Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the
Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program
For Fiscal Years 2006, 2007, and 2008
(NSF 05-027; replaces NSF
03-031)
Also includes information on the NSF component of the Presidential
Early
Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) Program
SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
Proposals must be submitted via FastLane by 5:00 p.m., submitter's
local time, on or before the applicable deadline date below:
2005
July 19: BIO, CISE, EHR
July 20: ENG
July 21: GEO, MPS, SBE, OPP
2006
July 18: BIO, CISE, EHR
July 19: ENG
July 20: GEO, MPS, SBE, OPP
2007
July 17: BIO, CISE, EHR
July 18: ENG
July 19: GEO, MPS, SBE, OPP
The official guidelines for submission of CAREER proposals can
be found in the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program
Solicitation (NSF 05-579), available on the NSF web site (http://www.nsf.gov/career).
Step-by-step submission instructions are also available at that
site. The following set of questions and answers refer to frequently
asked questions (FAQs) about the CAREER Program Solicitation. They
are not intended to be a modification of the program Solicitation.
If there are any inconsistencies between the CAREER Program Solicitation
and these FAQs, the information in the program Solicitation prevails.
In addition to these CAREER FAQ’s, also refer to the NSF
Grant Proposal Guide’s (GPG) FAQ’s. The GPG FAQ document
can be found on the NSF Web page at: www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/faqs.pdf
The following sections of this document can be directly accessed
by selecting the appropriate heading:
- ELIGIBILITY
- PROPOSAL AND BUDGET PREPARATION AND FASTLANE
SUBMISSION
- CAREER PROPOSAL REVIEW
- ANNOUNCEMENT OF CAREER AND PECASE
AWARDS
- POST-AWARD ADMINISTRATION
A. ELIGIBILITY
- Question: My department (or organization) does not offer
tenure, so I am not in a tenure-track appointment. How can I
determine if my appointment would be considered a tenure-track-equivalent
appointment?
Answer: For your appointment to be
considered a tenure-track-equivalent appointment you must meet
all of the following requirements: (1) your employing department
or organization does not offer tenure; (2) you are engaged in
research in an area of science or engineering supported by NSF;
(3) your appointment is a continuing appointment; (4) your appointment
has substantial educational responsibilities; and (5) your proposed
project relates to the your career goals and job responsibilities
as well as to the goals of the department/organization. No exemptions
from these eligibility requirements will be granted.
"Research" and "Instructor" positions
are typically not considered to be CAREER-eligible tenure-track-equivalent
positions and individuals in soft-money appointments and/or
visiting appointments are not considered to be in continuing
appointments. You will be asked to certify that your position
meets the CAREER-eligibility requirements at the time you
prepare your proposal cover sheet. In addition, your Department
Chair will be asked to verify this information. Because proposers
self-certify their CAREER eligibility, NSF can provide guidance
on what is considered a tenure-track equivalent appointment,
but it is up to the proposer and the proposer's institution
to determine whether or not the appointment meets the requirements
for tenure-track equivalency. If you have any questions,
contact the appropriate CAREER Directorate Contact. The "CAREER
Contacts List" can be found on the CAREER Web page
at: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/career/contacts.jsp
- Question: The CAREER Program Solicitation
states that proposers must have the title of "assistant professor" or
equivalent. I am in a tenure-track appointment, but my title
is "associate professor." Can I apply?
Answer: No. Since the CAREER Program
is intended for faculty members who are at or near the
beginning of their careers, one eligibility requirement
is that proposers hold the title of "assistant professor" or equivalent by the October
1st that follows their July proposal submission deadline.
If you are currently an assistant professor and your title
were to change to "associate professor" after
October 1st, you would still be eligible for a CAREER
award.
- Question: Although my organization offers tenure, the
research institute that employs me does not. Am I eligible?
Answer: Yes, you can apply as long as your appointment meets
the requirements for tenure-track equivalency and you meet
all of the other CAREER eligibility criteria.
- Question: Am I eligible to apply if I work at a non-degree-granting
organization such as a museum, observatory, or research
lab?
Answer: Yes, but your appointment must be a tenure-track
or tenure-track-equivalent appointment and you must also
meet all of the other CAREER eligibility requirements.
