Title: Guide to Programs BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES The Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) promotes and advances scientific progress in biology largely through grants to colleges, universities, and other institutions. In addition, support is provided for the following: early development of academic faculty as both educators and researchers through programs such as Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER); research workshops, symposia, and conferences; the purchase of scientific equipment for research purposes; maintenance and improvement of research collections; active research participation grants for undergraduates, integrative graduate education and research training, and postdoctoral research fellowships; and, in selected areas, doctoral dissertation improvement grants. The BIO Directorate comprises the following Divisions and special areas of research: * Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) * Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) * Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) * Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) * Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants * Continuing Activities * Supplemental Funding Opportunities * Crosscutting Activities In addition to the information in this chapter, more is available on the BIO Directorate Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/). Eligibility Requirements for BIO Proposals The most frequent recipients of support for basic scientific research in the biological sciences are academic institutions and nonprofit research organizations. In special circumstances, grants are awarded to other types of institutions and to individuals. In these cases, preliminary inquiry should be made to the appropriate program officer before a proposal is submitted. Support may be provided for projects involving a single scientist or a number of scientists. Awards are made for projects confined to a single disciplinary area and for those that cross or merge disciplinary interests. Group Proposals in the BIO Directorate Increasingly, many important research problems in science can be addressed best by groups of investigators. A group approach not only may result in a more comprehensive treatment of many scientific problems, but also may provide innovative opportunities for the training of students. NSF has long recognized the importance of this mode of research by encouraging submission of group proposals. (For further information on submission format, see the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 99-2)). The need for increased attention to small group research and training in biology has been identified by several recent workshops such as the NSF/BIO workshop Impact of Emerging Technologies on the Biological Sciences and by advisory committees such as the NSF Biological Sciences Advisory Committee. In response to these recommendations, the BIO Directorate encourages proposals from three or more investigators, who may come from more than one academic institution, for collaborative studies focused on a single problem. In addition to proposals from individual investigators, BIO programs will evaluate group proposals as part of the programs' portfolio of activities within existing budgets. As is the case for proposals from individual investigators, group proposals may provide for the training of students, and industrial collaborations may be involved if appropriate. Investigators interested in submitting a group proposal may contact the appropriate BIO program for further advice and guidance. Submission of Proposals to the BIO Directorate Incoming proposals are assigned to program officers within the BIO Directorate's divisions for merit review and recommendation. Support is normally not provided for bioscience research with disease-related goals, including work on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of physical and mental disease, abnormality, or malfunction in human beings and animals. Animal models of such conditions and the development and testing of drugs and other procedures for their treatment are also not eligible for support. Review of duplicate proposals that have been sent to another Federal agency will be suspended until the other agency takes final action. Exceptions are made for proposals from beginning investigators, for conferences or workshops, or for fellowships, and in cases where a proposer and the Federal program managers have previously agreed to a joint review and possible joint funding. A beginning investigator is defined as an individual who has not previously been a principal investigator on any federally funded award except a doctoral dissertation improvement grant, fellowship, or research planning grant. Applicants are encouraged to contact a program officer by phone or e-mail concerning their proposals. Deadlines and Target Dates for BIO Programs and Activities Many programs in the BIO Directorate have an established deadline or target date for the submission of proposals. To confirm a date, refer to the NSF E-Bulletin (see link at this site), an electronic publication; or visit the BIO Directorate Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/); or contact the appropriate program director. The earliest possible effective date for an award would be approximately six months after the target or deadline date. Unless there is a program announcement stating otherwise, proposals must conform to all format requirements in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 99-2), with special attention to page limitations, font size, and appendix materials. Some programs or specific competitions have program announcements that provide more details about the activities described in this Guide. LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF BIOLOGICAL INFRASTRUCTURE (DBI) The research programs in the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) support varied activities that provide the infrastructure for contemporary research in biology. DBI supports research through the following groups of programs: * Instrument-Related Activities * Research Resources * Training For More Information on DBI Programs and Activities For further information on DBI activities, write to the Division of Biological Infrastructure, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 615, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1470; or visit the DBI Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/dbi/dbi-pd.htm). LEVEL 3 INSTRUMENT-RELATED ACTIVITIES This group of programs is within the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) and comprises the following: * Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences * Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) Proposals to Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences * Joint NSF/NIH Multi-User Instrumentation Activity * Instrument Development for Biological Research * Improvements in Facilities, Communications, and Equipment at Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories (FSML) LEVEL 4 Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences This program provides cost-shared support for the acquisition of major items of specialized multi-user instrumentation, thereby providing access to state-of-the-art instruments. The instrumentation must be used in the conduct of research that falls within the purview of the BIO Directorate. Cost sharing of the capital cost by the institution is required. For more information, see the program announcement Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences (NSF 98-137). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) Proposals to Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences The Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences Program (see program announcement NSF 98-137) accepts proposals through the Research in Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) Program (see program announcement NSF 94-79). The Multi-User Equipment Program requires that one of the principal investigators must actively be receiving NSF funding for research. NSF recognizes that research in NSF-funded areas at RUI institutions is often supported by other sources. Therefore, for RUI institutions, the program makes an exception to the requirement for active NSF research funding provided that (1) the user group is conducting research in NSF-supported subject areas, and (2) the user group is able to show adequate research support from other funding sources (such as private foundations or institutional research support) to support the proposed research activities. Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Joint NSF/NIH Multi-User Instrumentation Activity This program offers support for the purchase of a single instrument with a total purchase cost exceeding $500,000. Proposals that would normally be eligible for submission to both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and NSF may be submitted to NIH for joint funding with NSF. Proposers must include the necessary NSF documentation, as summarized in the program announcement Multi-User Equipment and Instrumentation Resources for Biological Sciences (NSF 98-137). Proposals will be evaluated by the agencies in a special review group that will be convened by NIH as a special NIH study section, with NSF participation. A program announcement for shared instrumentation grants will be published in the January issue of the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. There is one annual deadline date (usually in the last week of March) for receipt of applications. Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Instrument Development for Biological Research This program supports the development of new instrumentation to increase the accuracy, range, or sensitivity of observations for BIO research fields, including development of concept and proof of concept for entirely new instruments; development of new instruments that will provide new capabilities or significantly extend currently achievable sensitivity or resolution; and improved or novel software for the operation of instruments or the analysis of data or images. For more information, see the program announcement Instrument Development for Biological Research (NSF 98-119). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Improvements in Facilities, Communications, and Equipment at Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories (FSML) This program supports refurbishment, rehabilitation, enhancement, acquisition, construction, and planning at field stations and marine laboratories. Sites are required to have a plan for archiving data in electronic form and for making these scientific databases available to the community. Support can be provided for necessary computer equipment, connectivity, and development of scientific databases and communication systems. Significant cost sharing is required. For more information, see the publication Improvements in Facilities, Communications, and Equipment at Biological Field Stations and Marine Laboratories (NSF 98-17). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 RESEARCH RESOURCES This group of programs is within the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) and comprises the following: * Computational Biology Activities (CBA) in the Biological Sciences * Database Activities in the Biological Sciences * Plant Genome Research * Support of Living Stock Collections * Biological Research Collections LEVEL 4 Computational Biology Activities (CBA) in the Biological Sciences This program promotes, supports, and facilitates the development and use of computational tools, algorithms, community software, and related research that will enhance biological sciences research and infrastructure. To achieve these goals, CBA encourages collaboration among biological scientists, mathematicians, and computer scientists and engineers on research, workshops, and training at all levels. Research activities supported by this program are expected to have a large impact on the biological science community by providing tools to help solve problems in the biological sciences; or by developing novel computational or mathematical approaches to these problems, particularly approaches that involve high performance computing environments and techniques. For more information, see the program announcement Computational Biology Activities in the Biological Sciences (NSF 98-7). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Database Activities in the Biological Sciences This program provides support for cross-disciplinary efforts to design, develop, implement, and use information resources. Research collaboration among biologists, computer scientists, and information retrieval specialists from both academic and commercial organizations is strongly encouraged. To facilitate access to current information technology, support is provided for planning, designing, prototyping, implementing, and distributing biological databases, algorithms, and software relevant to analysis of biological information, and for new methods and software supporting construction, operation, and access to biological databases. Other focus areas include research on the development of new data structures and data management systems for biology; development of data dictionaries and common nomenclature for biology; activities that will facilitate the exchange of ideas among those engaged in database work; and activities that promote the development and use of biological information resources. For more information, see the program announcement Database Activities in Biological Sciences (NSF 96-6). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Plant Genome Research This program provides support for basic plant genomics research. In fiscal year 1998, two activities were included: the plant genome research program (see program announcement NSF 98-30) and the Arabidopsis genome sequencing project (see program announcement NSF 98-52). In addition, DBI provides both national and international coordination of the multinational Arabidopsis genome research project. See the most recent annual progress report, Arabidopsis thaliana Genome Research Project Progress Report: Year Six (NSF 97-131). Past issues are also available from the division. Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Support of Living Stock Collections This program supports repositories of research organisms, genetic stocks, cell lines, seeds, and clones that are essential resources for national or international scientific research in the biological sciences. Funds are also provided for curatorial databases and for linking the information associated with the collection to other information resources or scientific databases. Long-term support of a collection or repository will require the development and use of such databases. For more information, see the program announcement Guidelines for Proposals for Support of Living Stock Collections (NSF 97-80). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Biological Research Collections This program provides support for collection improvement, collection computerization, research on curatorial and collection management techniques, and community-based development activities. Supplements are also provided to underwrite the involvement of undergraduate and high school students in collection-based research. For more information, see the program announcement Biological Research Collections (NSF 98-126). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 TRAINING This group of programs is within the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) and supports training-related activities through the following: * Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)-Sites * Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions * Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) * Postdoctoral Research Fellowships * Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships * Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biological Informatics LEVEL 4 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites This program provides opportunities for undergraduate students to experience hands-on participation in research and related scholarly activities. BIO provides support to grantees who involve students in special training programs and ongoing research through the REU Sites Program. For more information, see the program announcement Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF 96-102). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions This program supports multidisciplinary collaborative research groups at predominantly undergraduate institutions. These groups are composed of at least three faculty members representing at least two disciplinary areas and up to 10 undergraduates who will work on a biological research project that requires a cross-disciplinary approach. Submission of a preproposal is required before a full-length proposal will be accepted. Competitions will be on a biennial cycle, with the next one anticipated in fiscal year 1999. For more information, see the program announcement Collaborative Research at Undergraduate Institutions (NSF 96-116). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) In an effort to meet the need for a cadre of broadly prepared Ph.D.s with the technical, professional, and personal skills essential to addressing the varied career demands of the future, NSF has developed an agency-wide initiative that will sponsor the development of innovative research-based graduate education and training programs in Ph.D.-granting institutions. The IGERT Program will support projects that are based on multidisciplinary research themes and that are organized by diverse groups of investigators with appropriate research and teaching expertise. The use of a multidisciplinary research theme provides a framework for the integration of research and educational activities, and for collaborative efforts in training that span disciplinary areas. Thus, an IGERT project may involve investigators from one or more departments within a single institution or from more than one institution. The emphasis of the IGERT Program is on the training of graduate students; however, the program will support efforts that include undergraduate and/or postdoctoral training if such participation will strengthen the proposed training program. For More Information on IGERT Further information on IGERT, including the IGERT program announcement (NSF 98-96), answers to frequently asked questions about the program, detailed instructions on preparing and submitting an IGERT preproposal or formal proposal, and the names of cognizant NSF staff, is available on the IGERT Program Web site on the Crosscutting Programs Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships These fellowships are offered in selected areas to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and lawfully admitted permanent resident aliens. Applicants choose a sponsoring scientist and present a research and training plan. These fellowships are awarded to individuals for research and training at any appropriate U.S. or foreign institution, total $80,000 for two years, and require a change from the Ph.D. institution. Specific activities for submission of applications are described below. Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships These fellowships are designed to prepare minority scientists who are within four years of receipt of their doctoral degrees for leadership positions in academe and industry. The term "minority," as used here, refers to those racial or ethnic groups that are significantly underrepresented at advanced levels of science and engineering in the United States. These include American Indians or Alaskan Natives (Native Americans), Blacks (African Americans), Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders. Tenure at a foreign institution can be followed by an additional third year of support at a U.S. institution. Fellows are invited to an annual meeting at NSF and are eligible to apply for research starter grants. Minority graduate students within 18 months of their doctoral degree are eligible for travel awards to visit prospective sponsors prior to preparing a fellowship application. For more information, see the program announcement Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships and Supporting Activities (NSF 94-133). Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biological Informatics A program announcement is in clearance at this time. Watch the BIO Directorate Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/) for further information. Contact Information (DBI) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY (DEB) The Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) supports fundamental research on the origins, functions, relationships, interactions, and evolutionary history of populations, species, communities, and ecosystems. Scientific emphases include biodiversity, molecular evolution, mesoscale ecology, computational biology (including modeling), conservation biology, global change, and restoration ecology. DEB also supports a network of long-term ecological research sites, doctoral dissertation research, research conferences and workshops, and a variety of NSF-wide activities. DEB supports research through the following clusters of programs: * Systematic and Population Biology * Ecological Studies For More Information on DEB Programs and Activities For further information on DEB activities, write to the Division of Environmental Biology, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 635, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1480; or visit the DEB Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/deb/deb-pd.htm). LEVEL 3 SYSTEMATIC AND POPULATION BIOLOGY CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) and supports research on the patterns and causes of diversity within and among populations and species. Research projects may involve any group of organisms, including terrestrial, freshwater, and marine taxa, and range in subject from microbes to multicellular plants, animals, and fungi. Research areas are arranged in the following groups: * Population Biology * Systematic Biology * Biotic Surveys and Inventories LEVEL 4 Population Biology Focus areas of this program include (1) molecular population studies, including analyses of the causes and consequences of variation and change in biochemical characteristics; RNA and DNA sequences; the population genetics of mobile elements; the evolution of genic and genomic organization and functioning; and the evolution of organismal development; (2) population and quantitative genetics directed at understanding the genotypic and phenotypic variation of populations during microevolution; geographical differentiation; organismal adaptation to changing environments; natural hybridization; and speciation; and (3) studies from an ecological and evolutionary perspective of the life history and life cycle phenomena of terrestrial, freshwater, and wetland organisms; animal and plant demography of age- and stage-structured populations; and population dynamics, including linear, nonlinear, and stochastic approaches. Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Systematic Biology Focus areas of this program include (1) phylogenetic analyses that produce or test phylogenetic hypotheses or models and the use of derived phylogenies to elucidate patterns of structural, developmental, or molecular evolution; (2) studies that lead to improved classifications, better methods of taxonomic identification, contributions to classificatory theory, and nomenclature reform (included here are the Special Competitions for Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) (see program announcement NSF 97-21), the deadline dates for which are announced in the program announcement/guidelines); (3) understanding of processes that underlie the origin and maintenance of taxonomic diversity; and (4) theoretical and empirical studies of biogeographical, coevolutionary, and paleobiological patterns to develop models of the origin, diversification, distribution, and extinction of species and evolutionary lineages, and to determine the tempo and mode of evolutionary change. Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Biotic Surveys and Inventories This program focuses on collecting and recording the diversity of life on Earth. Permanent, well-curated collections and computerized databases are strongly encouraged as products of the program's support. See the program announcement Biotic Surveys and Inventories (NSF 98-158). Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 ECOLOGICAL STUDIES CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Environmental Biology (DEB) and supports research on natural and managed ecological systems, primarily in terrestrial, wetland, and freshwater habitats. Research areas include experimental, theoretical, and modeling studies on the structure and function of complex biotic/abiotic associations and the coupling of small-scale systems to each other and to large-scale systems. Projects are encouraged that develop conceptual and synthetic linkages, such as theoretical and modeling studies; that are conducted at one or more scales of ecological organization; and that synthesize empirical and theoretical findings into new ecological paradigms. Research areas are arranged in the following groups: * Ecosystems Studies * Ecology * Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) * Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) LEVEL 4 Ecosystems Studies This program supports mechanistic or empirical investigations of whole-system ecological processes and relationships in the following areas: biogeochemistry, such as studies of decomposition, global and regional elemental budgets, and biotic versus abiotic controls of nutrient cycles; primary productivity, particularly ecophysiology within an ecosystem framework; and landscape dynamics, with an emphasis on quantitative models of disturbances, ecosystem resilience, and successional patterns. Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Ecology This program supports community ecology and population interactions in such areas as dynamics and processes within specific communities or habitats; food-web structure and landscape patterns formed by community dynamics; paleoecology; and organismal interactions such as mutualism, plant/animal interactions, competition, predation, coevolution, and chemical or evolutionary ecology. Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) This program supports investigations of whole ecosystems and their component organisms and processes at sites that represent major biomes. Projects are multidisciplinary and actively encourage collaborative research with nonecological investigators. The deadline date for submission of proposals is announced only via special solicitations; unsolicited proposals will not be accepted. Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) This program supports smaller studies that focus on evolutionary or ecological phenomena and that require long-term investigation. These awards are designed to provide funding to help maintain an ongoing long-term research project; LTREB awards are not a source of start-up funds to initiate long-term research, nor does DEB envision that LTREB projects will be the main source of extramural support for investigators. Contact Information (DEB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE (IBN) The Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) supports research aimed at understanding the living organism(plant, animal, microbe(as a unit of biological organization. Such research encompasses * the mechanisms by which plants and animals develop, grow, reproduce, regulate their physiological activity, and respond to their environment; * the integration of molecular, subcellular, and cellular approaches to understand the development, functioning, and behavior of organisms in both laboratory and natural settings; * all aspects of the nervous system, including its structure, function, development, and integration with the physiological and behavioral systems impacted by it; * factors influencing the behavior of animals in the laboratory and field; * whole-organism approaches to physiological ecology; and * the form and function of organisms in view of their evolution and environmental interactions. Synthetic and analytic approaches that address this integration often require advanced computational techniques and interdisciplinary perspectives involving other areas of biology, behavioral science, physical science, mathematics, engineering, and computer science. In addition, the development and use of a wide diversity of organisms as biological models are encouraged to assist both in identifying unifying principles common to all organisms and in documenting the variety of mechanisms that have evolved in specific organisms. Current scientific emphases include biotechnology, biomolecular materials, environmental biology, global change, biodiversity, molecular evolution, plant science, microbial biology, and computational biology, including modeling. Research projects generally include support for the education and training of future scientists. The IBN Division also supports doctoral dissertation research, research conferences, workshops, and symposia, and a variety of NSF-wide activities. IBN supports research through the following clusters of programs: * Developmental Mechanisms * Neuroscience * Physiology and Ethology For More Information on IBN Programs and Activities For further information on IBN activities, write to the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 685, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1420; or visit the IBN Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/ibn/ibn-pd.htm). LEVEL 3 DEVELOPMENTAL MECHANISMS CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) and supports research on the nature, control, and evolution of those processes that comprise the life cycle of organisms. Approaches range from molecular genetic analysis of developmental processes to the experimental manipulation of whole organisms. Included in this cluster is research on gametogenesis, fertilization, embryogenesis, differentiation, pattern formation, morphogenesis, and areas of development specific to either plants or animals (e.g., self-incompatibility, seed and fruit development). Also included are studies that explore the mechanisms of development in an evolutionary context. The three general areas of research are Plant and Microbial Developmental Mechanisms, Animal Developmental Mechanisms, and Evolution of Developmental Mechanisms. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 NEUROSCIENCE CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) and supports research on all aspects of nervous system structure, function, and development. Integrative approaches to basic research range from fundamental mechanisms of neuronal function at the molecular and cellular levels to adaptations of the brain for appropriate behavior in particular environments. A major focus is the development and use of a wide diversity of organisms as biological models for understanding fundamental principles of neuroscience. Multidisciplinary collaborative research projects are encouraged to apply different types of research techniques to single-focused problems in neuroscience. Research areas in this cluster are arranged in the following groups: * Behavioral Neuroscience * Computational Neuroscience * Developmental Neuroscience * Neuroendocrinology * Neuronal and Glial Mechanisms * Sensory Systems LEVEL 4 Behavioral Neuroscience This program focuses on the neural regulation of behavioral events ranging from simple movements to complex adaptive and interactive responses. Major activities are sensorimotor integration; biological rhythms; and cognitive functions such as attention, spatial representation, and learning and memory. Approaches that use novel techniques to study behavior within an evolutionary and ecological context are encouraged. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Computational Neuroscience This program focuses on the computational functions of neurons, neural circuits, and nervous systems and encourages the development and testing of mathematical or computer models of neural systems. In addition to experimental studies on animals, the activity also welcomes theoretical approaches for developing innovative, testable concepts that will clarify and extend current experimental observations in all areas of neuroscience. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Developmental Neuroscience This program focuses on the development, regeneration, and aging of the nervous system. Use of model systems to elucidate basic mechanisms and principles that typically apply to many neuronal systems is encouraged. Current studies include aspects of axonal navigation and cell migration, cell lineage and determination, neuronal morphogenesis and neuron/glia interactions, synaptic specificity and plasticity, cell death, and the relationship of neural developmental mechanisms with learning. These studies may employ a wide range of approaches, from the use of cellular and molecular techniques to the study of development at the system or behavioral level. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Neuroendocrinology This program focuses on understanding multifaceted relationships among the central nervous system, hormones, and behavior, especially in relation to environmental factors. This includes how the brain controls endocrine secretion and the effects of steroid and peptide hormones on the brain. Research ranges from the basic mechanisms underlying neuroendocrine development and regulation to the use of molecular biological tools to examine the interaction between physiologically and behaviorally related events and gene expression. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Neuronal and Glial Mechanisms This program focuses on innovative approaches and techniques using novel model systems to explore the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal and glial cell function, including energy metabolism, ion and substrate transport, and synaptic mechanisms. Major thrusts include the genetic and biophysical bases of a membrane's electrical properties, their regulation by intracellular second messengers, and the integration of metabolism and signaling activity by interactions between neurons and glia in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Sensory Systems This program focuses on the mechanisms by which the nervous system acquires, encodes, and processes information about the environment. This includes research on neural processes at the molecular, cellular, systems, and behavioral levels and psychophysical correlates of sensory neural processes. Topics include sensory transudation; neural coding and integrative mechanisms; and comparative aspects of sensory capabilities, including vision, hearing, touch, taste, smell, equilibrium, electrosensation, magnetic sensation, and other senses. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 PHYSIOLOGY AND ETHOLOGY CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience (IBN) and supports integrative studies of physiological functions at the cellular, systemic, and organismal levels, and animal behavior in both field and laboratory settings. Research areas in this cluster are arranged in the following groups: * Animal Behavior * Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology * Integrative Animal Biology * Integrative Plant Biology LEVEL 4 Animal Behavior This program focuses on the mechanisms, development, functions, and evolution of all animal behaviors, studied observationally and experimentally in laboratory and natural settings. Specific areas include behavioral ecology and evolution; nonhuman learning and cognition; behavioral genetics; development of behavior; and behavioral physiology and motivation, including behavioral endocrinology, animal communication, and animal orientation. These areas are neither limiting nor mutually exclusive, and interdisciplinary collaborations and other projects that integrate diverse approaches to the study of behavior are particularly encouraged. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology This program supports research that addresses ecological or evolutionary questions in the areas of morphology, comparative physiology, physiological ecology, and biomechanics of plants, animals, protists, fungi, and bacteria, with emphasis on the study of whole organisms, living or extinct. These studies focus largely on how physiological or morphological mechanisms have evolved and how they may influence evolutionary pathways or interactions between organisms and their biotic or physiochemical environment. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Integrative Animal Biology This program focuses on the basic physiological mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and whole-animal levels. The program's encompassing theme is "the whole animal as an integrated system." It includes research on integrative aspects of comparative physiology, functional morphology, endocrinology, epithelial transport, and biomechanics. Note that studies focusing on the nervous system are supported by the (link) Neuroscience Cluster. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Integrative Plant Biology This program supports research on plants as functional units and combines molecular, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to the understanding of plant form and function. Examples include whole-plant, tissue, and organ physiology; sensory mechanisms; and hormonal and environmental regulation of plant function. Examples also include plant physiological interactions with pathogens, nitrogen-fixing organisms, mycorrhizae and other beneficial or pathogenic organisms in the rhizosphere; and interactions with parasites, epiphytes, endophytes, and other commensal interactions. The emphasis is on understanding the physiological and metabolic basis of plant responses to such interactions. Also supported is research on the physiological and biochemical mechanisms through which plant function adapts to accommodate changing environmental conditions. Contact Information (IBN) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOSCIENCES (MCB) The Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) supports research and related activities that contribute to a fundamental understanding of life processes at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular levels. MCB supports fundamental research that will lead to technological innovation and multidisciplinary and small group research. Other focus areas include biodiversity and biotechnology, microbial biology, plant biology, theoretical or computational aspects of molecular and cellular studies, molecular evolution, and biomolecular materials. Also considered are proposals for the support of special meetings and workshops-both domestic and international-and a variety of NSF-wide activities. The MCB Division supports research through the following clusters of programs: * Biomolecular Structure and Function * Biomolecular Processes * Cell Biology * Genetics For More Information on MCB Programs and Activities For further information on MCB activities, write to the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 655, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1440; or visit the MCB Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/mcb/mcb-pd.htm). LEVEL 3 BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) Division and supports research aimed at understanding the structure and function of biological macromolecules, including proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and lipid assemblies. The research supported by this cluster encompasses a broad range of topics and techniques. The cluster encourages multidisciplinary and innovative efforts between biology and physics, chemistry, mathematics, and computer sciences. The cluster supports research in the following areas: * Molecular Biochemistry * Molecular Biophysics LEVEL 4 Molecular Biochemistry This program emphasizes the correlation of function with the known structure of biological macromolecules and supramolecular structures such as multienzyme complexes, membranes, and viruses. Additional areas include ribosomal function, the mechanism and regulation of enzyme and RNA catalysis, biochemical reactions involved in bioenergetic processes and photosynthesis, key biochemical processes involved in protein synthesis and folding, and the synthesis of bimolecular materials. To address these topics, approaches typically include combinations of biochemical, molecular biological, chemical, physical, and genetic techniques that are applied in an integrative manner. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Molecular Biophysics This program supports research on the structure, dynamics, and interactions of biological macromolecules. This includes the determination and study of three-dimensional structure of macromolecules; assembly and architecture of supramolecular structures such as multienzyme units, viruses, membranes, and contractile proteins; energy transduction; structure and dynamics of photosynthetic reaction centers; and mechanisms of electron and proton transfer in biological systems. Typical methodologies include theory and computation, x-ray diffraction, magnetic resonance, optical spectroscopy, specialized microscopy such as atomic force, and mass spectrometry. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 BIOMOLECULAR PROCESSES CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) Division and supports research on molecular mechanisms by which genetic and metabolic processes occur in plant, animal, and microbial organisms. These processes and related regulatory features are the primary areas of emphasis. The cluster supports research in the following areas: * Biochemistry of Gene Expression * Metabolic Biochemistry LEVEL 4 Biochemistry of Gene Expression This program supports research using biochemical and molecular biological methods to investigate mechanisms for the replication, expression, transfer, and stability of genetic information, both DNA and RNA. These studies involve primarily in vitro biochemical approaches. Gene expression mechanisms are a major focus and include transcription and processing of mRNA regulatory features, including chromatin architecture, RNA stability, and translational mechanisms. Other areas of study include DNA replication, mutation, and repair. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Metabolic Biochemistry This program supports research on many aspects of the dynamic activities of cells, including characterization of the biochemical pathways and other processes by which all organisms acquire, transform, and utilize energy from substrates and synthesize new small molecules and macromolecular cell components. Major topics of interest include the diversity of primary and secondary metabolism and mechanisms of metabolic regulation, in response to both internal and external signals. Also of interest are biotransformations of environmentally significant compounds; manipulations of metabolism with practical applications, quantitative and temporal aspects of metabolism, integration and subcellular organization of metabolic processes, and the use of new methods and technologies to conduct metabolic studies. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 3 CELL BIOLOGY CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) Division and supports research on the structure, function, and regulation of plant, animal, and microbial cells. The cluster supports research in the following areas: * Cellular Organization * Signal Transduction and Cellular Regulation LEVEL 4 Cellular Organization This program supports studies of the structure, function, and assembly of cellular elements such as the cytoskeleton, membranes, organelles, intracellular compartments, intranuclear structures, and extracellular matrix, including cell walls. This encompasses structural and dynamic aspects of cellular and intracellular motility, meiosis and mitosis, and cell shape and polarity, including the mechanisms of endocytosis, exocytosis, and intracellular trafficking of membranes and macromolecules. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Signal Transduction and Cellular Regulation This program supports the study of intracellular and transmembrane signal transduction mechanisms and functions. These include signal reception, second messenger and signaling cascades, cellular mechanisms of recognition and defense, and the regulation of cell cycle progression. LEVEL 3 GENETICS CLUSTER This cluster is located in the Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) Division and supports a wide range of studies directed toward answering significant questions of organization, recombination, function, regulation of function, and transmission of heritable information in all organisms, from viruses and micro-organisms to plants and animals. Specific areas include, but are not limited to, mechanisms of gene regulation, chromosome structure and replication, epigenetic phenomena, DNA repair and recombination, sex determination, genetic interactions between genomes, and molecular evolution. The methodology to be used should be appropriate to the questions asked about genetic structure and function. The review process for proposals is organized around the areas described below, although interdisciplinary proposals or proposals that ask genetic questions but use methodology from other scientific disciplines will be co-reviewed in a manner that will ensure effective and fair evaluation of each proposal. The cluster supports research in the following areas: * Eukaryotic Genetics * Microbial Genetics LEVEL 4 Eukaryotic Genetics This program supports genetic studies of eukaryotic organisms, with the exception of fungi, as experimental organisms. Other research topics include organelle and nuclear genomes, viruses of eukaryotic organisms, and any parasitic or symbiotic interaction at the genetic level. Epigenetic phenomena and molecular evolution are also areas of interest. