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Office of Polar Programs Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (OPP-PRF)

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22-635

Important Information for Proposers

Any proposal submitted in response to this funding opportunity should be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) that is in effect for the relevant due date to which the proposal is being submitted. The NSF PAPPG is regularly revised and it is the responsibility of the proposer to ensure that the proposal meets the requirements specified in this solicitation and the applicable version of the PAPPG. Submitting a proposal prior to a specified deadline does not negate this requirement.

Supports postdoctoral researchers performing interdisciplinary polar research that develops partnerships across polar regions or with nonpolar research communities. Fellowships also support researchers who have had limited access to polar research resources.

Synopsis

The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) offers postdoctoral research fellowships (PRF) to provide opportunities for early career scientists, including social scientists, to accomplish one or more of the following goals: expand their work across traditional disciplinary lines, develop new partnerships connecting the polar regions and/or non-polar research communities, and provide entry to researchers who have traditionally had limited access to polar research resources, sites and facilities. The fellowship program encourages the integration of new investigators who have not previously worked in polar regions and/or innovative techniques that have not previously been applied to polar science into polar research. Additionally, the OPP-PRF aims to support beginning investigators with experiences that will establish them in positions of leadership in the scientific community. During their tenure, Fellows will affiliate with a host research institution(s) and conduct research on topics supported by OPP. Successful proposers will participate in a professional development program that will promote mentoring skills and coordinate their involvement in activities that increase the engagement of groups that have previously had limited engagement in polar Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Prospective fellows must be U.S. citizens, nationals or permanent residents. Proposers who are women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in STEM, or who have attended community colleges and minority-serving institutions (e.g., Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Serving Institutions, and Hawaiian Native and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions) are especially encouraged to apply.

Fellowship proposals must be submitted by individuals. However, if an award is recommended, the proposal will be transferred to the host institution where the postdoctoral Fellow will be named as the PI. The award will be issued to the host institution as a regular research award, and the award will be administered by the host institution(s).

Program contacts

For general questions or more information, contact opp-prf@nsf.gov.

opp-prf@nsf.gov (OPP-PRF email)
General Program Contact
opp-prf@nsf.gov 703-292-8030
Colene M. Haffke
Program Director, Arctic Natural Sciences
cohaffke@nsf.gov (703) 292-8030 GEO/OPP
Erica Hill
Program Director, Arctic Social Sciences
erhill@nsf.gov (703) 292-4521
Allen J. Pope
Program Director, Polar Cyberinfrastructure
apope@nsf.gov (703) 292-2858 GEO/OPP
Elizabeth L. Rom
Polar Education Liaison
elrom@nsf.gov (703) 292-7709 GEO/RISE
Maria Vernet
Program Director, Antarctic Sciences
mvernet@nsf.gov (703) 292-5308

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