- Question: According to the CAREER Program Solicitation
I am required to hold a doctoral degree by the July
proposal submission deadline. I have defended my thesis but have
not been awarded the diploma. Can I apply to the CAREER Program?
Answer: No. You are not eligible unless you receive the official,
dated diploma, by your Directorate's/Office's July deadline
for submission of CAREER proposals.
- Question: I have a Doctorate in Mathematics Education.
Am I eligible to apply?
Answer: Yes. NSF supports educational research both through
the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) and
also through all of the other Directorates. However, a person
with a Ph.D. or Ed.D. in education will probably be conducting
research that is more applicable to the EHR Directorate.
If you are not sure where to submit your proposal, talk with
the program director of the program you think is most closely
related to your research or to one of the CAREER Contacts
in the relevant Directorate. Telephone numbers and email
addresses for NSF staff can be found through the NSF staff
directory at http://staff.nsf.gov/. The CAREER contacts list
is available at http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/career/contacts.jsp
- Question: There is an eligibility requirement that proposers
can submit only one CAREER proposal per annual
competition and may participate in a total of three CAREER competitions.
I have applied three times, but one of my proposals
was withdrawn (or was returned due to non-compliance with the
proposal submission requirements) before it was reviewed. I did
not have the benefit of reviewers' feedback. Does that proposal
count against me?
Answer: No, since your withdrawn/returned proposal was not
considered in the CAREER competition (you did not have the
benefit of the reviewers' comments), that CAREER proposal
does not count towards your eligibility and you will be eligible
one more time.
- Question: I have just started in a tenure-track (or equivalent)
position as an assistant professor (or equivalent).
Since I can participate in three CAREER competitions, I am unsure
as to whether I should apply now or wait until
next year. What should I do?
Answer: The intent of limiting CAREER proposers to participation
in three CAREER competitions is to encourage new faculty
to think strategically about their readiness to compete in
the CAREER Program. Some faculty who submit in the first
year of their tenure-track appointments are competitive in
the CAREER Program because of their own individual background
and experience (such as post-docs and/or industry or other
types of experience). Other new faculty will wait until they
have served in a tenure-track appointment for a year or so
in order to build a foundation of experience, knowledge,
and work relationships and to develop proposal writing skills,
mentor and collaborative relationships, and ideas for their
proposed career development activities. Therefore, since
the optimum time to submit a CAREER proposal can vary for
each individual, it is suggested that you discuss with your
Department Chair your own background and career development
goals and plans in order to determine what would work best
for you. You might also speak to your NSF program director
for guidance.
- Question: Am I eligible if I hold an adjunct appointment
at a university/college?
Answer: No. Adjunct appointments are not CAREER-eligible
tenure-track or tenure-track-equivalent appointments.
- Question: I held a tenured position at my former organization,
but I am not in a tenured position now.
Am I eligible to apply?
Answer: Yes, you are eligible to apply as long as you are
untenured as of the relevant Directorate's July deadline
for submission of CAREER proposals and you meet the other
CAREER eligibility criteria.
- Question: Am I eligible if I work at a 2-year college
or a community college?
Answer: Yes, if you meet all of the other CAREER eligibility
criteria. These colleges are CAREER-eligible institutions
if they award degrees in a field supported by NSF.
- Question: I am a new faculty member in
a tenure-track appointment at a university that
qualifies as an "undergraduate
institution" under the provisions
of the Research in Undergraduate
Institutions Program Announcement
(RUI), NSF 00-144. Can I submit to
the CAREER Program and if so, is
it possible to apply for the CAREER
Program under the RUI provisions?
Answer: You can apply to the CAREER Program as long as you
meet all of the CAREER eligibility requirements. However,
you cannot submit your proposal to the CAREER Program and
apply under the RUI Program Announcement. Therefore, you
must choose to submit the proposal to RUI or to CAREER. NSF
encourages CAREER proposals from new faculty members at all
U.S. academic institutions that award degrees in a field
supported by NSF. CAREER awardees will be selected on the
basis of creative plans for their career development that
effectively integrate research and education within the context
of the mission of their organization. Predominantly undergraduate
institutions play a critically important role in U.S. science
and technology through their substantial contributions to
research and education. Therefore, proposers from RUI institutions
are encouraged to apply to the CAREER Program.
