DIVISION OF MATERIALS RESEARCH
DIRECTORATE FOR MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES
PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL DUE DATES(S) (required): September 10, 2001
FULL PROPOSAL DEADLINE(S): January 14, 2002
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
The National Science Foundation promotes and advances scientific progress in the United States by competitively awarding grants and cooperative agreements for research and education in the sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
To get the latest information about program deadlines, to download copies of NSF publications, and to access abstracts of awards, visit the NSF Web Site at:
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4201 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22230 |
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(703) 292-5111 |
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(703) 292-5090 |
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Send an e-mail to: |
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or telephone: |
(301) 947-2722 |
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(703) 292-5111 |
Program Title: Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSEC)
Synopsis of Program: The MRSEC program supports interdisciplinary, university-based group research and education in the area of materials science and engineering, condensed matter physics, solid state and materials chemistry, and related areas of science and engineering. An MRSEC encompasses one or more interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). The IRGs involve several faculty and associated researchers with complementary background and expertise and address an area of research which requires interactive efforts among the participants.
Cognizant Program Officer(s):
Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number(s):
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
B. Budgetary Information
C. Deadline/Target Dates
D. FastLane Requirements
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (MRSECs) support interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary materials research and education of the highest quality while addressing fundamental problems in science and engineering that are important to society. MRSECs require outstanding research quality, intellectual breadth, interdisciplinarity, flexibility in responding to new research opportunities, support for research infrastructure, and they foster the integration of research and education in the materials field. They are expected to have strong links to industry and other sectors, and to develop a national network of university-based centers in materials research. MRSECs address fundamental materials research topics of intellectual and technological importance, contribute to national priorities by fostering active collaboration between academia and other sectors, and enable researchers to address problems of a scope and complexity requiring the advantages of scale and interdisciplinarity provided by a campus-based research center.
The MRSEC program reinforces NSF's commitment to excellence in interdisciplinary research and education; it is national in scope and significance, requiring coordination of the overall effort among Centers. The MRSEC program complements, but does not substitute for, NSF support for individual investigators, small groups, national user facilities, and instrumentation in materials research.
MRSECs are supported by NSF to undertake materials research of a scope and complexity that would not be feasible under traditional funding of individual research projects. NSF support is intended to reinforce the base of individual investigator and small group research by providing the flexibility to address topics requiring an approach of broad scope and duration. MRSECs are university-based, and undertake an interactive, interdisciplinary approach to materials research and education while fostering active cooperation among university-based researchers and those concerned with the application of materials research in industry and elsewhere. An MRSEC may encompass one or more interdisciplinary research groups (IRGs). Each IRG involves several faculty members and associated researchers, addressing a major topic or area in which sustained support for interactive effort by several participants with complementary backgrounds, skills, and knowledge is critical to progress. The IRGs in a Center may be topically related, or they may address different topical aspects of materials research; they contribute to the synergy arising from the research and education activities of the Center and its common infrastructure, shared facilities and outreach programs. Thus, the Center as a whole is expected to be more than the sum of its parts.
The scope of activities of each MRSEC depends on the capabilities of the proposing institution. Smaller Centers normally consist of a single IRG addressing a particular topic in materials research, involving collaboration with industry or other sectors. Larger Centers undertake a broader program of research and education, and may involve several IRGs. MRSECs incorporate most or all of the following activities to an extent consistent with the size of the Center:
- Programs to stimulate interdisciplinary education and the development of human resources (including support for underrepresented groups) through cooperation and collaboration with other institutions and sectors, as well as within the host institution. Cooperative programs involving minority and non-minority institutions are strongly encouraged.
- Active cooperation with industry, to stimulate and facilitate knowledge transfer among the participants and strengthen the links between university-based research and its application; cooperation and collaboration with other academic institutions and other sectors. Active efforts to establish research collaborations and education activities at the international level are strongly encouraged. Cooperative activities may include, but are not limited to: joint research programs; affiliate programs; joint development and use of shared experimental facilities; access to user facilities; visiting scientist programs; joint educational ventures; joint seminar series, colloquia or workshops; stimulation of new business ventures; involvement of external advisory groups; and industrial outreach programs.
- Support for shared experimental facilities, properly staffed, equipped and maintained, and accessible to users from the Center, the participating institutions, and other institutions and sectors.
Each MRSEC has the responsibility to manage and evaluate its own operation with respect to program administration, planning, content and direction. NSF support is intended to promote optimal use of university resources and capabilities, and to provide maximum flexibility in setting research directions, developing cooperative activities with other institutions and sectors, and responding quickly and effectively to new opportunities in materials research and education that are important to the nation's research and technology base. NSF encourages MRSECs to include support for junior faculty, high-risk projects, and emerging areas of interdisciplinary materials research.