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Microbial Genetics This program supports genetic studies of eubacteria, archaebacteria, and fungi, including yeast, as experimental organisms. Also supported are studies on the genetics of bacterial viruses and other infectious agents of bacteria and fungi. Investigations of microbial interactions with other organisms are considered if the emphasis of the study is on the microbe. Studies on molecular evolution of microbial genes are also considered. Contact Information (MCB) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 DOCTORAL DISSERTATION IMPROVEMENT GRANTS Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants provide partial support for dissertation research with an ecological, evolutionary, or behavioral focus. Grants are typically awarded for 24 months and range from $3,000 to $10,000. The guidelines for dissertation proposals are substantially different from those for conventional proposals. For more information on these special guidelines, see the program announcement Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grants in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (NSF 98-151). Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 CONTINUING ACTIVITIES Investigators seeking funds for any of the following continuing activities should submit proposals directly to the appropriate coordinating program by the target date announced for each. These activities include the following: * Basic Research in Conservation and Restoration Biology * Biosystems Analysis and Control * Biotechnology * Collaborative Research in Neuroscience, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, and Engineering (CRI) * Environmental Endocrinology/Endocrine Disrupters * Microbial Biology * Modeling of Biological Systems-The Interface of Biology, Mathematics, and the Physical Sciences For More Information For further information on any of the programs in this section, visit the BIO Directorate Home Page at (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/). LEVEL 3 Basic Research in Conservation and Restoration Biology This program invites proposals for fundamental research aimed at elucidating the underlying principles of the conservation and restoration of biological diversity. Biological diversity is broadly defined as the variety of life and its processes. There is particular interest in proposals that focus on scientific principles of and approaches to the restoration of biological diversity. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Biosystems Analysis and Control This program supports cross-disciplinary research to develop innovative techniques and approaches for the analysis and control of complex natural and artificial dynamic systems. Such studies will extend our understanding of how biological systems interpret sensory signals, control physiological processes, and adaptively monitor and control motor functions. The expected outcomes of these activities include the development of software and hardware models of neural circuits involved in information processing, the design of mathematical tools for understanding nervous systems, and the development of engineering control system architectures based on biological prototypes. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Biotechnology NSF is one of 12 Federal agencies participating in a government-wide effort under the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) to coordinate and maximize the impact of the Federal investment in research in biotechnology. Analysis of the biotechnology research programs and budgets of these 12 Federal agencies shows that the pattern of Federal support for biotechnology research has left important gaps in the knowledge base underlying future applications in several critical areas, including biotechnology related to the environment, manufacturing/bioprocessing, agriculture, research on the social impact of biotechnology, and the infrastructure and training specific to biotechnology research in these areas.NSF internal working groups and outside advisors have identified six areas of interdisciplinary biotechnology research in which NSF can make major contributions. * Environmental Biotechnology-Researches mechanisms that maintain ecosystem integrity and function; use of individual organisms, groups of interacting organisms, and their products for environmental rehabilitation; whole ecosystem bioremediation; exploration of organismal diversity from different habitats; and development of bases of information on properties of different microbes. * Plant (Agricultural) Biotechnology-Uses techniques of molecular biology to enhance the understanding of basic plant biology, such as flower initiation; regulation of gene expression in plants; elucidation of the metabolic pathways leading to production of useful plant chemicals; mechanisms by which plants respond to environmental signals and stress; and how plants interact with pests, pathogens, and symbionts. * Bioprocessing and Bioconversion-Researches the efficient production of commercially valuable molecules such as specialty chemicals and biopolymers; conversion of low-cost raw materials into useful products such as biomass or low-grade ores; studies of the physiology, biochemistry, and genetics of suitable organisms; biosensor development; and design and scaleup of bioreactor systems and of separation and purification systems. * Bioelectronics and Bionetworks-Develops techniques, materials, and devices based on computational and molecular transduction mechanisms that work in living systems, and develops stable biosensors and voltage-sensing devices, methodology for interfacing neurons and electronic circuitry, and instrumentation based on principles of biological systems. * Marine Biotechnology-Fundamental studies to elucidate the molecular genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology of marine organisms, and their products and processes; applications of molecular biology techniques to an understanding of the role of marine organisms in the global carbon and elemental cycles; studies on molecular adaptations of organisms from extreme environments such as deep-sea hydrothermal vents and polar environments; use of marine viruses in genetic engineering; biodegradation of toxic substances; and studies of the nutrition, physiology, reproduction, defense mechanisms, and genetics of economically important fish and shellfish. * Social and Economic Dimensions of Biotechnology-Studies of the processes of innovation, management, and dissemination of biotechnology; mutual influences of biotechnology innovation and social, economic, and legal structures and processes; effects of biotechnology innovation on labor force composition, educational needs, national productivity, international competitiveness, and international relations; identification and management of risks and benefits of biotechnology; and examinations of public opinion, acceptance, and ethical considerations in biotechnology research, development, and application. Research infrastructure and human resources for biotechnology in these areas are important components of the biotechnology effort. NSF's approach to this crosscutting area is interdisciplinary, with an emphasis on fundamental and "proof-of-concept" research, training, instrumentation, research resources, and university/industry cooperation. The BIO, Engineering (ENG), Geosciences (GEO), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorates and the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) contribute to the biotechnology area. A variety of funding modes are utilized, including individual investigator awards, interdisciplinary groups, and centers. In supporting biotechnology research, NSF continues to rely on the scientific and engineering communities to develop specific projects within the six identified areas. For More Information For further information, contact the following: * In the BIO Directorate, contact Dr. Maryanna Henkart, Director, Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, at (703) 306-1440. * In the ENG Directorate, contact Dr. Fred Heineken, Program Director, Biotechnology Program, at (703) 306-1319. * In the MPS Directorate, contact Dr. George Rubottom, Program Director, Division of Chemistry, at (703) 306-1851. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Collaborative Research in Neuroscience, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, and Engineering (CRI) This program supports the planning and initiation of novel research by neuroscientists in collaboration with investigators in mathematical, computer and information sciences, and engineering to address problems of the design, development, and implementation of electronic and information technology resources for functional studies of the nervous system. One of the most exciting and challenging scientific research opportunities addresses the mapping of function onto structure of the brain. This cross-disciplinary research is expected to lead to the development of novel solutions to problems of neuroscience information modeling, storage, visualization, integration, and communication. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Environmental Endocrinology/Endocrine Disrupters NSF supports fundamental research in the area of environmental endocrinology, including endocrine disrupters. This area includes research on the multilevel analysis of molecular, cellular, and genetic processes (both receptor and non-receptor mediated) of hormone activity associated with behavioral, physiological, developmental, and ecological systems in a variety of environments. This area includes studies of molecular mechanisms, evolutionary significance, functional and molecular analysis, and the degree of conservation of hormones and hormone systems across invertebrates and vertebrates (particularly nonmammalian) and in equivalent regulatory systems in plants and interactions between plants and animals. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Microbial Biology This program encourages proposals focused on a single project from individual investigators or small groups of investigators directed toward research on micro-organisms, especially prokaryotes and filamentous fungi, that occupy diverse habitats. BIO is particularly interested in receiving proposals for basic research studies on previously neglected or presently unknown microbes. The scope of research encouraged includes, but is not limited to, studies of microbial, metabolic, and structural features that allow growth and survival in unusual natural environments; studies on the mechanistic basis of interactions among microbes and of microbes with other cohabiting species; studies of genes and environmental factors that influence the frequency of genetic exchange between micro-organisms in natural environments; studies of the diversity of microbial processes for anaerobic and aerobic flows of energy and cycling of nutrients in water/water and air/water interfaces of streams, the rhizosphere/phylosphere of plants, and the sediments of lakes and wetlands; and the development of instrumentation and chemical, biological, and computational methods that enhance the study of micro-organisms in their natural environment and of methods for the management and analysis of data related to micro-organisms. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Modeling of Biological Systems--The Interface of Biology, Mathematics, and the Physical Sciences- Characterization of biological systems has reached an unparalleled level of detail. To organize this detail and arrive at a better fundamental understanding of life processes, it is imperative that powerful conceptual tools from mathematics and the physical sciences be applied to frontier problems in biology. Modeling of biological systems is an important partner of experimental work. All facets of biology-environmental, organismal, cellular, and molecular-are accessible to chemical, physical, and mathematical approaches. NSF encourages increased collaboration among physical scientists, mathematicians, and biologists in addressing biological problems. Most NSF resources for biosciences have been directed toward experimental investigation. An enhanced cooperative effort to emphasize theoretical approaches will provide new conceptual frameworks for experimentalists and attract scientists with diverse skills and training to foster multidisciplinary cooperation in the study of biological problems. All divisions in the BIO Directorate and the Divisions of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences, and Materials Research in the MPS Directorate are coordinating efforts to respond appropriately to multidisciplinary modeling proposals. For More Information For further information, contact any of the following, based on your area of interest: * In the Division of Biological Infrastructure, contact Dr. Paul Gilna at (703) 306-1469. * In the Division of Environmental Biology, contact Dr. Mark Courtney at (703) 306-1481. * In the Division of Integrative Biology and Neuroscience, contact Dr. Roy White at (703) 306-1416. * In the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, contact Dr. Kamal Shukla at (703) 306-1444. Contact Information (CA) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES The following programs allow NSF grantees to apply for supplemental funding to support research experiences for faculty at two- and four-year colleges, undergraduate students, and high school students: * Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) * Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Supplements * Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students (RAMHSS) For More Information For further information on the activities in this section, contact the cognizant program director, refer to the program announcement listed for each activity, or visit the BIO Directorate Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/bio/). LEVEL 3 Research Opportunity Awards (ROA) These supplemental awards are designed for faculty at two- or four-year colleges who want to participate in NSF-supported research projects. A request letter should briefly outline the nature of the planned research and include an expression of interest from the host scientist and the curriculum vitae of the guest scientist. These supplements may include (if applicable) summer or partial sabbatical salary and a modest amount for supplies and travel for the participant. For more information, see the latest Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 99-2). Contact Information (SFO) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Supplements These supplemental awards allow undergraduate students to participate in NSF-supported research projects by providing support for stipends, supplies, and other reasonable costs. To be eligible for support, a student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and must be an undergraduate who will not have received a baccalaureate degree prior to the receipt of the stipend. An REU request letter should be specific with regard to the student's qualifications and role in the research project. We particularly encourage requests that include students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science. For more information, see the program announcement Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF 96-102). For more information, see "Training" in the Division of Biological Infrastructure. REU also offers special training programs through the REU Sites Program. Contact Information (SFO) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students (RAMHSS) The purpose of these supplemental awards is to encourage high school students from groups traditionally underrepresented in U.S. science to participate in NSF-supported research projects. Please be specific in your letter about the student's minority status, qualifications, and nature of participation in the research. For more information, see the program announcement Research Assistantships for Minority High School Students (NSF 89-39, currently in revision). Contact Information (SFO) Eligibility (BIO) Group Proposals (BIO) Proposal Submission (BIO) Deadlines and Target Dates (BIO) LEVEL 2 CROSSCUTTING ACTIVITIES The BIO Directorate, in conjunction with several other NSF directorates, has an active role in the Advanced Materials and Processing Program (AMPP). COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING The Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) has three goals: * To enable the United States to uphold a position of world leadership in computing, communications, and information science and engineering; * To promote understanding of the principles and uses of advanced computing, communications, and information systems in service to society; and * To contribute to universal, transparent, and affordable participation in an information-based society. To achieve these goals, the CISE Directorate supports investigator-initiated research in all areas of computer and information science and engineering, helps develop and maintain cutting-edge national computing and information infrastructure for research and education in general, and contributes to the education and training of the next generation of computer scientists and engineers. CISE is organized in five divisions; three focus primarily on research, and two combine both infrastructure and research functions. The CISE Directorate comprises the following Divisions: * Division of Computer-Communications Research (C-CR) * Division of Information and Intelligent System (IIS) * Division of Advanced Computational Infrastructure and Research (ACIR) * Division of Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research (ANIR) * Division of Experimental and Integrative Activities (EIA) * Crosscutting Activities CISE is inherently multidisciplinary and strongly encourages collaboration with all NSF-supported disciplines. Several CISE programs, such as Research Infrastructure, Instrumentation, and Educational Innovations, encompass all fields of computer and information science and engineering and are managed on a cross-divisional basis. In addition to supporting research, CISE provides the general scientific community with access to advanced computing and networking capabilities. Programs like Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure give qualified users access to extremely powerful computing resources, train users, and develop the software required for effective use. Networking activities offer and build a national infrastructure for computer and human interaction, as well as communication for research and education. In addition, CISE supports distributed research resources and systems for research and education, and educational development through various activities such as educational infrastructure and educational supplements. For further information beyond what appears in this Guide, visit the CISE Directorate Home Page (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/). ADVANCED COMPUTATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESEARCH The Division of Advanced Computational Infrastructure and Research (ACIR) supports research through the following programs and activities: * Advanced Computational Research * Postdoctoral Research in Computational Science * Partnerships in Advanced Computational Infrastructure (PACI) For More Information on ACIR Programs and Activities For further information on ACIR activities, write to the Division of Advanced Computational Infrastructure and Research, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1122, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1970; or visit the ACIR Division Home Page (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/acir/index.html). Advanced Computational Research This program supports the range of technologies necessary to advance high performance computing. The program uses advanced computing and simulation capabilities to solve fundamental problems throughout science and engineering. In particular, the program supports research in parallel programming environments and tools, advanced algorithms and applications, and scientific visualization and graphics. Contact Information (ACIR) Postdoctoral Research in Computational Science This program provides support for new Ph.D.s in computational science to conduct research on high performance computing at academic research institutions. These awards provide opportunities for recent Ph.D.s to broaden their knowledge and experience, and to prepare for significant research careers on the frontiers of contemporary computational science and engineering. Contact Information (ACIR) Partnerships for Advanced Computational Infrastructure (PACI) This program builds on and replaces the NSF Supercomputer Centers Program and focuses on taking advantage of newly emerging opportunities in high performance computing and communications. PACI provides the flexibility to adapt to rapidly evolving circumstances and meets the need for the high-end computation necessary to enable continued world leadership in computational science and engineering. In addition, PACI serves the needs of the academic research community by providing researchers with access to high performance computing systems and to highly trained staff who are necessary in developing and optimizing the systems' use. The development of scalable parallel systems, high performance networking and high bandwidth, and large-capacity mass storage systems creates a national infrastructure consisting of a number of geographically distributed sites strongly coupled to high-end computational resources and to each other via high-speed communication networks. PACI consists of two partnerships with leading-edge sites joined together with cooperative partners. The leading-edge sites maintain high-end hardware systems that are one to two orders of magnitude more capable than those typically available at a major research university. The partners collectively complete the overall infrastructure by facilitating research and experimentation with new hardware and software, providing scalable resources for applications and applications development that can be best used on mid-level systems, providing access to unique experimental systems and facilities, and promoting education and training. Contact Information (ACIR) ADVANCED NETWORKING INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESEARCH Research support is available in the Division of Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research (ANIR) through the following programs and activities: * Advanced Networking Infrastructure * Networking Research * Special Projects in Networking For More Information on ANIR Programs and Activities For further information on ANIR activities, write to the Division of Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1175, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1950; or visit the ANIR Division Home Page (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/anir/index.html). Advanced Netowrking Infrastructure (ANI) This program supports research, development, implementation, and testing of advanced high-performance network testbeds and related technologies in support of the distributed information technology goals of the U.S. research and education community. This applied research program seeks to enable the use of novel and/or advanced research applications across all disciplines of science and engineering; coordinates interactions with international research partners; and promotes the analysis, improvement, and evolution of the Internet. This program provides nationwide high-performance infrastructure for the U.S. science and education community. Contact Information (ANIR) Networking Research This program focuses on the fundamental science and technology needed to facilitate the efficient, high-speed transfer of information through networks and distributed systems. Projects funded span the entire spectrum from network design and performance evaluation to middleware and software frameworks in support of applications running on top of networks and distributed systems. Projects may also address how networks and distributed systems interact with underlying communications technology and with other related disciplines. Research areas include high-speed, optical, wireless, and mobile networks; traffic control; resource management; quality of service; protocols; multicast; network security, design, and management; performance evaluation; network architectures; network systems; object-oriented frameworks for networks; agent-based networks; multimedia applications; and multiple access protocols. Contact Information (ANIR) Special Projects in Networking This program differs from Networking Research in that it supports larger and more multidisciplinary projects, specialized hardware and software or networks for networking systems research, and mechanisms for developing research agendas and enhancing community development. Research projects supported by this program focus on networking issues and may include work from other disciplines of computer science and engineering such as distributed systems, communications, operating systems, databases, software, signal processing, control theory, and devices. Theoretical research activities address the next generation of networking and typically require small teams of researchers. Experimental research that demonstrates proof of concept for novel networking ideas may range in scope from laboratory experimentation to national collaborations. Contact Information (ANIR) COMPUTER-COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH The Division of Computer-Communications Research (C-CR) supports research through the following programs and activities: * Communications * Computer Systems Architecture * Design Automation * Numeric, Symbolic, and Geometric Computation * Operating Systems and Compilers * Signal Processing Systems * Software Engineering and Languages * Theory of Computing For More Information on C-CR Programs and Activities For further information on C-CR activities, write to the Division of Computer-Communications Research, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1145, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1910; or visit the C-CR Division Home Page (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/ccr/index.html). Communications (COM) This program supports research in algorithms and in those areas of science and technology that facilitate the efficient representation and transmission of information. Projects may address a variety of different communication contexts, including wireless, wireline, and optical systems, and research in the related fields of magnetic and optical data storage. The research supported by COM is distinguished from that supported by the networking research programs in the Advanced Networking Infrastructure and Research (ANIR) Division by its focus on point-to-point issues and methodologies associated with the lower OSI layers (e.g., the physical layer and the data link layer). Programs in ANIR, on the other hand, address higher-layer issues confronted in multi-user networks. Areas supported by COM include compression of speech, images, video, and data; efficient modulation and coding for the reliable transmission of information over inherently unreliable and/or constrained channels; multiple-access methodologies; algorithms for the detection of signals in noise as well as the estimation, acquisition, and tracking of signal parameters; cryptography and data security; and information theory, including fundamental assessments of what is achievable and what is not achievable in the various communications functions. Contact Information (CCR) Computer Systems Architecture (CSA) This program supports foundational research on new computing systems, with particular focus on new architecture ideas and the concepts that lay the basis for solving computing problems likely to arise in the future. Design, implementation, and evaluation of novel computing structures and technologies are included. Theoretical and small-scale experimental studies and assessments of fault tolerance and performance are supported, as is research on system software, when intimately connected to the architecture or hardware. Currently, special attention is given to research in metrics (benchmarks, new applications, nonperformance metrics); systems of systems (latency, bandwidth, processor-in-memory, new device support); small-scale (roughly 2 to 100 nodes) MPs (compiler/architecture interaction); memory (bandwidth, latency questions, hierarchy management); interconnect (fault tolerance, dynamics of recovery, reliability, quality of service); processor-in-memory (PIM) (single and multiple PIMs, new architectures); input/output (availability, scalability, performance, latency tolerance); multiple-thread computing (multiscalar, dynamic sharing, communication); and protection (nontrusted applications coming from the net, security, privacy). Contact Information (CCR) Design Automation (DA) This program supports basic research in electronic design automation (EDA) and those areas in which VLSI design technology is applicable, such as systems-on-a-chip, embedded systems, and multitechnology (optical, micro-, and electromechanical, etc.) design methods. Broad areas include scientific methodologies, intellectual processes, abstractions, search paradigms, and information models used in VLSI design. Research covers all phases of the complete EDA design cycle for integrated circuits and systems, from conception through manufacturing test. Topical areas of VLSI design technology include theoretical foundations, models, algorithms, tools, analysis, synthesis, simulation, validation, and verification; system design methodologies (system-on-a-chip, multichip, and multitechnology systems); manufacturing (fault models and algorithms for diagnosis and test in digital, analog, and mixed signal designs); and design and system prototyping methods, tools, and environments, especially the information infrastructure aspects. Contact Information (CCR) Numeric, Symbolic, and Geometric Computation (NSGC) This program supports fundamental research in both computational computing and graphics. The former includes numerical computation and modeling of physical processes; computational geometry; mathematical optimization; computer algebra; deductive methods for reasoning in computational logic; and automated deduction, including computer graphics and imaging. Both areas combine advanced algorithms with mathematical methods of analysis. The program also supports the integration of research results in these areas into problem-solving environments to support computational science and engineering. Innovative applications of advanced computational and graphic techniques in scientific and engineering systems such as manufacturing and design, proof support systems, and prototyping and design verification are welcomed. Research supported addresses generic as well as scientific and engineering discipline-specific computation. Contact Information (CCR) Operating Systems and Compilers (OSC) This program supports research on the development, design, evaluation, and implementation of computing systems ranging from operating systems, compilers, and run-time systems to middleware for the integration of heterogeneous systems and information sources. In operating systems and distributed systems, topics of interest include the development of mechanisms and APIs for uniform access and management of resources in LANs and WANs, middleware infrastructure for building scalable services, resource management for new applications and quality of service requirements, and security and electronic commerce. In the area of compilers and run-time systems, the topics of interest include dynamic compilation, techniques that include various models of storage consistency and storage-hierarchy performance, and compiler support for programming on the World Wide Web. Contact Information (CCR) Signal Processing Systems (SPS) This program supports fundamental research in the areas of digital signal processing, analog signal processing, and supporting hardware and software systems. This includes one-dimensional digital signal processing (1-D DSP), including (adaptive) filtering and equalization and time-frequency representations; statistical signal and array processing; image and multidimensional digital signal processing, including image analysis, filtering, restoration, and enhancement; image and video coding and vector quantization; and analog signal processing, including analog-to-digital conversion and analog circuits and filters. Special attention is currently given to antenna array processing with application to wireless communications systems, especially cellular telephony, personal communications systems, and wireless LANs; signal compression for reduced data rate with applications to wireless communications systems; scalable/ progressive/ multiresolution approaches in signal decomposition, compression, and other signal processing techniques to support content analysis; data quality validation; and manufacturing applications, such as nondestructive tests and evaluations, computed tomography, and SAR. Contact Information (CCR) Software Engineering and Languages (SEL) This program supports fundamental research underlying the development and evolution of quality software-based systems. Projects may research or develop methods, processes, tools, or environments, taking a conceptual, experimental, or developmental approach, or may represent innovative work in the theory and design of programming languages, language semantics, and programming environments. Specific research topics include domain-specific languages for specification and design; constructive approaches to software design and evolution; issues of software modularity and composition; enhancement of confidence and quality; automating stages of software development; distributed and network environment issues, including distributed development and software security; and formal foundations for all aspects of software engineering and programming languages. Experimental approaches to concept validation are strongly encouraged as a necessary adjuct to conceptually motivated research. Projects contributing to an experimental research infrastructure by providing access to testbeds, software development data, repositories of software project artifacts will be considered. Contact Information (CCR) Theory of Computing (ToC) This program supports fundamental research in three areas. Core Theory covers computational complexity, cryptography, interactive computation, computational learning, parallel and distributed computation, computation on random data, online computation, and reasoning about knowledge. Fundamental algorithms include developing combinitorial, approximation, parallel, online, numerical, geometric, and graph algorithms that transcend application domains. Application-specific theory supports developing models and techniques for solving prblems that arise in areas of science and engineering, such as molecular biology, communications networks, and computational linguistics. Of particular interest are theoretical developments that have potential impact on experimental or applied areas of computer science research, and investigators are encouraged to pursue strategies that mix theory with experimentation. Contact Information (CCR) EXPERIMENTAL AND INTEGRATIVE ACTIVITIES The Division of Experimental and Integrative Activities (EIA) supports research through the following programs and activities: * CISE Advanced Distributed Resources for Experiments * Experimental Partnerships * Challenges in CISE * CISE Research Infrastructure * Instrumentation Grants for Research in Computer and Information Science and Engineering * CISE Minority Institutions Infrastructure * CISE Educational Innovation Program * NSF-CONACyT Collaborative Research Opportunities * CISE: NSF-CNPq Collaborative Research Opportunities * Digital Government * Special Projects * Major Research Instrumentation * Combined Research-Curriculum Development * Research Experiences for Undergraduates * Collaborative Research on Learning Technologies * Postdoctoral Research Associates in Experimental Computer Science * Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education * Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training For More Information on EIA Programs and Activities For further information on EIA activities, write to the Division of Experimental and Integrative Activities, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1160, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1980; or visit the EIA Division Home Page (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/eia/index.html). CISE Advanced Distributed Resources for Experiments (CADRE) This program complements research and education activities by supporting the establishment and maintenance of CISE advanced distributed resources for experiments (CADRE). These are unique resources that, once established, can be accessed remotely by researchers around the country. Resources can be diverse and can include, for example, hardware, such as prototyping testbeds; software, such as code libraries for experimental compiler research; repositories, such as collections of human discourse data; and services, such as brokers to bring together creators and users of educational materials. Contact Information (EIA) Experimental Partnerships This program provides opportunities in support of multidisciplinary, group-oriented research on topics that are within the domain of CISE programs. Experimental partnerships focus on a single problem, the solution of which requires scientific advances both in experimental computer science and engineering and in one or more partner disciplines within CISE. Contact Information (EIA) Challenges in CISE This program provides opportunities in support of multidisciplinary research (group-oriented as well as single investigator) in CISE areas. Focus is on research on technological advances in computer science and engineering, driven and validated by end-user applications. Under this program, a new thrust-Next Generation Software (NGS)-will foster multidisciplinary software research aimed at developing Technology for Performance Engineered Systems (TPES) and Complex Application Design and Support Systems (CADSS). TPES will support research to develop methods and tools for modeling, measurement, analysis, evaluation, and prediction of performance of complex computing and communications systems, and the applications executed on such systems. CADSS will support research on the development and run-time support of complex applications executed on complex computing platforms. The overall thrust of NGS will be research and development for software technologies integrated across the systems' architectural layers, and supported by the design and the operation cycle of applications, computing, and communications systems. Developed technologies should be validated with demonstrations on important national interest applications. Contact Information (EIA) CISE Research Infrastructure This program provides support for the establishment, enhancement, and operation of major experimental facilities in all CISE research areas. It may also assist activities for integration of research and education. The program recognizes the emergence of research groups requiring strengthening of experimental facilities in a variety of environments-those solely within a single academic environment, those drawing from several departments in a single institution, and those spanning several different institutions. Projects supported usually involve several individual projects with synergy among their research activities. Outreach to underrepresented groups is an additional program goal. Awards are usually for five years. Significant cost-sharing of 33 percent is required. Eligibility Requirements for CISE Research Infrastructure Ph.D.-granting departments in CISE research areas or partnerships with at least one such partner are eligible to apply for an award. For More Information on CISE Research Infrastructure For further information on the CISE Research Infrastructure Program, contact Dr. Stephen Mahaney, Program Director, by telephone, (703) 306-1981, or by e-mail, smahaney@nsf.gov. Contact Information (EIA) Instrumentation Grants for Research in Computer and Information Science and Engineering This program supports groups of two to five participating projects for the purchase of research equipment, instrumentation, or software for research in CISE areas. The program gives particular emphasis to unique or new research capabilities that can ensue from the acquisition of the equipment. Significant cost-sharing, usually 33 percent, is required. Eligibility Requirements for CISE Instrumentation Grants Both graduate degree and four-year institutions in the United States are eligible to apply for an award. Contact Information (EIA) CISE Minority Institutions Infrastructure This program provides awards to aid efforts that may significantly expand the numbers of minority students attracted to and retained in CISE disciplines. The program supports a variety of activities, including, but not limited to, research programs involving minority students, curriculum development projects, mentoring, and outreach. Both one-year planning grants and continuing grants of up to five years in duration are awarded. Significant cost-sharing for the latter, usually 25 percent, is expected. Eligibility Requirements for Minority Institutions Infrastructure Eligible institutions must be minority institutions (defined by significant percentages of minority students). Contact Information (EIA) CISE Educational Innovation Program This program supports innovative educational activities at the undergraduate level in computer and information science and engineering that transfer research results into the undergraduate curriculum. Projects supported are expected to show promise as national models of excellence by acting as prototypes for use by a broader segment of the CISE community. Proposals may address a variety of educational activities, including, but not limited to, the development of courses, instructional technologies, software, and other educational materials. Contact Information (EIA) NSF-CONACyT Collaborative Research Opportunities NSF and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACyT) (National Council of Science and Technology Research) of Mexico are supporting international cooperative efforts in research and research infrastructure in computer science, information systems, computer engineering, and engineering research, including environmental, manufacturing, civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical, and biomedical systems. Proposals from Mexican researchers and research institutions are selected and administered by CONACyT, subject to the regulations of the Program for the Support of Science in Mexico. Contact Information (EIA) CISE: NSF-CNPq Collaborative Research Opportunities NSF and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico da Pesquisas (CNPq) (National Council of Scientific and Technological Research) of Brazil announce a pilot activity to support new efforts in international cooperative research in any CISE-related area where the efforts are likely to produce positive, complementary, and synergistic effects. The purpose of the initiative is to advance scientific and engineering knowledge in CISE areas through joint research efforts by investigators who have complementary talents and interests, by capitalizing on the international character of modern scientific research, and by the ability to collaborate at a distance using the support of computer network infrastructures. For More Information on NSF-CNPq For further information on CISE: NSF-CNPq Collaborative Research Opportunities, contact Dr. Rita Rodriguez, Program Director, by telephone, (703) 306-1981, or by e-mail, rrodrigu@nsf.gov; or visit the National Council of Scientific and Technological Research of Brazil Home Page (http://www.cnpq.br). Contact Information (EIA) Digital Government This program supports research at the intersection of the computer and information sciences research communities and the mid- to long-term research, development, and experimental deployment needs of the Federal information service communities. The Internet, which was created from a successful partnership between government agencies and the information technologies research community, is a major motivating factor and context for this program. The objective of the program is to support, through research, projects that innovatively, effectively, and broadly address the potential improvement of agency, interagency, and intergovernmental operations and/or government/citizen interaction. Such research is expected to enable the generation and use of a continuous stream of advanced information technologies for early adoption and integration into the Federal information systems community. Contact Information (EIA) Special Projects This program supports activities that expand opportunities for women, minorities, and people with disabilities in CISE disciplines; and special workshops, symposia, and analytical studies of interest to the CISE Directorate. Potential proposers are strongly encouraged to contact a program director to discuss their project ideas before submitting a proposal. Contact Information (EIA) Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) MRI is an NSF-wide program (see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education) that supports the acquisition and/or development of equipment with one primary research focus and with infrastructure requirement that is too costly for other programs to support. Proposals may be for a single instrument, a large system of instruments, or multiple instruments that share a common research focus. Computer systems, clusters of advanced workstations, networks, and other information infrastructure components necessary for research are encouraged. However, computer systems and networks as general purpose equipment will not be reviewed. All institutions are eligible, with a limit of two proposals from each institution per year, or three proposals if one of the projects is an instrument development project. Matching at the 30 percent level is expected. For More Information on MRI For further information, see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education; or view the NSF-wide program description (http://www.nsf.gov/od/osti/mri/mri.htm). Contact Information (EIA) Combined Research-Curriculum Development (CRCD) The CRCD Program is jointly sponsored by NSF's CISE and Engineering (ENG) Directorates. CRCD emphasizes the need to incorporate exciting research advances in important areas of technology into upper-level undergraduate and graduate engineering curricula. A major objective of the program is to stimulate faculty researchers to place renewed value on quality education and curriculum innovation on the premise that education and research are of equal value and complementary parts of an integrated whole. Each project focuses on a particular topic of industrial and national importance in areas supported by ENG and CISE. Each CRCD project contains the following five major components: research, curriculum development, a team of participants (faculty and students), project evaluation plans, and cost-sharing of at least 25 percent. Contact Information (EIA) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Active research experience is one of the most effective techniques for attracting talented undergraduates to, and retaining them in, careers in mathematics, science, and engineering. REU is a Foundation-wide effort designed to help meet this need. The program has the following two components: to support sites for several students, and to support supplementary awards to existing research grants for one or two students. For More Information on REU For further information on REU sites, contact Dr. Harry Hedges, Program Director, by telephone, (703) 306-1981, or by e-mail, hhedges@nsf.gov. For information on a supplement to an existing award, contact the program director in charge of the award. Contact Information (EIA) Collaborative Research on Learning Technologies This program is part of the Foundation-wide theme Educating for the Future (EFF). The program seeks to stimulate research that will integrate technology with learning at all levels of education (grades K-12, college, and university), including learning in the classroom and self-directed and lifelong learning. Projects supported through this program should involve a significant research component in the information, computer, communications and computational science, and engineering aspects of learning technologies. Contact Information (EIA) Postdoctoral Research Associates in Experimental Computer Science These associateship awards seek to increase expertise in experimental computer science and engineering by providing opportunities to work in established laboratories performing experimental research in computer science and engineering. Through the help of these awards, recent Ph.D.s broaden their knowledge and experience and prepare for significant research careers on the frontiers of experimental computer science. These experimental computer science associates will conduct their research in academic research institutions or other institutions devoted to experimental computer science. Contact Information (EIA) Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) POWRE is an NSF-wide program whose objectives are to provide opportunities for further career advancement, professional growth, and increased prominence of women in the science and engineering disciplines supported by NSF, and to encourage more women to pursue careers in science and engineering by providing greater visibility for women scientists and engineers in academic institutions and in industry. POWRE is targeted at women scientists and engineers who currently (a) hold nontenured academic positions or industrial positions, (b) hold academic tenured or tenure-track positions, or (c) plan to enter or re-enter academia. Contact Information (EIA) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT) IGERT is an NSF-wide, multidisciplinary program designed to enable the development of innovative, research-based graduate education and training activities that will produce a diverse group of new scientists and engineers who will be well prepared for a broad spectrum of career opportunities. Supported projects must be based upon a multidisciplinary research theme and organized around a diverse group of investigators from U.S. Ph.D.