New and Important Notices

• General Information
• Vacancy Announcements
• Program Announcements/Solicitations
• Conferences and Conference Proceedings

General Information

• Proposal Submission and Review:

  Proposal submission procedures have changed in substantive ways over the past few years. Each year the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG) is updated, resulting in changes in the proposal preparation guidelines. Before submitting a proposal, you should consult the latest version of the GPG, which is available on the NSF web page, to be certain that you have supplied all the requested information and that it is in the proper format.

  You must submit your proposals via FastLane. Directions to most effectively create the required PDF files are available. We urge you to follow these as closely as possible. Proposal review in the Physics Division is conducted electronically. Reviewers either read the proposal directly on line or print their own copies. Failure to follow the directions for creation of the correct PDF files could lead to difficulties in the review.

• New Activities:

  The Physics Division is starting a new program of Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC's). This program will support university-based centers and large groups in cases where this mode of research is required to make transformational advances in the most promising research areas. Proposals will be considered in areas within the purview of the Division of Physics, broadly interpreted, e.g., atomic, molecular, optical, plasma, elementary particle, nuclear, astro-, gravitational, interdisciplinary, and emerging areas of physics. Interdisciplinary physics is taken here to mean research at the interface between physics and other disciplines, e.g., biophysics, quantum information science, mathematical physics.

  The purpose of the PFC program is to enable major advances at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources not usually available to individual investigators or small groups. PFCs make it possible to address major challenges that require: combinations of talents, skills, and/or disciplines; specialized infrastructure; large collaborations; or centers/institutes that catalyze rapid advances on the most promising research topics.

  The successful PFC will demonstrate: (1) the potential for a profound advance in physics, broadly defined; a major impact on another field; or benefit to society; (2) a synergy or value-added rationale that justifies a center-like approach; and (3) creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, diversity, and public outreach.

  Awards will have a duration of 5 years and are expected to range in size between $0.5 million/year and $4 million/year. For more information and eligibility details, see the Physics Frontiers Centers program.

• A new Physics program, Particle and Nuclear Astrophysics, is accepting proposals for funding.

  The Physics Division supports activities and maintains a strong interest in research in Quantum Information Science. A copy of the proceedings of the Quantum Information Science (QIS) Workshop that took place on 28-29 October, 1999, is available in electronic form. You may use either of the following pointers, HTML or PDF, depending on your preference.

Vacancy Announcements

Program Directors in the Physics Division may be either full time permanent NSF staff or scientists from the community working in temporary positions as "rotators". Because rotators generally remain at NSF for only one to two years, the Division is always seeking to hear from scientists who might be interested in serving the Physics community as a rotator. We encourage anyone who is interested to contact either Joe Dehmer, Pat Bautz or John Lightbody at the telephone number or e-mail address in the PHY staff listing.

Currently the Physics Division is seeking to fill a number of vacancies for permanent NSF staff positions as Program Directors. Details can be found in the Vacancies listing.

Program Announcements/Solicitations

The Physics Division participates in a number of Foundation-wide multi-disciplinary research initiatives. Of particular interest to scientists typically supported through the Physics Division could be the following:

• Information Technology Research (ITR)
• Partnership in Basic Plasma Science and Engineering (PSE)
• Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NSE)
• ADVANCE
• Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)

Conferences and Conference Proceedings

Computational Physics Workshop, September 11 - 12, 2001

Approaches to Combat Terrorism (ACT) Opportunities for Basic Research   (3.5mb)