The MRSECs constitute a spectrum of coordinated Centers of differing scientific breadth and administrative complexity which may address any area of materials research. The smaller Centers enable specialized areas of interdisciplinary excellence to be integrated into a national network of larger MRSECs. These in turn provide, in addition to research excellence, the infrastructure of equipment, education and outreach needed to ensure that the program as a whole meets its objectives and provides for effective coordination with industrial efforts. The MRSEC program will not normally provide support simultaneously for more than one Center based at any one institution.
MRSEC Directors serve on a national liaison team for the program and are expected to actively contribute to the liaison team efforts. The team is responsible for developing a liaison structure with the active participation of each Center, contributing to a network of Centers addressing common problems and opportunities, and facilitating links and cooperation among Centers as well as between Centers and other institutions.
Universities in the USA with broad research and education programs in the area of condensed matter physics, solid state and materials chemistry, materials science and engineering, and related areas of science and engineering may submit pre-proposals.
In order to reduce the burden of proposal writing for the materials research community and the burden of subsequent proposal review and evaluation for reviewers and NSF staff, NSF will accept full proposals for MRSECs by invitation only, based on the results of the pre-proposal evaluation.
While more than one institution may participate in a single proposal or pre-proposal, one institution must accept overall management responsibility for the Center. A single institution may not be the lead institution in more than two pre-proposals.
Individual MRSEC awards are expected to range in size from about $0.8 million/year to a maximum of $5.0 million/year. Awards will be made for an initial commitment of up to six years, funding for the fifth and sixth years will be contingent upon the outcome of a thorough external review. The number of awards will depend on the availability of funds and the quality of proposals received. Proposals from existing (re-competing) Centers will be evaluated in open competition with new proposals. If a proposal from an existing Center is not successful, phase-out support may be provided at a reduced level for a period of up to two years after the expiration of the current award. Awards are based on comprehensive, competitive merit review. Re-competing Centers must demonstrate excellence, significant achievements, and institutional and national impact in materials research; substantive accomplishments in the integration of research and education; active and effective collaboration with industry and other sectors as appropriate and effective development and operation of shared facilities. Achievements under prior NSF support are a critical factor when re-competing proposals are considered. The commitment of each Center to introducing substantially new research topics and undertaking innovative research will also be important in considering re-competing proposals. Anticipated date of awards: September 2002.
A. Proposal Preparation Instructions
Preliminary Proposals:
Pre-proposals submitted in response to this solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG), NSF 01-2. The GPG is available electronically on the NSF Web site.
Proposers are reminded to identify this program solicitation number in the program announcement/solicitation block of the NSF Cover Sheet, and to select "Materials Rsch Sci and Eng Cent" from the FastLane organization unit pull-down list. Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.
The pre-proposal must be submitted via NSF FastLane. The pre-proposal must be single-spaced in 12-point type, and consist of:
1. NSF Cover Sheet
2. Information about Principal Investigator/Project Director (NSF Form 1225), automatically generated by FastLane.
3. Project Summary: include a brief overview of the Center as a whole, a concise rationale for establishing the Center, and an outline of the existing and planned capabilities of the participating institutions in materials research and education. Limit: 1 page.
4. Table of Contents. Will be generated automatically by FastLane
5. Project Description. Include the following:
a. a list of participating senior investigators (faculty level and equivalent) by name, institutional and departmental affiliation (additional biographic information is required for the PI only in the pre-proposal).
b. a description of pertinent achievements under prior NSF support, where applicable. Limit: 2 pages.
c. a description of each proposed area of multi-investigator, interdisciplinary group research, including names of faculty-level participants and numbers of students and postdoctoral associates in each group (limit this section to no more than two pages for each IRG).
d. a description of proposed activities in education, human resource development, and outreach; proposed collaborations with industry and/or other sectors; shared experimental facilities; international collaboration; and an outline of the proposed arrangements for administration and management of the Center. Limit: 3 pages.
e. a synopsis of institutional and other commitments to the proposed Center. Limit: 1 page.
f. a Summary Table of Requested NSF Support (see Full Proposal section below).
Limit the Project Description section to no more than fifteen pages total, including tables and illustrations, regardless of the number of IRGs.
6. References Cited. Limit: 2 pages.
7. Biographical Sketch of Principal Investigator only. Limit: 1 page.
8. Budget pages and budget justification (see Full Proposal Budget below).
No additional material is required or accepted with the pre-proposal submission.
Concurrently with submission of the pre-proposal, please submit by e-mail to mrsec@nsf.gov the following: (1) The title of the pre-proposal, the submitting institution(s), and the name of the PI(s); (2) a list of individuals (and their affiliations) outside the participating institutions whose participation in the review of the pre-proposal might constitute a conflict of interest through association with the participants; (3) a list of individuals who might be suitable to act as impartial reviewers.