-granting institutions with appropriate research and teaching interests and expertise. Contact Information (EIA) INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS The Division of Information and Intelligent Systems (IIS) supports research through the following programs and activities: * Computation and Social Systems * Human-Computer Interaction * Information and Data Management * Knowledge and Cognitive Systems * Robotics and Human Augmentation * Special Projects For More Information on IIS Programs and Activities For further information on IIS activities, write to the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1115, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1930; or visit the IIS Division Home Page (http://www.cise.nsf.gov/iis/index.html). Computation and Social Systems (CSS) This program encourages and supports research in two broad and highly interrelated areas: integration, sustainable use, and impacts of information technology on groups, organizations, communities, and societies; and theories and technologies for reasoning, decision-making, interaction, and collaboration in groups, organizations, communities, and societies. The research addresses issues and technologies at the level of groups, organizations, communities, and societies, and human-centered as well as technological aspects. Examples of topics include impacts and policy implications of information technology; integration of information technologies in workplaces and communities; social and organizational informatics; theories of knowledge, action, and information processing at group, organization, and societal levels; economics of information technology, computation, and networks; theories and models of organizational information/knowledge processing and coordination; knowledge networking and collaboratories; multiagent systems and distributed artificial intelligence; computer-supported cooperative work and decision-making; and computational organization research. Contact Information (IIS) Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) This program supports research fundamental to the design of systems that mediate between computers and humans. Topics include universal access; visualization; animation and simulation; interactive computing; human language technology, including speech recognition and natural language understanding; posture- and sound-based interfaces; virtual reality; and multimedia environments. Contact Information (IIS) Information and Data Mnaagement (IDM) This program supports research fundamental to the design, implementation, development, management, and use of databases, information retrieval, and knowledge-based systems. Topics include data, metadata, information, and knowledge-modeling; information organization and information process management; information access and knowledge discovery/data mining in distributed heterogeneous systems; system architecture and implementation; and evolutionary system development and administration for enhancement of conventional databases, scientific databases, multimedia information systems, digital libraries, knowledge discovery, and expert systems. Contact Information (IIS) Knowledge and Cognitive Systems This program supports research fundamental to the development of machines that behave intelligently (i.e., artificial intelligence). The intelligent behavior may be exhibited in interaction with humans (as in knowledge-based systems or intelligent interfaces) or separately (as in machine control of processes or autonomous intelligent agents). Some of the research involves knowledge representation for intelligent machines, and some involves the computational study of intelligent behavior. The latter involves developing models of cognition that may be based on what we know of human or animal cognition or may involve an approach more suited to computational systems. Cognitive activities studied include multiple types of machine learning, planning, reasoning, decision-making, sensory cognition, linguistic cognition, or a combination of these in intelligent agents. Fundamental research in these areas may have application in integrated design and manufacturing, network management, medical diagnosis, data mining, or intelligent tutoring as a goal. Contact Information (IIS) Robotics and Human Augmentation (RHA) This program supports research fundamental to the design of machines and systems that implement some characteristics of intelligence so that the machines can serve effectively to augment human activities. Research topics include machine sensing, perception, and action; automatic representation, reasoning, and planning for complex physical tasks involving temporal and spatial relationships; management of information involving visual concepts; hardware and algorithmic design of robotic systems, including micro- and nanoscale systems; sharing of task control between humans and machines; personalization of robotic technology; and linking and cooperation among geographically separated robotics resources. Emphasis is on developing the technological and scientific base for systems of reduced complexity; developing machines capable of more intelligent and robust behavior; minimizing dependence of machines on detailed low-level human intervention; making machines safe for human interaction; and facilitating the design, engineering implementation, and end use of robotic systems. Contact Information (IIS) Special Projects This program supports research activities exploring new relationships among computing, communication, and digital content from human-centered perspectives in order to support communities of users in scholarly, social, and work contexts. The program promotes interdisciplinary and topical fusion. In particular, it manages the Digital Libraries Initiative, a multiagency research program designed to create large knowledge bases, the technology needed to access them, and the means for improving their usability in a wide range of contexts. Contact Information (IIS) EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES The Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) has primary responsibility for NSF's efforts to provide national leadership in improving science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education. Its comprehensive and coordinated programs address every education level (i.e., prekindergarten through postdoctoral study), as well as early career development and science literacy in the general public. EHR has five major long-term goals that provide the focus for the various activities of the seven divisions/offices described here. These goals ensure that: * standards-based science and mathematics education is available to every child in the United States, thus enabling all who have interest and talent to pursue technical careers at all levels; * the educational pipelines that carry students to careers in science, mathematics, and engineering yield adequate numbers of well-educated individuals who can meet the needs of the technical workplace in the United States; * those who select science or engineering careers have available the best professional undergraduate and graduate education, and opportunities are available at the college level for interested nonspecialists to broaden their scientific backgrounds; * the instructional workforce has the disciplinary and pedagogical skills to ensure an excellent education for every student and learner; and * opportunities for quality informal science education are available to maintain public interest in, and awareness of, scientific and technological developments. EHR programs intend to reform education venues and strengthen education pipelines, so that all students are well-prepared for an increasingly technology-driven society and workplace. Programmatic foci of the Directorate include systemic reform of science and mathematics education in grades K to 12, and the development of resources critical to that reform; preparation of the instructional workforce; achievement of an integrated understanding of institutional reform at the undergraduate level; cultivating a research base of knowledge for implementing innovative reform strategies in grades K to 16; advanced training of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers for the 21st century; and the application of technology across all education levels (of particular interest are projects that integrate content, technology, and pedagogy). The EHR Directorate comprises the following Divisions: * Division of Educational System Reform (ESR) * Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE) * Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) * Division of Graduate Education (DGE) * Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) * Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication (REC) * Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) EHR Participation in NSF-Wide Efforts EHR participates in the Learning and Intelligent Systems (LIS) Program, a focus of the NSF-wide effort Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence (KDI). The LIS Program supports the study of learning and intelligent behavior in natural and artificial systems. EHR's particular interest in LIS relates to research, development, and use of communications technologies to solve problems in teaching and learning across a wide band of the education spectrum. Another focus of the KDI effort in which the EHR Directorate is involved is Knowledge Networking (KN). Through KN, EHR helps support educational applications of digital library technology. (Further information on support in digital libraries is available in Computer and Information Science and Engineering.) For More Information on KDI For complete information on the KDI effort, see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Information is also available on the Crosscutting Programs Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/). Questions regarding EHR's specific involvement in KDI should be directed to Dr. Eric Hamilton, EHR Directorate, by e-mail, ehamilto@nsf.gov, or by telephone, (703) 306-1635. EHR also participates in a multidirectorate program of support for research on Innovation and Organizational Change. For further information, visit the EHR Directorate Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/). LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM REFORM (ESR) The Division of Educational System Reform (ESR) manages a portfolio of programs that encourage and facilitate coordinated approaches to systemic, standards-based reform of science and mathematics education. Systemic reform relies on partnerships to identify needs, articulate visions, and develop goals, strategies, and activities for improvement of targeted areas. Although each systemic initiative is unique in its approach, all must begin as a collaborative effort among individuals and organizations that are committed to requiring high expectations from all students through challenging educational opportunities. Systemic initiatives catalyze change and cultivate coordination within cities, states, rural areas, school systems, and other organizations involved with education. They result in a comprehensive impact on curriculum, policy, professional development, assessment, resource allocation, and student performance. The proposing system develops a unitary plan of reform that must delineate the curriculum, professional development, and assessment components that will ensure a transition to a high-quality, standards-based mathematics and science education for all students. Awardees enter into cooperative agreements with NSF, specifying accountability for reaching the goals of a reform plan that must result in demonstrable and wide-ranging improvements in student achievement. The ESR Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) * Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) * Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSI) For More Information on ESR Programs and Activities For further information on ESR activities, write to the Division of Educational System Reform, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 875, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1690; or visit the ESR Division Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/ESR/index.htm). LEVEL 3 Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) The Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) Program is a major effort by NSF to encourage improvement in science, mathematics, and engineering education through comprehensive systemic changes in the education systems of the States. State-level initiatives are an important way to reach a significant number of the more than 15,000 school districts that make up the Nation's diverse K-to-12th-grade public education enterprise, and seed them with proven, effective methods for encouraging the spread of sustainable and successful change. Systemic and lasting educational improvements in the States depend on effective policies, state adoption of high-quality materials and curricula, and teachers and administrators who are well-prepared. Strong State education programs and policies are vital links between national education goals and the implementation of classroom practices essential to helping us achieve these goals. Eligibility Requirements for the SSI Program The SSI Program made awards to 25 States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico from 1991 to 1994. Between 1996 and 1998, NSF held competitions to continue the exemplary efforts in some of the original SSI sites. Currently, nine States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico have active awards. ESR Division Contact Information Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) The Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) Program in science, mathematics, and technology education was established in fiscal year 1993 to challenge the Nation's commitment to bring about sustained school reform in its urban centers. Through this effort, NSF supports the cities with the largest numbers of school-age children living in poverty in launching systemic programs to accelerate implementation of system-wide improvement in mathematics, science, and technology for grades pre-K to 12. Reform occurs through fundamental, comprehensive, and coordinated improvements in curriculum, professional development, and assessment, as well as enabling changes in policy, resource utilization, and vigorously mobilized partnerships. The importance of USI is evidenced by the fact that urban school systems in the United States enroll approximately half of all public school students in grades K to 12. Studies point to a continued disparity between the academic performance of these students and that of their counterparts in suburban schools. The challenge is to eliminate this disparity while supporting an upward trajectory for all. Several organizational components of NSF are engaged in the design and implementation of USI, as well as private foundations, business and industry, and other Federal agencies. Principal participants in urban areas must collaborate to develop a rich array of networks and partnerships that will ensure that all children learn quality science and mathematics. Eligibility Requirements for the USI Program There are 28 cities in the United States and Puerto Rico that are eligible for the USI Program. These cities were determined using figures from the 1990 census and include those with the largest number of school-age children (ages 5 through 17) living in economic poverty. Currently, 20 cities have received implementation awards. ESR Division Contact Information Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSI) The Rural Systemic Initiatives Program seeks to promote systemic improvement in science, mathematics, and technology education for students in rural and economically disadvantaged regions of the Nation. RSI is particularly concerned with those students who have been underserved by NSF programs, and seeks to ensure sustainability of improvements made through the RSI Program by encouraging community development activities in conjunction with instructional and policy reform. Students in rural areas, particularly those characterized by high and persistent poverty, typically receive much less instruction in science and mathematics than do students in suburban or advantaged urban classrooms. Moreover, societal conditions add to the barriers that keep these students from achieving. Taken together, these circumstances negatively affect a child's chances of pursuing postsecondary degrees or careers that could provide a better quality of life. The cycle of poverty continues, condemning them to low-skill jobs and incomes that decrease in real dollars over the course of their lives. The premise of RSI is that a variety of educational, economic, and social factors must be aligned to significantly affect the achievement levels of students in disadvantaged circumstances. Therefore, RSI proposals must be submitted on behalf of consortia formed to address curriculum reform, teacher preservice and in-service education, policy restructuring, assessment, and implementation of national standards, as well as the economic and social well-being of the targeted regions. Eligibility Requirements for the RSI Program Regions that are eligible under RSI are composed of rural counties that have been designated under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's County Types Code as 6-9, and in which 30 percent or more of school-age children (ages 5 through 17) are living in economic poverty, as determined by the 1990 census. Currently, five regions have received implementation awards. Proposing consortia must include representatives from state and local education agencies, business and industry, local school districts, community colleges, health and human service agencies, and economic development agencies. State-level agencies or federally funded research and development organizations are not eligible. ESR Division Contact Information LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF ELEMENTARY, SECONDARY, AND INFORMAL EDUCATION (ESIE) Programs in the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE) work together to provide quality learning opportunities in science, mathematics, and technology (SMT) that comprehensively address the needs of all students, from pre-K to grade 12, and to inform the general public about SMT. ESIE seeks to achieve its goals by supporting projects that develop and implement models of high-quality instructional materials, strengthen teacher competencies in SMT content and pedagogy, prepare students for the technological workforce and facilitate transitions from secondary school to higher education and the workplace, and promote the public understanding of SMT and provide stimulating learning environments outside of school. Additional goals of the ESIE Division include stimulating the development of innovative materials and strategies that actively engage parents in their children's education; promoting the use of learning technologies to ensure that education is more accessible and adaptable to varied learning styles; and providing opportunities for teachers and teacher/student teams to work beside practicing scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and technologists in research settings. The ESIE Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Teacher Enhancement * Instructional Materials Development * Informal Science Education * Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching * Advanced Technological Education For More Information on ESIE Programs and Activities For further information on ESIE activities, write to the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 885, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1620; or visit the ESIE Division Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/ESIE/index.htm). LEVEL 3 Teacher Enhancement The Teacher Enhancement (TE) Program supports professional development projects that will lead to new levels of teacher competence, and to a supportive school culture that will empower teachers to engage all students in rich and challenging science, mathematics, and technology (SMT) education programs. The TE Program supports the following types of projects: * Local Systemic Change (LSC) projects, district-level activities that represent a shift in focus from the professional development of the individual teacher to that of the teacher within the context of whole school organizations. LSC projects implement exemplary instructional materials consistent with recognized standards for content and pedagogy. * Leadership projects, which build national, regional, and local infrastructure to support school reform, delivery of professional development, school or district mentors, and change agents. * Teacher and Teacher-Student Development Through Research Experience projects, which provide teachers and teacher/student teams with opportunities to work in research-rich environments. Experiences are then implemented in the classroom upon return. * Professional Development Materials projects, which develop training materials for teachers and instructional SMT leaders in grades pre-K to 12. * Technology in Support of Professional Development projects, which find innovative ways to utilize educational technologies in providing teachers with the support needed to go beyond the typical in-service course. Eligibility Requirements for the TE Program The TE Program has special eligibility requirements beyond the standard NSF requirements. Please refer to the ESIE Division Program Announcement (NSF 98-4), which can be accessed through the TE Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf984/program.htm#14). ESIE Division: -Contact Information Instructional Materials Development The Instructional Materials Development (IMD) Program supports the development of materials and strategies to promote the improvement of science, mathematics, and technology (SMT) instruction at all levels so students can acquire sophisticated content knowledge, higher-order thinking abilities, and problem-solving skills. All projects supported by IMD are designed for the success of all students, regardless of background, ability, or future educational plans. Projects should promote students' positive attitudes toward SMT, and positive perceptions of themselves as learners. By incorporating investigative, hands-on science and mathematics, the materials facilitate changes in the basic delivery of classroom instruction. Although demonstration models may be funded, projects are expected to be national in scope so that, upon completion, materials will be ready for utilization by teachers and students across the Nation. Eligibility Requirements for the IMD Program The IMD Program has special eligibility requirements beyond the standard NSF requirements. Please refer to the ESIE Division Program Announcement (NSF 98-4), which can be accessed through the IMD Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf984/program.htm#11). ESIE Division Contact Information Informal Science Education The Informal Science Education (ISE) Program supports projects that provide rich and stimulating opportunities outside the formal school setting where individuals can increase their appreciation and understanding of science, mathematics, and technology (SMT). Activities should be self-directed, lifelong, and motivated by intrinsic interests. ISE projects take place in diverse environments and involve the use of various media. Projects generally reach large audiences and have the potential for significant regional or national impact. The ISE Program seeks to promote public understanding of SMT through collaborative efforts, especially when such efforts bridge the informal and formal education communities. Through collaborations, partners combine their resources and expertise to develop more effective strategies for reaching diverse target audiences, particularly those traditionally underrepresented in SMT disciplines. The program also strives to stimulate parents and other adults to become proponents for quality SMT education. Eligibility Requirements for the ISE Program The ISE Program has special eligibility requirements beyond the standard NSF requirements. Please refer to the ESIE Division Program Announcement (NSF 98-4), which can be accessed through the ISE Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf984/program.htm#10). ESIE Division: -Contact Information Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Program is operated by NSF on behalf of the White House. Since its inception in 1983, the program has provided national recognition for over 2,500 outstanding elementary and secondary mathematics and science teachers in all 50 States and U.S. territories. Award recipients participate in a recognition program in Washington, DC, where they are honored by the White House, NSF, other Federal agencies, the National Academy of Sciences, the business community, and various professional organizations. Awardees receive a $7,500 grant from NSF to improve science or mathematics education in their schools and districts. Eligibility Requirements for Presidential Awards This program has special eligibility requirements beyond the standard NSF requirements. Further information on these requirements is available on the Presidential Awards Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/ESIE/awards/default.htm). ESIE Division: -Contact Information Advanced Technological Education The ESIE Division and the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) jointly support the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program. The ATE Program supports projects that strengthen the science and mathematics preparation of technicians who are being educated for the high-performance workplace of advanced technologies. ESIE supports exemplary projects in advanced technological education that have a strong secondary school focus. ATE supports the following types of activities involving secondary education: National and Regional Centers of Excellence for Advanced Technological Education; curriculum and instructional materials development, teacher enhancement, and student projects; and workshops, conferences, seminars, studies, and other special projects. Eligibility Requirements for the ATE Program For information on the eligibility requirements for the ATE Program, visit the ATE Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/1998/nsf984/program.htm#15). For further information on the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE), visit the DUE Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/start.htm). ESIE Division: -Contact Information LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION (DUE) The Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) serves as the focal point for NSF's efforts in undergraduate education. Whether preparing students to participate as citizens in a technological society, to enter the workforce with two- or four-year degrees, to continue their formal education in graduate school, or to further their education in response to new career goals or workplace expectations, undergraduate education provides the critical link between the Nation's secondary schools and a society increasingly dependent on science and technology. DUE's programs and leadership efforts aim to strengthen the vitality of undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education for all students, including SMET majors, prospective teachers of grades pre-K to 12, students preparing for the technical workplace, and students in their role as citizens in a technological society. Projects submitted to programs in DUE are encouraged to incorporate, as appropriate, features that address one or more of four themes that have been targeted for special emphasis. These themes are teacher preparation, professional development for faculty, increasing diversity within SMET fields, and integrating technology in education. Although the activities described below are expected to constitute the majority of projects supported through DUE, proposals that address other mechanisms for improving undergraduate SMET education will be considered. DUE supports research through the following programs and activities: * Advanced Technological Education * Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement * NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation For More Information on DUE Programs and Activities Information on DUE activities, including detailed descriptions of Division programs and guidelines for the preparation and submission of proposals, is available in the DUE Program Announcement and Guidelines (NSF 98-45). For other information, write to the Division of Undergraduate Education, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 835, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1666, or by e-mail, undergrad@nsf.gov; or visit the DUE Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/start.htm). Advanced Technological Education The Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Program is managed jointly by DUE and the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE). ATE promotes improvement in the education of technicians in science- and engineering-related fields at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. It particularly targets two-year colleges and encourages collaboration among two-year colleges, four-year colleges, universities, secondary schools, business, industry, and government. Proposals are solicited in the following two major tracks: * Projects--Activities may include the design and implementation of new courses, laboratories, and educational materials; the adaptation and implementation of exemplary curricula and programs in new educational settings; the preparation and professional development of college faculty and secondary school teachers; internships and field experiences for students, faculty, and teachers; or national conferences, workshops, and similar activities focusing on issues in technological education. * Centers of Excellence for Advanced Technological Education--As national or regional hubs with a comprehensive mission, Centers engage in the full range of activities described above for Projects, provide models and leadership for other projects, and act as clearinghouses for educational materials and methods. Proposals in both tracks must evidence a coherent vision of technological education, a vision that recognizes the needs of the modern workplace, of students as lifelong learners, and for articulation of educational programs at different levels. For More Information on the ATE Program For further information, visit the ATE Program Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/programs/ate/ate.htm). For further information on the Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE) Division, visit the ESIE Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/ESIE/index.htm). DUE: -Contact Information Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement The Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) Program supports projects that are expected to improve undergraduate science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education by increasing the availability and use of high-quality educational materials and the employment of effective pedagogical strategies. Proposals that address all levels of undergraduate education are encouraged; proposals to improve introductory-level courses, curricula, and laboratories are especially welcome. NSF invites proposals to improve undergraduate SMET education in a broad spectrum of institutions, including two-year colleges, four-year colleges, and universities. Projects may involve a single institution, collaboration with business and industry partners, or collaboration among several institutions. The CCLI Program has three major tracks: * Educational Materials Development--The result of these projects is the development of innovative materials that incorporate effective educational practices to improve student learning in SMET areas. Products of these projects have the potential for national dissemination, adaptation, and implementation. * Adaptation and Implementation--These projects result in improved SMET education at institutions through the adaptation and implementation of exemplary materials, laboratory experience, and educational practices. * National Dissemination--These projects facilitate large-scale, national, professional development opportunities for faculty through workshops, short courses, or related activities. For More Information on the CCLI Program For further information, visit the CCLI Program Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/programs/ccli/ccli.htm). DUE Contact Information NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation The NSF Collaboratives for Excellence in Teacher Preparation (CETP) Program promotes systemic improvement in the science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) preparation of prospective teachers at the pre-K to grade 12 levels. CETP projects provide prospective teachers with the in-depth subject matter and teaching knowledge necessary to implement the national mathematics and science standards as well as emerging learning technologies. A principal objective of the CETP Program is to engage SMET and education faculties and their departments in collaboration to influence teacher preparation certification programs. The CETP Program has two foci to develop and institutionalize comprehensive change in teacher preparation: * System-Wide Focus--Projects encompass an entire university system or a collection of colleges or universities that span a State or other geographic region. In addition, the projects involve the schools and their administrative systems. * Institutional Focus--Projects involve either one large institution with a high level of teacher production, along with its feeder institutions, or the logical alliance of a number of institutions whose combined efforts represent a major contribution to teacher production and placement within a defined local area. Special Note: Projects that serve as building blocks toward comprehensive reform of teacher preparation are encouraged in the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) and Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) Programs (see descriptions elsewhere in the DUE section). In particular, DUE invites proposals for the following: * Departmental Focus--Projects that involve one or more SMET departments initiating or expanding a focus on a specific component of teacher preparation. Projects work toward the goals of the CETP Program, including the recruitment of outstanding students into the teaching profession. For More Information on the CETP Program For further information, visit the CETP Program Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/programs/cetp/cetp.htm). DUE Contact Information LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF GRADUATE EDUCATION (DGE) The programs in the Division of Graduate Education (DGE) promote the early career development of scientists and engineers by providing fellowships and traineeships for graduate and postdoctoral study. All DGE programs encourage the integration of research and education and seek to ensure a steady flow of diverse, high-ability graduates to the Nation. DGE supports research through the following programs and activities: * Graduate Research Fellowships * Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training * NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science and Engineering * Travel Grants for NATO Advanced Study Institutes * NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education For More Information on DGE Programs and Activities For further information on DGE activities, write to the Division of Graduate Education, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 907, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1696. Program announcements and application forms are available on the DGE Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DGE/dge.htm). LEVEL 3 Graduate Research Fellowships Graduate Research Fellowships promote the strength and diversity of the Nation's scientific and engineering base. NSF Graduate Research Fellowships offer recognition and three years of support for advanced study to approximately 1,000 outstanding graduate students annually in all fields of science, mathematics, and engineering. Approximately 90 awards will be made in the Women in Engineering and the Computer and Information Science components. For the fiscal year 1999 awards, the stipend for each fellow is $15,000 for a 12-month tenure; and an annual cost-of-education allowance of $9,500 is made available to the awardee's institution for each year of tenure, in lieu of tuition and fees. Eligibility Requirements for Graduate Research Fellowships To be eligible for this nationwide merit competition, a candidate must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States, and at or near the beginning of graduate study. For More Information on Graduate Research Fellowships For fiscal year 1999 applications, write to Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), NSF Graduate Research Fellowships Program, P.O. Box 3010, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-3010; or contact ORAU by telephone, (423) 241-4300, or by e-mail, nsfgrfp@orau.gov. Application forms and instructions are also available on the Graduate Research Fellowships Application Forms Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DGE/grfp.htm). Information on Graduate Research Fellowships is also available in the (link) Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education section of this Guide. DGE Contact Information Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training NSF places high priority on the need to prepare Ph.D.s with multidisciplinary backgrounds and with the technical, professional, and personal skills essential to address the career demands of the future. To meet these needs, NSF has created an agency-wide graduate training program called Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training (IGERT). IGERT's primary goal is to enable the development of innovative graduate education and training activities that are research-based and that will produce scientists and engineers who are well-prepared for a broad spectrum of career opportunities. The IGERT Program integrates research and education, emphasizing experimentation, to yield a variety of new models for a paradigm shift in graduate education. Projects supported should incorporate the following features: * a comprehensive, doctorate-level multidisciplinary research theme that serves as the foundation for training activities; * training activities that integrate the multidisciplinary research theme with innovative educational opportunities, including training in the responsible conduct of research and strong interactions between students and faculty; * a training environment that exposes students to state-of-the-art research instrumentation and methodologies; * an institutional strategy and operation plan for student recruitment, with special consideration for efforts aimed at members of groups underrepresented in science and engineering (i.e., women, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons with disabilities), to ensure preparation of a diverse science and engineering workforce; and * a well-defined strategy for assessment of project performance. For More Information on the IGERT Program For more complete information on the IGERT Program, see (link) Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Information is also available on the Crosscutting Programs Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/). DGE Contact Information NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science and Engineering (Including Special Fellowship Opportunities for Visiting Scientists and Engineers from NATO Partner Countries) At the request of the U.S. Department of State, NSF administers a program of NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships to promote a closer collaboration among scientists and engineers of member and NATO-defined partner countries. Approximately 40 awards are made each year to U.S. scientists or engineers to enable them to conduct research in other NATO member or NATO partner countries; and to visiting scientists and engineers from NATO partner countries to conduct research at U.S. institutions. Eligibility Requirements for NSF-NATO Fellowships U.S. citizens, nationals, permanent residents, or citizens from NATO partner countries who have received their doctorate degree in science and engineering within the past five years, or who will have done so by the start of the fellowship, are eligible for the program. U.S. institutions must apply for a fellowship on behalf of visiting scientists from NATO partner countries. For More Information on NSF-NATO Fellowships For further information on the NSF-NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships Program, e-mail DGE staff at Nsf-nato@nsf.gov; or visit the program's Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DGE/nato.htm). DGE Contact Information Travel Grants for NATO Advanced Study