Research Office - Incentive Programs

NSF 12-555

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12555/nsf12555.htm

Research Office Letter of Intent submission deadline:  Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Research Office, Incentive Programs is requesting Letters of Intent for the National Science Foundation - Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program – CIF21 Track (NSF-IGERT-CIF21).

A new targeted opportunity for research communities to apply for a new track in the NSF’s IGERT program as a mechanism to address the training and education needs in computational and data enabled science and engineering (CDS&E) and cyberinfrastructure research.

 The program limits to one the number of proposals that can be submitted by Oregon State University. In an effort to provide the highest level of excellence and viability for funding, a review process will be put in place if more proposals are submitted. The finalist will be asked to represent Oregon State University and to submit their proposal to the NSF – IGERT-CIF21 Track program by the June 4, 2012 deadline for NSF letters of intent (required).

NOTE: It is now made explicit that at the time of award, PIs will be required to obtain IRB approval for this award. OSU Institutional Review Board (IRB) information may be accessed at: http://oregonstate.edu/research/ori/irb.htm.

Guidance for preparation of Letter of Intent to the Research Office:

• Title of Project
• PI / Co-PI, Department, and College
• Briefly describe how your proposal would include the following features of IGERT-CIF21 (outline format is okay):
  • A comprehensive interdisciplinary theme, appropriate for doctoral-level research, that serves as the foundation for traineeship activities and is based on transformative interdisciplinary research in science/technology/engineering/mathematical sciences;
  • Integration of the interdisciplinary research with novel graduate education and training mechanisms.
  • Program strategy and plan for recruitment, mentoring, retention, and graduation of U.S. Ph.D. students in NSF-support STEM fields, including efforts aimed at members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering;
  • A plan to establish a supportive environment for innovation and for learning and practicing the steps involved in transforming research outcomes and ideas into successfully implemented solutions for societal needs and challenges through hands-on experience that is most appropriate for the particular theme; this plan should be integrated into the interdisciplinary research theme.
  • Career development opportunities, provision for developing professional and personal skills, fostering an international perspective, instruction in ethics and the responsible conduct of research, and training in communication of the substance and importance of research to nonscientist audiences;
  • Strategy and methodology for formative assessments of the project’s effectiveness and program improvements based on these assessments;
  • Administrative plan and organizational structure that ensures effective management of the project resources and any international cooperative activities; and
  • Institutional commitment to facilitating and furthering the plans and goals of the IGERT project.
  • Brief outline of a data management plan.
  • Partnerships between computational, mathematical and statistical, and computer and information sciences on the one hand and the science and engineering domains on the other, that drive interdisciplinary research in cyberinfrastructure.
  • Foundational and applied research in a variety of tools essential for advanced scientific discovery and engineering innovation in collaboration with domain sciences.
  • Research and development of novel end-to-end science-driven scenarios that integrate and leverage major cyberinfrastructure investments including high-end supercomputers, cloud environments, real-time and remote visualization, provisionable networks, distributed data archives and software frameworks.
  • Integration of educational and training opportunities with major cyberinfrastructure investments.
  • Synergies in cyberinfrastructure and CDS&E research with ongoing and emerging activities in CIF21.
  • Significant impact on new curricula and career possibilities for cyperinfrastructure and/or CDS&E.
  • Research, education and outreach activities that are expected to have a significant impact in developing an increasingly diverse STEM workforce that is inclusive of women and men, underrepresented minorities, and persons with disabilities.

• Be submitted according to the following format MS Word document, either Arial 11 point or Times New Roman 12 point font; 1” margins on all sides; single spaced
• Be five (5) pages total maximum
• Be submitted electronically as a MS Word document to:  debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu

Information:  Debbie Delmore at debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu or (541)737-8390