brdo career workshop 2016 presentation
TRANSCRIPT
Berkeley Research Development Office
The NSF CAREER Award
Erica WhitneyAssociate Director
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NSF CAREER website
http://www.nsf.gov/career– RFA (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15555/nsf15555.htm)
– FAQs (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2015/nsf15057/nsf15057.jsp)
– NSF contacts– Funded awards– Career-Life Balance supplements– Supplemental research opportunities
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Purpose
§ To support junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.
§ To build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research, where research is enhanced by inspired teaching and enthusiastic learning.
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Purpose
§ A career development award, not just a research award.
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Eligibility
§ Hold a doctoral degree by the deadline date in a field supported by NSF; be untenured until October 1 following the deadline; and have not previously received a CAREER award– AND
§ Be employed in a tenure-track (or tenure-track-equivalent) position as an assistant professor (or equivalent title by October 1 following the submission deadline.
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Number of submissions
§ You can enter 3 CAREER competitions.
§ You cannot submit the same research proposal to more than one entity.
§ The proposed research must be distinct from any other federally-funded research.
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Deadlines
§ Directorate-dependant:
– BIO, CISE, EHR: July 20, 2016
– ENG: July 21, 2016
– GEO, MPS, SBE: July 22, 2016
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Choosing a Program to Submit To
§ Indicate the program you wish to review/fund your proposal on your proposal’s cover page.
§ Multidisciplinary proposals can list multiple divisions on the cover page.
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NSF Organization
Director
Biological Sciences
Social, Behavioral & Econ Sciences
Computer & Information Science
Engineering
Math & Physical Sciences
Engineering
Geosciences
Education & Human Resources
National Science Board
• Office of Integrative Activities
• Office of Int. Science & Engineering
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
DIRECTORATE FOR BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (BIO)
James L. Olds, Assistant Director
Jane Silverthorne, Deputy AD 703.292.8400
DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION & HUMAN RESOURCES (EHR)
Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Assistant Director
William (Jim) Lewis, Deputy AD
703.292.8600
DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE (DBI)
Muriel E. Poston, Division Director
703.292.8470
DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY (DEB)Paula M. Mabee, Division Director
703.292.8480
DIVISION OF INTEGRATIVE ORGANISMAL SYSTEMS (IOS)
Heinz G. de Couet, Division Director
703.292.8420
DIVISION OF MOLECULAR & CELLULAR BIOSCIENCES (MCB)
Linda E. Hyman, Division Director
703.292.8440
OFFICE OF EMERGING FRONTIERS (EF) Charles Liarakos, Program Director
703.292.8508
DIRECTORATE FOR COMPUTER & INFORMATION SCIENCE & ENGINEERING (CISE)
James F. Kurose, Assistant Director
Erwin Gianchandani,Acting Deputy AD
703.292.8900
DIVISION OF CHEMICAL, BIOENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL &
TRANSPORT SYSTEMS (CBET) JoAnn Lighty,
Division Director 703.292.8320
DIVISION OF CIVIL, MECHANICAL & MANUFACTURING
INNOVATION (CMMI) Deborah Goodings,
Division Director 703.292.8360
DIVISION OF ELECTRICAL, COMMUNICATIONS & CYBER
SYSTEMS (ECCS) Samir El-Ghazaly, Division Director
703.292.8339
DIVISION OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION & CENTERS (EEC)
Mario Rotea, Division Director
703.292.8380
DIVISION OF INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION & PARTNERSHIPS (IIP)
Barry Johnson,Division Director
703.292.8050
OFFICE OF EMERGING FRONTIERS IN RESEARCH &
INNOVATION (EFRI) Sohi Rastegar, Senior Advisor703.292.8301
DIRECTORATE FOR GEOSCIENCES(GEO)
Roger Wakimoto, Assistant Director
Margaret Cavanaugh, Deputy AD
703.292.8500
DIRECTORATE FOR MATHEMATICAL &PHYSICAL SCIENCES (MPS)
Fleming Crim,Assistant Director
Clifford Gabriel,Acting Deputy AD 703.292.8800
DIVISION OF ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES (AST) James Ulvestad, Division Director
703.292.8820
DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY (CHE) Carol Bessel,
Acting Division Director 703.292.8840
DIVISION OF MATERIALS RESEARCH (DMR) Linda S. Sapochak,
Acting Division Director 703.292.8810
DIVISION OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES (DMS)Michael Vogelius,Division Director
703.292.8870
DIVISION OF PHYSICS (PHY)Denise Caldwell,Division Director
703.292.8890
OFFICE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES (OMA)
Clark Cooper,Office Head
703.292.8800
