Archaeometry
Awards
Target date: October 31
The Archaeology Program recognizes three broad classes of archaeometric
proposals: (1) proposals to support laboratories which provide archaeometric
services; (2) proposals to develop and refine archaeometric techniques;
(3) proposals to apply existing analytic techniques to specific
bodies of archaeological materials. "Laboratory support" and "technique
development" projects are included within the Archaeometry competition.
"Technique application" proposals are best evaluated in a more strictly
archaeological context and therefore should be submitted to the
"senior" research competition.
Archaeometry proposals are evaluated by outside reviewers selected
for specific expertise in the applicant’s subject area and also
by a panel composed of both archaeologists to determine potential
anthropological contribution and physical scientists to assess technical
feasibility. The panel meets annually in either March or April and
applicants are invited to contact the Program Director to obtain
the panel date and then to inquire about application outcome. During
government fiscal years 1998-2000, 12 of 30 applications (40%) received
support. The distribution of award size and duration is presented
below.
Laboratory support awards provide "core" funding that permits
laboratories to increase analytical capacity through the addition
and/or replacement of equipment and retention of key personnel.
The goal of the awards is to increase the contribution of these
laboratories to anthropologically oriented archaeology. Proposals
should contain:
- A discussion of the laboratory’s specific commitment to solving
problems of recognized archaeological significance.
- An explicit statement which describes how the laboratory will
increase productivity measured in terms of reduced turnaround
times and/or increase in the number of samples to be analyzed
each year. The applicant should discuss the characteristics of
the samples to be processed, the specific technical problems relating
to these types of samples and specific techniques utilized to
deal with these problems. Past performance should be discussed
and quantitative data on output provided.
- An explanation of the laboratory’s plan to ensure that it will
attract samples of high archaeological interest and quality and
a discussion of the criteria employed to select and assign priorities.
- A discussion of the current standards of accuracy and precision
maintained by the laboratory and how these standards will be continued
or augmented.
- A statement of existing resources available to the laboratory
including current institutional support and projected income,
and a discussion of how Foundation support will be used in addition
to (rather than in lieu of) presently available funds. Policies
and practices with respect to fees should be described. Please
note that NSF Important
Notice 91 states that "it is contrary to the NSF’s intent
for grantees to use NSF-supported research instrumentation or
facilities to provide service for a fee in direct competition
with private companies that provide equivalent services. "
- A listing of all personnel (when known) included in the project
and a discussion of the professional training, experience and
suitability of each. If personnel are yet to be hired, the requirements
for the position should be described.
- A justification of the budget for personnel and equipment needed
to achieve these basic goals.
Awards are not intended to provide full operational support for
a laboratory or to replace funding for ongoing laboratory personnel.
Therefore, they will not include such items as the regular salary
of a laboratory director. Budget items may include: 12 month salary
for a full-time professional laboratory associate at the postdoctoral
level, student support, funding for the acquisition of laboratory
equipment and expendable supplies, and up to 2 months of full time
equivalent salary during the year for the laboratory director to
support active collaboration with archaeologists. Laboratories receiving
awards will also be permitted to submit "senior" research applications
for the support of focused research projects. Applicants may request
up to five years of support.
Technique development proposals should follow standard guidelines.
In addition to descriptions of the technique and methodology to
be employed, the potential significance of the technique to anthropologically
oriented archaeological research should be specifically addressed.
For both types of proposals, applications should be prepared in
accordance with the Grant
Proposal Guide and submitted electronically through the
NSF Fastlane system.
Fiscal years 1998-2000 award data
Award duration(months)
|
Number of awards
|
12
|
1
|
24
|
3
|
36
|
8
|
Award amount
|
Number of awards
|
$0 - $50,000
|
0
|
$50,000 - $100,000
|
2
|
$100,000 - $150,000
|
0
|
$150,000 - $200,000
|
1
|
$200,000 - $250,000
|
6
|
$250,000 - $300,000
|
0
|
$300,000 - $350,000
|
2
|
$350,000 -$400,000
|
1
|
|
|