NSF Research Traineeship Program (NRT) Track 2 and Planning Grants Office Hour
09/23/2024
NSF provides these email updates to the research community for upcoming NSF events, including those involving cross-cutting, multidisciplinary programs.
NSF Research Traineeship Program (NRT) Track 2 and Planning Grants Office Hour
October 8, 2024, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The U. S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship Program (NRT) program will be hosting office hours to provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about the program and new solicitation. The program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers.
Continue reading on NSF.gov
BIO Distinguished Lecture: Avery August, PhD
09/23/2024
BIO Distinguished Lecture: Avery August, PhD
October 30, 2024, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Join the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) and the BIO Broadening Participation Working Group for a Distinguished Lecture from Avery August, PhD, Deputy Provost, HHMI Professor and Professor of Immunology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. This lecture is sponsored by the Bio Broadening Participation Working Group.
Continue reading on NSF.gov
Webinar: Introducing the NSF Safe-OSE Program
09/24/2024
Webinar: Introducing the NSF Safe-OSE Program
October 10, 2024, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
To respond to the growing threats to the safety, security, and privacy of open source, NSF is launching the Safety, Security, and Privacy of Open-Source Ecosystems (Safe-OSE) program. This program seeks to fund impactful, mature open-source ecosystems to address important classes of safety, security, and privacy vulnerabilities.
The Safe-OSE program emerges from the Pathways to Enable Open-Source Ecosystems (POSE) program, which supports new managing organizations to catalyze distributed, community-driven development and growth of open-source ecosystems. Read the funding opportunity for more information.
Continue reading on NSF.gov
Keep up with the latest from the U.S. National Science Foundation. This is a daily look at notable news, scientific findings and stories brought to you by NSF.
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Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MPS-Ascend) Webinar
09/24/2024
Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MPS-Ascend) Webinar
september 27, 2024, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
September 30, 2024, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Please join us for a presentation on the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MPS-Ascend) program followed by Q&As. Those who are preparing to submit a proposal for this program in October 2024 are particularly encouraged to attend. The identity of the attendees will not be made public at the webinar to maintain the confidentiality of the potential applicants.
Continue reading on NSF.gov
NSF Research Traineeship Program (NRT) Office Hour
09/25/2024
NSF Research Traineeship Program (NRT) Office Hour
October 9, 2024, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
The U. S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship Program (NRT) program will be hosting office hours to provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions about the program and new solicitation. The program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers.
Continue reading on NSF.gov
NSF Convergence Accelerator, September 2024: A look at Other Transactions Authority
09/25/2024
How the NSF Convergence Accelerator is leveraging the Other Transactions Authority to advance its regional expansion
As the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Convergence Accelerator continues its regional expansion throughout the nation, the program intends to utilize Other Transactions (OTs) to contract with its 10 Regional Anchors.
This obligation authority was granted to NSF via the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022,” to carry out statutory activities of the Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (see 42 U.S.C. §19101 to 19120). In this instance, OTs will allow the NSF Convergence Accelerator, a TIP program, more flexibility to establish its Regional Anchors across the nation.
OTs are are legally binding agreements that allow federal agencies to conduct transactions to advance new technologies, as well as for research, development and demonstration projects. They are not grants, cooperative agreements, or Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based contracts, nor are they necessarily subject to all the restrictions or regulations associated with these other agreement types.
Attracting non-traditional organizations
NSF believes OTs will help attract organizations that usually do not seek work with the federal government due to the requirements of other agreement types, including those associated with federal financial assistance awards and FAR-based contracting. For example, NSF will benefit by tapping into the private sector for new research and development investments, processes and solutions.
“NSF is utilizing its Other Transaction Authority to realize benefits that we would not receive through our other obligation mechanisms,” said Patrick Breen, NSF Division Director for Acquisition and Cooperative Support. “OTs are great because they allow for a much more flexible way to engage with external parties. They allow for a goal-oriented process where the terms and conditions are broadly negotiable, which is a benefit to Regional Anchors, Consortium Members and the NSF Convergence Accelerator alike.”
Organizations interested in learning more about the NSF Convergence Accelerator's OTs may review the Regional Anchor for the Midwest Region Solicitation, currently posted on SAM.gov. General questions on OTs and NSF business practices can be sent to ASKDACS@nsf.gov. You can also visit the NSF Convergence Accelerator website to review the expansion schedule.
The NSF Convergence Accelerator will continue its expansion efforts into the Northeast Region by hosting two events. Interested stakeholders and organizations from academia, industry, nonprofits, government and other communities of practice residing within Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont are encouraged to register now and attend one of two half-day, in-person events; those living in neighboring states may visit the NSF Convergence Accelerator's website to see when expansion events will be coming to your area.
Thursday, Nov, 7, 2024
New York City
The Westin New York at Times Square
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024
Providence, Rhode Island
Omni Providence
NSF Convergence Accelerator in the News
Discover how existing NSF Convergence Accelerator projects are already expanding the geography of innovation through the delivery of use-inspired solutions.
Track I: Sustainable Materials for Global Challenges — ReCreateIt Unveils International Collaboration: Turning Plastic Waste into Sustainable Home Goods through Community-Led Manufacturing — (Yahoo! Finance)
Track J: Food & Nutrition Security — Researchers leverage AI to help business provide nutritious choices in American food deserts — (EurekAlert!)
Track J: Food & Nutrition Security — George Mason agricultural tool is another step closer to helping U.S. farmers, thanks to NSF support — (Farms.com)
Track K: Equitable Water Solutions — SaltCast Workshop: Shaping a Salinity Forecasting Tool for Water Management — (University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science)
Track L: Real-World Chemical Sensing Applications — Toward Better Plant Disease Prediction — (North Carolina State University)
About the NSF Convergence Accelerator
Launched in 2019, the NSF Convergence Accelerator—a TIP program—builds upon NSF’s investment in basic research and discovery to accelerate solutions toward societal and economic impact. The program’s multidisciplinary teams use convergence research fundamentals and innovation processes to stimulate innovative idea sharing and development of sustainable solutions. For more information about the program, visit new.nsf.gov/funding/initiatives/convergence-accelerator.
About TIP
TIP harnesses the nation’s vast and diverse talent pool to accelerate critical and emerging technologies and address pressing societal and economic challenges. The directorate comprises three primary focus areas: fostering innovation and technology ecosystems; establishing translation pathways; and partnering across sectors to improve U.S. competitiveness, grow the U.S. economy and engage and train a diverse workforce for future, high-wage jobs. For more information about TIP, visit new.nsf.gov/tip/latest.
What’s hot in science and engineering? Check out NSF news for the day of September 25, 2024
09/25/2024
Discovery Files
5 areas where NSF funding is enhancing undergraduate STEM participation at Hispanic-serving institutionsSeptember 25, 2024
In the U.S., just over 21% of the undergraduate student body identified as Hispanic in 2021. Nearly 63% of those students were enrolled at Hispanic…