Biomedical Science and Engineering Biomedical Science and Engineering Funding Opportunities at NSFFunding Opportunities at NSF

Semahat DemirSemahat Demir

Program DirectorProgram Director

Biomedical Engineering ProgramBiomedical Engineering Program

National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation

March 19, 2009March 19, 2009

Biomedical Science and Engineering Conference Biomedical Science and Engineering Conference

Oak Ridge National Labs, TNOak Ridge National Labs, TN

OutlineOutline

• VisionVision

• NSF-Wide Investment Areas (Priority Areas)NSF-Wide Investment Areas (Priority Areas)

• Funding mechanismsFunding mechanisms

• NSF Merit Review CriteriaNSF Merit Review Criteria

NSF VisionNSF Vision

NSF: Where Discovery BeginsNSF: Where Discovery Begins

Enabling the Nation’s future Enabling the Nation’s future through discovery, learning through discovery, learning and innovation.and innovation.

OverviewOverview

• Founded in 1950Founded in 1950

• An independent federal agency An independent federal agency

• Responsible for advancing science and engineeringResponsible for advancing science and engineering

• Makes merit-based grants and cooperative agreementsMakes merit-based grants and cooperative agreements• Individual researchers and groupsIndividual researchers and groups• Colleges, universities, Colleges, universities, • Other institutions: public, private, state, local and federalOther institutions: public, private, state, local and federal

• Does not operate laboratoriesDoes not operate laboratories

• Peer-review and evaluation of proposals submitted by science and Peer-review and evaluation of proposals submitted by science and engineering research and education communitiesengineering research and education communities

NSF Support as a Percent of NSF Support as a Percent of Total US Federal Support forTotal US Federal Support forAcademic Basic ResearchAcademic Basic Research in Selected Fields in Selected Fields

• Physical Sciences: Physical Sciences: 40%40%

• Engineering: Engineering: 46%46%

• Social Sciences: Social Sciences: 52%52%

• Environmental Sciences: Environmental Sciences: 54%54%

• Biology (excluding NIH): Biology (excluding NIH): 66%66%

• Mathematical Sciences: Mathematical Sciences: 77%77%

• Computer Science: Computer Science: 86%86%

People Involved in NSF Activities (FY05)People Involved in NSF Activities (FY05)

• 32,000 32,000 Senior ResearchersSenior Researchers

• 12,000 12,000 Other ProfessionalOther Professional

• 6,000 6,000 Postdoctoral AssociatesPostdoctoral Associates

• 27,000 Graduate Students27,000 Graduate Students

• 33,000 Undergraduate Students33,000 Undergraduate Students

• 11,000 K-12 Students 11,000 K-12 Students

• 74,000 K-12 Teachers74,000 K-12 Teachers

NSF Disciplines & StructureNSF Disciplines & Structure

1)1)Biological Sciences (BIO)Biological Sciences (BIO)

2)2)Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE)Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering (CISE)

3)3)Education and Human Resources (EHR)Education and Human Resources (EHR)

4)4)Engineering (ENG)Engineering (ENG)

5)5)Geosciences (GEO)Geosciences (GEO)

6)6)Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)

7)7)Social, Behavioral And Economic Sciences (SBE)Social, Behavioral And Economic Sciences (SBE)

8)8)Polar ProgramsPolar Programs

9)9)Office of CyberinfrastructureOffice of Cyberinfrastructure

10)10) Office of International Science and EngineeringOffice of International Science and Engineering

11)11) Office of Integrative AffairsOffice of Integrative Affairs

NSF-Wide Investment Areas NSF-Wide Investment Areas (FY 09)(FY 09)

• NSF Centers Programs and FundingNSF Centers Programs and Funding

• Climate Change Science ProgramClimate Change Science Program

• Cyber-enabled Discovery & InnovationCyber-enabled Discovery & Innovation

• CyberinfrastructureCyberinfrastructure

• National Nanotechnology InitiativeNational Nanotechnology Initiative

• Networking Information Technology R&DNetworking Information Technology R&D

• Selected Crosscutting ProgramsSelected Crosscutting Programs

Award (Grant) TypesAward (Grant) Types

• Individual Investigator Initiated AwardsIndividual Investigator Initiated Awards

• CAREER AwardsCAREER Awards

• EAGER or RAPID AwardsEAGER or RAPID Awards

• SupplementsSupplements

• Workshops, conferencesWorkshops, conferences

• Center Awards (e.g. ERCs, STCs)Center Awards (e.g. ERCs, STCs)

• Small Business Innovation Research and Small Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) awardsBusiness Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) awards

• Cross-disciplinary or cross-directorateCross-disciplinary or cross-directorate– GOALI (Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry)GOALI (Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry)– IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship)IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship)– ADVANCEADVANCE– MRIMRI

• Specific Solicitation AwardsSpecific Solicitation Awards– NSF solicitations, Interagency solicitationsNSF solicitations, Interagency solicitations

NSF Merit Review CriteriaNSF Merit Review Criteria

• Criteria include:Criteria include:

• What is the What is the intellectual meritintellectual merit and and quality of the proposed activity?quality of the proposed activity?

• What are What are the broader impactsthe broader impacts of the of the proposed activity?proposed activity?

What is the intellectual merit of What is the intellectual merit of the proposed activity?the proposed activity?

Potential Considerations:Potential Considerations:

• How important is the proposed activity to advancing How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and understanding within its own field or across knowledge and understanding within its own field or across different fields? different fields?

• How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to How well qualified is the proposer (individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will conduct the project? (If appropriate, the reviewer will comment on the quality of prior work.)comment on the quality of prior work.)

• To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative and original or potentially transformative explore creative and original or potentially transformative concepts?concepts?

• How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity? How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity?

• Is there sufficient access to resources?Is there sufficient access to resources?

What are the broader impacts What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?of the proposed activity?

Potential Considerations:Potential Considerations:

• How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while promoting teaching, training and learning?promoting teaching, training and learning?

• How well does the activity broaden the participation of underrepresented How well does the activity broaden the participation of underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)? groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability, geographic, etc.)?

• To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks and education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks and partnerships?partnerships?

• Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and technological understanding? technological understanding?

• What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?

Thanks for the invitation!

www.nsf.gov

Tips for Successful Proposal WritingTips for Successful Proposal Writing • Determine if your project is relevant to the programDetermine if your project is relevant to the program

• Get in touch with the Program Director Get in touch with the Program Director • Program Director: Program Director:

– Review PanelsReview Panels– Award/decline recommendationAward/decline recommendation– Post management of the awards (progress report)Post management of the awards (progress report)

• Follow the instructions posted by the agencyFollow the instructions posted by the agency• Format, sections, project planFormat, sections, project plan• Agency’s Review Criteria (NSF Merit Review Criteria)Agency’s Review Criteria (NSF Merit Review Criteria)• Priority Areas for the agencyPriority Areas for the agency

• Respond to a solicitation Respond to a solicitation • Deadlines (preproposal, letter of intent, full proposal) Deadlines (preproposal, letter of intent, full proposal) • Additional review criteria and requirementsAdditional review criteria and requirements

• Read “successful” proposals of your colleaguesRead “successful” proposals of your colleagues

• Have your proposal reviewed by collaborators or colleagues before Have your proposal reviewed by collaborators or colleagues before submittingsubmitting

• Do not submit on the day of the deadlineDo not submit on the day of the deadline

• Volunteer to serve on a review panelVolunteer to serve on a review panel

ENG and Cross-Directorate Activities at NSFENG and Cross-Directorate Activities at NSFProgram Director, Biomedical Engineering (BME)Program Director, Biomedical Engineering (BME)

1.1. Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) Research to Aid Persons with Disabilities (RAPD) 2.2. Multi-Scale Modeling  in Biomedical, Biological, and Behavioral Systems (MSM)Multi-Scale Modeling  in Biomedical, Biological, and Behavioral Systems (MSM)3.3. Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS) 4.4. Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) 5.5. Nanoscale Science and Engineering for Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER) Theme: "Multi-scale, Nanoscale Science and Engineering for Nanoscale Exploratory Research (NER) Theme: "Multi-scale,

Multi-phenomena Theory, Modeling and Simulation at the Nanoscale“Multi-phenomena Theory, Modeling and Simulation at the Nanoscale“6.6. Dynamic Data Driven Applications Systems (DDDAS)Dynamic Data Driven Applications Systems (DDDAS)7.7. Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems (ANN), Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT) Active Nanostructures and Nanosystems (ANN), Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Teams (NIRT)

Theme: Nanoscale Devices and System ArchitectureTheme: Nanoscale Devices and System Architecture8.8. NIH/NSF for Bioengineering Approaches to Energy Balance and Obesity (2005-)NIH/NSF for Bioengineering Approaches to Energy Balance and Obesity (2005-)9.9. Engineering Research Centers (ERC) Partnerships in Transforming Research, Education and Engineering Research Centers (ERC) Partnerships in Transforming Research, Education and

Technology, Program Solicitation NSF 07-521 (2007- ) Technology, Program Solicitation NSF 07-521 (2007- ) 10.10. Emerging Frontiers Research and Innovation (EFRI (2007-) Cognitive Optimization and Prediction: Emerging Frontiers Research and Innovation (EFRI (2007-) Cognitive Optimization and Prediction:

From Neural Systems to Neurotechnology (COPN) From Neural Systems to Neurotechnology (COPN) 11.11. Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) (2009-Cyber-Enabled Discovery and Innovation (CDI) (2009-

Representative of Engineering DirectorateRepresentative of Engineering Directorate• NSF Learning and Workforce Development (LWD) Cyber Infrastructure (CI) SWOT NSF Learning and Workforce Development (LWD) Cyber Infrastructure (CI) SWOT • NSF initiative in Neuroscience and CognitionNSF initiative in Neuroscience and CognitionChair,Chair, ENG Neurotech Working Group ENG Neurotech Working GroupNSF Representative,NSF Representative, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Subcommittee on National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Subcommittee onBiometrics and Identity Management, (2006-)Biometrics and Identity Management, (2006-)Co-Chair, Co-Chair, NIH BECON Bridges TeamNIH BECON Bridges Team