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Major Research Instrumentation (MRI)
 

Director's Dear Colleagues Letter on Merit Review

The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) is designed to improve the scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in our Nation's academic institutions. This program seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of research and research training in science and engineering, and to foster the integration of research and education by providing instrumentation for research-intensive learning environments.

The MRI Program assists in the acquisition or development of major research instrumentation by U.S. institutions that is, in general, too costly for support through other NSF programs. The maintenance and technical support associated with these instruments are also supported. 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.

Awards for instrumentation range from $100,000 to $2 million. Lesser amounts are considered in proposals from non-Ph.D. granting institutions, from mathematical sciences, or from the social, behavioral and economic science communities.

The FY 2004 MRI competition is currently under way. Proposals to this year's competition are due to NSF on January 22, 2004. Proposals submitted in response to the FY 2004 program solicitation are competing for about $75 million. The funding rate for the FY 2003 MRI competition was approximately 40%.

Before preparing your proposal please review the new solicitation (NSF 05-515).

NOTE: No proposals will be accepted after the deadline (Thursday, January 27, 2005). It is the responsibility of the proposing organization to thoroughly review each proposal prior to submission. Changes to the content of a previously submitted proposal after the established deadline should not be requested (per GPG Guidelines NSF 04-2).

Historical Document: Research Instrumentation: Enabling the Discovery Process (NSF 94-102)


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