DIRECTORATE FOR SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, & ECONOMIC SCIENCES (SBE)
Fay L. Cook, Assistant Director
Kellina M. Craig-HendersonDeputy AD 703.292.8700
DIVISION OF BEHAVIORAL & COGNITIVE SCIENCES (BCS)
Howard Nusbaum, Division Director
703.292.8740
DIVISION OF SOCIAL & ECONOMIC SCIENCES (SES)
Alan Tomkins,Acting Division Director
703.292.8760
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
STATISTICS (NCSES) John Gawalt,
Division Director 703.292.8780
National Science Foundation4201 Wilson BoulevardArlington, Virginia 22230TEL: 703.292.5111 | FIRS: 800.877.8339 | TDD: 800.281.8749 February 2016
DIRECTORATE FOR ENGINEERING (ENG)
Pramod P. Khargonekar, Assistant Director
Grace Wang,Deputy AD
703.292.8300
DIVISION OF GRADUATE EDUCATION (DGE)
Dean Evasius,Division Director
703.292.8630
DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (HRD)
Sylvia James,Division Director
703.292.8640
DIVISION OF RESEARCH ON LEARNING IN FORMAL &
INFORMAL SETTINGS (DRL)Evan Heit,
Division Director703.292.8620
DIVISION OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION (DUE)
Susan Singer,Division Director
703.292.8670
DIVISION OF ATMOSPHERIC & GEOSPACE SCIENCES (AGS)
Paul Shepson Division Director
703.292.8520
DIVISION OF EARTH SCIENCES (EAR)
Carol Frost, Division Director
703.292.8550
DIVISION OF OCEAN SCIENCES (OCE) Richard Murray,Division Director
703.292.8580
DIVISION OFPOLAR PROGRAMS (PLR)
Kelly Falkner, Division Director
703.292.8030
DIVISION OF COMPUTER & NETWORK SYSTEMS (CNS)
Peter Arzberger,Acting Division Director
703.292.8950
OFFICE OF INFORMATION & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT(OIRM)
Joanne S. Tornow,Head / Chief Human Capital Officer
Donna Butler, Deputy Office Head 703.292.8100
OFFICE OF BUDGET, FINANCE, & AWARD MANAGEMENT (BFA)
Martha A. Rubenstein, Head / Chief Financial Officer
Teresa Grancorvitz, Deputy Head
703.292.8200
BUDGET DIVISION (BUD)Michael Sieverts,Division Director
703.292.8260
DIVISION OF ACQUISITION AND COOPERATIVE SUPPORT (DACS)
Jeffery Lupis,Division Director
703.292.8240
DIVISION OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (DFM)
Michael Wetklow,Division Director
703.292.8280
DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES (DAS)Wonzie Gardner,
Acting Division Director703.292.8190
DIVISION OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS (DIS)
Dorothy Aronson,Division Director
703.292.8150
DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM)
Judy Sunley,Division Director
703.292.8180
DIVISION OF GRANTS & AGREEMENTS (DGA)
Karen M. Tiplady,Division Director
703.292.8210
DIVISION OF INSTITUTION & AWARD SUPPORT (DIAS)
Dale Bell,Division Director
703.292.8230
LARGE FACILITIES OFFICEMatthew J. Hawkins,
Deputy Director703.292.4416
DIVISION OF COMPUTING & COMMUNICATION
FOUNDATIONS (CCF) Rao Kosaraju,
Division Director703.292.8910
DIVISION OF ADVANCEDCYBERINFRASTRUCTURE (ACI)
Irene Qualters,Division Director
703.292.8970
DIVISION OF INFORMATION & INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS (IIS)
Lynne E. Parker, Division Director
703.292.8930
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL (OIG)
Allison C. Lerner, Inspector General 703.292.7100
NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARDOFFICE
Michael Van WoertExecutive Officer
703.292.7000
NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD (NSB)
Dan E. ArvizuChair
Kelvin K. DroegemeierVice Chair
703.292.7000
VacantDeputy Director
France A. CórdovaDirector
Richard Buckius Chief Operating
Officer
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR 703.292.8000
France A. Córdova Director
Vacant Deputy Director
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL (OGC)
Lawrence Rudolph, General Counsel Peggy Hoyle, Deputy GC
703.292.8060
OFFICE OF INTEGRATIVE ACTIVITIES (OIA)
Suzanne Iacono, Head 703.292.8040
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING (OISE)
Rebecca Keiser, Head 703.292.8710
OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE & PUBLIC AFFAIRS (OLPA)
Amanda Greenwell, Head
703.292.8070
OFFICE OF DIVERSITY & INCLUSION (ODI)
Rhonda Davis, Head 703.292.8020
NSF Organization
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Directorate of Biological Sciences (BIO)
Divisions of:§ Biological Infrastructure (DBI)§ Environmental Biology (DEB)§ Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS)§ Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB)§ Emerging Frontiers (EF)
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Clusters
§ MCB– Cellular Dynamics and Function – Genetic Mechanisms– Molecular Biophysics – Systems and Synthetic Biology
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See What’s Been Funded: ���Advanced Search
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Funding
§ Directorate-dependant:– BIO, ENG, and PLR: minimum $500,000 total
for 5 years– Others: minimum $400,000 total for 5 years
• Total costs = direct + indirect costs
§ Look at what’s been funded to see what the normal level is for your area.