- Question: Am I eligible if I hold a shared tenure-track
appointment at a university?
Answer: Yes. You do not need to be in a full-time tenure-track
appointment. However, you must meet all the other CAREER
eligibility requirements.
- Question: I do not currently hold a CAREER-eligible
appointment but I hope to have
one by October 1st. Can I apply?
Answer: No. To apply to the July deadline for submission
of CAREER proposals you must be employed in a CAREER-eligible
position at a CAREER-eligible organization or have a contractual
agreement with a CAREER-eligible organization for you to
begin a CAREER-eligible appointment by the October 1st deadline
following your Directorate's/Office's July CAREER proposal
submission deadline.
- Question: I am not a U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, or
U.S. Permanent Resident. Can
I still apply to the CAREER Program?
Answer: Yes, you may apply to the CAREER Program if you meet
the CAREER eligibility criteria, including affiliation with
a U.S. organization. However, you will not be eligible for
an NSF PECASE award unless you are a U.S. citizen, U.S. National,
or a U.S. Permanent Resident by your Directorate's July deadline
for submission of proposals.
- Question: If I have received funds from the Federal
Government to perform research,
am I still eligible?
Answer: Yes, you may submit a CAREER proposal as long as
those funds were not received from NSF in the CAREER Program
and the proposed research activities of your CAREER proposal
do not duplicate those concurrently supported through another
source. However, you do need to meet all CAREER eligibility
criteria.
B. PROPOSAL AND BUDGET PREPARATION AND FASTLANE SUBMISSION
- Question: What if my proposal is submitted after the relevant
Directorate's (or Office's) deadline for proposal submissions?
Answer: Only proposals submitted electronically by your organization
via FastLane before 5:00 p.m. (submitter's local time) on or
before the primary Directorate/Office deadline will be accepted.
Since NSF receives approximately 2,500 proposals in the CAREER
Program each year, you are encouraged to start your FastLane
proposal submission well before the CAREER deadline. Refer
to the CAREER Program Solicitation and the FastLane Web page
for more details. Any CAREER proposal received after the proposer's
Directorate/Office deadline will be returned without review.
If your proposal is multidisciplinary, and you have selected
more than one Directorate/Office to consider your proposal,
then the deadline for the primary (first) Directorate/Office
that you have selected will apply. Note that it is very important
that you select the most relevant program as the primary organization.
NSF program directors are not authorized to grant extensions
to the deadline for the CAREER Program.
- Question: I am having problems submitting my proposal
in FastLane and the CAREER deadline is almost here. Who
should I contact?
Answer: Issues and questions related to use of the NSF
FastLane system should be directed to the FastLane User
Support desk at (800) 673-6188 or (703) 292-8142 or by
sending an e-mail message to fastlane@nsf.gov. In addition,
for information on the availability of the NSF FastLane
system, phone (800) 437-7408 for a recorded message. If
FastLane is unable to resolve the problem and you will
not be able to submit your proposal by the deadline, you
should contact FastLane at the contact numbers given above.
For NSF to consider a deadline extension you should be
able to provide NSF with supporting documentation from
FastLane of a FastLane problem at the time of submission.
Note that a slow down of the system due to volume is not
a valid reason for an extension. PIs are strongly encouraged
to submit their CAREER proposals well in advance of their
deadline to allow for any problems that may occur in the
submission process.
- Question: I just noticed a major problem with my CAREER
proposal. My CAREER deadline has not passed so can
I fix the problem?
Answer: It is the responsibility of the proposing organization
to thoroughly review each proposal prior to submission.
On occasion, however, a problem is identified with a portion
of the proposal after the proposal has been electronically
submitted to NSF. The FastLane Proposal File Update Module
allows the organization to request the replacement of files
or revision of other Proposal Attributes, associated with
a previously submitted proposal. For instructions and information
on this module, refer to the GPG. Note that an automatic
request for a proposal file update will be accepted only
if submitted prior to your CAREER deadline. If your deadline
has passed and your proposal is found to have technical
problems due to PDF conversion, contact your disciplinary
Program Director to discuss whether NSF will approve a
proposal file update to fix the conversion problem.
- Question: I want to be sure my proposal is compliant
with the NSF GPG and the CAREER Solicitation. Is
there a checklist for the CAREER Program?
Answer: Yes, a link to the
CAREER Submission Requirements Checklist can be found on the
CAREER Web page at: http://www.nsf.gov/career. A “pre-submission checklist” can
also be found within the CAREER Solicitation.
- Question: How do I decide to which program I should
submit my CAREER proposal?
Answer: When determining where to submit your proposal,
you should also consider if the proposed research project
falls within the realm of research that NSF normally supports.
If so, then you will need to identify a specific disciplinary
program that is related to the research goals of the proposal,
as CAREER proposals are submitted directly to disciplinary
programs for review. In addition to identifying the CAREER
Program Solicitation number (NSF
05-579) on the proposal
cover sheet, you must specify a disciplinary program. The
following resources can help you determine the appropriateness
of your project for NSF (and simultaneously to identify
the disciplinary program to which you should submit):
Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact the program
director most closely related to the subject
matter when preparing cross-disciplinary proposals. You may
designate more than one program in FastLane if you think
two or more disciplinary programs should jointly review your
proposal. However, do not submit duplicate CAREER proposals
to multiple NSF programs.
Note: If NSF determines that your proposal would be more
appropriate for a different program than the primary one
you selected, the proposal will be reassigned to the appropriate
organizational unit. NSF will make the final determination
of where your proposal will be assigned and considered.
- Question: I am not sure whether I should submit my
proposal to the CAREER Program, to another special
NSF Program, or as a regular proposal. To whom should I direct
this question?
Answer: You should address your question to the program
director of the program you think is most closely related
to your research topic or to one of the CAREER Contacts
(refer to the list on the CAREER Web page at http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/career/contacts.jsp
- Question: I have two possible projects. Can I submit
two CAREER proposals?
Answer: No, only one proposal may be submitted to the CAREER
Program per competition year. If the research topic of
the second proposal is considerably different from that
described in the CAREER proposal, you may submit an unsolicited
proposal while the CAREER proposal is under consideration.
NSF will return a second proposal on a closely related
research topic without review.
- Question: I will have a collaborator
on my proposal. Can I include the collaborator as a CO-PI
or "other
senior personnel" on my budget?
Answer: No. Your research project and/or educational activities
can be collaborative, but a CAREER award is intended to
enable an awardee to carry out his or her individual plans
for career development. Therefore, no Co-Principal Investigator
may be named and collaborators cannot be analogous to Co-PIs.
No salary support for other senior personnel (as defined
in the GPG) may be included in section A of the budget,
either in the primary budget or within a sub award to a
collaborating institution.
- Question: What documentation can I submit to show the
collaborative effort I am proposing?
Answer: The planned collaborative effort(s) should be described
in your project description. You may also submit a short
letter from each collaborator to support the partnerships
you have described in the proposal. Scan the signed and
dated letter(s) into the Supplementary Documents section
of your proposal. The letters should follow the departmental
letter and should only describe the planned collaborative
effort(s). Letters of recommendation are not permitted
and will be removed from the proposal prior to review.
Do not submit any other documentation such as biographical
sketches or other NSF forms for any collaborator.
- Question: I am interested in adding an international
dimension to my proposal. Is that allowed and, if so,
how would I find out what kinds of activities are eligible
for support?
Answer: Plans for international cooperative research and
education activities are encouraged. The opportunity to
collaborate with outstanding foreign researchers and educators,
and to gain access to unique sites, equipment, or facilities,
may provide substantial benefits to the research and education
activities proposed. For information on the types of activities
that are eligible for support in various countries, contact
the Office of International Science and Engineering and
refer to the Dear Colleague Letter, NSF 04-034: http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf04034.
See the OISE homepage at http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?org=OISE for more information.
- Question: How many pages should I devote to describing
research and how many to education?
Answer: No number is specified. Use the 15 pages allowed
for proposal Section C, Project Description (including
any results from prior NSF support) to your best advantage.