Full Proposal:
Proposals submitted in response to this program announcement/solicitation should be prepared and submitted in accordance with the general guidelines contained in the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (GPG). The complete text of the GPG is available electronically on the NSF Web Site at: http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/getpub?nsf012. Paper copies of the GPG may be obtained from the NSF Publications Clearinghouse, telephone (301) 947-2722 or by e-mail from pubs@nsf.gov.
A full proposal may be submitted only by invitation. All full proposals must be submitted via NSF FastLane. Proposals that exceed the page limitations or that contain items other than those described below will be ineligible for consideration and will be returned without review. The proposal must be single spaced in 12-point type and must contain the following items in the order indicated.
1. NSF Cover Sheet.
2. Information about Principal Investigator/Project Director (NSF Form 1225), automatically generated by FastLane.
3. Project Summary. Provide a clear rationale for and description of the proposed MRSEC and its potential impact. Briefly describe the institutional setting of the Center, its proposed scope and organization, activities in research and education and their integration, development of human resources, shared experimental facilities, collaborative activities with industry and other sectors, links with related major research centers on or off campus, and management plan. Limit: 3 pages.
4. Table of Contents. Generated automatically by FastLane.
5. Project Description. Include the following:
a. List of Participants. List each senior investigator (faculty level or equivalent), by full name, and his/her institutional and departmental affiliation; also enter each name in "Add/Delete Non Co-PI Senior Personnel" FastLane form.
b. Achievements Under Prior NSF Support. Describe achievements under prior NSF support that pertain to the present proposal. (Recompeting proposals should also list publications and patents from prior NSF support under section (j) below). Limit: 5 pages.
c. Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs). The Center may encompass one or more IRGS. For each IRG proposed, provide a concise description of the long-term research goals and intellectual focus, and describe the planned research activities in sufficient detail to enable their scientific merit and significance to be assessed. Describe the role and intellectual contribution of each senior participant in the IRG, and briefly outline the resources available or planned to accomplish the research goals (it will be helpful to underline the name of each senior investigator wherever it occurs). The need for an interactive, interdisciplinary approach involving several investigators, and the means of achieving this, should be clearly established. Place the IRG in the context of the Center as a whole, and describe interactions with other groups and institutions. At the beginning of each IRG section in the proposal, name the senior personnel who will participate, and state the proposed number of postdoctoral and graduate student participants. Limit for each IRG: 10 pages, including tables and figures.
d. Education, Human Resources, and Outreach. Describe the proposed activities of the Center in education and human resource development, including plans for participation by undergraduates, pre-college students and teachers if appropriate, and members of underrepresented groups. Outline plans for seminar series, colloquial workshops, conferences, summer schools and related activities, as appropriate. Describe any additional outreach programs not included in other sections of the proposal. Limit: 3 pages.
e. Shared Experimental Facilities. Describe the shared experimental facilities existing and to be established, including specific major instrumentation, and plans for the development of instrumentation. Describe plans for maintaining and operating the facilities, including staffing, provision for user fees, and plans for ensuring access to outside users. Distinguish clearly between existing facilities and those still to be developed. Limit: 3 pages.
f. Collaboration with Industry and Other Sectors. Describe the proposed interactions and collaborations with industry, and, where appropriate, with other institutions and sectors, including national laboratories. Define the goals of the collaboration, and describe the planned activities. Describe the roles of the senior participants, the mechanisms planned to stimulate and facilitate knowledge transfer, and the potential long-term impact of the collaborations. Limit: 3 pages.
g. International Collaboration (complete this section if appropriate). Describe the nature of the collaboration and the expected international and scientific or engineering benefits to the research and education program. Include a description of the research facilities at the foreign site, as appropriate, and of the division of effort and expertise among the collaborators. Limit: 1 page.
h. Seed Funding and Emerging Areas. Through this mechanism, NSF intends to provide flexibility for the Center to respond quickly and effectively to new opportunities. Briefly describe other proposed research plans and related activities, showing clearly how they are related to the mission of the Center. These may include (but are not limited to): seed support for junior faculty and for investigators changing fields; high-risk research projects; emerging areas of interdisciplinary research; experimental programs to link the university effort in materials with industry and other sectors; the development of tools for remote access to instrumentation; and innovative interdisciplinary educational ventures. Seed funding through the Center is not intended to provide a substitute for NSF individual investigator funding: the criteria and mechanisms for selecting and evaluating projects must be clearly addressed in the management plan. Include the names of key personnel for the first year. Limit: 3 pages.