§ Talk to your program officer to see what levels they are funding at.
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Funding
§ Can fund:– Yourself– Postdocs– Grad students– Travel– Supplies, etc.
§ Can’t fund:– Senior personnel (other faculty or senior staff)
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Supplemental Funding
§ Career-Life Balance (if on family leave for childbirth/adoption or elder care)
§ Research Opportunities in Europe (collaboration with ERC-funded researchers)
§ Research Opportunities in Germany (collaboration with DFG-funded researchers)
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Writing the Proposal
§ Follow the instructions in the RFA§ Follow the instructions in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide
(GPG)http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/policydocs/pappguide/nsf16001/gpg_index.jsp
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Proposal Components§ Project summary (1 page)§ Project description (15 pages)
§ Biosketch (2 pages, using NSF format)
§ Departmental letter (2 pages)
§ Letters of collaboration (if applicable, 1 page each)§ Postdoc mentoring plan (if applicable, 1 page)
§ Data management plan (2 pages)
§ Facilities & Resources
§ References Cited§ Budget
§ Budget justification (3 pages)
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Preparing to Write
1. Identify a strategic plan.
2. Define your research question.
3. Define your needs.
4. Draft the proposal.
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1. Identify a Strategic Plan
§ What are your strategic, long-term career goals?
§ What steps do you need to take to get there?
§ How would this award help you achieve those goals?
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2. Define Your Research Question
§ Identify a gap in knowledge in your field.
§ Identify a problem whose solution will be a big step forward for the field, rather than an incremental step.
§ Choose a problem that is going to matter to more people than just you.
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2. Define Your Research Question
§ Place your research question in the context of your larger research plan for your career.
§ Which portion of your long-term career goals will be addressed with this grant?
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3. Define Your Need
§ What do I need in order to do my research that I don’t already have?
§ How much do I need?
§ Who do I need to help me?
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4. Draft the Proposal
Understand your audience:
§ Assume you are not writing for an expert.
§ Target your proposal at 3 levels:
– Someone who doesn’t know your field.
– Someone familiar with, yet not expert in your field.
– Someone expert in your field.
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4. Draft the Proposal
More detailed instructions available in the “NSF CAREER Award Writing Guide.”
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Project Summary
Three Sections:§ Overview section:
– Research and education objectives.– Plans for the integration of education and
research activities.
§ Separate sections on how the proposal meets both the Intellectual Merit and Broader Impact review criteria.
§ 4700 characters, in three separate boxes (can upload PDF if using special characters).
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Project Description, per NSF:
§ The proposed research project, including preliminary supporting data where appropriate, specific objectives, methods and procedures to be used, and expected significance of the results;
§ The proposed educational activities, including plans to evaluate their impact on students and other participants;
§ How the research and educational activities are integrated with one another; and
§ Results of prior NSF support, if PI or co-PI on any grant in last 5 years.
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Project Description
§ Proposers should address:– what they want to do, – why they want to do it, – how they plan to do it, – how they will know if they succeed, and – what benefits could accrue if the project is
successful.
