Dear Colleague Letter
Support for Engaging Studens and the Public in Polar Research
National Science Foundation
Joan Ferrini-Mundy
Assistant Director
Education and Human Resources
and
Roger Wakimoto
Assistant Director
Geosciences
Dear Colleagues:
The Geosciences and Education and Human Resources Directorates are
partnering to advance and develop understanding of learning environments
that build upon the rich interdisciplinary resources emerging from polar
investments. To that end, the Division of Polar Programs (PLR), the
Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) and the Division of Research
on Learning (DRL) encourage proposals that will leverage the extensive
National Science Foundation (NSF) investment in polar sciences and
infrastructure, and STEM education research and development, to promote
an informed citizenry and the next generation of polar scientists. In
order to advance polar science educational opportunities, PLR, DUE and
DRL will accept and review proposals for research and development
projects that facilitate access to polar research efforts in (1)
undergraduate education, (2) informal science education or (3) formal
PK-12 science or math education. Proposals must be submitted to either
the Improving Undergraduate Science Education: Education and Human
Resources (IUSE: EHR) deadline of November 2, 2016, the Advancing
Informal STEM Learning (AISL) deadline of November 8, 2016, or the
Discovery Research PreK-12 (DRK-12) deadline of December 5, 2016.
The integration of research and education is essential to NSF's mission
(see the current NSF Strategic Plan at:
https://www.nsf.gov/about/performance/strategic_plan.jsp). In addition,
NSF strives to broaden participation in science and to make the results
of research projects widely accessible to students and the public.
Specifically, PLR seeks to meet these objectives by supporting the
engagement of students, educators, and the public in polar research
projects. While participation of educators and students in both Arctic
and Antarctic research projects is encouraged, logistics are often
difficult and expensive. Therefore, PLR, DUE, and DRL encourage
education research and development proposals that make use of innovative
technology for remote communication to give large groups of students,
educators, and the public access to polar research efforts in the polar
regions without requiring all participants to travel there. Proposals
that engage audiences with long-term investments in polar research and
logistics (e.g. the Arctic or Antarctic science stations), with
databases that have extended lifespans, (e.g. data from the Arctic
Observing Network), or with public participation in scientific research,
such as crowdsourcing or citizen science related to the Arctic, are
particularly encouraged.
In addition to addressing polar STEM content, proposals should clearly
articulate how they advance understanding of one of the three EHR core
research areas: (1) Learning and Learning Environments, (2) Broadening
Participation, or (3) Workforce Development. Projects should explain
plans for sustaining access to data and resources for a period that
extends well beyond the end of any potential award and for evaluating
the outcomes of the investment in education research and development. In
order to support the goals above, NSF encourages the submission of
proposals to any of three solicitations issued by the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources:
Improving Undergraduate Science Education: Education and Human
Resources (IUSE:EHR) solicitation for the November 2, 2016 deadline.
(See: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf15585.)Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) deadline of November 8, 2016.
(See: https://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf15593.)Discovery Research K-12 (DRK-12) deadline of December 5, 2016.
(see: https://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=500047.)
Proposals must be identified by starting the proposal title with the
term: "Polar (DCL- 16-119): (Insert Project Title Here)" If travel to
the polar regions is included in the project, PIs are strongly
encouraged to call the program officer to discuss logistics and related
documentation that must be included in the proposal.
Those considering submitting a proposal in response to this opportunity
are strongly encouraged to contact Lisa Rom: elrom [at] nsf.gov;
703-292-7709, the cognizant program officer, who can answer questions
and provide further guidance.
Sincerely,
Joan Ferrini-Mundy
Assistant Director, Education and Human Resources
Roger Wakimoto
Assistant Director, Geosciences
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