i. Management. Describe the plans for administration of the Center, including the functions of key personnel and the role of any advisory committee, executive committee, and/or program committee or their equivalent. Describe the procedures and criteria used to select, administer, and evaluate the Interdisciplinary Research Groups and other research programs of the Center, including seed funding and collaborative programs with other groups and institutions. Plans for administering the shared experimental facilities should be described under item (d). Describe plans for administering the educational programs and outreach activities of the Center, as appropriate. Limit: 3 pages.
j. Institutional and Other Sector Support. Outline institutional and other commitments to the Center, including matching funds, space, faculty and staff positions, capital equipment, access to existing facilities, commitments for collaboration and outreach programs, and other commitments. Limit: 1 page.
k. Publications and Patents under Prior NSF Support. For re-competing proposals only, list publications and patents under prior NSF MRSEC support.
l. Summary Table of Requested NSF Support (for both pre-proposal and full proposal). In tabular form as follows, summarize the overall support levels planned for each of the major activities of the MRSEC as a whole.
ACTIVITY |
YEAR 1 |
6-YEAR TOTAL* |
IRG 1 (Title) |
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IRG 2 (Title) (repeat for each IRG) |
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Shared Experimental Facilities |
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Seed Funding and Emerging Areas |
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Education and Human Resources |
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Outreach |
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Administration |
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Total |
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Funding in years 5 and 6 will be contingent upon the outcome of an external review during the fourth year of the award.For each entry in the Table include indirect costs. Column totals must equal the total budget requested from NSF for the period shown. Include major capital equipment under shared experimental facilities. Support for graduate students should normally be included under research, not under education and human resources.
6. References Cited. Limit: 5 pages.
7. Biographical Sketches. Include a biographical sketch for each senior participant according to GPG guidelines. Limit: 1 page for each senior investigator.
8. Budget pages and budget justification (for both pre-proposal and full proposal).
Complete budget pages for each year of support (1-6) and a six-year summary budget justification. A six-year budget summary will be automatically generated. Provide separate budget pages for the Center as a whole and for each subaward institution. Cost sharing of 10% of the total (six year) budget is required and must be shown on line M of the proposal budget.
9. Current and Pending Support (NSF Form 1239). List current and pending support for each senior investigator.
10. Letters of Support. Include only official letters of support verifying specific commitments of resources from participating institutions. Scan your signed letters into the Supplementary Documents section of FastLane, but do not send originals. Limit: 3 pages.
Additional Information:
Reviewer Information: Enter the following information into the FastLane "List of Suggested Reviewers" section: (1) a list of individuals (and their affiliations) outside the participating institutions whose participation in the review of the full proposal might constitute a conflict of interest through association with the participants; and (2) a list of individuals who might be suitable to act as impartial reviewers. Concurrently with the above submission send an e-mail to mrsec@nsf.gov with the above information; include the title of the full proposal, the submitting institution(s) and the name of the PI(s).
Proposers are reminded to identify the program solicitation number (NSF 01-109) in the program announcement/solicitation block on the proposal Cover Sheet (NSF Form 1207). Compliance with this requirement is critical to determining the relevant proposal processing guidelines. Failure to submit this information may delay processing.
Cost sharing at a level of 10 percent of the requested total amount of NSF funds is required for all proposals submitted in response to this solicitation. The proposed cost sharing must be shown on Line M on the proposal budget. Documentation of the availability of cost sharing must be included in the proposal. Only items which would be allowable under the applicable cost principles, if charged to the project, may be included in the awardee’s contribution to cost sharing. Contributions may be made from any non-Federal source, including non-Federal grants or contracts, and may be cash or in kind (see OMB Circular A-110, Section 23). It should be noted that contributions counted as cost sharing toward projects of another Federal agency may not be counted towards meeting the specific cost sharing requirements of the NSF award. All cost sharing amounts are subject to audit. Failure to provide the level of cost sharing reflected in the approved award budget may result in termination of the NSF award, disallowance of award costs and/or refund of award funds to NSF.
Indirect Cost (F&A) Limitations: In accordance with Federal Negotiated Rate.
Other Budgetary Limitations: Awards are expected to range in size from about $0.8 million/year to a maximum of $5.0 million/year. The budget for the full proposal may not be larger than the pre-proposal budget.
Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):
Preliminary Proposals (required): September 10, 2001
Full Proposals by 5:00 PM local time: January 14, 2002
Proposers are required to prepare and submit all proposals for this Program Solicitation through the FastLane system. Detailed instructions for proposal preparation and submission via FastLane are available at: http://www.fastlane.nsf.gov/a1/newstan.htm. For FastLane user support, call 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail fastlane@nsf.gov.
Submission of Signed Cover Sheets. The signed copy of the proposal Cover Sheet (NSF Form 1207) must be postmarked (or contain a legible proof of mailing date assigned by the carrier) within five working days following proposal submission and be forwarded to the following address: