Research Office - Incentive Programs

The Research Office, Incentive Programs is requesting Letters of Intent for the National Science Foundation - Major Research Instrumentation (Instrument Acquisition or Development) 2013 program (NSF-MRI).

NSF 11-503

http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2011/nsf11503/nsf11503.htm

Research Office Letter of Intent submission deadline: Monday, November 12, 2012

The MRI program serves to increase access to shared scientific and engineering instruments for research and research training in our Nation’s institutions of higher education, museums, science centers, and not-for profit organizations. This program especially seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, by providing shared instrumentation that fosters the integration of research and education in research-intensive learning environments. Development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- and/or intra-organizational use are encouraged, as are development efforts that leverage the strengths of private sector partners to build instrument development capacity at academic institutions.

Limit on Number of Proposals per Organization: Three (two instrument acquisition and one instrument development)

In an effort to provide the highest level of excellence and viability for funding, the Faculty Senate Research Council will review all Letters of Intent and rank order them for the Vice President for Research. The finalists will be asked to represent Oregon State University and to submit their proposals to the NSF-MRI program by the January 24, 2013 deadline.

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

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

• Title of Project
• PI/Co-PI, Department and College
• Type of Proposal (instrument acquisition or instrument development)
• Instrument Location
• Instrument Acquisition proposals should include:
  • Detailed description of the requested instrument and clearly explain why it is needed.
  • Description of how and by whom the requested instrumentation will be operated and maintained and the anticipated costs needed to operate and maintain the instrument.
  • Brief description for allocating the instrument time and anticipated usage and down time.
• Instrument Development proposals should include:
  • Describe the design concept, the rational for the new instrument and the development strategy.
  • Describe the organization of the project staff and methods of assessing performance.
  • Include plans for making the instrument design readily available to other researchers.
  • Describe the plans for the operations and maintenance of the instrument.
  • Describe plans for attracting and supporting new users.
  • Brief description for allocating the instrument time and anticipated usage and down time.
• Describe how the instrumentation aligns with the OSU Research Agenda http://oregonstate.edu/research/research-agenda
• Describe the ways in which the activity will promote partnerships between OSU researchers and private sector instrument developers.
• Detailed budget being requested from NSF (limit one page).
• Standard NSF style biosketch for PI (limit two pages).
• Letters of intent are limited to seven pages (including budget and biosketch, single spaced, 12 pt. font).
• Submit electronically as a MS Word or PDF document to: debbie.delmore@oregonstate.edu