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The Ethics Education in Science and Engineering (EESE) program accepts proposals for research and educational projects to improve ethics education in all of the fields of science and engineering that the National Science Foundation (NSF) supports, especially in interdisciplinary or inter-institutional contexts. Proposals must focus on improving ethics education for graduate students in those fields, although the proposed programs may benefit advanced undergraduates in addition to graduate students. Participating directorates are the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, Division of Social and Economic Sciences; the Directorate for Biological Sciences; the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering; the Directorate for Education and Human Resources; the Directorate for Engineering; the Directorate for Geosciences; and the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

EESE is interested in encouraging innovative education and research projects likely to create long-term improvement in ethics education for graduate students in science and engineering. EESE invites proposals for research projects, education projects, and combinations of the two. It encourages applicants who are thinking creatively about ethics education, going well beyond standard approaches like providing students with a series of scenarios and having a discussion about them, or holding workshops and seminars with invited speakers, and then asking students to rate the activities on a survey form.

Education projects must be based on research findings that indicate successful ways to enhance ethics education for graduate students. They may include a wide range of activities such as mentoring programs, infrastructure-development activities, faculty capacity-building activities, training of postdoctoral fellows to implement programs, and graduate-student involvement in program development. Additionally, an example of such a context would be educating students with diverse cultural backgrounds. Projects to develop and test new materials or tools or teaching techniques are also eligible. Web-based modules that do not significantly advance the practice of ethics education are unlikely to be competitive. A common, often-effective approach in educational projects is to develop graduate-student programs. Another approach may focus on improving the ability of faculty to mentor students or create ethics-education programs and materials in collaboration with graduate students. A national training activity for graduate students or development and testing of a national interactive electronic resource would be yet another appropriate strategy. EESE education projects should test the feasibility and effectiveness of their activities or programs in more than one institution, incorporate ways to diffuse project activities even further, and evaluate project effectiveness, including assessment of expected student outcomes. Proposals are expected to include substantial and persuasive information about how this will be done. Proposals should specify plans to disseminate findings widely. Collaborations with appropriate professional associations are encouraged in this regard.

Research projects that examine ethics education for graduate students in science and engineering are also eligible for consideration in EESE. Proposals should build on earlier relevant research in ethics or other relevant fields, and add to the research base. Research projects should suggest and explore creative, original, or potentially transformative concepts. Projects can include qualitative or quantitative approaches, or both. The expectation is that project results will help in developing better ethics-education programs for graduate students; thus, proposals should specify plans to deliver findings to appropriate research and educational communities and assist them to implement projects or programs based on the findings. Research projects may also include a focus on ethical issues arising in educational research or in ethics education for graduate students. An example of such a context would be educating students with diverse cultural backgrounds.

Interdisciplinary partnerships among researchers in natural sciences and engineering and experts in social sciences, humanities, and education are strongly encouraged. Such collaborations will help to develop the theoretical and intellectual basis for training programs more carefully.

Proposals may also combine research and education components. For instance, the first year of a project might examine ethics education for graduate students in a scientific or engineering field. The second year might implement programs on several campuses based on what was discovered. Repetition and modification, evaluation, and diffusion might occur during the third year.

NSF does not consider proposals for medical research. The EESE program will not consider proposals focused on ethics for medical students or in medical education. EESE will not consider proposals that will start or provide incremental improvements to formal or informal educational activities responsive to federal mandates for research integrity or human-subjects training requirements.

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The Informal Science Education (ISE) program invests in projects that develop and implement informal learning experiences designed to increase interest, engagement, and understanding of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by individuals of all ages and backgrounds, as well as projects that advance the theory and practice of informal science education. Projects may target either public audiences or professionals whose work directly affects informal STEM learning. ISE projects are expected to demonstrate strategic impact, collaboration, and innovation.

Planning Grants: Proposals must be submitted on the same deadline dates as those indicated above for Preliminary Proposals, following discussion with a Program Officer.

Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants: Proposals may be submitted at any time, generally at least one year in advance, following discussion with a Program Officer. These types of projects do not require Preliminary Proposals.

Grant Supplements for existing ISE Awards: Requests must be submitted at least two months prior to the need for additional funds, following discussion with the Cognizant Program Officer.

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PI Eligibility Limit: An individual may be included as a Principal Investigator (PI) in no more than the following numbers of proposals under ISE consideration at the same time, as follows: one Full Proposal for a Project Grant; one Preliminary Proposal for the next round of Project Grants; one Planning Grant proposal; and one Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grant Proposal. However, a PI in one proposal may be a Co-Principal Investigator or project team member on other proposals submitted to this Solicitation.

Limit on Number of Proposals: An institution or organization may serve as lead in no more than the following numbers of proposals under ISE consideration at the same time: three Preliminary Proposals and three Full Proposals for Project Grants; three proposals in total for Planning Grants and/or Conference, Symposia, and Workshop Grants. A proposal that is substantially similar to another proposal from the same institution or organization that is under consideration by ISE or other NSF program will be returned without review.

