N S F IGERTN S F IGERTCreating Transformational Creating Transformational Interdisciplinary Graduate Interdisciplinary Graduate Education and Research Education and Research

TraineeshipsTraineeships

North Carolina State UniversityOffice of Research and Graduate Studies

Proposal Development UnitSharlene SimonNov. 15, 2007

Caveat:Caveat: Information in this presentation is Information in this presentation is based on the 2007 NSF solicitation. NSF based on the 2007 NSF solicitation. NSF may make significant changes to the may make significant changes to the 2008 IGERT solicitation, anticipated to 2008 IGERT solicitation, anticipated to be released in January, 2008. The be released in January, 2008. The “America Competes Act” issued earlier “America Competes Act” issued earlier this year calls for expansion of the this year calls for expansion of the IGERT to stimulate high-risk, high-IGERT to stimulate high-risk, high-reward research.reward research.

IGERT StatisticsIGERT Statistics

# of pre-proposals received: 400 to 500# of pre-proposals received: 400 to 500

# full proposals invited: approx. 100 (20-25%)# full proposals invited: approx. 100 (20-25%)

Number of awards: approx. 20 new & renewalNumber of awards: approx. 20 new & renewal

Funding rate: 4 to 5%Funding rate: 4 to 5%

Funding & Submission Funding & Submission RestrictionsRestrictions

Total available: $12MTotal available: $12M Up to $3M per award over 5 yearsUp to $3M per award over 5 years $400K in 1$400K in 1stst year/up to $600K in Yr 2-5 year/up to $600K in Yr 2-5 Additional $200K for start-up in Year 1Additional $200K for start-up in Year 1 Add’l $200K (Yr 2-5) for up to 10 Add’l $200K (Yr 2-5) for up to 10

proposals w/strong international proposals w/strong international componentcomponent

Funding & Submission Funding & Submission RestrictionsRestrictions

Limit of 4 pre-proposals from NC StateLimit of 4 pre-proposals from NC State Limit of 3 full proposals from NC State Limit of 3 full proposals from NC State

(must be invited by NSF)(must be invited by NSF) May be PI or co-PI on only one May be PI or co-PI on only one

proposal submission. A PI or co-PI proposal submission. A PI or co-PI may serve as non-senior personnel on may serve as non-senior personnel on other proposals.other proposals.

Indirect cost (F&A) limited to 8% of Indirect cost (F&A) limited to 8% of allowable direct costs.allowable direct costs.

IGERT Program Goal # 1IGERT Program Goal # 1 Meet the challenges of educating Meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. U.S. Ph.D.

scientists and engineersscientists and engineers (citizens or (citizens or permanent residents) who will pursue careers permanent residents) who will pursue careers in research and education:in research and education:

with interdisciplinary backgroundswith interdisciplinary backgrounds

deep knowledge in chosen disciplinesdeep knowledge in chosen disciplines

technical, professional, and personal skills technical, professional, and personal skills to to

be leaders and creative agents for change be leaders and creative agents for change throughout their careers.throughout their careers.

IGERT Program Goal # 2IGERT Program Goal # 2 The program is intended to The program is intended to catalyze a catalyze a

cultural change in graduate educationcultural change in graduate education for for students, faculty, students, faculty, and institutionsand institutions::

by establishing innovative new models by establishing innovative new models for for

graduate education and training andgraduate education and training and

providing a fertile environment for providing a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. traditional disciplinary boundaries.

IGERT Program Goal # 3IGERT Program Goal # 3 IGERT is also intended to:IGERT is also intended to:

facilitate diversity in student participation facilitate diversity in student participation and and

preparationpreparation

contribute to a world-class, broadly inclusive, contribute to a world-class, broadly inclusive, and globally engaged science and and globally engaged science and engineering workforce. engineering workforce.

