Planning is on-going for the Human and Social Dynamics (HSD) FY05 competition. The HSD FY05 solicitation is anticipated to be available in early autumn. The focus of the competition is expected to remain on human and social change with emphasis on the topical areas explained in the FY04 Solicitation.

Over 700 projects were received for the FY04 HSD competition and there was a success rate slightly over 5%. The proposals are almost completely processed and most reviews are available through FastLane. Keep checking this website for updates as information becomes available.

The Human and Social Dynamics (HSD) priority area seeks to stimulate breakthroughs in knowledge about human action and development as well as organizational, cultural, and societal adaptation and change. Such a transformation in basic understanding would parallel the explosion of knowledge about the physical and biological worlds that characterized the twentieth century. The arrival of the twenty-first century has brought with it new hopes and possibilities for better living. Revolutionary technologies and ideas that are the product of human minds have created a more closely linked world, within which there is almost instantaneous transmission of information that feeds a global economy. But it is also a world of change, uncertainty, and disruption that leaves many uncertain how to respond.

Research about human and social behavior is increasingly characterized by a focus on dynamics—on how cognitive systems, individuals, formal and informal organizations, cultures, and societies evolve and change over space and time. Scientific understanding of the dynamics of mental processes, individual behavior, and social activity increasingly requires partnerships that span the different science, engineering, and education communities.

Through the HSD priority area, NSF seeks to promote research and education activities that will enable the nation to better understand the causes and ramifications of myriad forms of change that have altered the world in which we live. HSD aims to increase our collective ability to anticipate the complex consequences of change; to better understand the dynamics of human and social behavior at all levels, including that of the human mind; to better understand the cognitive and social structures that create and define change; and to help people and organizations better manage profound or rapid change. Accomplishing these goals requires a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach across science, engineering, and education including the development of an infrastructure that can support such efforts.