Selection of Fellows
The evaluation of applicants will be based on ability and potential as evidenced by past research and letters of recommendation; suitability and availability of the sponsoring scientist and other colleagues, as well as other conditions at the proposed host institution such as adequate space, basic services, and supplies; likely impact of the scientific advisor and the host institution on the scientific development of the applicant; scientific quality of the research likely to emerge; and the potential of the applicant's contributions to the Foundation's education and human resource goals. Applications will be evaluated by a panel of mathematical scientists.
The selection of Fellows will be made by the National Science Foundation, and applicants may expect to be notified by letter on or about February 8th.
Although the Fellow usually receives verbatim copies of reviews (as stated elsewhere in this solicitation), no written reviews are generated during the review process for this program, so the Fellow will not receive copies of reviews for proposals submitted to this program solicitation.
B. Review Protocol and Associated Customer Service Standard
All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NSF who are experts in the particular field represented by the proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by 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.
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 Director. In addition, the proposer will receive an explanation of the decision to award or decline funding.
NSF is striving to be able to tell proposers whether their proposals have been declined or recommended for funding within six months. The time interval begins on the closing date of an announcement/solicitation, or the date of proposal receipt, whichever is later. The interval ends when the Division Director accepts the Program Officer's recommendation.
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 Division 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.A. 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 (NSF-GC-1); * or Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) Terms and Conditions * and (5) any announcement or other NSF issuance that may be incorporated by reference in the award letter. Cooperative agreement awards also are administered in accordance with NSF Cooperative Agreement Terms and Conditions (CA-1). Electronic mail notification is the preferred way to transmit NSF awards to organizations that have electronic mail capabilities and have requested such notification from the Division of Grants and Agreements.
*These documents may be accessed electronically on NSF's Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/grants/grants_gac.htm. Paper copies may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (703) 292-7827 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
More comprehensive information on NSF Award Conditions is contained in the NSF Grant Policy Manual (GPM) Chapter II, available electronically on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gpm. The GPM is also for sale through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office (GPO), Washington, DC 20402. The telephone number at GPO for subscription information is (202) 512-1800. The GPM may be ordered through the GPO Website at http://www.gpo.gov.
Special Award Conditions:
All arrangements for affiliation with the chosen fellowship institution(s) are the responsibility of the Fellow.
If the Research Fellowship option is chosen, Fellows will be expected to devote full time to appropriate scientific research during the tenure of the fellowship, and to pursue the program for which the fellowship was awarded. Institutions may supplement fellowship stipends without prior approval from the Foundation provided that such is done in accordance with established institutional policies. Supplementation may be given only if there is no requirement for duties in addition to normal fellowship activities, and may involve teaching only to the extent of conducting or participating in seminars directly related to the fellowship activities and research program.
If the Fellow chooses the Research Instructorship option, Fellows will be expected to devote half time to appropriate scientific research during the tenure of the fellowship. The institution at which the Fellow plans to hold the Instructorship must agree to provide a half-time position with a teaching load not to exceed the equivalent of three teaching hours per semester for the academic year period during which half-time NSF support is received. This agreement need not be obtained until after the awards are announced; lack of such an agreement at the time of the application will not adversely affect the evaluation.
For either the Research Fellowship or the Research Instructorship option, the host institution's faculty should have competence in the Fellow's research area, and a member of the institution's faculty must agree to serve in the role of sponsoring scientist.
Before completion of the first year of fellowship tenure, changes in the host institution will be approved only under very unusual circumstances. Since the likely impact of both the sponsoring scientist and the host institution on the professional development of the applicant is an important factor in the evaluation process, the selection of these, especially for the first year of fellowship tenure, will normally be viewed as a commitment on the part of the applicant to fulfill the plan for research as outlined in the application. Securing a position at an institution other than the proposed host institution is not considered a "very unusual circumstance."
Under certain circumstances it might be desirable for portions of the work to be done at foreign institutions. Approval to do so must be obtained in advance from both the sponsoring scientist and the cognizant NSF program officer.
In exceptional circumstances, applications for less than full-time postdoctoral support, with reduced stipends, will be considered. Requests for such must be made in the original application, and applicants must agree to accept remuneration from no other source while on part-time tenure. Major changes in the plan of scientific research, in tenure, or in fellowship institution require prior Foundation approval. After an award is made, the dollar amount and length of tenure are not subject to increase except as indicated above.