Participating NSF Participating NSF DirectoratesDirectorates

Biological Sciences (BIO)Biological Sciences (BIO) Computer & Information Science and Engineering Computer & Information Science and Engineering

(CISE)(CISE) Education and Human Resources (EHR)Education and Human Resources (EHR) Engineering (ENG)Engineering (ENG) Geosciences (GEO)Geosciences (GEO) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS)Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS) Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (BSE)Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (BSE) Office of Polar Programs (OPP)Office of Polar Programs (OPP) Office of Integrative Activities (OIA)Office of Integrative Activities (OIA) Office of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI)Office of Cyberinfrastructure (OCI) Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE)Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE)

IGERT ExpectationsIGERT Expectations Organized around interdisciplinary themeOrganized around interdisciplinary theme

PI is Program Director – essential participant in PI is Program Director – essential participant in both educational and research activitiesboth educational and research activities

Involve diverse group of faculty and other Involve diverse group of faculty and other investigatorsinvestigators

Faculty offer expertise in teaching and/or researchFaculty offer expertise in teaching and/or research

Full integration of teaching and research with Full integration of teaching and research with strong interactions between faculty and students.strong interactions between faculty and students.

Collaborative efforts Collaborative efforts within and acrosswithin and across departments departments and institutionsand institutions

IGERT Expectations IGERT Expectations (cont)(cont)

Opportunity to experiment with new innovative Opportunity to experiment with new innovative approaches to graduate education.approaches to graduate education.

Provide students with experience relevant to both Provide students with experience relevant to both academic and non-academic careers.academic and non-academic careers.

Offer students an international perspective through Offer students an international perspective through strongly integrated, collaborative research strongly integrated, collaborative research experience and/or fieldwork at foreign institutions experience and/or fieldwork at foreign institutions and sites.and sites.

Equip students to understand scientific, technical, Equip students to understand scientific, technical, business, social, ethical and policy issues to business, social, ethical and policy issues to confront challenging problems of the future.confront challenging problems of the future.

IGERT Expectations IGERT Expectations (cont.)(cont.)

Clearly defined program strategy for recruitment, Clearly defined program strategy for recruitment, mentoring, retention and graduationmentoring, retention and graduation of U.S. grad of U.S. grad studentsstudents

Include efforts to Include efforts to expand participation of expand participation of underrepresented groupsunderrepresented groups (geographic, rural, (geographic, rural, disabled, female, and racial/ethnic identified).disabled, female, and racial/ethnic identified).

Methodology for formative assessments by Methodology for formative assessments by individuals internal and external to NC State.individuals internal and external to NC State.

Program plan for on-going improvementsProgram plan for on-going improvements

Significant Data RequiredSignificant Data Required For previous 3 academic years For previous 3 academic years for every for every

participating department:participating department:

Number of women, minorities, disabled, Number of women, minorities, disabled, and other students who applied, were and other students who applied, were accepted, matriculated, withdrew, accepted, matriculated, withdrew, received Ph.D., and are currently enrolled.received Ph.D., and are currently enrolled.

Employer & current position held of those Employer & current position held of those who received Ph.D. in past 3 years. who received Ph.D. in past 3 years.

Reviewers look for…Reviewers look for… Project is graduate research training based, Project is graduate research training based,

not an investigator-focused research not an investigator-focused research proposalproposal

Diversity of participating facultyDiversity of participating faculty Strong diversity plan/real partnerships for Strong diversity plan/real partnerships for

recruiting URM studentsrecruiting URM students Participating depts. have evidence of strong Participating depts. have evidence of strong

recruitment and retention historyrecruitment and retention history Quality of proposed research efforts and Quality of proposed research efforts and

relation to interdisciplinary theme is clearrelation to interdisciplinary theme is clear

““Issues” identified by Issues” identified by reviewers…reviewers…

Looks like research strung together…not Looks like research strung together…not coherent, integrated education, research & coherent, integrated education, research & training of students training of students

No clear commitment to institutionalize the No clear commitment to institutionalize the new courses/certificate/etc.new courses/certificate/etc.

Don’t see how students from XX discipline Don’t see how students from XX discipline will have adequate foundation to conduct will have adequate foundation to conduct research in collaboration with YY discipline.research in collaboration with YY discipline.