Institutes NSF awards travel grants of $1,000 each to enable junior U.S. scientists to attend select NATO Advanced Study Institutes held predominantly in the NATO member countries of Europe. These two- to three-week instructional courses, conducted by noted scientists and engineers, are scheduled throughout the year, although the majority of them are held during the summer. Eligibility Requirements for NATO Travel Grants The director of a NATO Advanced Study Institute may nominate a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident who is a graduate student or who has received a Ph.D. within the past three years, and has been accepted at a NATO institute. For More Information on NATO Travel Grants For further information on the NATO Travel Grants Program, e-mail DGE staff at nato-asi@nsf.gov; or visit the program's Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DGE/asi.htm). DGE Contact Information NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education The primary objectives of the NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology Education (PFSMETE) Program are to prepare Ph.D. graduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology with the necessary skills to assume leadership roles in science education in the Nation's diverse academic institutions; and to provide opportunities for outstanding Ph.D. graduates to develop expertise in a facet of science education research that would qualify them for the new range of academic positions that will come with the 21st century. Eligibility Requirements for the PFSMETE Program To be eligible for one of these fellowships, an individual must be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States at the time of application, and have received a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or equivalent) in one of the fields of science or engineering supported by NSF within the past three years. Because the program is intended to broaden the skills of Ph.D. graduates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology disciplines, individuals who hold science education degrees are not eligible. For More Information on the PFSMETE Program For further information on the PFSMETE Program, e-mail DGE staff at pfsmete@nsf.gov; or visit the program's Web site (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DGE/pfse1.htm). DGE Contact Information LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (HRD) The Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) has primary responsibility for broadening the participation of underrepresented groups at the grade-K-to-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET), and improving the research infrastructure of minority institutions. The Division operates and coordinates a range of programs that focus on increasing the presence in science and engineering of underrepresented minorities, women and girls, and persons with disabilities. The HRD Division supports programs and activities that focus on the following: * Minorities * Women and Girls * Persons with Disabilities For More Information on HRD Programs and Activities For further information on HRD activities, write to the Division of Human Resource Development, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 815, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1630; or visit the HRD Division Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/HRD/index.htm). LEVEL 3 MINORITIES Minority groups underrepresented in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) disciplines include American Indians/Alaskan Natives (Native Americans), Blacks (African Americans), Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders. Current HRD efforts for minority and other students are focused on two major objectives--student development and strengthening the research capabilities of minority institutions. These programs represent a coherent effort to stimulate organizational and institutional change to improve markedly the quality of educational opportunities available to minority and other students, and to increase the quality and quantity of these students pursuing degrees in SMET disciplines. Minority programs in the HRD Division are grouped under four focus areas: * Grades K to 12 * Undergraduate * Graduate * Research/Education Infrastructure LEVEL 4 GRADES K-12 FOCUS Comprehensive Partnerships for Mathematics and Science Achievement Comprehensive Partnerships for Mathematics and Science Achievement (CPMSA) is a comprehensive program for grades K to 12 that builds on NSF's strategy of forging alliances for systemic reform. The program gives support to city school systems so they can create partnerships to improve access to science and mathematics education for all students. CPMSA's goal is to increase significantly the number of students who enroll in, and successfully complete, courses in grades K to 12 that prepare them to pursue undergraduate programs in science, engineering, and mathematics. Reform activities include the implementation of standards-based curricula, instruction, and assessment in science and mathematics. Policies that eliminate general science and mathematics courses and replace them with rigorous and challenging curricula, and policies that provide universal student access to upper-level science and mathematics courses for CPMSA, are also adopted and implemented. School systems are encouraged to create partnerships with institutions of higher education, businesses, professional organizations, community-based organizations, and other educational organizations. Eligibility Requirements for the CPSMA Program City school systems that are eligible to participate in CPSMA are those that are not eligible to participate in the NSF Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) Program, that do not have a Local Systemic Change (LSC) award under the NSF Teacher Enhancement (TE) Program, and that have at least 20,000 students. HRD Division Contact Information UNDERGRADUATE FOCUS Alliances for Minority Participation The Alliances for Minority Participation (AMP) Program is designed to develop the comprehensive strategies necessary for strengthening the preparation and increasing the number of minority students who successfully complete baccalaureates in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) fields. This objective facilitates the long-term goal of increasing the production of Ph.D.s in SMET fields, with an emphasis on entry into faculty positions. The AMP Program requires the development of meaningful partnerships among academic institutions, government agencies and laboratories, industry, and professional organizations that will produce multidisciplinary or disciplinary approaches to achieving program goals at the undergraduate level. Success is measured by the ability to bring about significant, quantifiable, and qualitative enhancements in SMET participation. Eligible activities include student enrichment, such as collaborative learning, skill development, and mentoring; academic enrichment, such as curricular and instructional improvement; and direct student support, such as summer activities. Eligibility Requirements for the AMP Program Academic institutions that have a track record of producing minority and other students in SMET disciplines are eligible to apply to all programs under this initiative. Nonprofit organizations serve as members of the alliance or partnership. HRD Division Contact Information GRADUATE FOCUS Minority Graduate Education The Minority Graduate Education (MGE) Program seeks to significantly increase the number of Black (African-American), Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaskan Native (Native American) students receiving doctoral degrees in the sciences (physical and life science disciplines), mathematics, and engineering (SME). The lack of role models and mentors in the professoriate constitutes a significant barrier to producing minority SME graduates, and NSF is particularly interested in increasing the number of minorities who will enter the professoriate in these disciplines. Specific objectives of the MGE Program are to develop and implement innovative models for recruiting, mentoring, and retaining minority students in SME doctoral programs; and to develop effective strategies for identifying and supporting underrepresented minorities who want to pursue academic careers. The MGE Program supports a research effort to identify major factors that occasion successful transition of minority students from undergraduate through graduate study; course-taking in the early years of the graduate experience to independent research required for completion of a dissertation; and the academic environment to the SME workplace. To accomplish this objective, this effort reviews a portfolio of Federal and private efforts in this arena to identify factors underlying exemplary as well as unsuccessful efforts. HRD Division Contact Information RESEARCH/EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURE FOCUS Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring Mentoring and role modeling are important in developing talent among groups traditionally underrepresented in science, mathematics, and engineering (SME). Therefore, in 1996, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, through its National Science and Technology Council, established the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) Program. Through the PAESMEM Program, awards are made to individuals who have given outstanding and sustained mentoring and effective guidance to a significant number of students at the grade-K-to-12, undergraduate, or graduate education levels; or to institutions and organizations that, through their programming, have enabled a substantial number of students underrepresented in SME to successfully pursue and complete the relevant degree programs. The awardees serve as examples to their colleagues and national leaders in fully developing the Nation's human resources in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Administered by the NSF, each award includes a grant in the amount of $10,000 and a Presidential commemorative certificate. Approximately 20 (10 individual and 10 institutional) one-time awards are made annually. Eligibility Requirements for the PAESMEM Program To be eligible for PAESMEM, the individual, institution, or organization must be nominated by a colleague, administrator, institution, organization, or student. HRD Division Contact Information Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology NSF recognizes that academic institutions with significant minority student enrollments play a vital role in conducting research that contributes to our knowledge base in all disciplines, and in educating minority students who go on to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) careers. The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) make substantial resources available to upgrade the capabilities of the most research-productive minority institutions. These resources provide increased opportunities for minority faculty and students to engage in research. At the same time, the program enables these institutions to use their resources and research to increase the effectiveness of related SMET activities for other institutions in their regions. Eligibility Requirements for the CREST Program Institutions participating in CREST are those that have at least a 50 percent enrollment of minority students from groups that are underrepresented in SMET; graduate programs in NSF-supported fields of science or a baccalaureate program in engineering; demonstrated strengths in NSF-related fields, as evidenced by an existing or developing capacity to offer doctoral degrees in one or more SMET disciplines; a willingness and capacity to serve as a regional resource center; and a demonstrated commitment to enrolling and graduating minority scientists and engineers. HRD Division Contact Information Historically Black Colleges and Universities NSF is establishing a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Initiative to address historical underrepresentation of minorities in baccalaureate and doctoral degree ranks in science, engineering, and mathematics (SEM). The HBCU Initiative seeks to strengthen SEM education and research infrastructure, including support for research experiences for undergraduates, scientific instrumentation, development of partnerships with other academic institutions and industrial laboratories, research-based teaching and learning, and faculty development. Underrepresentation of minorities in SEM fields is a serious problem that affects their ability to compete in the Nation's scientific and technological workplace. This situation results in the loss of opportunity for a large segment of society. As the Nation undertakes changes in social and economic policy, it is essential that available resources be focused on improving the ability of young people from underrepresented groups to acquire the skills necessary for meaningful employment in high-technology enterprise. The HBCU institutions are particularly important in their provision of role models and mentors and their demonstrated effectiveness in retaining and graduating minority students. HRD Division Contact Information LEVEL 3 WOMEN AND GIRLS The HRD Division supports the following programs for women and girls: * Program for Women and Girls * Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education LEVEL 4 Program for Women and Girls All of the divisions within the EHR Directorate encourage projects that address the participation of women and girls in science and engineering. Because women are underrepresented in most disciplines, the HRD Division supports focused interventions that are specifically directed toward increasing the number of women as full participants in the mainstream of the Nation's scientific and technological enterprise. The Program for Women and Girls (PWG) supports the following activities: * Implementation and Development Projects for Women and Girls--Seek to encourage the design and implementation of innovative, highly focused activities, strategies, and materials that will improve educational achievement, and encourage entry or retention, of women and girls in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. Projects are built on existing intervention models or involve research in new settings that will create positive, permanent changes in the academic, scientific, and social climate. Projects are both instructional and motivational. * Information Dissemination Activities--Include, but are not limited to, media, such as videotapes and brochures, conferences, teleconferences, symposia, and workshops, that bring together experts to discuss issues, projects, policies, and research related to the participation and achievement of women and girls in science, engineering, and mathematics. The activity can focus on research topics or on the development and dissemination of strategies for reducing the barriers for women and girls in these areas. HRD Division Contact Information Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education The Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) Program is an NSF-wide effort aimed at increasing the prominence of women in science and engineering research and education. POWRE helps provide professional growth and career advancement with funding opportunities not ordinarily available through regular NSF grant programs. In addition, POWRE supports supplement awards for women who are principal investigators (PIs), co-principal investigators (co-PIs), or otherwise eligible for support under NSF programs. For More Information on the POWRE Program For a more complete description of the POWRE Program, see (link) Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Information is also available on the Crosscutting Programs Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/). HRD Division Contact Information LEVEL 3 PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES The goals of the Program for Persons with Disabilities (PPD) are to develop new methods of teaching science and mathematics, increase the awareness and recognition of the needs and capabilities of students with disabilities, promote the accessibility and appropriateness of instructional materials and learning technologies, and increase the availability of mentoring resources. In short, efforts are focused on changing the factors wherein neglect, paucity, and lack of direction historically have stifled the early interest in science and mathematics shown by students with disabilities, and impeded the advancement of these individuals as they prepared themselves for careers in science, engineering, and mathematics. NSF encourages persons with disabilities to participate fully in all supported programs. Activities supported under PPD include the following: * Demonstration Projects for Persons with Disabilities--Promote the development and dissemination of innovative intervention strategies that reduce the barriers that inhibit the interest, retention, and advancement of students with disabilities in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) education and career tracks. * Information Dissemination Projects--Support symposia, workshops, and development of information on techniques, instructional materials, technologies, and adaptations that promote full inclusion and participation of students with disabilities in SMET curricula. * Research and Development Projects--Provide improved learning opportunities in SMET education for students with disabilities through the development of innovative technology. HRD Division Contact Information LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF RESEARCH, EVALUATION, AND COMMUNICATION (REC) The mission of the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication (REC) is to lay a strong foundation for teaching and learning in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology (SMET) using the results of research in technology utilization, content, pedagogy, assessment, and policy-oriented studies and indicators. The REC Division supports projects that merge research with classroom practices, especially those that provide the groundwork for the use of technology. REC activities contribute to the fundamental understanding of the development and implementation of science and mathematics programming across the EHR Directorate, and its impact through periodic program evaluations. The REC Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Research on Education, Policy, and Practice * Learning and Intelligent Systems * Evaluation * Communication For More Information on REC Programs and Activities For further information on REC activities, write to the Division of Research, Evaluation, and Communication, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 855, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1650, or by e-mail, REC@nsf.gov; or visit the REC Division Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/REC). LEVEL 3 Research on Education, Policy, and Practice The Research on Education, Policy, and Practice (REPP) Program supports systematic examinations of science and mathematics education, from kindergarten through graduate school. Using insight gained from these examinations, REPP seeks to build a knowledge base of innovative ideas, strategies, practices, and policy alternatives that can significantly affect the education (both formal and informal) of all students. REPP aims to produce and synthesize results that are of immediate use to the educational community. Appropriate research areas include the following: * Theory and Evidence--Supports research that will provide evidence about inputs, processes, and outcomes of the educational system; and on methods (including longitudinal studies) for the collection, use, and interpretation of findings to inform researchers and decisionmakers. Exploratory research on pedagogy, cognition, and the learning process as it pertains to science and mathematics content and processes is also encouraged. * Policy and Practice--Encourages research on issues of governance that affect both ongoing practice and the understanding of systems, schools, teachers, and students, including matters of finance, access, curriculum, assessment, and professional development. Studies pinpoint major factors, trends, and strategies that will assist policymakers and practitioners in planning and implementing educational reform. * Technology--Supports research on how information technologies are or can be used to improve the teaching and learning of science and mathematics; how the evolving capacity of computers and networks can contribute to learning complex content; and how they can alter what is taught through the power of technology to represent and manipulate concepts, processes, and information. Research on the effectiveness or added value of technology-assisted learning and knowledge and distributed intelligence is also encouraged. REC Division Contact Information Learning and Intelligent Systems The Learning and Intelligent Systems (LIS) Program is one of three areas of focus of the NSF-wide effort Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence (KDI). KDI addresses the challenge of deriving human knowledge from intelligent access to information, wherever it occurs and in whatever form it is to be found. LIS encourages researchers and educators to come together to explore new concepts of learning and intelligent behavior. The goal is to spark rapid advances in our understanding of learning, creativity, and productivity, as well as to develop the tools that will enhance the human ability to learn and create. LIS embraces technology as integral and unifying to the education experience, and encourages proposals on research in communications and information technologies. Of particular interest to the EHR Directorate is LIS' emphasis on stimulating the development and implementation of important, technology-enabled solutions to critical problems in science, mathematics, engineering and technology education, especially at the grade-K-to-14 level. For More Information on the LIS Program For more complete information on the LIS Program, see (link) Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Information is also available on the Crosscutting Programs Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/). REC Division Contact Information Evaluation The Evaluation Program evaluates the education and training programs of NSF and coordinates the evaluation of similar initiatives in other Federal agencies for the purpose of program improvement, accountability, and the generation of new knowledge for the educational community at large. Evaluations are supported through competitively awarded contracts to outside organizations. Occasionally, the program solicits grant proposals for evaluative studies of NSF or other national science and mathematics programs of interest. The program may also accept proposals for the development of innovative techniques, approaches, and methodologies for the general improvement of educational evaluation. REC Division Contact Information Communication The Communication Program coordinates communication activities within the EHR Directorate that advance the understanding of education reform, and the methods, policies, and practices under which effective reform takes place and is sustained. Communication and outreach activities in the REC Division are intended to enhance public understanding of the strategies for education reform, so that citizens can make informed choices about the direction that reform will take in their communities and schools. These activities also increase the impact of EHR programs by providing information that summarizes and synthesizes the findings, outcomes, and lessons learned for a variety of audiences, especially practitioners. The Communication Program undertakes these activities through competitively awarded contracts to outside organizations. Occasionally, the program supports research on methods to improve the transfer of knowledge from educational researchers to practitioners and the public in general. REC Division Contact Information LEVEL 2 EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH The Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) increases the R&D competitiveness of 18 States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The States are Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. NSF achieves improvements in R&D competitiveness through three types of EPSCoR awards and an accompanying outreach program. * EPSCoR Cooperative Agreements--Are 36-month awards of up to $3 million to support infrastructure improvements in science and technology areas selected by the states' EPSCoR governing committee as being critical to the State's future R&D competitiveness. * EPSCoR Grants--Are 24-month nonrenewable standard grants of up to $500,000 to initiate projects that are consistent with State and institutional science and technology improvement strategies, and have high potential for significant short-term impact on the State's research competitiveness and for acquiring sustained nonEPSCoR support. * EPSCoR Cofunding--Involves cofunding of proposals submitted to NSF's regular grant programs by investigators working in research areas that have been identified as EPSCoR State R&D priorities. * Outreach--Involves senior NSF personnel working with EPSCoR researchers and their institutions to acquaint them with NSF priorities, programs, policies, and procedures. For More Information on EPSCoR For further information, write to EPSCoR, Directorate for Education and Human Resources, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the program by telephone, (703) 306-1683; or visit the EPSCoR Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/EPSCOR/start.htm). ENGINEERING The Directorate for Engineering (ENG) supports engineering research and education in a competitive environment that places strong emphasis on innovation, creativity, and excellence. This benefits the Nation by creating the human resources and knowledge that spur technological innovation and economic growth in an increasingly swift, complex, and interconnected world. Although the research supported by ENG is fundamental in nature, much of it focuses on societal needs. Over the long term, ENG investments contribute to an innovation system that enables the creation of valuable new products and services, and new and more productive enterprises, that enhance the Nation's future economic strength, security, and quality of life. Engineering research and education often require creative contributions from several different disciplinary perspectives. For example, investigators in biology and engineering are joining forces to create exciting new technologies, with such applications as biosensors that can detect food pathogens; biologically based electronic devices with the senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell; and prosthetics for the disabled, such as artificial retinas. ENG particularly encourages proposals from groups that involve a diverse mix of faculty expertise and student experience because of the opportunities they provide for addressing significant new issues with a synergistic approach. To amplify its efforts, ENG focuses on facilitating dynamic partnerships among industry, academe, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, professional societies, and foreign countries. For example, strong support is given to the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) Program. GOALI awards bring university and industry collaborators together at the conceptual phase of a research and education endeavor. Strengthening these intellectual connections increases the value of engineering education and fundamental research to the private sector and opens up exciting new areas of research. Overall, NSF provides about 33 percent of the total Federal support for fundamental engineering research at U.S. universities and colleges. More than 70 percent of ENG's funding is used to provide grants to individual investigators and small groups. The ENG Directorate comprises the following Divisions: * Division of Bioengineering and Environmental Systems (BES) * Division of Chemical and Transport Systems (CTS) * Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems (CMS) * Division of Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation (DMII) * Division of Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS) * Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) * Crosscutting Activities For further information beyond what appears in this Guide, visit the ENG Directorate Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/. LEVEL 2 CROSSCUTTING ACTIVITIES In addition to the programs mentioned in this chapter, the Engineering Directorate takes an active role in the following crosscutting research programs and activities: the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program, Graduate and Postdoctoral Education activities, Undergraduate activities, minority and women's programs, and programs for persons with disabilities. For complete information on these programs and activities, see the section "Human Resource Activities," located in link Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Information is also available on the Crosscutting Programs Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/) on the NSF Home Page. LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF BIOENGINEERING AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS (BES) The Bioengineering and Environmental Systems (BES) Division is concerned with expanding the knowledge base of bioengineering; extending engineering methodologies to include the solution to problems in the biological, medical, and ocean and other environmental sciences; employing biological principles for the development of innovative engineering methods and systems; and exploring basic engineering concepts and systems to enable sustainable development. The BES Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Biotechnology/Biochemical Engineering * Biomedical Engineering/Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities * Environmental Systems For More Information on BES Programs and Activities For further information on BES activities, write to the Division of Bioengineering and Environmental Systems, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 565, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1320, or by fax, (703) 306-0312; or visit the BES Division Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/bes/. LEVEL 3 Biotechnology/Biochemical Engineering This program supports research that links the expertise of engineering with the life sciences to provide a fundamental basis for the economical manufacturing of substances of biological origin. Projects are supported that utilize biological microorganisms for the transformation of organic raw materials (biomass) into useful products. Fermentation and recombinant DNA processes are important technologies in this program. Food processing, especially the safety of the Nation's food supply, is an emerging area. Engineers or small groups of engineers and scientists are encouraged to apply. Synergy among the various disciplines in these types of projects is a very important evaluation criterion. Research areas include, but are not limited to, cell culture systems, metabolic engineering, sensor development, bioreactor design, separation and purification processes, monitoring, optimization and control methods, and process integration. Contact Information (BES) Biomedical Engineering/Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities This program supports fundamental engineering research that has the potential to contribute to improved health care and to the reduction of health care costs, and research into other areas such as models and tools for understanding biological systems. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, fundamental improvements in deriving information from cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems; extraction of useful information from complex biomedical signals; new approaches to the design of structures and materials for eventual medical use; and new methods of controlling living systems. This program is also directed toward the characterization, restoration, and substitution of normal functions in humans. Emphasis is placed on the advancement of fundamental engineering knowledge that might lead to the development of new technologies or to the novel application of existing technologies, rather than on product development. Also supported are undergraduate engineering design projects, especially those that provide prototype "custom-designed" devices or software for persons with mental or physical disabilities. Contact Information (BES) Environmental Systems This program supports sustainable developmental research with the goal of applying engineering principles to reduce the adverse effects that solid, liquid, and gaseous discharges resulting from human activity have on the land, air, and fresh and ocean waters. This program also supports research on innovative biological, chemical, and physical processes used alone or as components of engineered systems to restore the usefulness of polluted land, water, and air resources. The program emphasizes engineering principles underlying pollution avoidance as well as pollution treatment and reparation. Improved sensors, innovative production processes, waste reduction and recycling, and industrial ecology are important to this program. Research may be directed toward improving the cost-effectiveness of pollution avoidance as well as developing fresh principles for pollution avoidance technologies. Contact Information (BES) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF CHEMICAL AND TRANSPORT SYSTEMS (CTS) The Chemical and Transport Systems (CTS) Division supports research that contributes to the knowledge base of a large number of industrial manufacturing processes and also of some natural processes that involve the transformation and transport of matter and energy. The transformation processes may be chemical, biological, physical, or a combination of these. The industrial processes involve a wide range of technological pursuits and are found in such areas as aerospace, electronics, chemicals, natural resource recovery, the environment, petroleum, biochemicals, materials, food, and power generation. CTS supports research that involves the development of fundamental engineering principles, process control and optimization strategies, mathematical models, and experimental techniques. Emphasis is placed on projects that have the potential for innovation and broad application in areas such as the environment, materials, and chemical processing. This research is also applied to naturally occurring systems such as rivers and lakes, coastline areas, and the atmosphere, especially in populated areas. Special emphasis is on environmentally benign chemical and material processing. The CTS Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Chemical Reaction Processes * Interfacial, Transport, and Separation Processes * Fluid and Particulate Processes * Thermal Systems For More Information on CTS Programs and Activities For further information on CTS activities, write to the Division of Chemical and Transport Systems, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 525, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1371, or by fax, (703) 306-0319; or visit the CTS Division Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/cts/. LEVEL 3 Chemical Reaction Processes This program supports fundamental and applied research on rates and mechanisms of important classes of catalyzed and uncatalyzed chemical reactions as they relate to the design, production, and application of catalysts, chemical processes, and specialized materials; chemical phenomena occurring at or near solid surfaces and interfaces; electrochemical and photochemical processes of engineering significance or with commercial potential; design and optimization of complex chemical processes; dynamic modeling and control of process systems and individual process units; reactive processing of polymers, ceramics, and thin films; and interactions between chemical reactions and transport processes in reactive systems and the use of this information in the design of complex chemical reactors. Contact Information (CTS) Interfacial, Transport, and Separation Processes This program supports research in areas related to interfacial phenomena and mass transport phenomena, separation science, and phase equilibrium thermodynamics. Research in these areas supports various aspects of engineering technology, with the major focus on chemical and material processing and bioprocess engineering. Research conducted in this program also contributes to the Division's emphasis on the impact of basic knowledge on physicochemical hazardous waste treatment and avoidance. The program provides support for new theories and approaches that determine the thermodynamic properties of fluids and fluid mixtures in biological and other fluids with complex molecules. Separation research is directed at many areas, with a special emphasis on bioprocessing and on all forms of chromatographic, membrane, and special affinity separations. Contact Information (CTS) Fluid and Particulate Processes This program supports fundamental and applied research on mechanisms and phenomena that govern single and multiphase fluid flow, particle formation and transport, various multiphase processes, nanostructures, and fluid and solid system interaction. Research is sought that contributes to improving the basic understanding, design, predictability, efficiency, and control of existing systems that involve the dynamics of fluids and particulates, and the innovative uses of fluids and particulates in materials development, manufacturing, biotechnology, and the environment. Contact Information (CTS) Thermal Systems This program supports fundamental research in two major areas: (1) Thermal Transport and Thermal Processing; and (2) Combustion and Thermal Plasmas. Support is given to projects that seek a basic understanding at the microscopic and macroscopic levels of thermal phenomena underlying the production of energy, the synthesis and processing of materials, the cooling and heating of equipment, and biological systems and the interaction of industrial processes with the environment. Higher priority goes to those projects that deal with problems on the cutting edge of technology while developing human resources in engineering. Contact Information (CTS) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF CIVIL AND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS (CMS) The Civil and Mechanical Systems (CMS) Division aims to increase the knowledge base and intellectual growth in the areas of construction, geotechnology, structures, dynamics and control, mechanics, and materials, as well as the reduction of risks induced by earthquakes and other natural and technological hazards. The Division encourages cross-disciplinary partnerships at the intersections of traditional disciplines. These partnerships promote discoveries using technologies such as autoadaptive systems, nanotechnology, and simulation to produce civil and mechanical systems. The CMS Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Construction/Geotechnology/Structures (CGS) * Hazard Reduction * Control/Mechanics/Materials (CMM) * Systems Integration * Resources and Infrastructure For More Information on CMS Programs and Activities For further information on CMS activities, write to the Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 545, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1360, or by fax, (703) 306-0291; or visit the CMS Division Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/cms/. LEVEL 3 Construction/Geotechnology/Structures (CGS) This program emphasizes new discoveries in the design, construction, maintenance, and operation of facilities, both above and below ground, that are safe, long-lasting, efficient, environmentally acceptable, and economical. Support is given for research that will increase geotechnical knowledge of foundations, slopes, excavations, and other geostructures, including soil and rock improvement technologies and reinforcement systems; constitutive modeling and verification in geomechanics; remediation and containment of geoenvironmental contamination; transferability of laboratory results to field scale; and nondestructive and in situ evaluation. Support is also given for research that will advance the knowledge base of advanced polymer materials; high-performance steel and concrete materials; the durability of construction materials; the safety and reliability of bridges, including condition assessment; and indoor environmental conditions such as air quality and personnel comfort in buildings. Also of interest are activities that will increase the present understanding of the science and technology used to design, analyze, diagnose, repair, remediate, retrofit, and enhance the performance of constructed facilities and interactions between natural and constructed environments, and that will utilize the knowledge gained to improve the management and performance of new and existing infrastructure systems and facilities. Contact Information (CMS) Hazard Reduction This program seeks to advance fundamental engineering and related scientific knowledge to mitigate the impacts of earthquakes, extreme floods and droughts, tsunamis, hurricanes and tornadoes, accelerated erosion, wind and water, ice and snow, landslides, and subsidence and expansive soils. Activities aim to increase the knowledge base necessary for reducing the impact of natural and technological hazards on structures, lifelines, foundations, and the natural environment. A broad spectrum of research is supported, including the use of data from laboratory and field experiments to verify design procedures and methodologies, simulation of earthquakes, measurements during major events, and postearthquake reconnaissance inspections. The Hazard Reduction Cluster is one component of NSF's support for the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Contact Information (CMS) Control/Mechanics/Materials (CMM) This program links the expertise of dynamics and control, mechanics, materials, tribology, and surface engineering. Research is directed toward basic understanding of the mechanical properties of materials, including dynamic behavior and damping, deformation, fatigue, fracture, and wear of all classes of materials, including composites and coatings. The aim is to account for the role of the underlying microstructure and to determine the nano- to mesoscale effects. Typical areas include development of constitutive models and their experimental verification and simulation; smart materials; nanodimensional multiplex coatings; and compositionally and functionally graded surfaces. Research on dynamic behavior and control of machines, processes, structures, and other engineered physical systems is also supported, emphasizing an improved knowledge base for understanding their performance and control. Contact Information (CMS) Systems Integration Developed by cross-disciplinary teams from several clusters, this activity addresses broad-based issues such as those associated with the integration and optimization of complex systems, including civil and mechanical infrastructure. Fundamental and applied research on infrastructure systems requires cooperative research between CMS programs and related disciplines from other NSF divisions. For example, progress in civil infrastructure systems depends on new knowledge of deterioration science, assessment technologies, and renewal engineering, as well as on the development of an integrated decision model for sustainability. Such a model depends on input from environmental, social, economic, political, and public policy disciplines, and the natural, mathematical, economic, and geographic sciences. Formulation of a model requires new discoveries in engineering design, decision science, and information technology (such as sensors and sensor systems, data acquisition, data mining, knowledge creation, and management); socioeconomic sciences (such as evaluation, preference, privatization and impact of investment, regulations, and contract practice); and external effects (such as value of time, maintenance, and environment). These are developed for simulation, planning, performance assessment, risk evaluation, supply and demand, investment impact, and life cycle management. Contact Information (CMS) Resources and Infrastructure The CMS Division, in partnership with other NSF Directorates and government agencies, provides nationwide research and education resources that promise to have significant impact in the programmatic areas described above, and in other areas of engineering and science. Examples of partnerships with CMS include the Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems (ICIS) and NSF's Earthquake Engineering Research Centers (EERCs). In addition, NSF's Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) and Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) have impact in several areas relevant to the CMS community. Researchers and educators are encouraged to work with these centers to fully utilize the research and education infrastructure developed within them. The CMS Division seeks to enhance academic infrastructure through special supplementary and focused grant programs. These programs include Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER), Combined Research and Curriculum Development (CRCD), Major Research Instrumentation (MRI), Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI), Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR), Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER), and Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE), as well as international collaborations. For more information on these programs, see link Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. The