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The field of computing has broadened to include applications that often require integration of multidisciplinary domains to support computationally intense e-science environments. Emerging information technology disciplines offer unique opportunities to develop the next generation of computing education models that respond to technological trends and that meet many stakeholders’ needs and expectations. At the same time, new transformative educational models have the potential to respond to current challenges such as addressing fluctuating enrollments in undergraduate computing, increasing relevance of educational experiences through industry connections, developing leaders and communities to foster revitalization efforts, and integrating fast-paced computing innovations into the curriculum.

Future students will expect to see academic pathways that allow them to pursue careers that require blended experiences in multiple disciplines with a strong computational and computing core of knowledge. Models and methods based on computational thinking offer particular promise in meeting these expectations. Computational thinking involves solving problems and designing complex systems using a range of mental tools reflecting the breadth of the fields of computer science and computing. Computational thinking has already influenced the nature of many scientific disciplines and the range of scientific challenges that can be realistically conquered. Thus, computational thinking skills can provide the basis for transformative models for undergraduate computing education that offer exciting, relevant academic pathways in which students and faculty can thrive.

Through the CISE Pathways to Revitalized Undergraduate Computing Education (CPATH) program, NSF's Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) is challenging its partners – colleges, universities and other stakeholders committed to advancing the field of computing and its impact - to transform undergraduate computing education on a national scale, to meet the challenges and opportunities of a world where computing is essential to U. S. leadership.

The CPATH vision is of a U.S. workforce with the computing competencies and skills crucial to the Nation’s health, security and prosperity in the 21st century. This workforce includes a cadre of professionals with the computing depth and breadth needed for sustained leadership in a wide range of application domains and career fields, and a broader professional workforce with deep knowledge and understanding of critical computing concepts, computational thinking methodologies and techniques.

To achieve this vision, CISE is calling for colleges and universities to work together and with other stakeholders to formulate and implement plans to revitalize undergraduate computing education in the United States. The full engagement of faculty and other individuals in CISE disciplines will be critical to success. Successful CPATH projects will be systemic in nature and will demonstrate significant potential to contribute to the transformation and revitalization of undergraduate computing education on a national scale.

• Community Building (CB) Grants

• Conceptual Development and Planning (CDP) Grants
• Transformative Implementation (TI) Grant

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The purpose of the International Science and Education (ISE) Grants Program is to support the internationalization of food, agriculture, and related programs at U.S. universities and colleges. It is intended that ISE will improve the ability of American students, business people, and community members to compete more effectively in the global world of agriculture. ISE projects are designed to strengthen the global competence and competitiveness of American colleges, universities and businesses in the food, agriculture, and related sectors. In addition, ISE projects must be directed to agricultural research, extension, and teaching activities that enhance the capabilities of American colleges and universities to conduct international collaborative research, extension and teaching.

Proposals should demonstrate how the proposed work responds to the specific needs and strengths of the university or college in addressing the following areas:

1. Strengthening the Global Competence of Students, Faculty, and Staff in Agriculture and Related Areas Students: Faculty, and staff should clearly understand international factors that affect U.S. food and agriculture, and faculty and staff should convey an understanding of the international dimensions of agricultural and related sciences to students. Areas of emphasis may include but are not limited to: (a) planning, implementing and/or evaluating initiatives that enhance the international content of the curricula in colleges and universities so as to ensure that United States students acquire an understanding of the international dimensions and trade implication of their studies; (b) ensuring that U.S. scientists, extension agents, and educators convey the implications of their international findings to students, peers and other users in the United States; or, (c) enhancing the capabilities of colleges and universities to conduct collaborative research with other countries, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, on issues relevant to U.S. agricultural performance.

2. Enhancing Business Performance in International Agriculture and Related Sectors: Through extension, research and/or teaching programs enhance the ability of American agricultural producers, marketers and others in the agricultural community to operate effectively in the global arena.

Supportable activities include but are not limited to: (a) enhancing the capabilities of U.S. colleges and universities to provide cooperative extension education that promotes the application of new technology developed in foreign countries to U.S. agriculture; or (b) enhancing the capability of U.S. colleges and universities, in cooperation with other Federal agencies, to provide leadership and education programs in market identification, international trade policies, new or existing markets, and production efficiencies. Such programs should strengthen the ability of American natural resources and food production, processing, and distribution businesses and industries to compete internationally.

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The Major Research Instrumentation Program (MRI) is designed to increase access to scientific and engineering equipment for research and research training in our Nation’s organizations of higher education, research museums and non-profit research organizations.

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 encourages the development and acquisition of research instrumentation for shared inter- or intra-organizational use and in concert with private sector partners.

The MRI program assists in the acquisition or development of major research instrumentation by organizations that is, in general, too costly for support through other NSF programs. Proposals may be for a single instrument, a large system of instruments, or multiple instruments that share a common or specific research focus. Title VII of the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) directs the National Science Foundation to require cost-sharing in the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program of at least 30%. The Act states that institutions of higher education that are not Ph.D.-granting institutions are exempt from the cost-sharing requirement. Therefore, effective FY 2008, the MRI Program will require 30% cost-sharing on all proposals submitted by PhD granting institutions and non degree-granting institutions. The latter category includes US independent research museums, US independent nonprofit research organizations and consortia whose members consist of US institutions of higher education and/or US independent research museums. Cost-sharing will not be required from non PhD-granting institutions. Contributions towards cost-sharing may be made from any non-Federal source, and may be cash or in-kind. No exceptions will be made for this cost-sharing requirement.

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