NSF CAREER WORKSHOP 1 Tandy Warnow Today Tandy

NSF CAREER WORKSHOP #1 Tandy Warnow

Today • Tandy Warnow: Brief overview of the CAREER proposal process and requirements • Erin Molloy: Additional information from the NSF CAREER webinar • Introductions from attendees • Advice from faculty who have received CAREER awards and/or been on NSF panels for CAREER awards • Homework assignments

CAREER proposals • Not just any proposal: should be long term, ambitious, and high impact. • Emphasis on innovation in teaching/education • Emphasis on integration of research and education • Your proposal may be read by people far outside your field: make it easy to understand the clear potential for high impact • Pay attention to “broader impacts”, including broadening participation • Make sure to include evaluation of research, education, and broader impacts activities

Basic information • Deadline: July 27, 2020 (5 PM local time) • Eligibility (as of July 27, 2020): (a) hold doctorate, (b) be performing research in an area relevant to NSF, (c) be untenured assistant professor at least 50% time (tenure-track, teaching faculty, research faculty, etc. ), (d) have applied for CAREER at most twice • Budget: at least $400 K for CISE proposals (includes indirect) over 5 years (unless submitted to BIO, ENG, or OPP) • Can only submit one NSF CAREER proposal in each year • See CS department wiki for resources https: //wiki. illinois. edu/wiki/display/facstaffinfo/Big+Research+Initiatives+Wiki

Proposal requirements • All the usual requirements of NSF proposals, plus some extras • Letter from department head (Nancy) • Note: Use Fastlane instead of Grants. gov (recommendation) No Co-PIs allowed Collaboration is allowed but should be minimized Be careful about compliance issues (URLs in proposals, font size, use of “et al”, etc. ) • Recommended timeline posted by NSF strongly suggests submitting a week ahead *to NSF* (not just to SPA) • • https: //www. research. gov/common/attachment/Common/Career_deadline. pdf

Return without Review • Submitted after deadline • The proposed work duplicates, or is substantially similar to, a proposal already under consideration by NSF from the same submitter • The proposal was previously declined and was not revised to take into account the major comments from the prior NSF review • The proposal topic falls outside the purview of NSF

Project Description The Project Description should include: • a description of the proposed research project, including preliminary supporting data where appropriate, specific objectives, methods and procedures to be used, and expected significance of the results; • a description of the proposed educational activities and their intended impact; • a description of how the research and educational activities are integrated or synergistic; • a description of other broader impacts, besides the education activities, that will accrue from the project; and • results of prior NSF support, if applicable.

CAREER proposals • Not just any proposal: should be long term, ambitious, and high impact. • Emphasis on innovation in teaching/education • Emphasis on integration of research and education • Your proposal may be read by people far outside your field: make it easy to understand the clear potential for high impact • Pay attention to “broader impacts”, including broadening participation • Make sure to include evaluation of research, education, and broader impacts activities

Today • Tandy Warnow: Brief overview of the CAREER proposal process and requirements • Erin Molloy: Additional information from the NSF CAREER webinar • Introductions from attendees • Advice from faculty who have received CAREER awards and/or been on NSF panels for CAREER awards • Advice from the web, see http: //tandy. cs. illinois. edu/nsf-career. html • Homework assignments

Homework (if you are planning to submit) • June 1: • • • Read the solicitation and PAPPG carefully, identify questions Log into Fastlane Schedule and have initial meeting with mentor(s), and discuss proposal ideas Look at NSF website for guidance, possibly contact NSF program directors, pick one or two divisions at NSF to apply to Write one page project summary, plus 1 -3 page overview, and NSF Biosketch; submit to mentor(s) Make sure Nancy knows you are planning to submit • June 15: • revise proposal, provide full draft of proposal to mentor(s) • Begin proposal preparation in Fastlane • Start budget • June 29 • Revise proposal, provide revised full draft to mentor(s) and to Nancy (!) • Complete Fastlane documents (check for completion) • Finalize budget … • July 20: submit to SPA • July 22: submit to NSF

Advice about writing proposals • Make your proposal beautiful to look at (use images, white space) • Don’t leave typos, do care about writing • Check for compliance (e. g. , URLs, “et al. ”) • Check for required elements • Put yourself in the mind of the reviewer, and especially a grouchy one • Read about proposal writing, for example • https: //grantwriting. stanford. edu/students/tips-for-planning-your-proposal/

What else? • I am happy to read proposals and help with brainstorming • Get as much feedback as you can • Start early, revise, revise • Submit well ahead of deadline

NSF websites • https: //www. nsf. gov/funding/pgm_summ. jsp? pims_id=503214 (May 26 webinar video will be posted here) • https: //www. nsf. gov/pubs/2020/nsf 20525. htm (program solicitation) • https: //www. nsf. gov/pubs/policydocs/pappg 20_1/nsf 20_1. pdf (general information) Another webinar happening on June 1, 10 AM!