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Project Description
§ Include:– Objectives/Specific aims– Research Plan– Education Plan– Broader Impacts– Timeline/Milestones– Results from Prior NSF Support (or say “Not
applicable”)
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Project Description
§ For the Research Plan, include:– Background and Significance– Preliminary Data– Research Design and Methods– Potential Pitfalls and Alternative Approaches– Evaluation/Expected Outcomes– Timeline– Future steps
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Project Description
§ Presentation is important!– Proper English– Correct grammar– Attractive formatting– Effective figures and tables (don’t forget the
titles and captions)
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NSF Peer Review Criteria
What is the intellectual merit of the
proposed activity?
What are the broader
impacts of the proposed
activity?
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Peer Review Criteria
Intellectual Merit: The potential to advance knowledge
Broader Impacts: The potential to benefit society and
contribute to the achievement of specific, desired societal outcomes
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NSF Peer Review Criteria
1. What is the potential for the proposed activity to: a. Advance knowledge and understanding within
its own field or across different fields (Intellectual Merit); and
b. Benefit society or advance desired societal outcomes (Broader Impacts)?
2. To what extent do the proposed activities suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts?
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NSF Peer Review Criteria
3. Is the plan for carrying out the proposed activities well-reasoned, well-organized, and based on a sound rationale? Does the plan incorporate a mechanism to assess success?
4. How well qualified is the individual, team, or organization to conduct the proposed activities?
5. Are there adequate resources available to the PI (either at the home organization or through collaborations) to carry out the proposed activities?
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Peer Review Scoring
Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor
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NSF Staff Review Criteria
§ Integration of research and education.
§ Integrating diversity into NSF programs, projects, and activities.
Berkeley Research Development Office
The NSF CAREER Award:���
Creating a winning education plan
Kate SpohrResearch Outreach Specialist
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CAREER program
Goal of Faculty Early Career Development Program— ���To support junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.
• Objectives/specific aims• Research plan• Education plan • Broader impacts• Results from prior NSF
support
15 page
project
description
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Developing your education plan
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Identify the “right” focus & scope
§ What types of E&O activities does your research lend itself to?
§ What unique expertise, resources, and assets can you provide?
§ Where can you have the biggest impact?§ What do you want to spend 5 years on?
(AND: What are you realistically able to accomplish in 5 years?)
§ How will the education plan be integrated with your research plan?
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Involving the community, leveraging partnerships
§ What gaps can you address?§ How can you involve others in
your research—particularly those underrepresented in STEM?
§ How can you involve your whole lab?
§ What partners can you engage with?
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Partnerships are key
§ Lends credibility to your project.§ Adds expertise to your team.
§ Provides in-kind resources—e.g. marketing lists, facilities, volunteers.
§ Helps with scaling up, dissemination.
§ Builds in sustainability.
Per NSF: Proposers are encouraged to collaborate with, utilize resources in academia and from other sectors (i.e. industry, museums, schools, after school programs, community orgs, etc).
Benefits of partnering
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§ Activities go beyond your ordinary job duties. ���BUT: the workload is not be unreasonable.
§ Activities are informed by research & best practices in education/pedagogy (use references).
§ Traditionally underrepresented communities are included in meaningful ways.
§ Activities include measurable outcomes.
§ Activities match the expectations of the NSF directorate to which you are applying (search abstracts, check with program officer).
Elements of a successful education plan
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Education plan (suggested length 3-5 pgs)
§ Overview, background, aims
§ Design and methods
§ Evaluation
§ Integration of research and education
§ Broader impacts
§ Timeline
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Potential to advance
knowledge and benefit
society
Original, potentially
transformative
Sound rationale & mechanism to assess success
Well-qualified proposer
Adequate resources Intellectual
Merit & Broader
Impacts
Remember the review criteria!
All 5 review elements apply to Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts.
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Frequently asked questions
§ How much weight does NSF give to each criteria in the review process?
§ What number and scope of education activities is reasonable?
§ How important are the concepts of creativity and originality in education plans?
§ What level of effort & financial commitment is expected?
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Beyond the award – supplements
§ REU – Research Experiences for Undergraduates, $6k/student/year. ���Up to 2 students; more if URM.
§ RET – Research Experiences for Teachers, up to $10k/teacher/year (stipend/supplies). 1-2 teachers per year, ENG and CISE only.
– Contact your program director first.– Apply at beginning of fiscal year (October).– All progress reports must be up to date!
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Broader impacts help, consultations
Kate Spohr, [email protected]���b r d o . b e r k e l e y . e d u