In the context of the brochure's guidelines, funds that the institution has obtained from external (including federal) sources may be considered as institutional funds. NSF awards may be used for supplementation of stipends in an amount not to exceed $1,000 per year.
C. Reporting Requirements
For all multi-year grants (including both standard and continuing grants), the PI must submit an annual project report to the cognizant Program Officer at least 90 days before the end of the current budget period.
Within 90 days after the expiration of an award, the PI also is required to submit a final project report. Failure to provide final technical reports delays NSF review and processing of pending proposals for the PI and all Co-PIs. 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. This system permits electronic submission and updating of project reports, including information on project participants (individual and organizational), activities and findings, 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.
VIII. Contacts For Additional Information
General inquiries regarding this program should be made to:
Lloyd E. Douglas, Program Director, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Division of Mathematical Sciences, 1025 N, telephone: (703) 292-4862, fax: (703) 292-9032, email: ldouglas@nsf.gov
For questions related to the use of FastLane, contact:
Florence Rabanal, Electronic Business Coordinator, Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences, 1005 N, telephone: (703) 292-8808, fax: (703) 292-9151, email: frabanal@nsf.gov
IX. Other Programs Of Interest
The NSF Guide to Programs is a compilation of funding for research and education in science, mathematics, and engineering. The NSF Guide to Programs is available electronically at https://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?gp. General descriptions of NSF programs, research areas, and eligibility information for proposal submission are provided in each chapter.
Many NSF programs offer announcements or solicitations concerning specific proposal requirements. To obtain additional information about these requirements, contact the appropriate NSF program offices. Any changes in NSF's fiscal year programs occurring after press time for the Guide to Programs will be announced in the NSF E-Bulletin, which is updated daily on the NSF Website at https://www.nsf.gov/home/ebulletin, and in individual program announcements/solicitations. Subscribers can also sign up for NSF's Custom News Service (https://www.nsf.gov/home/cns/start.htm) to be notified of new funding opportunities that become available.
Related Programs:
- International Research Fellowship Program (NSF 02-149)
About The National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Awardees are wholly responsible for conducting their project activities and preparing the results for publication. Thus, the Foundation does not assume responsibility for such findings or their interpretation.
NSF welcomes proposals from all qualified scientists, engineers and educators. The Foundation strongly encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to compete fully in its programs. In accordance with Federal statutes, regulations and NSF policies, no person on grounds of race, color, age, sex, national origin or disability shall be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from NSF, although some programs may have special requirements that limit eligibility.
Facilitation Awards for Scientists and Engineers with Disabilities (FASED) provide funding for special assistance or equipment to enable persons with disabilities (investigators and other staff, including student research assistants) to work on NSF-supported projects. See the GPG Chapter II, Section D.2 for instructions regarding preparation of these types of proposals.
аPrivacy Act And Public Burden Statements
The information requested on proposal forms and project reports is solicited under the authority of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950, as amended. The information on proposal forms will be used in connection with the selection of qualified proposals; project reports submitted by awardees will be used for program evaluation and reporting within the Executive Branch and to Congress. The information requested may be disclosed to qualified reviewers and staff assistants as part of the proposal review process; to applicant institutions/grantees to provide or obtain data regarding the proposal review process, award decisions, or the administration of awards; to government contractors, experts, volunteers and researchers and educators as necessary to complete assigned work; to other government agencies needing information as part of the review process or in order to coordinate programs; and to another Federal agency, court or party in a court or Federal administrative proceeding if the government is a party. Information about Principal Investigators may be added to the Reviewer file and used to select potential candidates to serve as peer reviewers or advisory committee members. See Systems of Records, NSF-50, "Principal Investigator/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 267 (January 5, 1998), and NSF-51, "Reviewer/Proposal File and Associated Records," 63 Federal Register 268 (January 5, 1998). Submission of the information is voluntary. Failure to provide full and complete information, however, may reduce the possibility of receiving an award.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3145-0023. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 12 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions. Send comments regarding this burden estimate and any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: Suzanne Plimpton, Reports Clearance Officer, Division of Administrative Services, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA 22230.
OMB control number: 3145-0023.