Better fit with (NIH, EPA, NASA, etc), not NSFBetter fit with (NIH, EPA, NASA, etc), not NSF Responsible code of conduct training not Responsible code of conduct training not

strongstrong No opportunity for students to be leadersNo opportunity for students to be leaders

““Issues” identified by Issues” identified by reviewers…reviewers…

No evidence faculty have been successful No evidence faculty have been successful in mentoring graduate students from in mentoring graduate students from underrepresented groups.underrepresented groups.

Assessment of project performance in Assessment of project performance in meeting objectives and expanding meeting objectives and expanding knowledge base in STEM education knowledge base in STEM education doesn’t have relevant benchmarksdoesn’t have relevant benchmarks

International experience focused only on International experience focused only on research – what will student learn about research – what will student learn about the city/country/people from XYZ?the city/country/people from XYZ?

““Issues” identified by Issues” identified by reviewers…reviewers…

What happens to the well-paid IGERT What happens to the well-paid IGERT recruits after their IGERT funding runs out? recruits after their IGERT funding runs out? (Usually two years of IGERT)(Usually two years of IGERT)

Is it ethical to dramatically reduce salary Is it ethical to dramatically reduce salary of senior, experienced graduate students of senior, experienced graduate students as they move to other funding sources (i.e. as they move to other funding sources (i.e. dept. assistantships) while paying newly dept. assistantships) while paying newly recruited IGERT ptps $30K year?recruited IGERT ptps $30K year?

IGERT advisory council too large (11 ptps)IGERT advisory council too large (11 ptps) IGERT advisory council doesn’t have IGERT advisory council doesn’t have

enough representation (9 ptps)enough representation (9 ptps)

Summary ThoughtsSummary Thoughts Be clear how students from different Be clear how students from different

disciplines will gain a common foundation.disciplines will gain a common foundation. Remember in pre-proposal – must present Remember in pre-proposal – must present

proposed education and research training proposed education and research training activities, recruitment plan, assessment, and activities, recruitment plan, assessment, and evidence of previous mentoring success.evidence of previous mentoring success.

Engage diversity partners early – assure Engage diversity partners early – assure they gain from the relationship in a way that they gain from the relationship in a way that is meaningful to them. is meaningful to them.

Limited submission (internal) review Limited submission (internal) review requiresrequires a written proposal and a written proposal and MAYMAY require an oral require an oral presentation.presentation.

Summary ThoughtsSummary Thoughts Bill Winner, former IGERT coordinating Bill Winner, former IGERT coordinating

council member and Professor, council member and Professor, Forestry and Environmental Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State advises:Resources at NC State advises:

““Respond to reviewer comments Respond to reviewer comments when they make sense; don’t when they make sense; don’t chase their comments to the chase their comments to the point that the proposal/project is point that the proposal/project is no longer your own.”no longer your own.”

Summary ThoughtsSummary Thoughts If you want assistance from the If you want assistance from the

Proposal Development Unit, make Proposal Development Unit, make your request early.your request early.

However, However, PDU proposal developers PDU proposal developers will not get involved with a project will not get involved with a project until AFTER the internal limited until AFTER the internal limited submission review is completedsubmission review is completed to to avoid appearance of a conflict of avoid appearance of a conflict of interest.interest.

Proposal Development Unit Proposal Development Unit (PDU)(PDU)

Website:Website:www.ncsu.edu/research/pdu Staff:Staff:Christopher Brown, Asst. VC for Research Development 513-2457Christopher Brown, Asst. VC for Research Development 513-2457Bonnie Aldridge, Program Assistant 513-0942Bonnie Aldridge, Program Assistant 513-0942Carol Ashcraft, Research Resources/Limited Submission 513-2466Carol Ashcraft, Research Resources/Limited Submission 513-2466Jaine Place, Research Proposal Development 513-0141Jaine Place, Research Proposal Development 513-0141Pradip Pramanik, Research Proposal Development 513-0170Pradip Pramanik, Research Proposal Development 513-0170Sharlene Simon, Research Proposal Development 513-0163Sharlene Simon, Research Proposal Development 513-0163