Division is committed to increasing the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in all of its programs. Proposals that use innovative outreach activities to increase the participation of these individuals in the CMS community are particularly sought. Contact Information (CMS) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF DESIGN, MANUFACTURE, AND INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION (DMII) The Division of Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation (DMII) seeks to extend the intellectual foundations of design and manufacturing by identifying key research and education issues in partnership with industry, government, and academe, and by funding projects to address them. DMII encourages the submission of proposals by individual researchers and small research groups spanning a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines. DMII also supports research leading to the improvement of U.S. industrial productivity and the commercialization of new knowledge by the small business community through NSF's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. Programs and activities in DMII support projects that enable network-based and distributed manufacturing through the development of design methodologies, manufacturing standards, protocols, and processes that allow geographically dispersed designers and fabricators to collaborate through a digital interface using unambiguous descriptive languages and grammar. The DMII Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Design and Integration Engineering * Manufacturing Processes and Equipment * Operations Research and Production Systems * Innovation and Organizational Change (IOC) * Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) * Industry/University Liaison Program For More Information on DMII Programs and Activities For further information on DMII activities, write to the Division of Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 550, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1330, or by fax, (703) 306-0298; or visit the DMII Division Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/dmii/. LEVEL 3 Design and Integration Engineering This program supports the creation of new knowledge to develop the fundamental principles of and procedures for engineering design. This includes theories of design, methodologies for and models of design, and organization and management techniques for the effective use of engineering design systems. Particular focus is given to the development of an overarching theory of manufacturing systems to allow the effective design of the information and communications framework required to interface the hardware and software elements of a modern computer-integrated manufacturing system. While the primary objective is to bridge design and manufacturing, efforts are also aimed at integrating all aspects of the manufacturing life cycle. Contact Information (DMII) Manufacturing Processes and Equipment This program supports the development of new knowledge to improve the predictability, producibility, and productivity of existing manufacturing processes and equipment, and the innovation of new manufacturing processes and equipment. This will enable the manufacturing of a broad range of products from a wide range of new and recycled materials, including metals, polymers, ceramics, composites, and specially engineered materials. The program aims to understand the fundamental behavior of materials and machines during processing, develop novel manufacturing processes and machine prototypes, and control the manufacturing process and operations during the production of actual parts. Contact Information (DMII) Operations Research and Production Systems This program supports analytical and computational research geared toward improving the productivity of engineered systems. The program supports research that is driven by relevant problems in manufacturing, logistics, and service systems. The Operations Research program element welcomes innovative research proposals oriented toward basic methodologies and motivated by problems relevant to engineering. The Production Systems program element encourages research driven by real and relevant industrial problems in all aspects of production operations, including manufacturing, communications, transportation, and service. Investigators interested in submitting a proposal to the Production Systems program element are strongly encouraged to establish ties with an appropriate industrial partner or partners. Contact Information (DMII) Innovation and Organizational Change (IOC) This program seeks to improve the performance of industrial, educational, service, health care, governmental, and other organizations and institutions through the support of research on theories, concepts, and methodologies of innovation and organizational change. IOC is jointly supported by the Directorates for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE); Engineering (ENG); and Education and Human Resources (EHR). The program supports research using theory combined with empirical validation to understand effective approaches to organizational learning and redesign, strategic and cultural change, quality and process improvement, innovation, new product and service development, and the development and integration of new technologies. Proposers should work with partner organizations in industry, education, health care, government, or service. IOC supersedes and extends its scope beyond those of two former NSF programs: Management of Technology Innovation (MOTI) and Transformations to Quality Organizations (TQO). Further information on IOC is available on the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/start.htm) on the SBE Directorate Home Page. Contact Information (DMII) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) This program offers opportunity and incentive for creative engineering-, science-, education-, and technology-related small businesses to conduct innovative, high-risk research on important scientific and technical problems, work that could have significant potential for commercialization and public benefit if the research is successful. This is a three-phase program that offers incentives for converting research done in Phases I and II to commercial application in Phase III, with the final effort funded by private capital. Deadlines and Target Dates for the SBIR and STTR Programs A program solicitation is produced annually for both the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. These solicitations contain deadlines and target dates, as well as further information on submission of proposals. These solicitations are widely publicized by the Small Business Administration, announced in the Commerce Business Daily, and sent to NSF's small business mailing list. For More Information on the SBIR and STTR Programs Further information on both the SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs, including the latest program solicitations, is available on the SBIR Home Page (http://www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir/) on the Engineering Directorate Home Page. Contact Information (DMII) Industry/University Liaison Program This program comprises two subactivities, both of which encourage university/industry collaboration: the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program and the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) Initiative. STTR is a Federal program that links entrepreneurs to the academic research community. STTR works closely with the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and encourages the commercialization of government-funded research by the private sector. The GOALI Initiative provides opportunities through a series of mechanisms for direct linkages between academic researchers and industry. The following describes both of these programs: LEVEL 4 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) STTR is a Federal program that links entrepreneurs to the academic research community and encourages commercialization of government-funded research by the private sector, thus reinforcing the efforts of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program. STTR proposals must have small business principal investigators, but up to 60 percent of STTR funding may be used to support university subcontracts necessary to assist in the commercialization of research products by the small business firm. STTR is a three-phase program that offers incentives for converting research done in Phases I and II to commercial application in Phase III, with the final effort funded by private capital. Deadlines and Target Dates for the STTR and SBIR Programs A program solicitation is produced annually for both the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Programs. These solicitations contain deadlines and target dates, as well as further information on submission of proposals. These solicitations are widely publicized by the Small Business Administration, announced in the Commerce Business Daily, and sent to NSF's small business mailing list. For More Information on the STTR and SBIR Programs Further information on both the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Programs, including the latest program solicitations, is available on the SBIR Home Page (http://www.eng.nsf.gov/sbir/) on the Engineering Directorate Home Page. Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) The GOALI Initiative aims to synergize industry/university partnerships by making funds available for the support of an eclectic mix of industry/university linkages. Specifically, GOALI provides support (a) to conduct research and gain experience with production processes in an industrial setting, (b) for industry scientists and engineers to bring industry's perspective and integrative skills to academe, and (c) for interdisciplinary industry/university teams to conduct long-term projects. GOALI supports faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and students in developing creative modes of collaborative interaction with industry through individual or small group projects, and supports industry-based fellowships for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The GOALI Initiative targets high-risk and high-gain research that focuses on fundamental topics that would not have been undertaken by industry, and supports the development of innovative, collaborative industry/university educational programs as well as the direct transfer of new knowledge between academe and industry. For More Information on GOALI For a complete description of the GOALI Initiative, see the Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education chapter; or visit the Crosscutting Programs Web site (http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/) on the NSF Home Page. Contact Information (DMII) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF ELECTRICAL AND COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS (ECS) The Electrical and Communications Systems (ECS) Division supports research and education to improve the fundamental understanding of devices and components, and to define and apply the principles of information-based systems for control, communications, and computation. The study of micro- and nanoelectronic, photonic, and electromechanical devices and their integration into circuits and microsystems is a core discipline of electrical engineering. Modern computing and communication systems are based on these devices, and trends toward smaller devices raise new research challenges to fabricate nanoscale structures and to understand quantum principles that dominate their behavior. Research on the principles of analysis and the design of systems is a second core area in electrical engineering, and the convergence of control, communications, and computation forms the basis for new research directions in intelligent engineering systems. Learning and self-adaptive systems, distributed systems and networks, hybrid discrete/continuous representation, high-performance simulation and domain-specific computing, and biologically based search and optimization algorithms are research topics of current interest. The integration of device research and systems principles leads to broad applications in telecommunications, power and energy, environment, transportation, biomedicine, manufacturing, and other areas. The ECS Division supports integrative research through opportunities whose themes encourage innovative and collaborative systems-oriented research. The Division also provides support for specialized resources and infrastructure that facilitate research and education activities. The ECS Division is committed to increasing the participation of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities in all of its programs. Proposals are sought that employ innovative outreach activities to increase the participation of these individuals in the ECS community. The ECS Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Electronics, Photonics, and Device Technologies (EPDT) * Control, Networks, and Computational Intelligence (CNCI) * Integrative Systems * Resources and Infrastructure For More Information on ECS Programs and Activities For further information on ECS activities, write to the Division of Electrical and Communications Systems, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 675, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1339, or by fax, (703) 306-0305; or visit the ECS Division Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/ecs/. LEVEL 3 Electronics, Photonics, and Device Technologies (EPDT) (formerly Physical Foundations of Enabling Technologies) This program seeks to improve the fundamental understanding of devices and components based on the principles of electronics, photonics, electromagnetics, electro-optics, electromechanics, and related physical phenomena, and to enable the design of integrated microsystems that define new capabilities and applications. Experimental and theoretical studies of nanoscale electronic and photonic devices and principles, use of nanotechnology for device fabrication, and related topics in quantum engineering and quantum computing are of particular current interest. Adaptive and reconfigurable devices and low power/low noise electronics are used in novel network architectures and advanced communications systems. Microsensors and microactuators are used in diverse areas ranging from industry and defense applications to biology and medicine. The program invites proposals for research that can lead to high performance of micro- and nanoscale devices, components, and materials; advanced methods of design, modeling, and simulation of devices and components; and improved techniques for processing, fabrication, and manufacturing, including plasma-based processing techniques. Contact Information (ECS) Control, Networks, and Computational Intelligence (CNCI) (formerly Knowledge Modeling and Computational Intelligence) This program supports creative research underlying the analysis and design of intelligent engineering systems and networks for control, communications, and computation. The program invites proposals for research that can lead to improved methods for analysis, design, optimization, and evaluation of complex systems. Distributed systems and networks occur in telecommunications, power and energy, and transportation systems. Hybrid systems incorporate both continuous and symbolic knowledge representation and are of increasing interest in the study of networks, manufacturing, and transportation systems. Adaptive, learning, and self-organizing principles offer potential for improved performance for systems with unknown models and changing characteristics, especially in biomedical and environmental applications. Biologically inspired methods and algorithms, including neural networks, evolutionary computation, behavioral architectures, and intelligent agents for engineering applications, are also of interest. High-performance and domain-specific computation are applied to the development of simulation, design, and decision tools for engineering applications. The CNCI Program is also involved in supporting the NSF-wide effort Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence (KDI). Further information about KDI can be found in link Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Contact Information (ECS) Integrative Systems (IS) This program stimulates innovative research in areas that integrate device concepts and systems principles to develop new technologies and new research directions. Research proposals are sought that address fundamental research issues associated with the analysis and design of such integrative systems. Areas of opportunity will be announced on the Division of Electrical and Communications Systems Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/ecs/ecs.htm. In addition, researchers are welcome to propose potential topics of interest, and are encouraged to discuss them with a program director. One example of an integrated microsystem is a miniature implantable device that combines sensors, actuators, and computational algorithms and microcircuits for biomedical applications ranging from drug delivery to microsurgery. As a second example, a wireless network of hand-held or wearable computing devices incorporates microsystem transmitters, receivers, antennas, and sensors and constitutes a complex distributed network with high bandwidth and high information transfer requirements. Such integrative systems offer new challenges in basic research and promise for future applications. Integrative systems proposals may involve collaborative research among investigators in order to capture a breadth of expertise. Contact Information (ECS) Resources and Infrastructure In partnership with other NSF Directorates and government agencies, the ECS Division provides nationwide research and education resources. These include the National Nanofabrication Users Network (NNUN), National Center for Computational Electronics (NCCE), Multiuser MEMS Processes (MUMPS), U.S.-Japan Joint Optoelectronics Project, MOS Implementation Services (MOSIS), and others. In addition, the NSF Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) and Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) impact many of the research areas of the ECS community. Researchers and educators are encouraged to build linkages with these facilities and fully utilize the infrastructure. ECS also seeks to enhance academic infrastructure through supplemental and focused grant opportunities, and through the international collaborations described in the overview of the Engineering Directorate. Contact Information (ECS) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION AND CENTERS (EEC) The Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) Division seeks to stimulate new paradigms in engineering research and education that will accelerate technological and educational innovation and improve the quality and diversity of engineering graduates entering the technical workforce. To achieve its mission, EEC facilitates integrated partnerships that cross disciplines and focus on technological systems. For example, academe is linked with industry and the States, and diverse academic institutions are joined in curricular and educational innovations. The objective is to yield well-rounded, professionally oriented engineers with a global outlook and the ability to assume leadership roles in industry, academe, and society. The ECS Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) * Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) * Engineering Education * Combined Research-Curriculum Development Program * Supplemental Funding for Support of Women, Minority, and Physically Disabled Engineering Research Assistants For More Information on EEC Programs and Activities For further information on EEC activities, write to the Division of Engineering Education and Centers, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 585, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by telephone, (703) 306-1380, or by fax, (703) 306-0326; or visit the EEC Division Home Page, http://www.eng.nsf.gov/eec/. LEVEL 3 Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) ERCs provide an integrated environment for academe and industry to focus on next-generation advances in complex engineered systems, with synergy among engineering, science, and industrial practice. ERCs integrate research with education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, producing curriculum innovations derived from the systems focus of the ERCs' strategic research goals. ERCs aim to build trusted partnerships with industry, develop shared infrastructure, and increase the capacity of engineering and science graduates to contribute to the U.S. competitive edge. They provide a system perspective for long-term engineering research and education, enabling fresh technologies, productive engineering processes, and innovative products and services. Contact Information (EEC) Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRCs) I/UCRCs develop long-term partnerships among industry, academe, and government. The centers are catalyzed by a small investment from NSF and are primarily supported by center members, with NSF taking a supporting role in their development and evolution. I/UCRCs stimulate highly leveraged industry/university cooperation by focusing on fundamental research recommended by Industrial Advisory Boards. Each center is established to conduct research that is of interest to both the industry and the university with which it is involved, with the provision that the industry must provide major support to the center at all times. The centers rely primarily on the involvement of graduate students in their research projects, thus developing students who are knowledgeable in industrially relevant research. Contact Information (EEC) Engineering Education This program stimulates innovation and reform in engineering education so that graduates may better serve the needs of the next century. Very high among the priorities is an increase in the recruitment and retention of students, especially women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities. A new NSF initiative in engineering education is the Action Agenda for Systemic Engineering Education Reform, which provides support and encouragement for faculty to develop and implement fresh new approaches to improving the practice of engineering education. The Action Agenda initiative builds on the developments that have resulted from the NSF Engineering Education Coalitions and other new ideas for the reform and improvement of engineering education. Action Agenda places emphasis on proposals that are based on their final outcomes and that have strong assessment programs that focus on the goals of improving teaching and learning methods, curricular content, and constituencies and networks in engineering education. The EEC Division also participates in NSF's Educating for the Future thrust, which builds on the successes and experiences of systemic reform in grades K through 12. EEC will continue to support the outreach of engineering education improvements through many programs in which new educators can learn from successful scholars and practitioners in such areas as learning theories, course and curriculum design, test construction and evaluation, multimedia technologies, student mentoring, diversity, and leadership. This support will be provided through engineering education scholars workshops or other appropriate outreach programs and activities. Contact Information (EEC) Combined Research-Curriculum Development Program This program supports the development of multidisciplinary projects that integrate new, state-of-the-art research advances in emerging technology areas into upper-level undergraduate and introductory graduate engineering and computer and information science curricula. Contact Information (EEC) Supplemental Funding for Support of Women, Minorities, and Physically Disabled Engineering Research Assistants This program provides support for supplemental funding for investigators who wish to include women, underrepresented minorities, and physically disabled undergraduate or high school students as research assistants on their projects. Supplemental funding of up to $5,000, including indirect costs, may be requested for each student to be added to the project. Funds provided by this program are limited to two students per grant. Up to 10 percent of this amount may be used for supplies and services. The support may be used for a summer, a quarter, or an academic year. Additional funds in excess of $5,000 may be requested, if necessary, to provide special equipment, modify equipment, or provide other services required specifically for participation of persons with physical disabilities. The equipment must be specifically related to the research work, such as prosthetic devices to manipulate a specific piece of equipment, and not for general assistance, such as wheelchairs or ramps. Contact Information (EEC) GEOSCIENCES Research in the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO) seeks to advance the state of knowledge about the Earth, including its atmosphere, continents, oceans, interior, and Sun, and the processes that modify and link them together. The GEO Directorate comprises the following Divisions: * Division of Atmospheric Sciences (ATM) * Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) * Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) * Crosscutting Activities * Education and Outreach Activities For further information beyond what appears in this Guide, visit the GEO Directorate Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/). LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES (ATM) Research support is available in the Division of Atmospheric Sciences (ATM) through the following programs and activities: * Aeronomy * Atmospheric Chemistry * Climate Dynamics * Large-Scale Dynamic Meteorology * Magnetospheric Physics * Mesoscale Dynamic Meteorology * Paleoclimate * Physical Meteorology * Solar-Terrestrial * Upper Atmospheric Facilities * National Center for Atmospheric Research * UNIDATA * Lower Atmospheric Facilities Submission of Proposals to the ATM Division Proposals may be submitted at any time during the year for all programs except those involving the allocation of observational and computing facilities. Proposals should be submitted to the appropriate NSF program and should follow the guidelines printed in the Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 98-2, in revision). For projects that propose the use of lower atmospheric observing facilities and/or large amounts of computing resources (200 General Accounting Units or greater), a facility request is also required. A facility request should be sent to the manager of each facility where the proposed work would take place. Procedures for requesting the use of a facility are established by the institution managing the facility. It is important for institutions submitting a request to seek advice from the Lower Atmospheric Facilities manager at NSF. Those submitting facility requests requiring in excess of $500,000 in deployment costs are required to submit a preproposal to NSF four months prior to the actual deadline date for submission of proposals. Any questions regarding the use of computing resources should be directed to the director of the Scientific Computing Division (SCD), National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307; or visit the SCD Home Page (http://www.scd.ucar.edu/), located on the NCAR Home Page on the World Wide Web. For More Information on ATM Programs and Activities For further information, contact the Division of Atmospheric Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 775, Arlington, VA 22230; or telephone (703) 306-1520; or visit the ATM Division Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/atm/). LEVEL 3 Aeronomy This program supports research on upper and middle atmosphere phenomena of ionization, recombination, chemical reaction, photoemission, and transport; the transport of energy, momentum, and mass in the mesosphere/thermosphere/ionosphere system, including the processes involved and the coupling of this global system to the stratosphere below and magnetosphere above; and the plasma physics of phenomena manifested in the coupled ionosphere/magnetosphere system, including the effects of high-power radio wave modification. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Atmospheric Chemistry This program supports research to measure and model the concentration and distribution of gases and aerosols in the lower and middle atmosphere. Also supports research on the chemical reactions among atmospheric species, the sources and sinks of important trace gases and aerosols, aqueous-phase atmospheric chemistry, the transport of gases and aerosols throughout the atmosphere, and improved methods for measuring the concentrations of trace species and their fluxes into and out of the atmosphere. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Climate Dynamics This program supports research on the processes that govern climate and the causes of climate variability and change, the assembly and analysis of modern climatic data, and the development and use of climate models to diagnose and simulate climate and its variations and changes. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Large-Scale Dynamic Meteorology This program supports basic research to improve the understanding and prediction of atmospheric motion, from synoptic to planetary scales. Research topics include general circulation, synoptic-scale weather phenomena, atmospheric predictability, and improved parameterization of physical processes and numerical methods for use in large-scale models. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Magnetospheric Physics This program supports research on the magnetized plasma envelope of the outer atmosphere, including energization by solar wind; the origin of geomagnetic storms and substorms; the population by solar and ionospheric sources; the origin of electric fields; the coupling among the magnetosphere, ionosphere, and atmosphere; and the waves and instabilities in the natural plasma. Also supported are ground-based observational programs at high latitudes. Theoretical research programs may include numerical simulations using nonlinear, three-dimensional plasma physics models. The analysis of data from all sources, whether ground-based or from spacecraft, is also supported. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Mesoscale Dynamic Meteorology This program supports research on all aspects of mesoscale meteorological phenomena, including studies of the morphological, thermodynamic, and kinematic structure of mesoscale systems; the development of mesoscale systems and precipitation processes; and the energy transfer between scales. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Physical Meteorology This program supports research on the physics of the atmosphere, with a special emphasis on cloud physics; atmospheric electricity; radiation; the boundary layer and turbulence; and the initiation, growth, and propagation of gravity waves. The program also sponsors the development of new techniques and devices for atmospheric measurements. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Solar-Terrestrial This program supports research on the processes by which energy in diverse forms is generated by the Sun, transported to the Earth, and ultimately deposited in the terrestrial environment. Major topics include helioseismology, the solar dynamo, the activity cycle, the magnetic flux emergence, solar flares and activity, coronal mass ejections, solar wind heating, interactions with cosmic rays, and solar wind/magnetosphere boundary problems. Studies on terrestrial influences include solar spectral irradiance changes, solar "constant" changes and climatic impacts, C14 and Sun/climate connections, and solar activity and its effects on the terrestrial environment on various time scales. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Upper Atmospheric Facilities NSF supports four large incoherent-scatter radar multiuser facilities located along a longitudinal chain from Greenland to Peru. Each of these facilities is also equipped with powerful optical diagnostic instruments. In response to a need for more understanding of global-scale thermospheric and ionospheric problems, these facilities have been upgraded and realigned into a chain extending from the edge of the polar cap to the magnetic equator. The major goal of the Upper Atmospheric Facilities (UAF) Program is to promote basic research on the structure and dynamics of the Earth's upper atmosphere. Research is supported through the following activities: * Sondrestrom Radar Facility * Millstone Hill Radar * Arecibo Observatory * Jicamarca Radio Observatory Eligibility Requirements for UAF Proposals UAF facilities are available on a competitive basis to all qualified scientists. Use is based on the scientific merit of the proposed research, the capabilities of the radar to carry out the proposed observations, and whether the facility is available during the requested time period. For More Information on UAF For further information, write to the following addresses or visit the corresponding Home Pages: * Director, Sondrestrom Radar Facility, Radio Physics Laboratory, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA 94025 http://128.18.44.75/iono/issfsond.html * Director, Millstone Hill Radar, MIT, Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA 01886 http://hyperion.haystack.edu/homepage.html * Director, NAIC for Arecibo Observatory, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 http://www.naic.edu/ * Jicamarca Radio Observatory Project, Department of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 http://dartagnan.ee.cornell.edu:8001/radar/jro/jicamarca.html Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) LEVEL 4 Sondrestrom Radar Facility Located in Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland, this facility is operated by SRI International under an NSF cooperative agreement. The facility allows observations on the edge of the polar cap, the cusp, and the northern part of the auroral oval. Eligibility (UAF) Contact Information (UAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Millstone Hill Radar Located near Boston, MA, and operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under an NSF cooperative agreement, this facility is located south of the auroral oval in a region where significant midlatitude phenomena are observed. The radar provides observations of high-altitude regions from almost directly above the radar in Sondre Stromfjord to almost directly above the next radar in the chain located at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Eligibility (UAF) Contact Information (UAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Arecibo Observatory Located in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, this observatory is operated by Cornell University's National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) under an NSF cooperative agreement. At Arecibo's latitude, scientists have obtained evidence of particle precipitation in the atmosphere, composition changes in the atmosphere after magnetic storms, gravity waves propagating from the auroral region, and the penetration of magnetospheric electric fields. The UAF Program also supports the high-frequency heating facility located near the observatory. Eligibility (UAF) Contact Information (UAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Jicamarca Radio Observatory Located at the magnetic equator in Jicamarca, Peru, this observatory is owned by the Instituto Geofisico de Peru. Through a cooperative agreement with Cornell University, NSF acts as the principal sponsor of the facility, which provides a subcontract to the Institute. Eligibility (UAF) Contact Information (UAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) LEVEL 3 National Center for Atmospheric Research The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), located in Boulder, CO, is a focal point for research in the field of atmospheric sciences. NCAR is supported by NSF and managed under a cooperative agreement between NSF and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a consortium of North American universities with graduate programs in atmospheric sciences. The facilities at NCAR serve the entire atmospheric sciences research community and some ocean scientists. Facilities include a computing and data center that provides supercomputer resources and services for the development and production of large models, and for archiving, manipulating, and visualizing large data sets. For information on other NCAR facilities, see Lower Atmospheric Facilities. NCAR's scientific research programs focus on subjects such as large-scale atmospheric and ocean dynamics; global and regional atmospheric chemistry; the variable nature of the Sun and the physics of the corona; the physics of clouds, thunderstorms, precipitation formation, and the interactions and effects on larger scale weather; and human society's impact on and response to global environmental change. NCAR also provides fellowships for visiting scientists to interact with NCAR scientists. Eligibility Requirements for NCAR Proposals Support for facilities and visiting scientists is provided on a competitive basis to qualified scientists according to scientific merit, the availability of facility time, and the level of resources. For More Information on NCAR For further information, contact the Director, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307; or visit the NCAR Home Page http://www.ncar.ucar.edu/. Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) UNIDATA UNIDATA is a national program to help universities access, analyze, and display a wide range of atmospheric data on their own computers, often in real time. The program is managed by UCAR, and is supported by NSF's ATM Division. UNIDATA serves a broad community, including teaching and research professionals in weather forecasting, climate studies, atmospheric analysis and modeling, and related disciplines. NSF provides equipment grants to support UNIDATA activities at universities. For more information, visit the UNIDATA Home Page (http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/). Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Lower Atmospheric Facilities NSF's Lower Atmospheric Facilities (LAF) Program supports multiuser national research facilities that offer educational opportunities and serve the observational needs of the atmospheric science research community. * Aircraft * Radar * Other Facilities Eligibility Requirements for LAF Proposals The Lower Atmospheric Facilities are available on a competitive basis to all qualified scientists. Use of LAF is based on the scientific merit of the proposed research, the capabilities of the facilities to carry out the proposed observations, and whether the facility is available during the requested time period. For More Information on LAF For further information, write to the following addresses or visit the corresponding Home Pages: * Division Director, Atmospheric Technology Division, NCAR, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 http://www.atd.ucar.edu * Facility Manager, Wyoming King Air, Department of Atmospheric Science, P.O. Box 3038, University Station, Laramie, WY 82071 http://www-das.uwyo.edu/atsc/facilities/index.html * Facility Manager, T-28, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD 57701 http://www.ias.sdsmt.edu/ias/ * Facility Manager, CSU-CHILL Radar, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523 http://olympic.atmos.colostate.edu/CHILL/CSU-CHILL.html LEVEL 4 Aircraft Located at NCAR, a four-engine Lockheed Electra and a four-engine Lockheed EC-130Q Hercules; at the University of Wyoming, a Beech King Air; and at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, an armored T-28. These aircraft can be equipped with sensors to measure meteorological and chemical state parameters. A variety of instruments can be selected for a particular project, or users may supply specialized instrumentation. Eligibility (LAF) Contact Information (LAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Radar NCAR operates an airborne X-band-a dual-beam, rapid conical-scanning multiple-frequency radar-and a transportable multiparameter S/X-band Doppler radar. Colorado State University operates a transportable CSU S-band radar that provides two complete transmit and receive channels. Eligibility (LAF) Contact Information (LAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) Other Facilities NCAR operates surface observing systems that measure surface fluxes of trace chemical species, water vapor, sensible heat, and momentum. NCAR also operates a network of surface meteorology stations that measure wind, temperature, humidity, pressure, solar radiation, and precipitation. NCAR also provides a number of systems that measure the vertical profile of temperature, moisture, pressure, and winds in the troposphere. Eligibility (LAF) Contact Information (LAF) Submission of Proposals (ATM) Contact Information (ATM) LEVEL 2 CROSSCUTTING ACTIVITIES The GEO Directorate takes an active role in several areas of crosscutting research not mentioned in this chapter. The following is a list of these activities. * Environment and Global Change, including the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research * Knowledge and Distributed Intelligence (KDI) * Life and Earth's Environment (LEE) For information on other crosscutting programs and activities at NSF, see the Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education chapter of this Guide. LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF EARTH SCIENCES (EAR) Research support is available in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) through the following types of programs: * Core Research Support * Special Emphasis Areas Submission of Proposals to the EAR Division NSF supports the best research proposals received in any area of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, paleobiology, and hydrology, including interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary proposals that may involve one or more of these disciplines. Especially welcome are proposals for research in newly emerging areas of science that may not fit easily into one of these categories. For convenience in proposal evaluation, proposals received are assigned to one of the individual Core Research Support Programs or to the Continental Dynamics or Instrumentation and Facilities Programs, if appropriate. The titles of these programs indicate in general terms the subject matter covered by each, although the programs should be considered very broad and not necessarily restricted to their specified discipline of science. Eligibility Requirements for EAR Proposals Proposals will be accepted from colleges, universities, and other institutions in the United States with formal research programs in the earth sciences. Proposals may involve individual scientists or be a collaborative effort of associated researchers working on coordinated projects. For More Information on EAR Programs and Activities Information on the programs in the EAR Division is available in the publication Earth Sciences Research at the National Science Foundation (NSF 96-50). For further information, contact the Division of Earth Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 785, Arlington, VA 22230; or telephone (703) 306-1550; or visit the EAR Division Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/ear/). LEVEL 3 CORE RESEARCH SUPPORT PROGRAMS The following programs comprise Core Research Support in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR). Further information on these programs is available by calling the telephone number listed, or by visiting the EAR Division Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/ear/). * Continental Dynamics (703) 306-1559 * Education and Human Resources (703) 306-1557 * Geology and Paleontology (703) 306-1551 * Geophysics (703) 306-1556 * Hydrologic Sciences (703) 306-1549 * Instrumentation and Facilities (703) 306-1558 * Petrology and Geochemistry (703) 306-1554 * Tectonics (703) 306-1552 LEVEL 4 Continental Dynamics This program supports multidisciplinary research that will result in a better understanding of the processes that govern the origin, structure, composition, and dynamical evolution of the continents and continental building blocks. This program is especially geared toward projects whose scope and complexity require a cooperative or multi-institutional approach and multiyear planning and execution. It is intended that the program fund only relatively large projects that do not fit easily within earth sciences project support and that offer broad support for major sections of the earth sciences community. The program also funds research as part of the interagency and international Continental Scientific Drilling and Exploration Program. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Education and Human Resources EAR's program in Education and Human Resources coordinates the Division's efforts to improve earth science education for all U.S. citizens and provides liaison between the earth sciences research community and NSF's Directorate for Education and Human Resources. The program supports the Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program and EAR's participation in Foundation-wide programs such as Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)-Sites. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Geology and Paleontology This program supports studies of physical, chemical, geological, and biological processes at or near the Earth's surface and the landforms, sediments, fossils, low-temperature fluids, and sedimentary rocks that they produce. Areas of research supported by the program include paleontology, paleoecology, stratigraphy, paleoclimatology, geomorphology, glacial geology, sedimentology, soil genesis, sedimentary petrology, diagenesis, and organic geochemistry. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Geophysics This program supports laboratory, field, theoretical, and computational studies related to the composition, structure, and processes of the Earth's interior. Topics include studies in seismicity and seismic wave propagation; the nature and occurrence of earthquakes; and the Earth's magnetic, gravity, and electrical fields and its internal temperature distribution. Support is also given for geophysical studies of active deformation, including GPS-based geodesy, and fundamental laboratory studies of properties and behavior of earth materials in support of geophysical observation and theory. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Hydrologic Sciences This program supports basic research dealing with the Earth's hydrologic cycle and the role of water on and near the continental surfaces of the Earth. The program views hydrologic sciences as a geoscience interactive on a wide range of space and time scales with ocean, atmospheric, and solid earth sciences as well as plant and animal sciences. Supported projects may involve water in the form of precipitation, lakes, streams, and ground water, and interactions with landforms, soils, the atmosphere, the biosphere, and the Earth's crust. The program encourages integrated studies of water balance and fluxes among the various reservoirs. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Instrumentation and Facilities This program supports the acquisition or upgrade of equipment required for research, the development of new instrumentation and techniques that extend current research capabilities in the earth sciences, the operation of multiuser regional or national facilities that provide access to complex and expensive instrument systems for a significant segment of the earth sciences research community, and the funding of research technicians. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Petrology and Geochemistry This program supports research on igneous, metamorphic, and hydrothermal processes that occur within the Earth and other planetary bodies and on the minerals, rocks, fluids, and ore deposits resulting from these processes. Included are studies in mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, volcanology, geochemistry, economic geology, and meteoritics. Supported research includes field, laboratory, theoretical, and computational studies. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) Tectonics This program involves studies in structural geology, tectonics, geochronology, petrology, paleomagnetics, and other fields related to understanding the tectonic history of the lithosphere through time. Supported research includes field, laboratory, and theoretical studies of the processes and kinematics accompanying deformation at plate boundaries and in plate interiors. Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) LEVEL 3 SPECIAL EMPHASIS AREAS Within the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR), certain research areas may be selected for special emphasis, or on the basis of special scientific opportunities. Frequently, these are related to areas of national priority such as the Environment and Global Change Research Program and the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program. The following is a list of current Special Emphasis Areas and the publication number for the corresponding program announcement: * Earth System History (NSF 97-161) * Water and Energy: Atmospheric, Vegetative, and Earth Interactions (NSF 95-45) * Environmental Geochemistry and Biogeochemistry (NSF 97-172) * Active Tectonics (NSF 95-137) * Cooperative Studies of the Earth's Deep Interior (CSEDI) (NSF 95-155) * Earth Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (NSF 93-93) Submission of Proposals (EAR) Eligibility (EAR) Contact Information (EAR) LEVEL 2 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES In addition to the discipline-specific education and outreach activities supported by the three GEO Divisions, the Directorate participates in the multiagency Global Learning to Benefit the Earth (GLOBE) Program. The GLOBE Program is a developing international effort that links scientists and schoolchildren through a global information network and is designed to promote general science literacy related to environmental and global change issues. For More Information on GLOBE For further information on GLOBE, contact Dr. Paul Filmer in the Directorate for Geosciences by telephone, (703) 306-1515; or by e-mail, globe@nsf.gov; or visit the GEO Directorate Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/) or the Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate Home Page (http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/). Further information on EHR programs is available in the EHR Directorate pages of this Guide. LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF OCEAN SCIENCES (OCE) Research support is available in the Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) through the following programs and activities: * Biological Oceanography * Chemical Oceanography * Marine Geology and Geophysics * Physical Oceanography * Ocean Technology and Interdisciplinary Coordination * Oceanographic Centers and Facilities * Ocean Drilling Program For More Information on OCE Programs and Activities Further information about the OCE Division, such as deadline and target dates, extended program descriptions, and publications, is available on the OCE Division Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/oce/). LEVEL 3 Biological Oceanography This program supports research on ocean productivity; the distribution, abundance, physiology, and life history of pelagic, coastal, and deep-sea marine organisms and their interactions with environments; structures of pelagic and benthic food chains; primary and secondary production; interactions between deep-sea biological processes and the ocean ecosystem; the specialization of deep-sea organisms; the ecology of the Great Lakes and factors regulating productivity; and marine biotechnology. Contact Information (OCE) Chemical Oceanography This program supports research on physical and chemical properties of seawater, including kinetic and thermodynamic equilibria of chemical species and compounds in seawater; fluxes between seafloor sediments, their interstitial waters, and overlying seawater; fates of materials deposited on the seafloor; alterations and interactions of material moving through the ocean; interactions and interdependencies between chemical processes and marine organisms; air/sea exchanges of manmade and naturally mobilized chemicals; and chemical properties of the ocean surface. Contact Information (OCE) Marine Geology and Geophysics This program supports research on the structure of continental margins, oceanic rise systems, and deep-sea sedimentary basins; the evolution of ocean basins; processes controlling exchanges of heat and chemical elements between seawater and oceanic rocks; tectonic and volcanic activity at midocean ridges; chemical and mineralogic variations in marine sediments; the deposition, erosion, and distribution of marine sediments; geologic and oceanographic processes controlling sedimentary systems; past oceanic circulation patterns and climates; the evolution of microfossil groups; paleoenvironmental controls on fossil groups and sediment types; and interactions of continental and oceanic geologic processes. Contact Information (OCE) Physical Oceanography This program supports research on the description, analysis, and modeling of oceanic circulation and transport; the effects of circulation on energy and momentum transport; physical circulation processes, eddy generation, and turbulent mixing on continental shelves; mixing processes and circulation in estuaries; wind-generated tides and surface and internal waves; small-scale transport processes such as diffusion, conduction, convection, and three-dimensional turbulence; and physical properties of seawater and circulation and mixing processes in lakes. Contact Information (OCE) Ocean Technology and Interdisciplinary Coordination This program supports a wide range of multidisciplinary activities that broadly seek to develop, transfer, or apply instrumentation and technologies that will benefit research programs supported by NSF and enhance the conduct of basic ocean sciences research. Instrumentation and technology projects supported by this program must be broadly usable and be of benefit to more than a particular research project. The scope of projects varies from short-term feasibility studies to development, construction, and at-sea testing of a prototype to demonstrate that useful and applicable data are obtained. If ocean research is to be undertaken, joint consideration with the relevant research program may be undertaken for the instrument development phase of the project. In addition, the Interdisciplinary Coordination program area supports a limited number of research approaches that cross the four basic ocean science subdisciplines (physics, chemistry, biology, and geology and geophysics). Contact Information (OCE) Oceanographic Centers and Facilities NSF supports the construction, conversion, acquisition, and operation of major shared-use oceanographic facilities. The University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) schedules these facilities and expeditionary programs. This program supports expensive facilities that are necessary for NSF-funded research and training of oceanographers. Examples of these facilities are ships, submersibles, large shipboard equipment, and shared-use instruments to collect and analyze data. NSF encourages local contributions from non-Federal funds; however, there is no fixed requirement for institutional contributions. Eligibility Requirements for Oceanographic Centers and Facilities Proposals Support for major oceanographic facilities is concentrated at institutions that have substantial research programs in oceanography in addition to supporting the research projects of other institutions. Before submitting a proposal for support under this program, institutions should seek advice from the Oceanographic Centers and Facilities Section. Specific instructions on how to submit proposals for ship operations, technicians, shipboard equipment, and oceanographic instrumentation can be found in the publication Oceanographic Centers and Facilities Section (NSF 94-124). For More Information on Oceanographic Centers and Facilities For further information, contact the Oceanographic Centers and Facilities Section, Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 725, Arlington, VA 22230; or telephone (703) 306-1576; or visit the OCE Division Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/oce/). Contact Information (OCE) Ocean Drilling Program The Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) explores, on a global scale, the Earth's crust beneath the ocean in order to learn more about the composition, structure, and history of the submerged portion of the Earth's surface. The drilling process involves logging and collecting geologic samples from the floor of deep ocean basins through rotary coring and hydraulic piston coring. The logs and samples of the cores are available to qualified scientists throughout the world for research projects. ODP Operations The drilling program has taken samples at various sites, including the North Atlantic Ocean, Norwegian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, southern and equatorial Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America, Weddell Sea off Antarctica, Indian Ocean, and western and equatorial Pacific Ocean. The general contractor for the overall management and operation of the ODP is Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc. (JOI), a consortium of major U.S. oceanographic institutions. The drilling operations are managed by Texas A&M University; logging is managed by the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, located at Columbia University. Contact Information (OCE) U.S. Science Support NSF provides funding for the participation and drilling-related research performed by U.S. scientists. Activities include the investigations of potential drilling regions, especially by means of regional geophysical field studies; the feasibility and initial development of downhole instruments and techniques; and the downhole geophysical and geochemical experiments. In addition, NSF will consider proposals for studies that lead to a long-range definition of future drilling objectives. To be considered for support, proposed projects should be clearly relevant to the drilling plans of the international drilling community and focus on predrilling or drilling-concurrent activities. Postcruise studies should generally be submitted through other appropriate NSF programs in the areas of ocean and earth sciences and polar programs. Additional support for U.S. scientists may be obtained through the JOI U.S. Science Advisory Committee (USSAC). This NSF-sponsored program consists of planning activities, such as workshops, to define concepts and develop problem-related drilling programs, including U.S. participation in Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES); and support for U.S. scientists participating on the drill ship, as well as necessary follow-up studies related to initial publication of drilling results. In addition, requests for proposals may be issued for other surveys, regional and topical syntheses of existing data, and the development of downhole tools and instrumentation as these tasks are identified. For More Information on ODP For further information, contact the Ocean Drilling Program, Oceanographic Centers and Facilities Section, Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 725, Arlington, VA 22230; or telephone (703) 306-1581; or visit the OCE Division Home Page (http://www.geo.nsf.gov/oce/). Proposals for drilling specific sites should be submitted to the JOIDES Planning Committee Chairman, c/o Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc., 1755 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036; or telephone (202) 232-3900. Applications for scientific participation aboard a ship should be submitted to the Manager of Science Operations, Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3469. Appropriate support may be provided by JOI-USSAC. Send requests for data and samples of core material to Curator, Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-3469; or visit the program's Home Page (http://www-odp.tamu.edu/curation/). For information regarding logs and the logging program, write to the Borehole Research Group, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964; or visit the group's Home Page (http://www.ldeo.columbia.edu/BRG/index.html). Proposals for planning activities and workshops may be submitted to the JOI-USSAC Chairman, c/o Joint Oceanographic Institutions, Inc., 1755 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Contact Information (OCE) MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES Programs in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Directorate are designed to increase the knowledge base in the mathematical and physical sciences, improve the quality of education in the mathematical and physical sciences in graduate and undergraduate activities, increase the rate at which advances in the mathematical and physical sciences are translated into advances in science and technology on a broad spectrum and into societal benefits, and increase the diversity of people and approaches in the mathematical and physical sciences. To help the programs in MPS meet these goals, the Directorate encourages collaboration with other NSF Directorates and with other agencies and industrial organizations. MPS also encourages communication among the divisions and across Directorate boundaries to ensure effective support of research and education projects in emerging fields that cut across those lines. MPS is an active participant in a number of interagency and intra-agency programs that focus on interdisciplinary areas of importance to the national interest. These include advanced materials and processing; biotechnology; environment and global change; high performance computing and communications; advanced manufacturing technologies; civil infrastructure systems; and science, mathematics, engineering, and technology education. Researchers and educators interested in exploring opportunities in these areas should contact the program most closely related to their own interests to learn more about submitting proposals. The MPS Directorate comprises the following Divisions: * Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA) * Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST) * Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) * Division of Physics (PHY) * Division of Chemistry (CHE) * Division of Materials Research (DMR) For further information beyond what appears in this Guide, visit the MPS Directorate Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/). LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF ASTRONOMICAL SCIENCES (AST) The overall objective of the Astronomical Sciences (AST) Division is to increase our knowledge of the universe. Support is given for research aimed at determining the composition, structure, and evolution of planets, stars, and galaxies, including our Sun and the Milky Way. AST also supports the development and operation of three National Astronomy Centers; provides the United States' share of the funding for the operation of the Gemini Observatories, an international partnership; and supports the Center for Particle Astrophysics, a NSF Science and Technology (S&T) Center. Proposals to support searches for extraterrestrial intelligence are not supported in the AST Division. The AST Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation * Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs * Electromagnetic Spectrum Management * Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology * Galactic Astronomy * Planetary Astronomy * Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics * Facilities For More Information on AST Programs and Activities For further information on AST activities, write to the Division of Astronomical Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1045, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1820; or visit the AST Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/start.htm). LEVEL 3 Advanced Technologies and Instrumentation This program supports the development and construction of state-of-the-art detectors and instruments for the visible, infrared, and radio regions of the spectrum; interferometric imaging instrumentation; adaptive optics; and the application of new technologies and innovative techniques in astronomical research. Contact Information (AST) Education, Human Resources, and Special Programs These activities coordinate research support in special areas that are astronomy-related. Programs include Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites and Supplements, Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER), Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI), Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE), and programs for underrepresented minorities. For a complete description of these programs, see Crosscutting Areas of Research Education. Contact Information (AST) Electronic Spectrum Management This program coordinates with other government agencies to use electromagnetic spectra for research and frequency assignments for other telecommunications and electronics systems. Contact Information (AST) Extragalactic Astronomy and Cosmology This program supports theoretical and observational studies of extragalactic objects, ranging from nearby galaxies to the most distant quasars, and their relevance to galactic evolution and cosmology. Contact Information (AST) Galactic Astronomy This program supports theoretical and observational studies of the structure and evolution of the Milky Way galaxy; the distribution, position, and motion of stars in the galaxy; the characteristics of star clusters in the galaxy; the interstellar medium; and the properties of atoms and molecular constituents of the interstellar medium. Contact Information (AST) Planetary Astronomy This program supports theoretical and observational studies of the detailed structure and composition of planetary surfaces, interiors, atmospheres, and satellites; the nature of small bodies such as asteroids and comets; and the origin and development of the solar system. Contact Information (AST) Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics This program supports theoretical and observational studies of the structure and activity of the Sun and other stars; the physical properties of all types of stars; all aspects of star formation and stellar evolution; the effects of mass loss, rotation, and magnetic fields; and the properties of atoms and molecules that are relevant to stellar astronomy. Contact Information (AST) Facilities NSF astronomical facilities and instrumentation are available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists from all over the world. Telescope time is assigned after judgment of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time period. The facilities supported by the AST Division are: * National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center * Gemini 8-Meter Telescopes * National Optical Astronomy Observatories * National Radio Astronomy Observatory LEVEL 4 National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center NSF supports the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC), a visitor-oriented national research center focusing on radio and radar astronomy and atmospheric sciences. NAIC's headquarters are located in Ithaca, NY, where it is operated and managed for NSF by Cornell University. Its principal observing facilities are 19 kilometers south of the city of Arecibo, Puerto Rico. NAIC provides telescope users with a wide range of research and observing instrumentation, including receivers, transmitters, and digital data acquisition and processing equipment. The center has a permanent staff of scientists, engineers, and technicians who are available to help visiting investigators with their observation programs. NAIC's principal astronomical research instrument is a 305-meter fixed spherical radio/radar telescope, the world's largest single radio wavelength reflector. Its frequency capabilities range from 50 megahertz to 5 gigahertz. Transmitters include an S-band (2,380-megahertz) radar system for planetary studies and a 430-megahertz radar system for aeronomy studies. A high-power ionospheric heating facility provides researchers with a unique capability to investigate nonlinear plasma phenomena in the ionosphere. For More Information on NAIC For further information on NAIC, visit the NAIC Web site on the AST Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/naic.htm). Information is also available by writing to the Director, National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853; or visiting the NAIC Home Page (http://aosun.naic.edu/). Contact Information (AST) Gemini 8-Meter Telescopes The Gemini 8-Meter Telescopes Project is an international partnership involving the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina. The project involves the construction of two 8-meter telescopes: one in the Northern Hemisphere on Mauna Kea, HI, and one in the Southern Hemisphere on Cerro Pachon, Chile. The Mauna Kea telescope will be infrared optimized and will have superb image quality; the Chilean telescope will be its near twin. Completion is expected in 1998 on Mauna Kea and in 2000 in Chile. When operational, these telescopes will provide astronomers from the partnership countries with world-class observing facilities. Observing time will be assigned on the basis of scientific merit. NSF acts as the executive agency for the partnership, and the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA)-a consortium of 20 major universities-is managing the construction of the telescopes. For More Information on Gemini 8-Meter Telescopes For further information on the Gemini 8-Meter Telescopes Project, visit the Gemini Web site on the AST Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/gemini.htm); or the Gemini Telescopes Home Page (http://www.gemini.edu/). Contact Information (AST) National Optical Astronomy Observatories NSF supports the National Optical Astronomy Observatories (NOAO), a national center for research in ground-based optical and infrared astronomy and solar physics. Large optical telescopes, observing instrumentation, and data analysis equipment and the NOAO staff of astronomers, engineers, and various support personnel are available to assist qualified visiting scientists in their use of the facilities. NOAO, whose headquarters are located in Tucson, AZ, is operated and managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA). NOAO comprises the Kitt Peak National Observatory, the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, and the National Solar Observatory. NOAO comprises the following facilities: * Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO)-The observing facilities of KPNO are located on Kitt Peak, a 2,089-meter mountain that is 90 kilometers southwest of Tucson, AZ. KPNO include the 3.5-meter WIYN telescope, the 4-meter Mayall telescope, a 2.1-meter general-purpose reflector, a 92-centimeter coud-feed (associated with the 2.1-meter), and a 0.9-meter equipped for wide-field imaging. A full complement of state-of-the-art spectroscopic, photometric, and imaging instrumentation is available for use on these telescopes. * Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO)-Provides qualified scientists with telescopes and related facilities for astronomical research in the Southern Hemisphere. CTIO has offices, laboratories, and living quarters in the coastal city of La Serena, Chile, located about 482 kilometers north of Santiago, Chile. The observing facilities are located on Cerro Tololo, a 2,194-meter mountain on the western slopes of the Andes, about 64 kilometers inland from La Serena. CTIO operates six telescopes, including the 4-meter Blanco telescope, which is a near twin to the 4-meter Mayall at Kitt Peak. The other telescopes are a 1.5-meter, a 0.91-meter, a 0.61-meter reflector, a Schmidt telescope (on loan from the University of Michigan), and a 1-meter reflector (on loan from Yale). These telescopes are equipped with instruments similar to those at KPNO. * National Solar Observatory (NSO)-Is devoted to research in the fields of solar physics, solar/terrestrial relationships, and related areas. NSO makes available to qualified scientists the world's largest collection of modern optical solar telescopes and auxiliary instrumentation designed to observe the solar photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. NSO has observing facilities atop Kitt Peak, AZ (NSO/KP), and Sacramento Peak, NM (NSO/SP). The Kitt Peak facilities consist of the 1.5-meter McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope, the world's largest solar research instrument, and a solar vacuum telescope/magnetograph. The McMath complex is designed primarily for solar observations and is also used for planetary and stellar observations and for laboratory high-resolution spectroscopy. The principal instruments of NSO/SP are the 0.76-meter aperture Solar Vacuum Tower Telescope, equipped with spectrographs, optical benches, and the Advanced Stokes Polarimeter; and the Evans Solar Facility, equipped with a 40-centimeter aperture coronagraph, spectrographs, and a coronal photometer. The NSO also operates the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG), a worldwide network of instruments for helioseismology; and the GONG Data Center in Tucson, AZ. For More Information on NOAO For further information on NOAO, visit the NOAO Web site on the AST Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/noao2.htm). Information is also available by writing to the Director, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, AZ 85726; or visit the NOAO Home Page (http://www.noao.edu/noao.html). Contact Information (AST) National Radio Astronomy Observatory The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) offers the use of radio astronomy facilities to qualified scientists. The staff at NRAO help visiting scientists use the large radio antennas, receivers, and other equipment needed to detect, measure, and identify radio waves from astronomical objects. NRAO headquarters are located in Charlottesville, VA; however, actual observing sites are in Green Bank, WV; Kitt Peak near Tucson, AZ; a site 80 kilometers west of Socorro, NM; and 10 sites in the continental United States and on the islands of Hawaii and St. Croix. The St. Croix site includes individual antennas of the Very-Long-Baseline Array (VLBA). NRAO is supported under the terms of a cooperative agreement between NSF and Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), the organization responsible for the operation and management of the observatory. Currently operated at the Green Bank site is a 43-meter aperture instrument that permits the study of spectral lines at centimeter wavelengths. It is an integral part of the VLBA network, which studies quasars and is involved in the high-resolution mapping of galactic objects based on simultaneous observations by combinations of telescopes over transcontinental and intercontinental distances. A 12-meter millimeter-wavelength telescope located on Kitt Peak is capable of both continuum and spectral-line studies at wavelengths from 1 centimeter to as short as 1 millimeter. The Very Large Array (VLA) telescope located west of Socorro, NM, consists of 27 antennae and carries out aperture synthesis observations of faint radio sources. For More Information on NRAO For further information on NRAO, visit the NRAO Web site on the AST Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/nrao.htm). Information is also available by writing to the Director, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903; or visit the NRAO Home Page (http://www.nrao.edu). Contact Information (AST) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF CHEMISTRY (CHE) The Chemistry (CHE) Division supports research and the development of research infrastructure in the principal subdisciplines of chemistry. The field of chemistry is very diverse, and NSF support for chemistry research goes beyond the CHE Division. Other NSF divisions supporting chemistry research include Atmospheric Sciences, Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Chemical and Transport Systems, Earth Sciences, and Materials Research. Similarly, support for the development of infrastructure in chemistry is also provided by appropriate divisions in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) and in the Directorate for Biosciences (BIO) through the Division of Biological Infrastructure. Molecular science plays a central role in many areas of science and engineering. Because of this, much of the research supported by the CHE Division will also further the advancement of research in other disciplines, such as biology and chemical engineering, and in various multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary areas, such as environmental science and materials science. The CHE Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Analytical and Surface Chemistry * Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry * Organic Chemical Dynamics * Organic Synthesis * Experimental Physical Chemistry * Theoretical and Computational Chemistry * Chemistry of Materials * Office of Special Projects * Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) For More Information on CHE Programs and Activities For further information on CHE activities, write to the Division of Chemistry, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1055, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1840; or visit the CHE Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/chem/start.htm). LEVEL 3 Analytical and Surface Chemistry This program supports fundamental chemical research directed toward the characterization and analysis of all forms of matter. Studies of elemental and molecular macrocomposition and of the microstructure of both bulk and surface domains are included. Investigations designed to probe the chemical structure and reactivity of the interface between different forms of matter are also supported. The program has links to other programs within NSF that support chemistry research, including Solid State Chemistry (Materials Research Division, MPS Directorate); Biochemistry and Biophysics (Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Division, BIO Directorate); and Chemical Reaction Processes and Interfacial, Transport, and Separation Processes (Chemical and Transport Systems Division, ENG Directorate). Contact Information (CHE) Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry This program supports research on the synthesis, properties, and reaction mechanisms of molecules containing metals, metalloids, and nonmetals, encompassing the entire periodic table of the elements. Included are studies of homogeneous catalytic chemical reactions; bioinorganic and organometallic reactions; and the rational synthesis of new inorganic substances with predictable chemical, physical, and biological properties. Such research provides the basis for understanding the function of metal ions in biological systems; the behavior of new inorganic materials and new industrial catalysts; and the systematic understanding of the chemistry of most of the elements in the environment. Contact Information (CHE) Organic Chemical Dynamics This program supports research that will advance the knowledge of carbon-based molecules, metallo-organic systems, and organized molecular assemblies. Experimental, computational, and theoretical projects that illuminate chemical structures, reactivity, and properties, and that provide organic mechanistic, structural, and kinetic foundations for the understanding of biological processes, are all considered. The program has links to other programs within NSF that support chemistry research, including Solid State Chemistry and Polymers (Materials Research Division, MPS Directorate); Chemical Reaction Processes (Chemical and Transport Systems Division, ENG Directorate); Biochemistry and Biophysics (Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Division, BIO Directorate); and Atmospheric Chemistry (Atmospheric Sciences Division, GEO Directorate). Contact Information (CHE) Organic Synthesis This program supports research on the synthesis of carbon-based molecules, organometallic systems, and organized molecular assemblies. Research includes the development of new reagents and methods for organic synthesis and characterization and for the investigation of natural products and new organic materials. Such research provides the basis for design syntheses of new materials and natural products of importance to the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The program has links to other programs within NSF that support chemistry research, including Biochemistry (Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Division, BIO Directorate) and Polymers (Materials Research Division, MPS Directorate). Contact Information (CHE) Experimental Physical Chemistry This program supports experimental research directed at the molecular level of understanding of the physical properties of chemical systems. Experimental methodologies employed include frequency domain and time domain spectroscopic techniques covering the entire range of the electromagnetic spectrum, time-resolved dynamical studies of state-selected and mass-selected systems, and reactive scattering in molecular beams. Chemical systems studied range from single isolated molecules or ions to clusters, liquids, and solids. Chemical properties of interest include molecular structure and the shape of the ground and excited electronic-state potential energy surfaces, chemical dynamics of unimolecular and bimolecular chemical processes, time-resolved internal energy redistribution and state-to-state dynamics in molecular systems, and solute/solvent interactions in clusters and liquids. The program has links to other programs within NSF that support chemistry research, including Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (Physics Division, MPS Directorate); Biophysics (Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Division, BIO Directorate); Atmospheric Chemistry (Atmospheric Sciences Division, GEO Directorate); and various programs in the Materials Research Division (MPS Directorate). Contact Information (CHE) Theoretical and Computational Chemistry This program supports theoretical and computational research in areas of electronic structure, statistical mechanics, computer simulations, and chemical dynamics. The program also supports some areas of experimental thermodynamics and condensed phase dynamics of chemical systems that rely heavily on theoretical interpretation of experimental data. Areas of application span the full range of chemical systems, from small molecules to macromolecules; and degrees of aggregation, from clusters to macroscopic systems. The goal of projects supported in this program is to provide a molecular-level interpretation for chemical properties and reactivity. The program has links to other programs within NSF that support chemistry research, including Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics (Physics Division, MPS Directorate); Materials Theory (Materials Research Division, MPS Directorate); Biophysics (Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Division, BIO Directorate); and Advanced Scientific Computing (Advanced Scientific Computing Division, CISE Directorate). Contact Information (CHE) Chemistry of Materials This program supports chemistry aspects of research problems related to the design, synthesis, and characterization of advanced materials. Emphasis is on projects that take a chemistry-based molecular or supramolecular approach to materials synthesis and performance from an experimental, theoretical, and computational perspective. Current research areas include the synthesis of new molecular organic, inorganic, and organometallic precursors to polymeric, ceramic, electronic, photonic, magnetic, and biomolecular materials; chemical reactivity of polymeric, microporous, and other solid substrates; materials-related chemistry of thin films and interfaces; synthesis of new molecular nanoscopic materials with novel or improved properties; research on catalysts and reactive molecular intermediates for materials synthesis; the molecular basis of materials properties, such as nonlinear optical activity, conductivity, magnetism, and liquid crystalline behavior; molecular switching and electronics; and supramolecular self-assembly. The activity is strongly linked to several programs in the Materials Research Division (MPS Directorate) and in the ENG and BIO Directorates. Contact Information (CHE) Office of Special Projects This program supports or coordinates the support for most of the infrastructure programs and activities with which the CHE Division is involved. Examples include the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Programs, as well as various special-purpose grants in education, outreach, and graduate training. The office also manages the Division's involvement in other large-scale projects such as the Science and Technology Centers. For complete information on these programs, see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Contact Information (CHE) Chemistry Research Instrumentation and Facilities (CRIF) This program supports the purchase or upgrade of departmental multiuser instrumentation, departmental instrumentation for junior faculty who are establishing their academic careers, instrumentation development, and chemistry research facilities. The first two topics focus on departmental development in the context of a university setting and are intended to facilitate research by grantees and potential grantees that are being supported by the CHE Division. Instrumentation development is intended to implement, test, and introduce new concepts for chemical measurement to be used on a wider scale. Chemistry research facilities provide unique, state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise to users from the chemical sciences community. Only a few facilities are supported at any time. Individuals interested in submitting a proposal must first contact a staff person in the CHE Division. CRIF interfaces with the following cross-Directorate programs and activities: Major Research Instrumentation; Small Business Innovation Research; Small Business Technology Transfer; and instrumentation programs in the Materials Research Division (MPS Directorate), the Division of Undergraduate Education (EHR Directorate), the Office of Cross-Disciplinary Activities (CISE Directorate), and the Division of Biological Infrastructure (BIO Directorate). Contact Information (CHE) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF MATERIALS RESEARCH (DMR) The Division of Materials Research (DMR) supports a wide range of programs that address fundamental phenomena in materials, materials synthesis and processing, structure and composition, properties and performance, and materials education. DMR supports individual investigators, groups, centers, national facilities, and instrumentation. Individual investigator proposals do not have to be confined or targeted to a specific program. Staff and management work to facilitate the co-funding of highly meritorious proposals across appropriate program, division, or Directorate boundaries. DMR supports research through the following programs and activities: * Metals, Ceramics, and Electronic Materials * Materials Theory * Condensed Matter Physics * Solid-State Chemistry and Polymers * Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers * National Facilities and Instrumentation For More Information on DMR Programs and Activities For further information on DMR activities, including target dates and deadlines for proposal submission, write to the Division of Materials Research, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1065, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1810; or visit the DMR Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/dmr/start.htm). Metals, Ceramics, and Electronic Materials (MCEM) This program supports primarily experimental activities, but may incorporate some related theoretical and computational research. The objective is to increase the understanding of and predictive capabilities for relating synthesis, processing, and microstructure of these materials to their properties and performance in various applications and environments. Metals research encompasses the broad areas of physical and mechanical metallurgy. This fundamental research aims at increasing the understanding of and predictive capabilities for relating metal alloy chemistry, processing, and microstructure to physical and structural properties and performance in various applications and environments. Ceramics research, which is primarily experimental, seeks to increase the understanding of and predictive capabilities for relating fundamental physical and chemical properties to microstructure and performance in various applications and environments. This includes research on structural and electronic (functional) ceramics as well as glasses. Electronic materials research seeks to understand the fundamental phenomena associated with the synthesis and processing of electronic/photonic materials. Topics supported include basic processes and mechanisms associated with nucleation and growth of thin films; nanostructure definition and etching processes; bulk crystal growth; and the interrelationship among experimental conditions, phenomena, and properties. Contact Information (DMR) Materials Theory (MT) This program supports theoretical grants in the areas of research supported by the Metals, Ceramics, and Electronic Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Solid-State Chemistry; and Polymers Programs. The MT Program also supports research that will help advance theoretical methods, and a broad spectrum of analytical and computational research in the fields of condensed matter physics, solid-state chemistry, and advanced materials. Emphasis is on an atomistic approach to materials research, ranging from an electronic to a microstructural/mesoscopic level. Contact Information (DMR) Condensed Matter Physics This program supports fundamental experimental research on the physical properties of amorphous, ordered, and nanostructured solids; classical, quantum, and partially ordered fluids; and the interfaces of such condensed phases. Materials being investigated include metals, insulators, semiconductors, amorphous solids, liquid crystals, and biomolecular materials. Phenomena of interest include phase transitions; localization; electronic, magnetic, and lattice structure of solids; superconductivity; elementary excitations, including electronic, magnetic, plasma, and lattice; transport and optical properties; and nonlinear dynamics. Current topics of interest include the study of surfaces, interfaces, thin films, nanostructures, quantum fluids, nonequilibrium systems, and the phenomena exhibited by systems of reduced dimensionality or reduced crystalline perfection. Development of new experimental techniques is an important part of this activity. Synthesis, characterization, and analysis of new materials by novel methods are also of interest. In addition, support will include experimental research on condensed matter under extreme conditions, such as low or ultralow temperatures, ultrahigh pressures, and high magnetic fields. Contact Information (DMR) Solid-State Chemistry and Polymers (SSCP) This program is largely experimental and multidisciplinary with strong components of chemistry, physics, and materials science. Emphasis is placed on synthesis, processing, characterization, and structure/property relationships of materials at the molecular level, with particular focus on new materials or materials with superior properties. The Solid-State Chemistry Program supports basic research that includes intelligent, exploratory synthesis; synthesis by design; characterization; structure-property relationships; and processing of materials at a molecular level. Special attention is given to new materials or materials with superior properties. The Polymers Program supports basic research-largely experimental and multidisciplinary-with strong components of chemistry, physics, and materials science. Emphasis is on special chemical and physical properties that distinguish macromolecules from small molecules. The polymers studied are principally synthetic, but there is also an interest in biopolymers. Contact Information (DMR) Materials Research Sciences and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) This program support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary materials research and education while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering that are important to society. In deciding to support new research opportunities, MRSECs require outstanding research quality, intellectual breadth, and interdisciplinary flexibility; support for research infrastructure; and full integration with the academic programs of the participating institutions. These centers have strong links to industry and other sectors, and will ultimately lead to a national network of university-based centers in materials research. MRSECs address fundamental materials research topics of intellectual and strategic importance, and contribute to national priorities by fostering an active collaboration between universities and other sectors. In addition, they help to foster the integration of research and education, and address problems of a scope or complexity that requires the advantages of scale and of interdisciplinary interaction provided by a campus-based research center. Contact Information (DMR) National Facilities and Instrumentation (NAFI) This program fulfills two major roles of DMR: the development and acquisition of state-of-the-art instrumentation to carry out advanced materials research; and the operation of national user facilities. Proposals are considered for research topics that are within the general range of DMR programs and activities. The Instrumentation for Materials Research (IMR) Program supports major shared instruments essential to the needs of investigators conducting research that spans two or more disciplinary areas within DMR, or more than one NSF division; and instrumentation required by one or more investigators conducting research in a single disciplinary area within DMR that has a total cost of approximately $100,000 or more. The program strongly encourages submission of proposals for the development of new instruments that have the potential to solve important materials problems, proposals that will significantly advance measurement capabilities, and proposals that will lead to new discoveries. National User Facilities are research facilities with specialized instrumentation available to the scientific research community, particularly the materials research community. These facilities provide unique research capabilities that can be located at only a very few highly specialized laboratories in the Nation. Examples include facilities and resources for research using high magnetic fields, ultraviolet and x-ray synchrotron radiation, small-angle neutron scattering, and nanofabrication. For More Information on National User Facilities The following is a list of National User Facilities and their addresses. Interested users are encouraged to contact the facilities directly. Center for High-Resolution Neutron Scattering National Institute of Standards and Technology Reactor Radiation Division Gaithersburg, MD 20899 Telephone: (301) 975-6242 http://rrdjazz.nist.gov/ Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source Wilson Laboratory Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 Telephone: (607) 255-7163 http://www.chess.cornell.edu/ National High Magnetic Field Laboratory [Operated by Florida State University, the University of Florida, and Los Alamos National Laboratory] Florida State University 1800 E. Paul Dirac Drive Tallahassee, FL 32306-4005 Telephone: (850) 644-0311 or (850) 644-0850 http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/ Synchrotron Radiation Center University of Wisconsin at Madison 3731 Schneider Drive Stoughton, WI 53589-2200 Telephone: (608) 877-2000 http://www.src.wisc.edu/ National Nanofabrication Facility Knight Laboratory Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 Telephone: (607) 255-2329 http://www.cnf.cornell.edu/ Stanford Nanofabrication Facility CIS Building Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-4070 Telephone: (650) 725-6266 or (650) 725-NANO http://www.nnun.org/ Contact Information (DMR) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES (DMS) The Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) supports a wide range of projects aimed at developing and exploring the properties and applications of mathematical structures. Most of these projects are those awarded to single investigators or small groups of investigators working with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Programs such as Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure handle activities that fall outside this mode. DMS supports research through the following programs and activities: * Algebra and Number Theory * Applied Mathematics * Analysis * Computational Mathematics * Geometric Analysis * Statistics and Probability * Topology and Foundations * Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program * Grants for Vertical Integration of Research and Education * Cross-Disciplinary Interactions Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in DMS Proposals submitted to DMS for general conferences, workshops, symposia, special years, and related activities should be submitted to the appropriate disciplinary program. Proposals should be submitted one year in advance of the start of the activity. Contact the Division for information on proposal requirements. Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS In addition to the usual types of research grants awarded to principal investigators and institutions, DMS supports the following: * University/Industry Cooperative Research-DMS feels it is important to provide more opportunities to conduct research and training in an industrial environment and for industrial scientists to return periodically to academia. To facilitate both research and training, the Division provides Mathematical Sciences University/Industry Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, Senior Research Fellowships, and Industry-Based Graduate Research Assistantships and Cooperative Fellowships in the Mathematical Sciences. * Interdisciplinary Grants-These grants enable faculty to expand their skills and knowledge into areas beyond their disciplinary expertise, and to subsequently apply the knowledge to their research as well as enrich the educational experiences and career options for students. These grants support interdisciplinary experiences at the principal investigator's (PI's) institution (outside of the PI's department), or at different institutions such as academic, financial, and industrial institutions, in a nonmathematical science environment. For More Information on DMS Programs and Activities For further information on DMS activities, write to the Division of Mathematical Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1025, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1870; or visit the DMS Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/dms/start.htm). LEVEL 3 Algebra and Number Theory This program supports research in algebra, including algebraic structures; general algebra and linear algebra; number theory, including algebraic and analytic number theory; algebraic geometry; quadratic forms and automorphic forms; and combinatorics and graph theory. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Applied Mathematics This program supports research in any area of mathematics except probability or statistics. Research is expected to be motivated by or have an effect on problems arising in science and engineering, although intrinsic mathematical merit is the most important factor. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, partial differential equations that model natural phenomena or arise from problems in science and engineering, continuum mechanics, reaction-diffusion and wave propagation, dynamical systems, asymptotic methods, numerical analysis, variation methods, control theory, optimization theory, inverse problems, mathematics of biological or geological sciences, and mathematical physics. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Analysis This program supports research on properties and behavior of solutions of differential equations; variational methods; approximations and special functions; analysis of several complex variables and singular integrals; harmonic analysis and wavelet theory; Kleinian groups and functions of one complex variable; real analysis; Banach spaces, Banach algebras, and function algebras; Lie groups and their representations; harmonic analysis; ergodic theory and dynamical systems; some aspects of mathematical physics such as Schroedinger operators and quantum field theory; and operators and algebras of operators on Hilbert space. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Computational Mathematics Computation is increasingly important in all sciences. Mathematics plays a unique role in providing the development of basic algorithms and techniques that are necessary to carry out computations. Proposals from interdisciplinary teams of mathematical, computer, and general scientists are encouraged in an effort to develop critical computational techniques from algorithm development through implementation. Proposals for innovative computational methods within the mathematical sciences are also encouraged. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Geometric Analysis This program supports research on differential geometry and its relation to partial differential equations and variational principles; aspects of global analysis, including the differential geometry of complex manifolds and geometric Lie group theory; geometric methods in modern mathematical physics; and geometry of convex sets, integral geometry, and related geometric topics. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Statistics and Probability Statistical theory and methods are used to plan scientific experiments and to understand and analyze data. Major subfields include parametric and nonparametric inference, sequential analysis, multivariate analysis, Bayesian analysis, experimental design, time series analysis, resampling methods, and robust statistics. Almost all of these subfields are computationally intensive. Probability theory is the study of mathematical structures that provide tractable models to statistics and many diverse areas such as physics, chemistry, biology, biosciences, geosciences, and engineering. Major subfields include stochastic processes, limit theory, infinite particle systems, stochastic analysis in Banach spaces, martingales, and Markov processes. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Topology and Foundations This program supports research on algebraic topology, including homotopy theory, ordinary and extraordinary homology and cohomology, cobordism theory, and K-theory; topological manifolds and cell complexes, fiberings, knots, and links; differential topology and actions of groups of transformations; general topology and continua theory; and mathematical logic, including proof theory, recursion theory and model theory, foundations of set theory, and infinite combinatorics. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program This program supports activities that differ from the usual types of research project such as the work of research institutes. Activities supported include the following: * Regional Conferences-Operated by the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences, these conferences feature a principal speaker who gives 10 one-hour talks on a particular subject during a weeklong session. * Scientific Computing Research Environments in the Mathematical Sciences-Offers moderate grants for computing equipment that will benefit groups of researchers of outstanding quality who are highly productive but whose work has been seriously impeded by the lack of computing facilities. * Undergraduate Activities-Awards are made in conjunction with NSF-wide undergraduate efforts, including Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), cooperative activities with the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR), and other related activities. For more information on REU, see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education; see the EHR Directorate for more information on EHR programs and activities. * Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships-Fellowships will be awarded to between 25 and 30 new fellows in fiscal year 1999. Tenure provides a research instructorship option. Eligibility Requirements for the Mathematical Sciences Infrastructure Program Each applicant will be required to submit a research plan for the tenure period requested. The fellowships are not intended to support the preparation of prior research results for publication or the writing of textbooks. To be eligible for one of these fellowships, an individual must be a citizen, national, or lawfully admitted permanent resident alien of the United States as of January 1, 1999; have earned by the beginning of his or her fellowship tenure a doctoral degree in one of the mathematical sciences listed above, or have had research training and experience equivalent to that represented by a Ph.D. in one of those fields; and have held the doctorate for no more than two years as of January 1, 1999. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Grants for Vertical Integration of Research and Education (VIGRE) The Division of Mathematical Sciences seeks to assist universities in preparing undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows for a broad range of opportunities in the mathematical sciences, and to encourage departments in the mathematical sciences to consider a spectrum of educational activities and their integration with research. Through the VIGRE Program, DMS supports efforts by institutions with Ph.D.-granting departments in the mathematical sciences to carry out innovative educational programs at all levels that are integrated with the department's research activities. Proposals should have a core, coherent plan for integration of an undergraduate research experience; a graduate traineeship program; a postdoctoral fellowship program; and an undergraduate and graduate curriculum review. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) Cross-Disciplinary Interactions A number of areas in science and engineering have problems of great mathematical and statistical complexity or obscurity that are creating a demand for mathematical and statistical cooperation. The depth of the problems being raised often exceeds that of the training of the scientists and engineers currently in mathematical and statistical theory. To progress in solving these problems, mathematical scientists must be sought to work in tandem with other scientists. At the same time, it is frequently the case that the problems posed stimulate interesting, new, and deep mathematical and statistical questions that deserve attention. DMS hopes to foster interactions that require the participants to go well beyond their respective areas of expertise, to nurture young talent in the interdisciplinary mode of research, and to involve underrepresented groups whenever possible. * In the area of biosciences, striking advances in biology, computer science, and the mathematical sciences are creating opportunities to collaborate on research work with fields such as molecular biology, neuroscience, and ecosystems and offer challenging computational and analytical problems. Biological sciences interaction may extend significantly into the core areas of mathematics, such as topology, operator algebras, probability, and nonlinear dynamical systems, as well as the more traditional areas of applied mathematics and statistics. * Other opportunities include research in the areas of high performance computing and communications; mathematical and statistical aspects of materials behavior and theoretical continuum mechanics; geosciences; advanced manufacturing technologies; mathematical sciences related to biotechnology; and mathematical, statistical, and computational aspects of global change research. Research in the area of materials includes interaction of thermal and mechanical effects; phase transition and formation of microstructures and crystals; foundations of nonlinear elasticity and electromagnetic materials; composite materials; and related mathematical questions such as control, optimization, and studies of differential equations arising in these contexts. Research opportunities in advanced manufacturing particularly emphasize simulation, modeling, and analysis of manufacturing processes and devices; applications for manufacturing of deterministic and stochastic quality control; and optimization. Mathematical science research related to bioprocessing and bioconversion, bioelectronics and bionetworks, agricultural applications, and marine biotechnology is especially encouraged. * Environmental research supports the critical development of modeling, analysis, simulation, and prediction in the context of the total Earth system. A particular emphasis is placed on analytical and computational methods for stochastic and deterministic partial differential equations and statistical techniques that encompass the full range of temporal and spatial scales. There are also opportunities in environmental technology, including pollution prevention, monitoring, and remediation. Researchers should be aware of implications of their efforts toward such activities. Proposals for General Conferences, Workshops, Symposia, Special Years, and Related Activities in the DMS Specific Types of Grants Supported by DMS Contact Information (DMS) LEVEL 2 OFFICE OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES (OMA) Established in 1995, the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA) supports activities that cut across MPS disciplines or bridge these disciplines with other areas of science from other NSF Directorates. OMA works to intensify the Directorate's support for multidisciplinary research and human infrastructure and takes advantage of new opportunities. Each year a few areas of emphasis will be targeted for high-priority funding consideration. Current examples are optical science and engineering, environmental science and technology, and the Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) Initiative. OMA supports research through the following program: * Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) For More Information on OMA Activities For further information on OMA activities, write to the Head, Office of Multidisciplinary Activities, Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1005, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the office by telephone, (703) 306-1800; or visit the OMA Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/oma/start.htm). LEVEL 3 Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry The Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) Initiative is designed to encourage new links between university-based research groups, usually composed of a few graduate students and postdoctoral associates, and private enterprises that use advanced science and technology. These links may be joint or complementary research programs or exchanges of personnel. GOALI will provide participants with opportunities to work on industrially relevant problems and to gain experience and insight into what drives scientific and technological development in the commercial sector. For more information on the GOALI Initiative, see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education. Contact Information (OMA) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF PHYSICS (PHY) The Physics (PHY) Division supports a wide range of activities in the various fields of physics. The primary mode of funding is to individual investigators or small groups, although the Division does fund the operation of three large-scale accelerator facilities- the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR), the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF), and the Michigan State University National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL)- and smaller centers in atomic, molecular, and optical physics and in theoretical physics. The Division is also responsible for the construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravity Wave Observatory (LIGO). The research activitiesof the PHY Division are inextricably linked to education and support of about 800 graduate students who are fully engaged in research programs. Some of these programs involve substantial numbers of undergraduate students as well, especially the summer activities that are centered around the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. The Division now supports more than 45 REU sites. Research activities at four-year colleges are supported through the Research at Undergraduate Institutions (RUI) Program. In addition, the Division offers significant training opportunities for young people through its support of about 500 postdoctoral positions. The PHY Division supports research through the following programs and activities: * Atomic, Molecular, Optical, and Plasma Physics * Elementary Particle Physics * Gravitational Physics * Nuclear Physics * Theoretical Physics * Special Programs For More Information on PHY Programs and Activities For further information on PHY activities, write to the Division of Physics, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 1015, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the Division by telephone, (703) 306-1890; or visit the PHY Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/mps/phy/start.htm). LEVEL 3 Atomic, Moleculare, Optical, and Plasma Physics. In the field of Atomic and Molecular Physics, supports research in areas such as electronic structure of isolated neutral and ionized atoms and molecules, their interparticle collision dynamics, and their interactions with charged particles and with electromagnetic radiation; the collective behavior of atoms in dilute condensed phases (Bose-Einstein Condensates); and precision measurements of fundamental constants. In the field of Optical Physics, supports research on subjects such as nonlinear response of isolated atoms to intense, ultrashort electromagnetic fields; the atom/cavity interaction at high fields; and coherent control in weak and strong fields. In the field of basic Plasma Physics, focuses on the study of the behavior of plasmas in both confined magnetic structures and in laser plasma interactions. Through this program, the PHY Division supports several centers and facilities. These include the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (JILA) at the University of Colorado, which is supported jointly with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). JILA conducts leading-edge research in many aspects of atomic, molecular, and optical physics, including precision measurements, collective motion of ultracold atoms, and optical control of translational motion. The Center for Ultrafast Optical Science (CUOS) at the University of Michigan develops new ultrafast laser tools and applies them in the study of coherent control, high-field laser/matter interactions, and biological and medical problems. The center has been extremely successful in its outreach to the industrial community through its involvement in technology transfer to existing and newly formed companies. Contact Information (PHY) Elementary Particle Physics This program supports research on the properties and interactions of elementary particles, the most fundamental building blocks of matter. Research includes the exploration of quarks and leptons and the interactions among these elementary constituents. The program supports university groups working at major accelerator laboratories, including those operated by the Department of Energy; university groups involved in the construction of detectors for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), located at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN); and university groups conducting research on particle astrophysics that in some cases may involve the construction of non-accelerator-based detectors, such as the HiRes and Milagro cosmic ray detectors. The program supports the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR), which produces electron and positron colliding beams that allow detailed studies of b-meson physics and upsilon physics; and facilitates an aggressive program of synchrotron radiation research at the Cornell High-Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS), which is operated by the Division of Materials Research. The CESR facility is in the process of being upgraded to produce higher luminosity; upon completion, the accelerator will be among the most luminous electron sources in the world in this energy range. Contact Information (PHY) Gravitational Physics This program emphasizes the theory of strong gravitational fields and their application to astrophysics and cosmology, computer simulations of strong gravitational fields, gravitational radiation; and construction of a quantum theory of gravity. The program oversees the management of the construction, commission, and operation of the Laser Interferometer Gravity Wave Observatory (LIGO), and provides support for LIGO users as well. This program also supports a number of experimental investigations. Contact Information (PHY) Nuclear Physics This program supports research on properties and behavior of nuclei and nuclear matter under extreme conditions; the quark-gluon basis for the structure and dynamics of nuclear matter (which is now given in terms of mesons and nucleons); phase transitions of nuclear matter from normal nuclear density and temperature to the predicted high-temperature quark-gluon plasma; basic interactions and fundamental symmetries; and nuclear astrophysics, ranging from stellar processes and nucleosynthesis to cosmology. This research involves many probes, including intermediate-energy to multi-GeV electrons and photons; intermediate-energy light ions; low-energy to relativistic heavy ions, including radioactive beams; and non-accelerator-based studies. There are other important components to the Nuclear Physics Program. Some of these include accelerator physics, interdisciplinary efforts, and applications to other fields. The program supports university user groups executing experiments at a large number of laboratories in the United States and abroad, and two national user facilities. These are the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF), a light-ion cyclotron and booster/storage ring facility; and the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NCSL), a superconducting heavy-ion cyclotron facility at Michigan State University. Contact Information (PHY) Theoretical Physics This program supports research on properties and behavior of nuclei and nuclear matter under extreme conditions; the quark-gluon basis for the structure and dynamics of nuclear matter (which is now given in terms of mesons and nucleons); phase transitions of nuclear matter from normal nuclear density and temperature to the predicted high-temperature quark-gluon plasma; basic interactions and fundamental symmetries; and nuclear astrophysics, ranging from stellar processes and nucleosynthesis to cosmology. This research involves many probes, including intermediate-energy to multi-GeV electrons and photons; intermediate-energy light ions; low-energy to relativistic heavy ions, including radioactive beams; and non-accelerator-based studies. The program has other important components, including accelerator physics, interdisciplinary efforts, and applications to other fields. The program supports university user groups executing experiments at a large number of laboratories in the United States and abroad, and two national user facilities. These are the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF), a light-ion cyclotron and booster/storage ring facility; and the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NCSL), a superconducting heavy-ion cyclotron facility at Michigan State University. Contact Information (PHY) Special Programs This program supports research on properties and behavior of nuclei and nuclear matter under extreme conditions; the quark-gluon basis for the structure and dynamics of nuclear matter (which is now given in terms of mesons and nucleons); phase transitions of nuclear matter from normal nuclear density and temperature to the predicted high-temperature quark-gluon plasma; basic interactions and fundamental symmetries; and nuclear astrophysics, ranging from stellar processes and nucleosynthesis to cosmology. This research involves many probes, including intermediate-energy to multi-GeV electrons and photons; intermediate-energy light ions; low-energy to relativistic heavy ions, including radioactive beams; and non-accelerator-based studies. The program offers other important components as well, including accelerator physics, interdisciplinary efforts, and applications to other fields. The program supports university user groups executing experiments at a large number of laboratories in the United States and abroad, and two national user facilities. These are the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility (IUCF), a light-ion cyclotron and booster/storage ring facility; and the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NCSL), a superconducting heavy-ion cyclotron facility at Michigan State University. Contact Information (PHY) OFFICE OF POLAR PROGRAMS The Earth's polar regions offer compelling scientific opportunities, but their isolation and their extreme climates challenge the achievement of these opportunities. NSF programs support research in the Arctic and the Antarctic both to improve understanding of the regions and their relationship with global processes and to seize opportunities presented by the regions as research platforms. These programs support investigations in a range of scientific disciplines. NSF can deploy and provide operational support to modern field and laboratory science throughout the Antarctic. Selected areas of capability are in place in the Arctic, and improved logistics are under development for the Arctic. The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) comprises the following: * United States Antarctic Research * Arctic Research For further information beyond what appears in this Guide, visit the OPP Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/). LEVEL 2 UNITED STATES ANTARCTIC RESEARCH The United States Antarctic Program (USAP) is the name for U.S. Government-sponsored activities in the region roughly south of 60° south latitude, which includes all of Antarctica and much of the Southern Ocean. NSF funds and manages the program and the operational support provided by contractors and the military in support of the range of U.S. Antarctic interests and the Nation's adherence to the Antarctic Treaty. USAP-supported research has three thrusts: * To understand the Earth and its systems, with emphasis on Antarctica's influence on and response to these systems; * To utilize Antarctica as an ideal research platform, by supporting studies made possible by the unique conditions on the continent and in the surrounding oceans; and * To explore the Antarctic geographical frontier. NSF supports research that can be done best in the Antarctic or only in the Antarctic. Research support is available in the United States Antarctic Research Program (USAP) through the following programs and activities: * Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics * Antarctic Biology and Medicine * Antarctic Environmental Research * Antarctic Geology and Geophysics * Antarctic Glaciology * Antarctic Ocean and Climate Systems * Operational Support Eligibility Requirements for USAP Proposals U.S. academic institutions and academically related nonprofit organizations may submit proposals for research support. Industry and State and local agencies may also be eligible. Other Federal agencies are eligible to coordinate their research needs within the framework of NSF-funded Antarctic logistics. NSF encourages proposals from women, minorities, and people with disabilities and proposals for research that includes undergraduates under guidelines established by NSF programs such as Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). All persons proposing to work in the Antarctic must pass a physical examination of USAP-specified standards. Deadlines and Target Dates for USAP Programs and Activities The annual date for receipt of proposals to the U.S. Antarctic Program is June 1; cross-Directorate proposals may have a separate deadline. To confirm a deadline date, refer to the E-Bulletin; the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/); or the appropriate program office. For More Information on USAP Programs and Activities Information about the U.S. Antarctic Program is available in the Antarctic Research Program Announcement and Proposal Guide (NSF 96-93). This document describes the areas of research supported by USAP, includes material to help proposers evaluate the potential environmental impact of their projects, and describes operational needs in Antarctica. For operational questions, contact the Polar Research Support Section at (703) 306-1032; or see the Web site for Antarctic support contractors (http://www.asa.org). Specialists are available in the areas of logistics, field camps, research ships, laboratory support, waste management, environmental protection, safety, and Antarctic Conservation Act permits. Research and education proposals that do not require fieldwork, or that will use samples already in U.S. depositories, are also welcome. For further information, contact the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 755, Arlington, VA 22230; or visit the Office of Polar Programs Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/). Further Information is also available by contacting the following: * Office of Polar Programs (703) 306-1030 * Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics (703) 306-1033 * Antarctic Biology and Medicine (703) 306-1033 * Antarctic Earth Sciences (703) 306-1033 * Antarctic Glaciology (703) 306-1033 * Antarctic Ocean and Climate Systems (703) 306-1033 * Polar Research Support (703) 306-1032 Literature The following literature and related items about Antarctica are available. Please contact the source indicated. * The Antarctic Journal of the United States contains semiannual reviews of the U.S. Antarctic Program. The journal has been published by NSF since 1966. Current issues are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO). To order, write to the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402; contact GPO by telephone, (202) 512-1800; or visit the GPO Home Page (http://www.access.gpo.gov/). Back issues are available from Mr. David Friscic in OPP. Contact him by e-mail, dfriscic@nsf.gov; or write Mr. David Friscic, Information Assistant, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Room 755, Arlington, VA 22230. * Publications containing research recommendations are available from the Polar Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). For more information, write to the Polar Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20037; or contact NAS by telephone, (202) 334-3479; or visit the NAS Home Page (http://www.nas.edu/) * An ongoing Antarctic Bibliography has abstracted and indexed some 60,000 pieces of research literature from around the world since 1951. The Library of Congress prepares it with NSF support and welcomes volumes or reprints to add to the collection and database. For more information, write to the Cold Regions Bibliography Project, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540; or contact the Library of Congress by telephone, (202) 707-5000; or visit the Library of Congress Home Page (http://lcweb.loc.gov/homepage/). The Antarctic Bibliography is exported to two commercial services: --Questel/ORBIT Information Technologies, 8000 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22101, telephone 1-800-421-7229; and --National Information Services Corporation (NISC), 3100 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, telephone (410) 243-0797. NISC produces the Internet- and CD-ROM-based Arctic & Antarctic Regions, which contains the Antarctic Bibliography, in a common record format with other polar data bases. The NISC disk is a subscription service that is updated every 6 months. * Current Antarctic Literature is a monthly compilation of abstracts issued by the Cold Regions Bibliography Project (prepared by the Library of Congress) in electronic format. More information is available at the following Web site, located on the Library of Congress Home Page (http://lcweb.loc.gov/ rr/scitech/coldregions/welcome.html). * The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has Antarctic reconnaissance and geologic maps of portions of Antarctica at various scales. For a copy of Antarctic Maps, Price List and Order Form, write to Information Services, U.S. Geological Survey, Box 25286, Federal Center, Building 41, Denver, CO 80225; contact USGS by telephone, 1-800-USA-MAPS; or visit the USGS Home Page (http://www.usgs.gov/). * Ice cores, ocean-bottom sedimentary cores, terrestrial sedimentary cores, dredged rocks, biological specimens, meteorites, and ocean-bottom photographs are available for study. For details, visit the OPP Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp). * NSF's Antarctic Artists and Writers Program supports documentation of America's Antarctic heritage by providing Antarctic access (but not funds) to painters, poets, photographers, authors, educational specialists, and representatives of related genres. For details, visit the OPP Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp), and click on "Opportunities for Participation." LEVEL 3 Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics This program supports research projects in the following areas: * Astrophysics * Upper Atmosphere Physics * Long Duration Ballooning LEVEL 4 Astrophysics Because of its location at the Earth's spin axis on the 2.8-kilometer-thick East Antarctic Ice Sheet, SouthPole Station is well situated for long, continuous astronomical and astrophysical observations. The high elevation of the station (2,835 meters), dry atmosphere, extremely low effective sky temperature, isolation from manmade and other noise, and long periods of clear weather provide superior observing conditions. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) Upper Atmosphere Physics This program supports unique studies of the Earth's magnetosphere and ionosphere and of Sun/Earth relationships. Year-round station-based research is possible in Antarctica because of its physically stable location at high geomagnetic latitudes, which range from 53° south at Palmer Station to 79° south at McMurdo Station. Automatic Geophysical Observatories (AGOs) provide year-round support for low-powered autonomous instruments at several remote sites on the ice sheet. Research objectives include improving the understanding of Earth's upper atmosphere and near-space environment; investigating coupling among the neutral atmosphere, the ionosphere, and the magnetosphere; and investigating solar terrestrial effects. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) Long Duration Ballooning In cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), NSF has developed the capability to launch balloon science payloads from McMurdo Station. These payloads weigh over a ton and can reach altitudes of approximately 40 kilometers. The balloons then drift once or twice around the South Pole during a 10- to 30-day period. This capability can be used by several disciplines and can in some cases serve as a low-cost substitute for space flight. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 3 Antarctic Biology and Medicine This program supports research projects in the following areas: * Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography * Terrestrial and Freshwater Biology * Medical Research LEVEL 4 Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography This program supports research on the oceans around Antarctica, which make up one of the world's most productive regions. Research objectives are to understand the structure and function of the Antarctic marine ecosystems and to determine the major features and adaptations of organisms and acquire more knowledge of their distribution, abundance, and dynamics. Major focus is on ship- and shore-based studies that stress trophodynamics, including detailed investigations at all trophic levels. Topics of particular interest include krill, ice-edge ecosystems, and low-temperature adaptations. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) Terrestrial and Freshwater Biology The biota of terrestrial and freshwater Antarctica are of special interest, particularly their adaptation to the extreme environment. The simplicity of these ecosystems provides opportunities for analysis that is more difficult and sometimes impossible in the complex systems of the lower latitudes. The primary research objective is to understand the features and adaptations of organisms and to gain further knowledge of their distribution, abundance, and dynamics. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) Medical Research Biomedical studies are directed toward epidemiology of viral infections and physiological and psychological attributes of people in small isolated groups. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 3 Antarctic Environmental Research Proposals are encouraged for basic and applied research on environmental impacts of human activity in Antarctica. Projects might address environmental data bases, indicators of pollutants and recovery rates, bioremediation potential, energy and resource conservation, environmental policy, and tourism impacts. Areas of inquiry could include basic research; environmental policy research; study of the effect of past practices, environmental monitoring, and evaluation of current impacts; resilience of ecosystems; and promising technologies. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 3 Antarctic Geology and Geophysics This program supports research projects in the following areas: * Terrestrial Geology and Geophysics * Marine Geology and Geophysics LEVEL 4 Terrestrial Geology and Geophysics Antarctica represents about 9 percent of the Earth's continental crust and has been in a near-polar position for more than 100 million years. Reconnaissance studies have led to increased understanding of many general aspects of the geology of the continent, and major evidence has developed in support of plate tectonics models and of the Gondwana supercontinent. Antarctic geology has entered an era in which focused projects can contribute to regionally and globally significant geologic problems. Geophysical investigations of the sub-ice bedrock are a relatively new element of the program. An aerogeophysical facility has been developed with the capability of acquiring ice-elevation, ice-thickness, and magnetic and gravity data over the continent. Satellite imagery also is contributing to research in these areas. Over-snow seismic capabilities are anticipated for the future. Overall objectives of the program are to explain the geology and geological evolution of Antarctica, to understand the relationship of Antarctica to global geodynamic systems, and to exploit unique aspects of Antarctica to address fundamental problems in geology and geophysics. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) Marine Geology and Geophysics The seafloor around Antarctica is complex and presents fundamental problems in marine geology and geophysics. Its sediments provide detailed records of changes over time in the size of the Antarctic ice sheet, as well as clues to other geological and tectonic process that have affected the continent. Research objectives are to interpret geological and glacial history and to understand geological processes from studies of the continental margins and the adjacent oceanic crust. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 3 Antarctic Glaciology This program supports studies on the world's largest ice sheet. Covering 97 percent of the Antarctic continent and up to 4.8 kilometers thick, the ice sheet comprises 90 percent of the world's ice and is a storehouse of information about climate and atmospheric constituents and their variation over time. The program's objectives are to determine the dynamics of the ice sheet, understand the climatic record stored in the layers of firn and ice, determine the history of glacial advance and retreat through the study of glacial/geologic deposits, and determine the present dynamic status of the ice sheet and its relationship to glacial and climatic history. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 3 Antarctic Ocean and Climate Systems This program supports research projects in the following areas: * Atmospheric Sciences * Physical and Chemical Oceanography LEVEL 4 Atmospheric Sciences Antarctica has an active relationship with regional weather and climate patterns, and perhaps with global ones as well. Far removed from pollution sources, it is an important monitoring and research area for world background levels of natural and anthropogenic atmospheric constituents. Conditions in Antarctica have proven to be reflections of global atmospheric changes on many scales. The primary research objectives are to improve present understanding of the physical processes of the atmosphere, determine the relationship between events and conditions in the Antarctic atmosphere and global events, and determine the region's role in past and present global climate. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) Physical and Chemical Oceanography This program supports research on the Southern Ocean, which has a central role in world ocean circulation. Large-scale heat exchange and ice formation at the ocean surface overturn the water column and mix trace constituents, making the Southern Ocean the site of global-scale ventilation and a major source of the world's intermediate and deep-water masses. Huge changes in the extent of sea ice-varying annually between 4 and 20 million square kilometers-also influence energy transfer. The Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the world's largest ocean current, has a major effect on general oceanic circulation. Research objectives are to determine the dynamics of formation and distribution of water masses, currents, and sea ice; investigate the relationship between oceanic and atmospheric circulation systems and the physical basis for biotic productivity; and investigate the relationship between the Southern Ocean and climate. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 3 Operational Support In addition to funding research, the U.S. Antarctic Program provides operational and laboratory support in Antarctica. Operational support includes the following: a year-round inland research station at the South Pole (90°S); two year-round coastal research stations with extensive laboratory and computing capabilities-one at McMurdo Station (78°S) on Ross Island, and one at Palmer Station (64°S) on Anvers Island in the Antarctic Peninsula region; summer field camps for research, as required; the ice-strengthened research ship Laurence M. Gould, 70.1 meters in length; the icebreaking research ship Nathaniel B. Palmer, 94 meters in length; ski-equipped LC-130 airplanes (for heavy-lift transport); Twin Otter airplanes; helicopters; a Coast Guard icebreaker for channel breaking at McMurdo as well as research support; over-snow vehicles; and automated, unmanned weather and geophysical observatories. Occasionally, vessels from the U.S. academic fleet and from the Ocean Drilling Program will support Antarctic research. Air transport between New Zealand and McMurdo Station is provided several times per week in the austral summer, which runs from early October to the end of February. From McMurdo, a logistics hub, research groups can access other sites, including the station at the South Pole. Several flights are made in August between New Zealand and McMurdo that provide an opportunity for late winter access. The summer camps are closed between February and October, and winter research is limited to the immediate environs of the stations, where residents are isolated for as long as 8 months. Palmer Station, on Anvers Island in the Antarctic Peninsula region, relies mainly on the ship Laurence M. Gould for transport of people and materials to and from Punta Arenas, Chile, at the southern tip of South America. The ship makes several trips a year and supports onboard research. Air access via a Chilean station on King George Island has been arranged in the past. The Gould supports onboard research in marine biology, oceanography, and geophysics in the Antarctic Peninsula region and can support science in other areas of the Southern Ocean. U.S. Antarctic stations and ships and some field camps provide voice and data communications, including Internet access, to locations outside Antarctica. Non-U.S. Facilities-International Cooperation The Foundation is enthusiastic about supporting U.S. scientists' participation in cooperative research with scientists in other Antarctic Treaty nations. U.S. scientists wishing to do research with other nations' scientists or programs are asked to contact a manager in OPP before submitting a proposal so that NSF can begin to coordinate operational support needs with the other country's national Antarctic program. Eligibility (USAP) Deadline/Target Dates (USAP) Contact Information (USAP) Literature (USAP) LEVEL 2 ARCTIC RESEARCH NSF's Arctic Research Program (AR) seeks to gain a better understanding of the Earth's biological, geological, chemical, and sociocultural processes, and the interactions of ocean, land, atmosphere, life, and human systems. Arctic research is supported at NSF by the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and by other disciplinary programs within the Foundation. These programs are linked through an internal NSF Arctic Affiliates system that consists of representatives from other NSF programs that support Arctic research. The system is structured in such a way as to provide coordination across NSF disciplines and to enable joint review and funding of Arctic proposals and mutual support of projects with high logistics costs. The United States Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 defines the Arctic as all areas north of the Arctic Circle and all U.S. territory north and west of the boundary formed by the Porcupine, Yukon, and Kuskokwim Rivers; all contiguous seas including the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort, Bering, and Chukchi Seas; and the Aleutian chain. Field projects falling outside these boundaries but directly related to Arctic science and engineering conditions or issues, such as laboratory and theoretical studies, are appropriate. The Foundation is one of 12 Federal agencies that sponsor or conduct Arctic science, engineering, and related activities. As mandated by the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984, planning for Federal interagency research is coordinated through the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC), chaired by NSF. Under an agreement with the U.S. Navy, access to a nuclear submarine is available annually for research in the Arctic Ocean. Researchers are encouraged to pursue this possibility with OPP or with the Office of Naval Research (ONR). Further information on other agency programs is presented in the journal Arctic Research of the United States (NSF 96-130), and the U.S. Arctic Research Plan (NSF 97-148) and its biennial revisions. As the Arctic is the homeland of Native peoples, attention must be given to all aspects of research and education that may potentially impact their lives. An interagency statement, "Principles for the Conduct of Research in the Arctic," has been developed, and all Arctic research grantees are expected to abide by these guidelines. These guidelines are presented in Arctic Research Program Opportunities (NSF 98-72). The Arctic Research Program comprises the following principal programs: * Arctic Natural Sciences * Arctic Social Sciences * Arctic System Science (ARCSS) * Other Arctic Support Target Dates for Arctic Research Programs and Activities The target dates for the Arctic Natural Sciences, Arctic Social Sciences, and Arctic System Science Programs are February 15 and August 1. Proposals for workshops, Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER), or dissertation improvement grants can be submitted at any time. Submission of Proposals for Arctic Research Programs and Activities Proposals for field programs requiring research support in the categories listed on the Logistics Coordination Form (NSF Form 1370) must be submitted with sufficient lead time to ensure scheduling and availability. Logistics proposals must be submitted no later than the February 15 target date of the calendar year preceding the year in which the research will be conducted. Proposals requiring an oceanic research vessel must be submitted either to the Division of Ocean Sciences by February 15 of the year preceding the proposed cruise dates or to OPP's Arctic Program by the February 15 target date, to allow 9 month's precruise notification. A minimum of 9 month's advance notice is required for research vessels needing clearance for Russian waters. Proposals for fieldwork not requiring research support capabilities listed on the Logistics Coordination Form must be submitted no later than the August 1 target date of the preceding year. For More Information on Arctic Research Programs and Activities Arctic research projects are supported by OPP and by other disciplinary divisions and programs at NSF. The publication Arctic Science, Engineering, and Education: Directory of Awards (the latest edition, NSF 97-78, is for fiscal year 1997) is produced annually and contains a compilation of all NSF Arctic and related research grants from the previous fiscal year. Additional program information can be found in the publication Arctic Research Program Opportunities (NSF 98-72). For further information, contact the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 755, Arlington, VA 22230; or visit the OPP Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/). Further information is also available by contacting the following: * Office of Polar Programs (703) 306-1030 * Arctic Natural Sciences (703) 306-1029 * Arctic Social Sciences (703) 306-1029 * Arctic System Science (ARCSS) (703) 306-1029 * Other Arctic Support (703) 306-1029 LEVEL 3 Arctic Natural Sciences Program The Arctic Natural Sciences Program supports research in glaciology and in atmospheric, biological, earth, and ocean sciences. The program provides core support for disciplinary research in the Arctic and coordinates its support of arctic research with the Directorates for Geosciences and Biological Sciences. Areas of special interest include marine and terrestrial ecosystems, atmospheric chemistry, exploration of the Arctic Ocean, and Arctic geological and glaciological processes. * Atmospheric Sciences * Biological Sciences * Earth Sciences * Glaciology * Ocean Sciences Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) LEVEL 4 Atmospheric Sciences Research in Arctic atmospheric sciences focuses on stratospheric and tropospheric processes; Arctic climate and meteorology; research on past climates and atmospheric gases, as preserved in snow and ice cores; and research on atmosphere/sea and atmosphere/ice interactions. In the area of upper atmospheric and space physics, research interests include auroral studies, atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, and magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. Conjugate studies are considered jointly with the Antarctic Aeronomy and Astrophysics Program. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) Biological Sciences OPP supports projects that emphasize understanding organisms' adaptation to the Arctic environment. Biological studies in the Arctic include research on freshwater, marine, and terrestrial biology; organismal adaptation to the Arctic environment; ecology; ecosystem structure and processes; and the biological consequences of ultraviolet radiation. OPP also participates in the Life in Extreme Environments (LExEN) Initiative (see program announcement NSF 97-157). Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) Earth Sciences Research supported by OPP includes all subdisciplines of terrestrial and marine geology and geophysics, with special emphasis on understanding geological processes important to the Arctic regions and geologic history dominated by those processes. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) Glaciology Glaciology is the focal point for glaciological research within the Foundation. Glaciological research is concerned with the history and dynamics of all naturally occurring forms of snow and ice, including seasonal snow, glaciers, and the Greenland ice sheet. The Arctic Natural Sciences Program also includes ice dynamics, modeling, glacial geology, and remote sensing studies of ice sheets. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) Ocean Sciences The goal of oceanic research in the Arctic is to develop knowledge of the structure of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas, their physical and biological interactions with the global hydrosphere, and the formation and persistence of the Arctic sea/ice cover. Special interest areas include the distribution of life in high-latitude oceans; low-temperature life processes; the formation, movement, and mixing of Arctic water masses; the growth and decay of sea ice; the exchange of salt and heat with the Atlantic Ocean and the Bering Sea; geographical anomalies; sedimentary history; and the role of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas in global climate. Proposals concerned with the interdependencies of chemical and physical processes and marine organisms and productivity are encouraged. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) LEVEL 3 Arctic Social Sciences Program The Arctic Social Sciences Program encompasses all social sciences supported by NSF, including anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, linguistics, political science, psychology, sociology, and related subjects. Unsolicited proposals in any of these social sciences are welcome. Areas of particular interest include rapid social change, including the processes and consequences of social, economic, and cultural change; community viability, including issues related to community and/or cultural vitality and survival; and human/environment interactions, including issues related to subsistence and sustainable development. The Arctic Social Sciences Program encourages projects that include indigenous peoples; are circumpolar or comparative; integrate social and natural sciences; involve collaborations between researchers and those living in the Arctic; include traditional knowledge; or form connections among disciplines, regions, researchers, communities, and/or students (grades K to 12 and undergraduate and graduate). The Arctic Social Sciences Program considers joint review and funding with other programs within OPP and within other NSF Directorates, when appropriate. Special funding opportunities may also be available through NSF's Environment and Global Change activities (see link Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education) or the link Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program. Projects Involving Human Subjects Projects involving research with human subjects must ensure that subjects are protected from research risks in conformance with the Common Rule (Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, 45 CFR §690). Before issuance of an NSF award, projects involving human subjects must either have approval from the organization's Institutional Review Board (IRB) or have identified the applicable subsection exempting the proposal from IRB review, as established in section 101(b) of the Common Rule. Submission of the IRB approval form or indication of exemption should be included in Section I of the proposal (see page 14, NSF Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 99-2)). Section I should also include letters describing any other permission or approval, such as approval from Native organizations or communities where the work will take place. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) LEVEL 3 Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program The overall goals of the Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program are to understand the physical, geological, chemical, biological, and sociocultural processes of the Arctic system that interact with the total Earth system and thus contribute to or are influenced by global change; to advance the scientific basis for predicting environmental change on a seasonal-to-centuries time scale; and to formulate policy options in response to the anticipated impacts of global change on humans and societal support systems. To achieve these goals, ARCSS places strong emphasis on four scientific thrusts: to understand global and regional impacts of the Arctic climate system and its variability, to determine the role of the Arctic in global biogeochemical cycling, to identify global change impacts on the structure and stability of Arctic ecosystems, and to establish links between environmental change and human activity. Most of the available support in ARCSS is directed toward large integrated research projects that are proposed and implemented in response to scientific plans developed by the science community through Science Steering Committees (SSCs) for each component of ARCSS. However, global change proposals from individual investigators or small groups of investigators are also welcome. ARCSS has three linked components for which proposals are encouraged: Ocean/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions (OAII); Land/Atmosphere/Ice Interactions (LAII); and Paleoenvironmental Studies, which has had two projects: Paleoclimates from Arctic Lakes and Estuaries (PALE) and Greenland Ice Sheet Program Two (GISP2). Paleoenvironmental proposals are now considered within the Earth System History Initiative of the United States Global Change Research Program (see publication NSF 97-161). ARCSS further develops a fourth component, Human Dimensions of the Arctic System (HARC). The HARC science plan is accessible on the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) Home Page (http://www.arcus.org/), and on the OPP Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/). These sites should be consulted for new developments. In all these components, proposals for new and different research topics are encouraged. ARCSS also supports the integration of research results across components within ARCSS and with any other Arctic research program through a Synthesis, Integration, and Modeling Studies (SIMS) effort. Science plans approved by each Science Steering Committee, as well as examples of projects supported within each component, and SIMS are accessible on either the Web site maintained by the ARCSS Data Coordination Center at the University of Colorado National Snow and Ice Data Center (http://arcss.colorado.edu/), or the ARCUS Home Page. Successful proposals have been funded by OPP; by the Divisions of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences in the Directorate for Geosciences; by the Division of Environmental Biology in the Directorate for Biological Sciences; and, in some cases, jointly with the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Department of Energy (DOE). The Arctic system consists of physical, biological, and cultural factors that may respond to global change. Some models that predict the climatic response to global change show greater change in the Arctic than in any other region. The predicted climatology, however, may not consider the largely unknown interannual variability in the Arctic. The presence of cultural institutions in a region subject to possibly large perturbations makes it important that scientists better understand interactions of the global and Arctic systems. Therefore, the research supported in ARCSS extends beyond purely observational studies to those studies that predict and analyze the consequences of global change that are important to wise stewardship of renewable resources and development of policy options for resource managers and residents. In order to focus on the Arctic system at a scale that incorporates the multiple environmental feedback mechanisms involved, large interdisciplinary projects that integrate major elements of the system will be supported. For more information on how a research proposal might best fit the programs and themes of ARCSS, contact the program manager. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals(AR) Contact Information(AR) LEVEL 3 Other Arctic Support Arctic Research and Policy OPP supports the management of Arctic data and information, including development of the Arctic Data Directory (ADD). ADD contains information on several hundred Arctic data sets. The objective is to make Arctic data and information more readily available to researchers. Proposals to integrate data and information management are encouraged. For more information, visit the ADD Home Page (http://www-ak.wr.usgs.gov/aedd/history.html). Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) Arctic Logistics An Arctic logistics component has been established in OPP to address field requirements beyond those commonly included in proposals from an individual or small group of investigators. Examples of the type of logistics and research support that may be provided through the separate logistics component, depending on the site, include ski-equipped heavy-lift aircraft; research vessels; multi-investigator helicopter or aircraft use; large remote field camps; day-use fees at major Arctic research sites where NSF has established a support structure (currently Toolik Field Station, Barrow, and Prudhoe Bay/Deadhorse, Alaska; and Kangerlussuaq and Thule, Greenland); and special transportation that is required for Arctic research or is available at the sites listed above. There are two types of logistics support. Type 1 is support for routine requirements typically included in proposals from an individual or a small group that are dealt with by the principal investigator and included in the cost budget. Type 2 is support for coordinated requirements such as those listed above and supplied by an OPP contractor or cooperating agency. These and their logistics are arranged in cooperation with the NSF program manager; costs are not included in the individual investigator's proposal budget. All investigators proposing research projects that may require support are encouraged to contact the program manager or the NSF Arctic Logistics Coordination Specialist to determine which type would apply to their project. Type 2 support will require completion of the Logistics Coordination Form (NSF Form 1370). Greenland has special requirements for fieldwork. Principal investigators contemplating work in Greenland should obtain the Danish Polar Center's application form for research in Greenland. Visit the Danish Polar Center's Home Page (http://www.dpc.dk/) for more information. A copy of the application must be included when the proposal is submitted to OPP. Deadline/Target Dates (AR) Submission of Proposals (AR) Contact Information (AR) SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ECONOMIC SCIENCES The goals of the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Directorate are to develop basic scientific knowledge of human social behavior, interaction, and decision- making and of social and economic systems, organizations, and institutions; to collect, analyze, and publish data on the status of the Nation's science and engineering human, institutional, and financial resources; and to advance the U.S. science and engineering enterprise by promoting international partnerships and by enhancing the work of U.S. researchers through cooperative activities with foreign scientists and engineers and their facilities and institutions. The SBE Directorate comprises the following Divisions and Activities: * Crosscutting Activities * Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) * Division of Science Resources Studies (SRS) * Division of International Programs (INT) For further information beyond what appears in this Guide, visit the SBE Directorate Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe). LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS (INT) Submission of Proposals to the INT Division The Division of International Programs (INT) works closely with the disciplinary research divisions of NSF. Depending on the circumstance, a proposal may be submitted to INT or to the appropriate disciplinary division, or supplements to existing grants may be requested. Principal investigators who are considering applying for an INT supplement should discuss the scope and timeframe of their proposed activity with both the cognizant program manager in the disciplinary research division and the appropriate (normally, geographically based) program manager in INT. The INT Division typically supports the travel and incremental international living costs of the U.S. participants of the activity. Further information such as special considerations and funding provisions for certain geographical regions or countries can be found on the Division of International Programs Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/int/), and in the program announcement International Opportunities for Scientists and Engineers (NSF 96-14). Eligibility Requirements for the INT Division Proposals from U.S. scientists and engineers for international activities are eligible for consideration in all fields of science and engineering supported by NSF. Normally a proposal must be submitted by an U.S. institution, with the exception of International Research Fellow awards and the Japan and Korea Summer Programs, which accept applications from individuals. Individual applicants for the fellowships or summer programs must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. For More Information on INT Programs and Activities Proposals submitted to the INT Division normally compete in one of six regional groupings. Proposals for International Research Fellow awards are in a separate competition. Detailed information on activities supported by the INT Division can be obtained by contacting the relevant program office listed below. Individuals' e-mail addresses are available on the INT Division Home Page. * International Research Fellow Awards (worldwide) (703) 306-1706 * Africa, Near East, and South Asia (703) 306-1707 * The Americas (703) 306-1706 * Central and Eastern Europe (703) 306-1703 * East Asia and the Pacific (703) 306-1704 * Japan and Korea (703) 306-1701 * Western Europe (703) 306-1702 For further information, write to the Division of International Programs, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 935, Arlington, VA 22230; or contact the division by e-mail, intpubs@nsf.gov, or by telephone, 1-800-437-7408. LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH (SBER) Research support is available in the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) through the following clusters of programs: * Anthropological and Geographic Sciences Cluster * Cognitive, Psychological, and Language Sciences Cluster * Economic, Decision, and Management Sciences Cluster * Methods, Cross-Directorate, and Science and Society Cluster * Social and Political Sciences Cluster Submission of Proposals to the SBER Division All programs in the SBER Division consider proposals for research projects, conferences, and workshops. Some programs also consider proposals for doctoral dissertation improvement, the acquisition of specialized research and computing equipment, and large-scale data collection. SBER conducts special initiatives and competitions on a number of topics such as human dimensions of global change, learning and intelligent systems, and human capital. For More Information on SBER Programs and Activities For further information, write to the responsible program director, Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 995, Arlington, VA 22230; or visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/). LEVEL 3 ANTHROPOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHIC SCIENCES CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) and comprises the following programs: * Archaeology, Archaeometry, and Systematic Anthropological Collections * Cultural Anthropology * Geography and Regional Science * Physical Anthropology See the SBER Division page for submission of proposal and contact information. The following information briefly describes the types of research supported in each of the programs in the Anthropological and Geographic Sciences Cluster. For more complete information, visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/start.htm). LEVEL 4 Archaeology, Archaeometry, and Systematic Anthropological Collections This program supports archaeological research that contributes to an anthropological understanding of the past. Both fieldwork and nonfieldwork are eligible for support. Through a special archeometry competition, the program provides support for projects that conduct archaeometric work of anthropological significance and that develop archaeometric techniques. Support is also provided for preserving and increasing research accessibility of systematic anthropological collections and for archaeometric laboratories. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Cultural Anthropology This program supports basic research on the causes and consequences of cross-cultural and intracultural variation as such research broadens or refines anthropological theory. In an effort to enhance the quality of students' field research in graduate programs, the program offers Ethnographic Research Training Awards. Scholars' Awards in Methodological Training for Cultural Anthropologists are offered for senior researchers who wish to upgrade their research skills by learning a particular analytical technique. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Geography and Regional Science This program supports basic research on the causes and consequences of geographical differences in economic, social, cultural, and physical phenomena, including interactions among places and regions and interrelations between human activities and the natural environment. Projects on a variety of domestic and overseas topics that will enhance geographical theory and its applications qualify for support. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Physical Anthropology This program supports basic research in areas that relate to human evolution and contemporary human variation. Research areas supported by the program include, but are not limited to, human genetic variation, human adaptation, human osteology, human paleontology, primate functional anatomy, and primate behavior. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 3 COGNITIVE, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND LANGUAGE SCIENCES CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) and comprises the following programs: * Human Cognition and Perception * Linguistics * Social Psychology See the SBER Division page for submission of proposal and contact information. The following information briefly describes the types of research supported in each of the programs in the Cognitive, Psychological, and Language Sciences Cluster. For more complete information, visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/start.htm). LEVEL 4 Human Cognition and Perception This program supports research on human perceptual and cognitive processes, including the development of these processes. Emphasis is placed on research strongly grounded in theory. Research topics include vision, audition, haptic perception, attention, object recognition, language processing, spatial representation, motor control, memory, reasoning, and concept formation. The program encompasses a wide range of theoretical perspectives such as experimental computation, connectionism, and ecological perception, and a variety of methodologies such as experimental studies and computational modeling. Research involving acquired or developmental deficits is appropriate if the results speak to basic issues in the study of normal perception or cognition. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Linguistics This program supports scientific research of all types that focus on natural human language as an object of investigation. The program supports research on the syntactic, semantic, phonetic, and phonological properties of individual languages and of language in general; the psychological processes involved in the use of language; the development of linguistic capacities in children; social and cultural factors in language use, variation, and change; the acoustics of speech and the physiological and psychological processes involved in the production and perception of speech; and the biological bases of language in the central nervous system. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Social Psychology This program supports research on human and social behavior, including cultural influences and development over the lifespan. Research topics include aggression; altruism; attitude formation and change; attitudes and behavior; attributional processes; emotion; environmental psychology; group decision making, performance, and process; intergroup relations; interpersonal attraction and relations; nonverbal communication; person perception; personality processes; prejudice; the self; social comparison; social cognition; social influence; and stereotyping. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 3 ECONOMIC, DECISION, AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) and comprises the following programs: * Decision, Risk, and Management Science * Economics * Innovation and Organizational Change (IOC) See the SBER Division page for submission of proposal and contact information. The following information briefly describes the types of research supported in each of the programs in the Economic, Decision, and Management Sciences Cluster. For more complete information, visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/start.htm). LEVEL 4 Decision, Risk, and Management Science This program supports research that explores fundamental issues in management science; risk analysis; societal and public policy decision making; behavioral decision-making and judgment; and organizational design. Research funded by the program is directed at increasing the understanding and effectiveness of problem-solving, information processing, and decision-making by individuals, groups, organizations, and society. Funded research must have implications in an operational or applied context; be grounded in theory; be based on empirical observation or subject to empirical validation; and be generalizable. The program conducts a special joint NSF/private sector initiative through which NSF funding is matched by contributions from private firms to conduct basic research that is firmly grounded in real and practical contexts. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Economics This program supports basic scientific research designed to improve the understanding of the processes and institutions of the U.S. economy and of the world system of which it is a part. Emphasis is placed on strengthening both empirical and theoretical economic analysis and on the methods for rigorous research on economic behavior. The program also supports research and conferences in almost every subfield of economics, including econometrics, mathematical economics, labor economics, macroeconomics, industrial organization, international economics, public finance, and economic history. The program also supports interdisciplinary research and conferences that strengthen the connection between economics and other disciplines including the other social sciences, statistics, mathematics, the behavioral sciences, and engineering. Topics of current interest are computational economics; the transformation of command economies; human resource-related issues such as poverty, labor productivity, the family, gender, and racial discrimination; and the economic impact of global environmental change. The program also supports conferences and interdisciplinary research that strengthen the connection between economics and other social and behavioral sciences, mathematics, and statistics. The program funds research in almost every subfield of economics, including econometrics, economic history, finance, industrial organization, international economics, labor economics, public finance, macroeconomics, and mathematical economics. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Innovation and Organizational Change (IOC) This program seeks to improve the performance of industrial, educational, service, health care, government, and other organizations and institutions. Proposers work in partnership with organizations in these areas to perform research on theories, concepts, and methodologies of innovation and organizational change. The program supports research using theory combined with empirical validation to understand effective approaches to organizational learning and redesign, strategic change, and cultural change; quality and process improvement; innovation; new product and service development; and the development and integration of new technologies. Three NSF Directorates jointly support the program: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE); Engineering (ENG); and Education and Human Resources (EHR). The IOC Program supersedes and extends the scope of two previous NSF programs: Management of Technological Innovation (MOTI) and Transformations to Quality Organizations (TQO). For More Information on IOC For more complete program information, see the program announcement Innovation and Organizational Change (in progress), or visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/). Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 3 METHODS, CROSS-DIRECTORATE, AND SCIENCE AND SOCIETY CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER), and comprises the following programs: * Cross-Directorate Activities (CDA) * Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) * Science and Technology Studies (STS) * Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology: Ethics and Values Studies, Research on Science and Technology (SDEST) See the SBER Division page for submission of proposal and contact information. The following information briefly describes the types of research supported in each of the programs in the Methods, Cross-Directorate, and Science and Society Cluster. For more complete information, visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/start.htm). LEVEL 4 Cross-Directorate Activities (CDA) This program houses and provides information about various cross-Directorate programs in which the SBER Division participates. For activities related to the social and behavioral sciences, the program administers the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU)--Sites and Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Programs, and coordinates the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER), Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE), and Small Business for Innovative Research (SBIR) Programs. Also in the areas of social and behavioral sciences, the program officer for CDA can provide information about special opportunities NSF offers for minority and women investigators and for education initiatives. For a complete description of these programs, see the Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education chapter of this Guide. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 4 Methodology, Measurement, and Statistics (MMS) This program supports fundamental research on the development, application, and extension of formal models and methodologies for social and behavioral research, including methods for improving measurement, and research on statistical methodology or statistical modeling that has direct implications for one or more of the social and behavioral sciences. Also supported are research on methodological aspects of new or existing procedures for data collection; research to evaluate or compare existing databases and data collection procedures; the collection of unique databases with cross-disciplinary implications, especially when paired with developments in measurement or methodology; and the methodological infrastructure of social and behavioral research. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 4 Science and Technology Studies (STS) This program supports historical, philosophical, and social research regarding the character and development of science and technology; the nature of theory and evidence in different fields; and the social and intellectual construction of science and technology. Support is also given to research that examines the relationship among science, government, and other social institutions and groups, and processes of scientific innovation and change. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 4 Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology: Ethics and Values Studies, Research on Science and Technology (SDEST) This program combines two former programs in the SBE Directorate: Ethics and Values Studies (EVS) and Research on Science and Technology (RST). The EVS component of the SDEST Program focuses on developing and transmitting knowledge about ethical and value dimensions associated with science, engineering, and technology. The RST component focuses on improving approaches and information for decision-making about the management and direction of science, engineering, and technology. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 3 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCES CLUSTER This cluster is within the Division of Social, Behavioral, and Economic Research (SBER) and comprises the following programs: * Law and Social Science * Political Science * Sociology See the SBER Division for submission of proposal and contact information. The following information briefly describes the types of research supported in each of the programs in the Social and Political Sciences Cluster. For more complete information, visit the SBER Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/sber/start.htm). LEVEL 4 Law and Social Science This program supports scientific research on law and lawlike systems of rules. This program encourages theoretically focused empirical studies aimed at advancing scientific knowledge about the impact of law; the nature, sources, and consequences of variations and changes in legal institutions and legal decision-making; and the dynamics of normative ordering in society. Included are studies of dispute processing, administrative and judicial decision-making, social control, compliance and deterrence, the regulatory role of law, legal and social change, and related inquiries on the relationship between legal processes and other social processes. The program supports cross-cultural research through its Global Perspectives on Sociolegal Studies initiative. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 4 Political Science This program supports social scientific research to improve the understanding of politics, political behavior, and political institutions and processes. This program supports rigorous empirical research of theoretical importance in American politics, political behavior, comparative politics, international relations, public choice and political economy, and other fields of political science. Research areas that have been supported recently include studies of activists in American political parties, information and issues in voting, congressional elections and campaigns, divided government, support for political institutions, electoral systems, nationalism and its relationship to ethnicity and language, the process of democratization, international political economy, and international conflict. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) Sociology This program supports research on problems of human social organization, demography, and processes of individual and institutional change. This program encourages theoretically focused empirical investigations aimed at improving the explanation of fundamental social processes. Included is research on organizations and organizational behavior, migration and immigration, social movements, race/ethnicity/minority relations, work and labor markets, stratification and mobility, family, education, crime and delinquency, social networks, gender roles, population dynamics, group processes, and the sociology of science and technology. Submission of Proposals (SBER) Contact Information (SBER) LEVEL 2 DIVISION OF SCIENCE RESOURCES STUDIES (SRS) The Division of Science Resources Studies (SRS) provides policy-makers, researchers, and the public with high-quality data and analyses for making informed decisions about the Nation's science, engineering, and technology enterprise. Most of the Division's work is performed internally and through contractual agreements with other Federal agencies and appropriate non-Federal organizations. Extramural analyses of the Division's extensive databases and other special studies are occasionally supported through external grant awards. Using data from its surveys, SRS produces numerous reports on important topics in science, engineering, and technology. Some examples of widely referenced SRS publications include Science and Engineering Indicators (NSB 98-1); Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering (NSF 96-311)*; National Patterns of R&D Resources (NSF 96-333)*; Science and Engineering Degrees, by Race/Ethnicity of Recipients (NSF 97-334); and Science and Engineering Research Facilities at Colleges and Universities (NSF 96-326)*. Additional data products such as microdata files are also made available to the research community. *These publications are being updated. The new versions will be available soon. For More information on SRS Programs and Activities For further information on programs and activities in the SRS Division, or to obtain copies of SRS publications, visit the SRS Division Home Page (http://www.nsf.gov/sbe/srs/), or write to the Division of Science Resources Studies, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 965, Arlington, VA 22230. LEVEL 2 CROSSCUTTING ACTIVITIES The SBE Directorate takes an active role in several areas of crosscutting research. The following is a list of these activities. * Biotechnology * Manufacturing (MAN) For information on other crosscutting programs and activities at NSF, see Crosscutting Areas of Research and Education.