A major objective of the CAREER Program is to encourage
the integration of research and education. The research
and educational activities do not need to be addressed
separately, if the relationship between the two is such
that the presentation of the integrated project is better
served by interspersing the two throughout the Project
Description.
While excellence in both education and research is expected,
activity of an intensity that leads to an unreasonable
workload is not. For instance, teaching additional courses
or taking on additional duties is not expected. In fact,
a justification for released time may be appropriate
for extraordinary curriculum development or education innovation.
What is expected is a well-argued and specific proposal
for activities over a 5-year period that will build a
firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions
to research and education. Refer to the CAREER Program Solicitation
for representative examples of educational activities.
CAREER proposers may also find the document “Merit
Review Broader Impacts Criterion: Representative Activities” useful
in preparing their CAREER proposals. This document can
be found at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf
- Question: In the new CAREER Solicitation “Career-Development
Plan” is replaced with “Project Description.” Why
was this change made?
Answer: To
align the CAREER Solicitation language more closely with the
NSF GPG, the term “Career-Development
Plan” was replaced with “Project Description.” Some
of the language in Section 5.A
of the Solicitation has been modified
to describe what should be included
and addressed in the project description
section of the proposal.
- Question: What should I discuss with my department
head? What should be addressed
in the departmental letter?
Answer: You should discuss your individual plans for your
career development and how they fit with your department's
and organization's plans, your responsibilities to the
department, and the support and commitment that the department
will give you. The departmental letter will be included
as part of the consideration of the overall merits of the
proposal and must follow the format prescribed in the CAREER
Solicitation. A letter that fails to acknowledge institutional
commitment to the professional development and mentoring
of the PI may disadvantage an otherwise outstanding proposal.
It is recommended that the departmental letter be approximately
one page in length.
Note that the instructions for the preparation of the
Departmental Letter have changed from the FY 2003-2005
CAREER Program Solicitation (NSF
02-111). New language
has been added to clarify that the departmental letter
should demonstrate an understanding of, and a commitment
to, the effective integration of research and education
as a primary objective of the CAREER award, and acknowledges
institutional commitment to the professional development
and mentoring of the PI.
- Question: I would like to submit some additional tabular
material that would exceed the
15-page limit on the length of the project description. Can
I submit this as an appendix?
Answer: Prior to submission of the proposal, the appropriate
NSF Assistant Director must approve in writing, inclusion
of additional material that exceeds the 15-page project
description limitation. Please note, however, that such
approvals are rarely granted. (See the GPG for additional
information.)
- Question: I have some additional information posted
on my website I would like
the reviewers to see. May Universal Resource Locators (URLs)
be included within the Project Description?
Answer: PIs are advised that the project description must
be self-contained and are cautioned that URLs (Internet
addresses) that provide information related to the proposal
should not be used because 1) the information could circumvent
page limitations, 2) the reviewers are under no obligation
to view the sites, and 3) the sites could be altered or
abolished between the time of submission and the time of
review.
- Question: I would like to be considered for a PECASE
award. What is the process?
Answer: Each
participating Federal agency has its
own nomination procedures.
To be eligible for a PECASE
award through NSF, you
must submit a CAREER proposal
and have certified that
you were PECASE eligible
on the CAREER and PECASE
Eligibility Certifications.
In addition to meeting
the CAREER eligibility
requirements, PECASE nominees
must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents
who hold that status on or before their July deadline
for submission of CAREER proposals. The most meritorious
PECASE-eligible CAREER PIs who have indicated that they
are "PECASE Eligible" may
be asked to submit supplemental information. Each year
NSF will select its PECASE nominees from among the most
meritorious PECASE-eligible CAREER awardees who applied
to that year's CAREER competition. The number of nominees
allocated to each directorate is proportionate to the directorate’s
level of participation in the CAREER Program.
- Question: I am preparing a CAREER proposal for submission
to the Directorate for
Education and Human Resources (EHR). What are considered acceptable
research activities?
Answer: Research plans submitted to EHR should be oriented
toward laying the conceptual foundations and expanding
the knowledge base necessary to support the enhancement
of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education
at all levels. CAREER awards should address the research
questions or areas of interest in EHR Divisions and programs.
