NSF EPSCoR Research Fellows 2018

Solicitation of UM Pre-Proposals for Limited Submission Opportunity
NSF EPSCoR RII Track-4: EPSCoR Research Fellows

Program Solicitation: NSF 18-526

https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18526/nsf18526.pdf

https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=504901

Institutional Limitations: NSF EPSCoR Track-4 fellowships fund junior faculty from EPSCoR RII eligible jurisdictions (including Mississippi) to spend up to six months a research-intensive remote site forming collaborations and accessing resources. UM (Oxford) can submit three proposals. UMMC can also submit three proposals. This announcement applies to UM (Oxford) only.

Purpose: This program provides an opportunity for non-tenured faculty, or those in similar positions, to spend extended periods of time at the nation’s premier research facilities. The fellowship period may be used to initiate new collaborative partnerships, to continue existing ones, or to make use of unique equipment not available at the PI’s home institution. Any research topic within NSF’s traditional portfolio will be considered for support. The fellowship host site may be any academic institution, government laboratory, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), or commercial or non-profit research center within the United States or its territories. Host sites are generally expected to be outside of the PI’s home jurisdiction (Mississippi) and located at such a distance from the PI’s home institution (UM) as to make temporary relocation necessary for the fellowship period.

Proposals may focus on any area of science or engineering that NSF supports. All proposals should include motivation and context for the work to be conducted, the PI’s specific plans for the fellowship period, a discussion for how the benefits would be sustained beyond the award period (e.g., by including plans for future proposal submissions), clear specifications of research goalsperformance metrics, a project timetable, and an explanation of what specific opportunities will be made possible via the visit(s) to the host site.

History: In 2017, the first year of the program, NSF announced the first 30 EPSCoR Fellowships, including two from the University of Mississippi: https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=243157&org=NSF&from=news

PI LimitationsProposers must be non-tenured UM faculty members. Only single-PI proposals will be considered. No co-PIs should be included, although funds may be requested for an additional trainee-level researcher, such as a graduate student or postdoc in the PI’s research group.

BudgetEach award may not exceed $300,000 over a two-year period, including F&A, which is calculated at 46% of total modified direct costs. Funds may be used to cover: up to six months’ salary and fringe benefits for the PI and one additional trainee-level researcher (including tuition, if appropriate) during the period of their travel fellowships; travel and living expenses for the PI and the trainee-level researcher (up to $50,000 total) during the fellowship period(s); and other research-related expenses (up to $10,000 in direct costs) to be incurred at the host site. For example, a faculty member with a 9-month appointment might propose to conduct research during two summers at a host site with the assistance of a graduate-student trainee. That faculty member could receive salary over each three-month summer period, and the graduate student could receive a stipend, plus they could spend as much as $50,000 collectively on travel to, and living expenses at, the host site for those two summers, plus up to $10,000 in research expenses at the host site. This is just one scenario. See the NSF solicitation for details.

UM Limited Submission Selection Process: An internal competition will be held to determine which three faculty members may submit proposals to NSF. To compete for one of the three slots, faculty members should submit a pre-proposal (see instructions below0 to ORSP via the Ole Miss InfoReady Review portal at https://olemiss.infoready4.com, by the due dates given below.

Key Dates

12/14/2017     NSF solicitation released
12/15/2017    This announcement w/competition Instructions issued via UMToday
1/18/2018       ORSP Information Session on Track-4 opportunity. Sign up here: 
http://www.research.olemiss.edu/upcoming-presentations
1/26/2918       Make-Up ORSP Information Session on Track-4 opportunity. Sign up here: http://www.research.olemiss.edu/upcoming-presentations
1/31/2018       Another ORSP Information Session on Track-4 opportunity. Sign up here: http://www.research.olemiss.edu/upcoming-presentations

1/29/2018       Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide NSF 18-1 effective.
2/5/2018         Internal Pre-Proposals due to ORSP

2/12/2018       ORSP announces which 3 UM Pre-Proposals to move forward
3/6/2018         Full proposal & Transmittal due to ORSP for revie

3/13/2018       Full proposal due to NSF (based on PAPPG 18-1)

Instructions for UM Internal Pre-Proposal

Pre-Proposals must include the following components, combined into one PDF for upload to the InfoReady Review Portal.

(1)    Project Summary: 1-page NSF-style Project Summary, including working title.

(2)    Abbreviated Project Description: (3-5 pages)

(3)    Preliminary Letter of Support from Primary Research Collaborator (does not have to be the final, complete letter that would be submitted with the proposal to NSF, but should make it clear to UM internal reviewers that the collaborator is willing to host the PI at their institution.)

(4)    Letter of Support from Administrative Supervisor of PI (e.g., Department Chair). This one as well need not be final, but should make it clear that the supervisor thinks the fellowship will only help, and not in anyway hurt, the PI’s career trajectory, and that, if selected, the PI would be allowed to conduct the fellowship during the time indicated.

(5)    NSF-Style Biographical Sketch (should be compliant and largely complete)