EHR programs that have a strong research component include:
-
Research, Evaluation and Communication
Division (REC): The
Research on Learning and Education (ROLE) and Evaluative
Research and Evaluation Capacity Building (EREC).
-
Elementary, Secondary and Informal Science
Division (ESIE): Informal
Science Education (ISE); Teacher Professional Continuum
(TPC); Instructional Materials Development (IMD); Centers
for Learning and Teaching (CLT).
-
Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE): Assessment
of Student
Achievement in Undergraduate Education (ASA); National
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education
Digital Library (NSDL).
-
Division of Graduate Education (DGE): NSF Graduate
Teaching
Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12); Integrative Graduate
Education and Research Training (IGERT).
-
Division of Human Resource Development (HRD):
Gender Diversity
in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Education (GDSE); Program for Persons with Disabilities
(PPD).
- Math and Science Partnership (MSP) Research,
Evaluation and Technical Assistance.
These programs can be found on the EHR Web page at: http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=EHR.
Activities such as laboratory-equipment design, instructional-materials
development, professional development for teachers and/or
the creation of informal education programs may be cited
as part of the education plan of the CAREER proposal. However,
these activities do not satisfy the requirement for a research
plan in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(STEM) education.
- Question: To what program in EHR should I submit a
CAREER proposal?
Answer: All proposals to EHR should be submitted to the
Research, Evaluation and Communication Division (REC).
REC will coordinate review of proposals among the other
Divisions.
- Question: I am preparing a CAREER proposal for submission
to the Office of Polar
Programs. Whom should I contact?
Answer: For guidance on submitting information about fieldwork
proposed in the Arctic or Antarctic, proposers should contact
the program director in the Office of Polar Programs who
is associated with the program most closely aligned with
the research being proposed. The Office of Polar Programs
Web page can be found at: http:www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=OPP.
- Question: I am at an undergraduate institution and
because of my heavy
teaching load, I want to know if I can request release time.
Answer: In some cases it may be appropriate for a PI to
include academic year salary support on a CAREER budget.
In addition to PIs who have heavy teaching loads, some
PIs whose proposed activities may involve a limited period
of fieldwork or other extraordinary career-development
activity in research or education may be justified in requesting
academic year salary support on their budgets. Before including
any academic year salary support on your CAREER budget
you should contact your disciplinary program director to
discuss your individual case.
- Question: If I held an NSF postdoctoral
fellowship, do I need to
include a "Results from Prior Support" section
as mentioned
in the Grant Proposal Guide (GPG)?
Answer: Yes,
you must include
a "Results from Prior
Support" section
whenever you
have served
as a PI or
co-PI on any
NSF grant within
the last 5
years. This
includes postdoctoral
fellowships,
grants in equipment
programs such
as Major Research
Instrumentation,
and educational
grants. If
you have received
more than one
prior award
(excluding
amendments),
you must report
on the award
that is most
closely related
to the CAREER
proposal. (See the GPG for the required information.)
C. CAREER PROPOSAL REVIEW
- Question: My work is multidisciplinary and I want to
request that two different programs review my CAREER proposal.
One program is in the BIO Directorate and the other is in
the MPS Directorate. To which program should I submit my proposal
and how will my proposal be reviewed?
Answer: NSF encourages multidisciplinary proposals and every
attempt is made to ensure the best fit for these proposals.
Proposals with a multidisciplinary focus are commonly reviewed
simultaneously by different programs, or by special multidisciplinary
panels and/or ad-hoc reviewers. However, only one program
can serve as the managing (primary) program. Do not submit
duplicate proposals to more than one NSF Program. The primary
organization you select on the cover page in FastLane should
be the program that supports the main thrust of the research
you are proposing. The deadline of the primary organization
is the one in effect when submitting your proposal.
Proposers are strongly encouraged to contact the program
director most closely related to the subject matter
when preparing multidisciplinary proposals. Refer to the FAQ
above, "How do I decide to which program I should
submit my CAREER proposal," for more information
on identifying the appropriate disciplinary program.
Once your proposal is submitted, if NSF determines that
your proposal would be more appropriate for a different
program than the one you have selected, the proposal
will be reassigned to the appropriate organizational
unit and that program will be the reviewing and managing
program.
- Question: I realize that my CAREER proposal will be
evaluated according to the two NSF merit review criteria
(intellectual merit and broader impact). Do CAREER proposals
have any other considerations in the review process
that I should be aware of?
Answer: Reviewers are asked to address to the two NSF
merit review criteria, but they are also asked to note
the effective integration of research and educational
activities. Specifically they are asked to note how well
the proposal addresses the following:
-
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,
including plans to evaluate their impact;
-
A
description of how the research and educational activities
are integrated with one another; and
-
Results from prior
NSF support, if applicable.
A link to the “Note to Reviewers of CAREER Proposals” can
be found on the CAREER Web page at: http://www.nsf.gov/career.
D. ANNOUNCEMENT OF CAREER AND PECASE AWARDS
- Question: When will I be notified of the final decision
on my CAREER proposal?
Answer: Most proposers will be notified
by the February following their July Deadline. CAREER proposals
are reviewed by different panels (and/or ad hoc reviewers)
held at different times across the Foundation. Thus, award and
declination letters will be issued at different times. You can
check the status of your CAREER proposal by accessing the FastLane
website. If you have not received notification of a decision
on your proposal by February and your proposal status is shown
as "pending" in
FastLane, you can contact the program or division to which
your proposal was assigned to inquire about the status of your
proposal. Your proposal's NSF program assignment appears in the
FastLane Proposal Inquiry module.
- Question: If I receive a CAREER award, how will I know
whether I am being considered for a PECASE award? When will
I hear something if I am to get a PECASE award?
Answer: All CAREER awardees who are eligible for PECASE and
who have certified their eligibility by completing the CAREER
and PECASE Eligibility Certifications will be considered. Each
year, up to 20 of the most meritorious PECASE-eligible CAREER
awardees will be recommended to the White House for consideration
for PECASE awards. Recipients will be notified after the Presidential
awardees have been selected and approved by the White House.
It is anticipated that PECASE notification will be made approximately
15 months following each year's July CAREER proposal submission
deadline. No information can be released until such time as
the White House announces the awards.
- Question: If I receive a PECASE award, what will happen
to my CAREER award? What would the PECASE award include?
Answer: NSF PECASE awards are entirely honorary and do not
provide additional funds. NSF will convert your CAREER award
to a PECASE award, however the award amount and duration will
not be changed.
- Question: What is an appropriate level of funding to request?
Answer: The minimum CAREER award size is $400,000 for a 5-year
period with the following exception -- proposers to the Directorate
for Biological Sciences (BIO) must submit budget requests
for a minimum of $500,000 (approximately $100,000 per year)
for the 5-year duration. There is no maximum award size.
You should prepare your CAREER budget request according to
the scope of the activities being proposed and the practices
within your discipline. Before preparing your CAREER proposals,
you are strongly encouraged to contact your disciplinary
program director or your Division CAREER contact to discuss
your budget request. The CAREER Contacts List can be found
on the CAREER Web page at http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/career/contacts.jsp.
E. POST-AWARD ADMINISTRATION
- Question: Are the reporting requirements for CAREER awards
the same as for other NSF awards?
Answer: In addition to meeting all of the requirements for annual
and final reports that apply to unsolicited NSF awards, the reports
for CAREER awards should summarize the progress in both research
and educational activities and indicate how well these activities
are being integrated. Any collaborative activities should also
be described. In addition, annual reports for CAREER awards must
include a note from the PI's department head, or equivalent,
indicating the department's continued commitment to mentor the
PI and support the integrated research and educational activities.
Instructions for preparing CAREER project reports and uploading
departmental notes can be found on the CAREER webpage at http://www.nsf.gov/career.
- Question: What types of supplemental funds are available for
CAREER awards?
Answer: CAREER awards are eligible for supplemental funding as
described in the GPG. If you have any questions about supplemental
funding for your CAREER award, contact your disciplinary program
director.
- Question: What happens to my CAREER award if I leave my
academic appointment?
Answer: CAREER awards must be relinquished if the principal
investigator transfers any time prior to or during the duration
of the award to a position that is not tenured, tenure-track,
tenure-track equivalent and/or to an institution that is not
CAREER-eligible.
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